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, Deuteronomy 9:1 - 10:22, continued with Moses' final sermon. He starts by telling the people that they are not being given the promised land because they somehow deserve it. They are not to assume that all this is happening because of their righteousness. It has nothing to do with their merit. Then Moses reminds them of all the times they rebelled against God - to the point where they were deserving of judgment, and yet God held back and continued to take them to the promised land. The reading ends with a call to commitment. Think of all that God has done for you. Think of how you have rejected Him, and He still works on your behalf. Now, soften your heart and turn to Him so that He can lead you. The parallels to our lives today are so many and so evident.

The New Testament reading (Luke 8:4-21) is largely made up of one parable. From the perspective of the sower, it's a story about God's generosity. He gives His blessing and sows His word equally to everyone in every circumstance. From the perspective of the soil, it's a story about the different states of heart with which we can receive God's word. It's also the only parable that Jesus gives a detailed explanation of. Here we get Jesus explaining why He chooses to teach in parables. It's a strange comment almost sounding like He doesn't want people to understand Him. But really what's going on is that He wants those people who are spiritually ready ("Those who have ears to hear") to hear the truth, and those who aren't (the one's who will reject it anyway) to miss it.

We also see an interesting moment where Jesus talks about the priority of those who have access to him. His family came to see him, but couldn't get in. They pulled the family card, and Jesus response seems a little harsh. But Jesus was speaking to a culture that "pulled the family card" all the time spiritually. Since they were Abraham's children, they had unique access to God. Jesus was only pointing out in this symbolic act that access to God doesn't depend on family connections. It depends on hearing and applying His teachings. Those who put God's word into practice are "Jesus' family."

The Psalms reading is Psalms 69:19-36. This is the second half of the 69th Psalm. As I commented yesterday, this comes from a very dark place of personal pain and woundedness. And yet, even in that place, David ends up with praise for God. It's easy for me to think that I can only praise God when things are going well, or when I am excited. And yet this is one more example to me that even in my darkest places, I can thank God for who He is and for the deliverance He had promised.

The Proverbs reading (Proverbs 12:2-3) is two simple statements that amount to this: dishonesty, unrighteousness and evil will in the end get you nowhere. Nothing gained in those paths will last.

2007 Cohort Comments