Love. The week leading up to Valentine’s Day is a week of much romantic love on display. God will deliver the Ten Commandments to His people in your reading this week, and you’ll hear about love from the lips of Jesus as well. However, have you ever thought of the Ten Commandments as God’s love on display to His people? A while back, I read a good little book by Ron Mehl called Right with God: Loving Instructions from the Father’s Heart which is a condensed version of his book called The Ten(der) Commandments. He points out that before Moses was given the Ten Commandments, God told Moses what to say to the Israelites before presenting the Ten to them. Exodus 19 reads this way in The Message Bible: “As Moses went up to meet God, God called down to him from the mountain: ‘Speak to the House of Jacob, tell the People of Israel: “You have seen what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Me. If you will listen obediently to what I say and keep My covenant, out of all peoples you’ll be My special treasure. The whole Earth is Mine to choose from, but you’re special: a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.” This is what I want you to tell the People of Israel.’” Do you see how awesome God’s love is to Israel? Now He has lavished His love on all who will surrender their lives to Jesus Christ. Whatever you’re going through, know today that if you’re in Christ, you’re deeply loved.
This week you’ll read…
Exodus 15-26: God provides. We learned that with Abraham on the mountain as he was about to sacrifice his son Isaac, but God provided a ram for him. God was only testing Abraham. In Exodus, we see God providing for the entire Israelite community which was in the millions of people. “The Israelites traveled from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand able-bodied men on foot, besides their families” (Exodus 12 in The Christian Standard Bible). As God provides food and water, He leads them into victory over the Amalekites and leads them to Mount Sinai where Moses and the people receive the Ten Commandments and other laws.
Psalms 19-20: See the sun in the day. Observe Orion’s Belt or the Big Dipper in the night sky. All these speak without speaking of a marvelous Creator. “God’s glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon. Madame Day holds classes every morning, Professor Night lectures each evening. Their words aren’t heard, their voices aren’t recorded, but their silence fills the earth: unspoken truth is spoken everywhere” (Psalm 19 in The Message Bible).
Micah 2-7: “Mankind, he has told each of you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6 in The Christian Standard Bible).
Luke 7-12: You’ll begin and end the week with love as you read about love on February 7 where Jesus links love for God and forgiveness from God. Then you’ll be reminded of love on February 14th because it’s Valentine’s Day. Whether you have a Valentine or not, you have a God who loves you greatly. “Let me be your Valentine/Hold you close and call you Mine/Wipe every tear from your eyes/And when your heart breaks/Know, My love, I’ll find a way/To give you all you need/Just trust in Me” (“Valentine” by Broken Vessels on their album Deeper).
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- Day 14:
MSG are daily readings linked to The Message Bible on BibleGateway.com.
CSB are daily readings linked to The Christian Standard Bible on BibleGateway.com.
NLT are daily readings linked to The New Living Translation on BibleGateway.com.
Thoughts on Life and Jesus 