Month: January 2019

January 2, Reading 1 – Genesis 2:4-25

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Adam worked in paradise. His work was not cursed with futility. That came later. These two chapters also reveal that we are made in God’s image – two persons (male & female) and one humanity/flesh. In what other ways are we made in His image?

SJA Notes

* Sovereign God, let Your Name be praised throughout the earth. Please show us more of Your will for us today from Your word.

“… Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”

God breathed life into man!

We can see that Job knew the truth of this, as he says (Job ch 13),

“The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”

This is God at work, our CREATOR God.

We see this physical creation is mirrored in our spiritual life too.

In Ezekiel (ch 37) we read,

“Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”

God’s BREATH is life-giving, both to our bodies and our souls!

This is the God we worship, one whose breath can bring life to dry bones, to those dead in their sins!

* God Above,

Thank You for Your breath that brings life.

Please help us to glorify Your Name today in whatever we go about.

Please may those around us see Jesus, having the breath of life breathed into them.

Amen.


January 2, Reading 2 – Job 2:11-3:26

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Job’s three friends might have woeful theology, but they do feel for him. The reasons for Job’s cursing his birth are revealed in verses 20-26. What did Job fear? What do you fear?

SJA Notes

* Holy God, please help us to be poor in spirit – Your word tells us that theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights,”

Whatever may come later with these friends of Job they did care for him.

We might have friends like this.

They sat with Job for a whole week without speaking, seven days! That is a good long while, showing a dedication to their friendship.

Because Job is low. Very low.

“Why did I not die at birth, come out from the womb and expire?”

He has suffered the brutal loss of his children, along with complete business bankruptcy and physical breakdown (affecting his mental state without a doubt).

Job sits in ashes and scratches his sores with a broken piece of a pot.

Job is miserable.

Job is heart-broken and he cries out to the Lord.

This first set of words from Job is full of bleakness, questioning why he has lived all these years for such a time of sorrow.

His questions are valid, his thoughts are important – They show us a person wrestling with terrible experiences.

The book of Job is for us today, as we ourselves go through life and the suffering that we experience.

* Loving God,

Your love is steadfast, Your faithfulness without end.

Please remind us of what You have done for us.

Please remind us of our need for Your salvation, that You gave at the cost of coming here Yourself to pay our debt.

Please remind us of our great hope in You of eternal life, in glory where there will be no more suffering.

Amen.

January 2, Reading 3 – Matthew 2

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

The Magi visit Joseph and Mary in the house, not the stable! As David’s heir, Jesus is born in David’s town. The political forces against Jesus were overwhelming. God is not overwhelmed!

SJA Notes

* Dear God, thank You for Your word to us today. Please help us understand it.

“And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.”

Many strange and wondrous events and happenings surround Jesus’ birth, among them dreams.

Joseph and Mary both had dreams giving them instruction.

The wise men, they knew God’s word. They knew that Micah the prophet spoke of Bethlehem in Judah. They knew the Messiah would be born into this place.

And they too had a dream warning them of Herod.

Joseph has another dream, telling them to flee to Egypt.

God spoke clearly through dreams to those around the baby Jesus.

For us today we have the full gamut of God’s word, Genesis to Revelation.

We read in Hebrews 4,

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Jesus, the baby born in a manger where the animals rested – He is God’s word become flesh, dividing soul and spirit, discerning the true state of the heart.

As we walk through scripture together, we can keep this in mind!

* Gracious God,

Thank You for Jesus, the Saviour of the world, born into a manger.

Thank You that You sent warnings to Joseph and to the wise men through dreams – And that they heeded Your warnings.

Please help us to submit under Your will for us, Your good will, each day.

Amen.