❤️This morning, from the comfort of my home, I watched Blue Origin launch into space, and return home safely. Thank you God for the miracles that never cease, and for your steadfast love.
So many good things today!! The passages in 2 Kings seem to have lots of connections to other passages we’ve read so far. Elijah and Elisha cross over the Jordan on dry land—this connects to when Moses parts the Red Sea as the Israelites flee from Egypt and when Joshua stops the flow of the Jordan river as the Israelites finally enter the Promised Land! The miracle of the water in Jericho relates to the miracles of the water provided for the Israelites in the wilderness. It also connects forward to Jesus description of the “living water” that He offers us. These connections to Moses and the wilderness should serve as a reminder to Israel of the power and love of the One God of Israel. They have gotten so far from being a nation that follows the Lord, that these miracles should point backwards and serve as a reminder / wake up call for the people of Israel.
I am also challenged by the interaction between the kings of Israel / Judah and Elisha. The kings ask Elisha to provide water for their army and livestock. Elisha responds, “This is a light thing in the sight of the Lord” and then goes on to proclaim that the Lord will give them victory in the battle. How often do I ask for “water” (the small, immediate needs) when I should be asking for “victory” (the big picture)?!
What is notable is the love between the saints mentioned in chapter 4 of Colossians. These are brothers and sisters who desire one another’s full maturity in the things of the Lord and pray earnestly on behalf of it, while living lives dedicated to His service. May we also be busy with the work of glorifying Christ and seeking His means of sanctification through prayer.
My first day…have always struggled with daily devotion, so I was excited when I saw this plan.
My 6 year old is my early riser and this morning he asked me to read my devotion out loud. Uh…had I know I’d be reading about kids being torn apart by bears I might have reconsidered……lol. Blessings to you all! Keep going!
27 Then he took his oldest son who was to reign in his place and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall.
I thought this was crazy!! Okay, your doing bad at war, that doesn’t mean go kill your son! I looked into this more, and it was very common of the age to do this to please “the gods”
2 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, though not like his father and mother, for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made.
Why di they keep doing what is evil!!!? So many of them…
This is something that I often find myself frustrated by as well. When we read through the history of Israel and Judah, it’s easy to wonder how in the world the Kings could continue to rebel when it obviously doesn’t work for them! But then I think about myself, and how often I choose what I know is not pleasing to God, because I am more concerned with myself. Or how, when God is calling me to do something, I may do it…but half heartedly. Or do part of it, but not all of it. It’s the same with the kings. They are human, flawed, and in desperate need of God’s grace. This king got rid of the pillar, but his heart was still bent towards evil, not submitting to the one true God. And just like us, sometimes the Kings sought the Lord and were blessed by it, and others sought foreign gods and suffered for it. God is just. He will not be second to anything, and he will not allow those who repeatedly go against His word to prosper from it. I have to remember that it’s important to read through the OT with a NT lens-people are broken and separate from God, prone to do evil, yet Christ has come to bridge that gap and offer us the grace we don’t deserve so that we may know him.
23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!” 24 He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. 25 And he went on to Mount Carmel and from there returned to Samaria.
Anyone else find this weird/random?
It is very strange -our church recently went through kings and shed some light on this passage. It says “boys” but our pastor said it would be more like teenagers ( old enough to marry and old enough to fight in wars) and that they “came out of the town” so Elisha would have been traveling ‘around the town’ on a main road and was obviously very well
Known in the area, and these teens came out of the city, found him on the road and started provoking him, taunting him . They knew who he was and they didn’t like him or his message…
It still seems extreme but in that context its at least a little easy to swallow that some thugs were bullying Elisha and he felt with it , as opposed to thinking it was some kindergarteners on the play ground just making fun of a bald old man…
I thought this was pretty harsh too, but my Bible helped clarify it a little. God has a zero tolerance policy for those who make fun of or discourage His messengers. They shouldn’t be mocked, they should be respected and met with encouragement. So God made an example out of these boys for others not to shoot the messenger!
Your comment reminds me of the Scriptures about respecting our leaders & God’s vengeance in 1 Chronicles 16:22/Psalms 105:15 & Romans 12:19, Romans 13, Hebrews 10:30…
I am still learning all the names of everyone as I just started this almost two weeks ago! I just found SRT and am playing catch up! I am so thrilled to be doing this. I find myself looking forward to every day and the multiple readings I do. I was telling my family yesterday- I just feel ALIVE!
