Through the Bible in one year - Day 27

Today in Genesis we read of both Abraham’s death and burial and Ishmael’s death. Tomorrow we will read of the birth of Esau and Jacob (according to the heading below where we stop today). I did find it interesting that after the death of Sarah, when we know that Abraham was already at an advanced age he marries again and has more sons from this second wife: Keturah, but we see that only Isaac and Ishmael bury their father and Isaac is given all his father’s possessions. I don’t particularly know what to make of all that, but I will mark and see if some things come of all this later.

We next read of the death of David, who reigned over Israel 40 years, 33 of them in Jerusalem. It doesn’t seem that long a time considering all that we know of him. It says that the chronicles of his deedd are written by “Samuel the seer, and in the Chronicles of Nathan the prophet, and in the Chronicles of Gad the seer, with accounts of all his rule and his might and of the circumstances that came upon him and upon Israel and upon all the kingdoms of the countries.” (1 Chronicles 29:29-30) 

David is the most famous of the kings of Israel at least that I know about, and I guess it is from the writings, but it is also from the Psalms and the fact that David was both fallen and forgiven; so like we are ourselves. We probably won’t have chroniclers and as far as I am concerned it is probably just as well. Who wants to read all their exploits on the front page of the Times, or hear it endlessly repeated on the news? Not me, because I am guessing if it is newsworthy it wouldn’t be something I’d be proud of – at least that is my observation of the news. David, on the other hand showed us the greatness of God; the God who forgives him and blessed him. This God is our God, and we can thank David for his perseverance.

I see that the word I chose to speak about David brings us right into the first parable we read about in Luke’s Gospel today. This persistent widow who did not stop until the judge heard her. This is what Jesus had to say: "Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:6-8)

How easy it would be for us to say thank you Lord, that we are not like those other men... but in the end, we are in fact just like them; we should all pray “Lord be merciful to me, a sinner. (Luke 29:13) We end today’s readings with the question of what we can do to merit salvation and the answer is – we can do nothing of our own to merit salvation; it is a gift from our father in heaven and a gift from Jesus our lord. What is impossible with us, is possible with God. Thank you Lord Jesus. Amen.

Today’s readings: Psalm 26, Genesis 25:1-18, 1 Chronicles 29:22:-30, Luke 18:1-30