One Year Bible, January 14

GENESIS 30:1-31:16
I assume you have read this portion of Scripture.  Unless you are a farmer, it probably doesn't interest you much.  However, I must mention the "mandrakes".  Little Reuben had found some mandrakes in the wheat field and brought them to his mother.  Mandrake fruit has a narcotic effect and was believed to be a "love potion" and to make one fertile.  So, Rachel wanted some too, since she had not had any children yet.  Leah's answer was very telling, "Wasn't it enough that you took away my husband?  Will you take my sons's mandrakes too?"  Rachel, Leah and Jacob were not very happy together.  In fact, Jacob snapped at Rachel when she whined about being barren.  Fortunately, God had mercy on Rachel, and she eventually bore Joseph and then Benjamin. 

In the meantime, Jacob wanted to go home.  If he left immediately, he would take his family but have nothing to show for nearly 15 years of hard work.  So he struck a deal with Laban: Joseph would get to keep all the sheep that weren't white and all the goats that weren't dark.  Both phenomenon would be unusual.  To make it even more difficult, Laban immediately took any non-white sheep and non-dark goats and moved them 3-days journey away so that Joseph had to start from nothing.  Joseph did some selective breeding by placing striped and speckled limbs around the watering troughs at breeding time to influence the color of their offspring.  And he did this only with the strong ewes, so that his lambs were stronger and better able to multiply.  God's grace continued to bless Jacob.  By the year Jacob was able to leave Laban, God had made Jacob rich, and had depleted Laban's herd to nearly nothing!   Even though Laban changed Jacob's wages 10 times, God did not allow it to harm Jacob.  He declared Himself to be the "God of Bethel".  And now we see that Rachel and Leah have become as tricky as Jacob and Laban, reasoning that because Laban was dishonest, that all the wealth that God took away from Laban now belonged to them. 

RESPONSE:  There was an old song that said, "God help the Mister, who comes between me and my sister."  Joseph bore children by 4 different women and had to mediate plenty of disharmony, I'm sure.  There was jealousy, rivalry, strife, and heartache in that home.  Added to that, Jacob had to deal with his dishonest uncle who continued to cheat him, and hang onto him for his own benefit.  How did Jacob handle all that?  Did he remember the vows he made to God at Bethel?  He must have been thrilled to hear from the "God of Bethel" when he did.  What a relief!  He was going home! 

God, help me stay sweet when I feel abused and used.  I ask You to "use me", then I get upset when You do! 

MATTHEW 10:1-25
Chapters 10-12 are the Manual for the Kingdom.  Jesus warned us not to do the ministry for pay.  We are not to "sell" healings or deliverances.  However, we can accept offerings to pay expenses.  They (the 12) were to stay busy with ministry, and not move from house-to-house, but stay with one host.  If the town or a home was not welcoming, they were to "shake the dust off their feet" and move on.  There is record of Paul and Barnabas actually doing that (Acts 13:51), and it signifies that there would be none of the impurities of paganism clinging to their soul (or their sole!). 

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.  Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves."  The guardians of the status quo don't appreciate being told that they need to change.  And they don't want us to change either.  So, be wise and harmless at the same time.  In other word, cautiously avoid danger and don't intentionally provoke it.  But, "all men will hate you because of Me."  (vs 22)  Here's an interesting statistic:  The Apostle John was the only one of the original 12 to die a natural death, and Rome tried to kill him, too, but couldn't.  Judas hung himself.  The other 10 were martyred, 6 of them crucified. 

RESPONSE:  I would love to "drive out devils and heal every sickness and disease".  I pray for people every opportunity I am aware of.  I don't always notice the open door, though.  And I think I am wise as a serpent, but the dove part, not so much.  I repent of that right now and ask God to help me be more "harmless". 

PSALM 12:1-8
This could have been written because of 1 Samuel 22:12-18 when Saul murdered 85 priests of the Lord at Nob for harboring and helping David.  Whatever the occasion, David desperately just dives right in and says, "Help Lord".  The bad guys, whoever they were, had a disregard for truth and spoke with flattery and boasting, and said they could talk (use their tongues) any way they pleased, thinking that they may be held accountable for their ACTIONS, but never for their WORDS.  In contrast, what God speaks is always precious and pure and can be counted on. 

PROVERBS 3:13-15
The word translated "blessed" in the NIV is actually the Hebrew word "esher" which means "happy".  This is because wisdom is the ability to live successfully.  Wisdom gets us into the right place at the right time via the right means.  That makes wisdom the most valuable commodity there is!  As we will see, as we continue in Proverbs. 

RESPONSE:  Thank God we can ask for wisdom (James 1:5).  Our wisdom can grow and become richer, as we know God better.  Wisdom gets better with experience.  Exodus 28:3 tells me that God's Spirit is a "spirit of wisdom".  If I am humble, I will get more wisdom, than if I think I already know everything.  I don't want to act independent of God.  That's how I do things that end up hurting someone or being just plain stupid.  God, slow me down and cover my mouth when I'm about to do it again.  Every morning I will remember to ask You for wisdom for the day.  I am confident that You hear me because that's what You want too.