For a description of the (Y2) reading plan, see the “About” page.
Rom. 15
I like the way Paul frames prayer in Romans 15:30. “I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.” When we pray for someone, we aren’t just submitting a help ticket to God on their behalf. Paul says that we are joining in their struggle. We are taking on part of their burden as our own and helping them carry it to God. So prayer is really a labor of love that we are empowered to take on through Christ. We are then also able to take part in their victory when God relieves our shared struggle.
Something else that comes to me as I think about this is the prayer that Jesus prayed for His disciples and for all those who would ever come to believe in Him in John 17. I don’t know about you, but I find great comfort in the thought that Jesus joins me in my struggles.
Num. 15-16
Why did God punish Korah so harshly, and what does it tell you about God and what He values? I am not sure why the topic in Numbers 15 turns back to sacrifices after the Israelites failed in their test of faith regarding entering the Promised Land in the previous two chapters. But I find the placement of this chapter in relation to the story of rebellion in chapter 16 very relevant. Chapter 15 makes a distinction between sinning unintentionally and sinning defiantly. I get the sense that “unintentionally” doesn’t mean exactly what it seems to me at face value. However, chapter 16 gives a pretty clear explanation of what it means to sin “defiantly”.
Korah and his followers weren’t just questioning the authority of Moses and Aaron. They were questioning the authority of God. Furthermore, they attributed the LORD’s work to men. In spite of the overwhelming evidence that Moses and Aaron were simply following God’s instruction, the dissenters asked them, “Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD’s assembly?” (Num. 16:3b). This was the same mistake the Pharisees made when they accused Jesus of doing works through the power of Beelzebul. It was they, not Moses and Aaron, who were setting themselves above God. To me, that sheds a lot of light on what God said about defiant sin. “But anyone who sins defiantly…blasphemes the LORD and must be cut off from the people of Israel. Because they have despised the LROD’s word and broken His commands…their guilt remains on them.” (Num. 15:30-31).
Ps. 29
Join David in giving worship to God as you read this psalm. Where have you seen the power of God’s voice? Wow – after an entire Psalm lauding the power, might, and destructive force of God’s voice, it ends with “the LORD blesses His people with peace.”! (Ps. 29:11b). This Psalm is anything but peaceful! It highlights the fearsome sovereignty of the Almighty God. But I think perhaps that’s the point. It sheds a whole different light on that final statement. It takes most of the focus off the peace that God gives and places it heavily on the LORD’s blessing. This fearsome God who reigns supreme over everything that is and is able to destroy any power with simply His voice chooses to give His people peace. If that isn’t an awesome blessing, I sure don’t know what is!!!