I just started yesterday and really love seeing the comments everyone posts! It sheds new light to the Scripture and makes it easier to understand! Sometimes I find myself getting distracted at church because I can’t follow the reading, but being able to see it and read at my own pace as well as see what you guys have to say, makes it so much easier for me.
Good Morning! This may be a bit random, I know. But I was thinking of a woman who used to comment often. I have not seen her name in the comments for a while now and I just wondered if anyone knows how she is doing. She shared that she was ill. Her name is Beth Warner. I only know her from SRT. Praying for her this morning.
I love how Col 4:6 says our conversations should be full of grace and seasoned with salt. Seasoning (in a cooking and baking sense) is such a fine balance! My bible notes that salt specifically created a thirst, a desire for more. “As Christians, we sprinkle salt of God’s grace and gospel into our daily conversations. We don’t saturate every conversation in a way that drives others away.”
Such an encouragement to live and engage with everyone in a way that helps create a thirst for learning more about Jesus!
I love this too! The Message version says, “Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.”
Col 4:18 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
Remember my chains…that verse hits me hard every time. We are reading this as counsel, teaching, encouragement..and yet Paul suffered to share this with us. May we always be grateful for what has been done to help us understand the mystery and glory of Christ!
Vs 18 “This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord…”
Seriously loved this verse today because I get the vibe that God was like “Oh,Creating water out of nothing in a dry place? NO BIG DEAL, done that before, remember?” haha
Sometimes I just need a simple reminder that something that seems impossible–a miracle–to me is an “easy thing” for the Lord.
❤️
❤️
❤️
Grace be with you
❤️This morning, from the comfort of my home, I watched Blue Origin launch into space, and return home safely. Thank you God for the miracles that never cease, and for your steadfast love.
✅
❤️
✝️
So many good things today!! The passages in 2 Kings seem to have lots of connections to other passages we’ve read so far. Elijah and Elisha cross over the Jordan on dry land—this connects to when Moses parts the Red Sea as the Israelites flee from Egypt and when Joshua stops the flow of the Jordan river as the Israelites finally enter the Promised Land! The miracle of the water in Jericho relates to the miracles of the water provided for the Israelites in the wilderness. It also connects forward to Jesus description of the “living water” that He offers us. These connections to Moses and the wilderness should serve as a reminder to Israel of the power and love of the One God of Israel. They have gotten so far from being a nation that follows the Lord, that these miracles should point backwards and serve as a reminder / wake up call for the people of Israel.
I am also challenged by the interaction between the kings of Israel / Judah and Elisha. The kings ask Elisha to provide water for their army and livestock. Elisha responds, “This is a light thing in the sight of the Lord” and then goes on to proclaim that the Lord will give them victory in the battle. How often do I ask for “water” (the small, immediate needs) when I should be asking for “victory” (the big picture)?!
6Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
Its very impactful how Paul ends his letter with “remember my chains.” It creates a sense of urgency in doing our work that we often lose.
What is notable is the love between the saints mentioned in chapter 4 of Colossians. These are brothers and sisters who desire one another’s full maturity in the things of the Lord and pray earnestly on behalf of it, while living lives dedicated to His service. May we also be busy with the work of glorifying Christ and seeking His means of sanctification through prayer.
5Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. -ellie
The same verse jumped out at me! “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt.”
2Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. -ellie
2Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
A needed reminder today
My first day…have always struggled with daily devotion, so I was excited when I saw this plan.
My 6 year old is my early riser and this morning he asked me to read my devotion out loud. Uh…had I know I’d be reading about kids being torn apart by bears I might have reconsidered……lol. Blessings to you all! Keep going!
Blessing to you too, Bethany!
27 Then he took his oldest son who was to reign in his place and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall.
I thought this was crazy!! Okay, your doing bad at war, that doesn’t mean go kill your son! I looked into this more, and it was very common of the age to do this to please “the gods”
Continue in prayer
2 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, though not like his father and mother, for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made.
Why di they keep doing what is evil!!!? So many of them…
This is something that I often find myself frustrated by as well. When we read through the history of Israel and Judah, it’s easy to wonder how in the world the Kings could continue to rebel when it obviously doesn’t work for them! But then I think about myself, and how often I choose what I know is not pleasing to God, because I am more concerned with myself. Or how, when God is calling me to do something, I may do it…but half heartedly. Or do part of it, but not all of it. It’s the same with the kings. They are human, flawed, and in desperate need of God’s grace. This king got rid of the pillar, but his heart was still bent towards evil, not submitting to the one true God. And just like us, sometimes the Kings sought the Lord and were blessed by it, and others sought foreign gods and suffered for it. God is just. He will not be second to anything, and he will not allow those who repeatedly go against His word to prosper from it. I have to remember that it’s important to read through the OT with a NT lens-people are broken and separate from God, prone to do evil, yet Christ has come to bridge that gap and offer us the grace we don’t deserve so that we may know him.
