Day Twenty-One (21)

Reading today: Genesis 44-45, Psalm 20, Matat 8:23-34, Acts 12

Genesis 44-45
Now Joseph hides his silver cup in the bags of his brother to accuse them of stealing. What is up with this? The brothers still have such an awareness of their sin from selling Joseph to the slaves (v. 16 ch. 44). Is Joseph testing them to see if they have recognized their sin of the past? To see if they have turned from it, repented, changed? 45:5 - "But don't be angry with yourselves that you did this to me, for God did it. he sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives." The age old question of God's relation with evil. What Joseph's brother did was clearly evil and sinful. Yet God works it for their own good, not Joseph's, but theirs!!

Psalm 20
I envision this Psalm being read by the great throng of the congregation at the Temple. May the Lord grant our heart's desire and fulfill all of our plans!! Whoa, doesn't that sound un-spiritual? Selfish? Think again...

Matthew 8:23-34
The story of Jesus calming the storm is sandwiched between accounts of Jesus' healings. Jesus rebukes the storm just as he rebukes the demons in people. Is this another story of Jesus' spiritual warfare? We see the question of Jesus' identity looming larger as the story proceeds: "Who is this?" they asked themselves...
It is always so clear that the demons know exactly who Jesus is - the Son of God. Yet knowing who Jesus is does not mean you believe in, trust in, or follow him!! Reminds me of Matthew 7 passage.
I wonder why the pigs...

Acts 12
What an interesting contrast between the disciples and Herod. His actions are motivated by political popularity (3) and he receives the praise of the people for himself (23). God deals none too kindly with this (23)!!

This story of Peter being led out of prison is almost unbelievable. Does God work like this still today? Do with pray with a belief in this kind of activity of God?