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

The Old Testament reading for today, Numbers 24:1 - 25:18, continues the strange story of Balaam. After speaking out over Israel twice, and saying only blessings, the king tried one more time to get Balaam to curse them. New location, new threats, maybe it would work this time. Interesting passing point. This time, after seeing how God has blessed Israel through him, Balaam decided to to this one without his usual magician's stuff. 24:1 says this time around "he did not resort to sorcery as at other times." So apparently he had been using some kind of divination tools before. This confirms the reading that says that Balaam was some kind of magician, who happened to be open to God, and who God used in spite of his incomplete knowledge of Him and His laws. This time he spoke out a powerful and beautiful blessing. The king was infuriated, and in response Balaam spoke out a message of destruction against the king and his people.

But the king didn't need a supernatural curse to cause damage to Israel. They were fully able to do that themselves. Chapter 25 shows how easy it was for them to fall into the practices of their neighbors. In this case the Moabites practiced temple prostitution where sexual activities were a part of the worship practice. It didn't take long for some of the men of Israel to get involved in this. This was a direct breach of Israel's covenant to remain pure in their worship of God, to avoid immoral sexuality, and to not get involved with the women of the land. Again there were grave consequences, showing clearly the boundary lines that God had established for His people. They had to remain pure in light of God's ultimate plan for them.

In the New Testament reading today, Luke 2:1-35, we see the birth of Jesus. This is probably the nativity story that most people are familiar with, for Luke's version is the one that forms the basis of nearly every play, movie and child's storybook about the birth of Jesus. As you read this (and the rest of the book) you'll notice the marks of a historian: Lots of personal detail, specific locations, and dates. More than any other gospel, Luke pegs things to specific verifiable dates.

This familiar reading ends with the interaction with Simeon in the temple. This elderly man had a special connection with God, and He was living out his days waiting for the promised Messiah. When he saw the child, he prophesied over him, words that apply not only to those who lived in that day, but to everyone who has ever lived since or who ever will live before the return of the Lord. "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed..."

Psalms 59 is the Psalms reading for today. (Psalms 59:1-17) This is another of David's Psalms from a situation where enemies were unfairly attacking him. I guess this must have happened a lot on the road to becoming the king.

Our Proverb reading today is Proverbs 11:14. This is the wisdom of getting good advice from many sources, when decision must be made. Too little counsel and even things as big as nations fall.

2007 Cohort Comments