Amen :)
23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!” 24 He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. 25 And he went on to Mount Carmel and from there returned to Samaria.
Anyone else find this weird/random?
It is very strange -our church recently went through kings and shed some light on this passage. It says “boys” but our pastor said it would be more like teenagers ( old enough to marry and old enough to fight in wars) and that they “came out of the town” so Elisha would have been traveling ‘around the town’ on a main road and was obviously very well
Known in the area, and these teens came out of the city, found him on the road and started provoking him, taunting him . They knew who he was and they didn’t like him or his message…
It still seems extreme but in that context its at least a little easy to swallow that some thugs were bullying Elisha and he felt with it , as opposed to thinking it was some kindergarteners on the play ground just making fun of a bald old man…
I thought this was pretty harsh too, but my Bible helped clarify it a little. God has a zero tolerance policy for those who make fun of or discourage His messengers. They shouldn’t be mocked, they should be respected and met with encouragement. So God made an example out of these boys for others not to shoot the messenger!
Kaily,
Your comment reminds me of the Scriptures about respecting our leaders & God’s vengeance in 1 Chronicles 16:22/Psalms 105:15 & Romans 12:19, Romans 13, Hebrews 10:30…
I am still learning all the names of everyone as I just started this almost two weeks ago! I just found SRT and am playing catch up! I am so thrilled to be doing this. I find myself looking forward to every day and the multiple readings I do. I was telling my family yesterday- I just feel ALIVE!
I just started yesterday and really love seeing the comments everyone posts! It sheds new light to the Scripture and makes it easier to understand! Sometimes I find myself getting distracted at church because I can’t follow the reading, but being able to see it and read at my own pace as well as see what you guys have to say, makes it so much easier for me.
I’ve been away from this for about a month. Going to try to get caught up again. Need the discipline of doing something consistently
So glad you are back, friend!
xoxo-Kaitlin
Glad you’re back too…missed seeing your name with your great comments. Press on.
I also missed your comments and am glad to see your name again!
Good Morning! This may be a bit random, I know. But I was thinking of a woman who used to comment often. I have not seen her name in the comments for a while now and I just wondered if anyone knows how she is doing. She shared that she was ill. Her name is Beth Warner. I only know her from SRT. Praying for her this morning.
I was wondering about her too …
I love how Col 4:6 says our conversations should be full of grace and seasoned with salt. Seasoning (in a cooking and baking sense) is such a fine balance! My bible notes that salt specifically created a thirst, a desire for more. “As Christians, we sprinkle salt of God’s grace and gospel into our daily conversations. We don’t saturate every conversation in a way that drives others away.”
Such an encouragement to live and engage with everyone in a way that helps create a thirst for learning more about Jesus!
I love this too! The Message version says, “Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.”
Love this version! Thank you.
This is such a helpful analogy. Thank you!
I wasn’t entirely sure what to think of that verse when I came across it! Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Thank you for that analogy. Yes, too much salt ruins the dish!
Yes!! this is so great, while reading i felt like it truly had something deeper and I just couldn’t put my finger on it!! thank you!!
Col 4:18 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
Remember my chains…that verse hits me hard every time. We are reading this as counsel, teaching, encouragement..and yet Paul suffered to share this with us. May we always be grateful for what has been done to help us understand the mystery and glory of Christ!
Today was the first time I noticed that. So good.
I’m always working on my own speech and know Elijah was working so hard to do right by the Lord too!
6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. – great verse to start the week!
Agree! That verse stood out for me also. Hope your week is blessed.
Vs 18 “This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord…”
Seriously loved this verse today because I get the vibe that God was like “Oh,Creating water out of nothing in a dry place? NO BIG DEAL, done that before, remember?” haha
Sometimes I just need a simple reminder that something that seems impossible–a miracle–to me is an “easy thing” for the Lord.
Love this :)
Awesome!
Praise God. Still need a miracle in our terms… Prayers needed for husband, still not good. Thanks ladies.
Prays being sent.
Praying for you now!
But it can be easy for God–Creator of heaven & earth!
Me too!! Reminds of the verse Is anything too hard for God??
Yes!