Exodus 35:10-36:38, Matthew 27:32-66, Psalm 34:1-10, Proverbs 9:7-8
Today is the 13th day of February, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian and it is wonderful to be here with you today at this threshold of a brand-new week that is all out there in front of us, and no matter what is gone behind us and that is not happening that has passed and what is out in front of us is the future. What is happening is now and as we walk into this brand-new week and continue to learn and live into what we’re learning from the Scriptures we will be learning wisdom as well as how to be here and will be able to slow down and make the next right decision, making what is in the future bright. And so, let’s choose wisely our thoughts, words and deeds this week and our first step forward will be to take the next step forward in the Scriptures. We’ll read from the New International Version this week, Exodus chapter 35 verse 10 through 36 verse 38.
Commentary:
Okay so, in the gospel of Matthew today, we have reached this point that Jesus has been crucified, and the way we leave today’s reading He’s dead and there’s this terrible sense of loss from those who were following him and there is this tremendous sense of urgency to cover the tracks as quickly as possible. They don’t want anybody stealing Jesus body and creating a rumor that would be worse than the first and there’s just all of this going on, centered around the idea that God has come to His people and has allowed those people, his own creation to kill him. And of course, as the story goes of our faith, we understand that He won’t stay dead, but I have also found that we fast forward to that point where He’s not dead anymore really quickly. When this is the point at which we realize, if we’ll stay here for a moment, what it cost, which is a transformational moment when we are face-to-face with the fact that there is no way for us to get ourselves to God in our own righteousness, by our own good deeds, there’s none of us that are just so good, so good that He can’t deny us. The Bible tells us accurately, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And what we’re seeing with Jesus body hanging from a cross and then permission given to take his body and His burial, is a love that we don’t really have a cata-, I mean, this is an unconditional love that cannot be ended by death. And so, as we take this first step forward into this brand-new week, this is what we’re greeted with and this is where we’re left to meditate today, that Jesus died, He died. It was very confusing, it was all kinds of drama around it but He walked right into this, on purpose, for us.
Prayer:
And so, Jesus, gratitude words of gratitude words of worship humble, attitudes and hearts and postures, even falling to our knees, even falling to our faces, these are all appropriate responses when we come face-to-face with the fact that we were absolutely doomed and You absolutely rescued us. But our words of gratefulness and worship, they’re not enough. There’s nothing that we can do that would be enough, there isn’t some sort of act we can do that will make it all right and so we’re exempt from needing Your mercy and grace, we’ve just finally gotten there. We fall short all the time, we fall short. And yet, through what we’re seeing here this sacrifice, a bridge has been made, a pathway has been secured, we can come into Your presence boldly as children, knowing that You have mercy, knowing that You forgive, knowing that You are Fathering us, that You are maturing us, that we are growing and that our lives must represent You in this world. And so, we sit with that today. What does that look like in our story? Come, Holy Spirit into this we pray in the name of Jesus, we ask. Amen.
Prayer and Encouragements:
Hi, DAB family, this is the Farmers Wife from snowy upstate New York. I wanted just to say thank you. I have been in awe in the love and support that I hear from my family regarding myself and the farmer and our new child. I am ten weeks exactly today. So, the little munchkin is growing. I had a doctor’s appointment and so far, everything looks good. I got to see the little heart beating which was just so beautiful. And the prayers that you all have been praying have just really transformed my heart. I’m looking for God now in everything and I’m starting to see Him and it’s beautiful. So, thank you for that. So, stay strong and faithful and love you all.
Hi DAB, I’m Bell from Colorado. And I’d like to have your prayers please. I’m struggling to stay focused on God especially with college and all the homework and just my racing thoughts. There have been days when I’ve been unable to finish the DAB reading because I have to get all my homework done. Would you please pray that I would be able to seek God and even with all of my responsibilities? Thanks. And I love hearing all of your requests too. And thank you Brian for this super cool app. Bye.
Hi DAB family, this is Tammy from the Adirondacks. I just got done listening to the February 9th podcast and Ivy, you called in talking about Brian’s commentary on just taking things little-by-little. You lost your husband and sister I’m just lifting you up to the Lord right now. Grief is a, it’s a process that takes us down so many different roads. But each of those roads you’re not alone, the Lord is with us. And it’s okay that it’s been two years and your husband’s stuff is still where it is. I lost my mom in 2019 and my dad still has her stuff sitting on her side of the bathroom sink. It’s a process and there’s no timeline, there’s no, when you should or how you should, you do things in your time, what makes it feel good to you. What, I don’t know if it’ a good thing but, what works for you. But know during the whole process that you are loved. I lift you up in prayer and I ask Jesus to just lift you and fill you with His peace that passes all understanding. To fill you with His joy. And just know that you’re not alone. We all face so many different things and we’re blessed to have each other. But we’re blessed to have a might God that carries us through these storms, these trials that we go through. Be blessed and be encouraged sister. God bless you.
Hello family, this is Beloved Child in Takoma, Washington. And I’m requesting prayer for mother, my stepfather and I. There’s a lot going on right now. My mother has very advanced stages of Alzheimer’s but she has done a lot of very hurtful things my whole life and I have been doing things for her for the last 15 to 20 years and now she’s turned on me and thinks I’m being mean to her. Which I most certainly am not. But my stepfather is not a good caretaker and he does not want to put her in a home because he doesn’t want to pay for it. I’m stuck family, I don’t know what to do. There’s not, I just don’t know what to do. Please pray for me and my mom and stepfather. Thank you.