Daily Reading Passages

Click below for access to the passages. Biblegateway.com is an excellent site with many versions of the Bible. The link below opens in NIV.  Youversion.com is a new site that allows you to annotate your own Bible, make notes, and comments once you create an account. That link opens in the TNIV version. Other versions are available at both sites.

Coaching Comments

Our Old Testament reading today concludes the book of Exodus. (Exodus 39:1 - 40:38). We get a few more details about the garments of the priests, and then we see Moses and the people st up the Tabernacle. The real moment of truth comes in the last four verses, when God's presence comes to rest on the Tabernacle, and all Israel sees that this powerful and wild God has made His home among them. This presence came to be their guide. They camped in one place until the presence of God moved, and then they packed up and followed. In a simple way, that's a great description of the life we're called to. Camping out where the presence of God is manifest, and then moving to pursue Him when He moves.

The New Testament reading for today is a new beginning. Today we start the Gospel of Mark. (Mark 1:1-28) Mark, a disciple of Peter, wrote this Gospel very early in the life of the early church. Many scholars agree that it is the earliest of the four gospels that we have. It's concise, focused, emotional and fast-paced. It has the tone of coming from an eye-witness, which tradition tells us it does. If Mark was Peter's disciple, and even scribe, then the Gospel of Mark is really the story of Jesus according to Peter, one who was there from the beginning and saw the whole thing unfold. This is an exciting read, and a great place for people new to Jesus to start out.

Mark is the shortest Gospel, and all the pericopes (individual stories) are very short as well. That means that in a day's reading we'll be flying through a lot of things. Today we start out with John the Baptist, move quickly into Jesus' baptism, see Jesus call His first disciples, and cast out an evil spirit at the synagogue in Capernaum. It flies by fast. But one thing you'll notice is how Mark emphasizes over and over Jesus' power and authority. This is the big point in this Gospel. Jesus is the Son of God, acting in the full authority of the Father. His miracles, His teaching, His interactions are all focused on expressing and living this out.

The Psalms reading today, Psalms 35:1-16, is the first half of the 35th Psalm. In many ways this Psalm is David addressing God with an extended rant about some people who had betrayed him, people he had served and considered friends. He's been attacked by them, or accused, and David is just sick to death of the whole thing. He's bringing his frustration and fear to God, and asking for support and vindication.

This passage is one of the reasons the Psalms are so powerful and encouraging to me. Here David demonstrates that there is nothing we can't bring to God. God can take it, and He listens through our ranting to the real need and desire of our hearts. We can be utterly transparent and real with God, and He will still work in our lives for His purposes.

The Proverbs reading today, Proverbs 9:11-12, continues Lady Wisdom's guidance to us. She says that by following her (Godly wisdom) our life will be extended and we will find rewards. An attitude of sarcasm and cynicism will bring us suffering.

2007 Cohort Comments