Category: daily meditations

SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 2:12-3:18 OBSERVATION: Paul is still defending his work to the Corinthians, but showing that the real power and glory is in the message, not in the messenger (himself). Paul admits that he is nothing (3:5), that the proof is in the life-change that comes as a result of the Holy Spirit at work within…

SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:11 OBSERVATION: Apparently by choosing to not go back to Corinth after he wrote his first letter (1:23), the Corinthians were hurt, assuming that he was rejecting and judging them. In his first letter to the church of Corinth, Paul wrote about a case of incest (1 Corinthians 5:1-5) – now he urges them to show…

SCRIPTURE: Mark 3:7-30 OBSERVATION: Jesus faces a variety of challenges: – Crowds following him everywhere, making it hard for Him to move, to teach, to eat – Demons stirring up trouble with their provokative confessions – No time alone with his disciples – One of His own followers would one day betray Him (I’m sure He…

SCRIPTURE: Mark 2:23-3:6 OBSERVATION: Both stories deal with the Sabbath traditions, and the purpose of the law – the law was not put in place to restrict people but to serve them for good, to remind them of God’s grace, to protect laborers from overwork and to do good to others. Jesus is challenging the religious…

SCRIPTURE: Mark 2:1-12 OBSERVATION: The things that strike me in this passage are: — that the men had the audacity to dig through someones roof to get to Jesus — that Jesus responds to the faith of the friends, not the faith of the paralyzed man — that Jesus forgives the man, and sees the healing…

SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 1:1-22 OBSERVATION: Some in Corinth were questioning Paul’s commitment to them, in part because he didn’t come to them sooner, and also because of a previous letter that offended them. Paul tells them of his hardships for their sake, and how God rescued him through their prayers, so that he might strengthen them in…

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 41:1-13 OBSERVATION: Written while very sick, possibly near death. He feels abandoned, betrayed, depressed. Reaffirms his confidence in God over sickness and death. He trusts that God helps those who are kind to the poor, weak, oppressed, therefore God will restore His suffering servant. Does this prayer reflect a discouraged person after prolonged sickness,…

SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 43:14-28 OBSERVATION: God reminds His people about how He rescued them from Egypt, that He can still do it, but then wonders why they are not seeking Him, honouring Him, trusting in Him. God is at work, but His people are not seeing it – a new thing they’re blind to because they’re not…

SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 43:1-13 OBSERVATION: Isaiah is speaking to Israel during Assyrian exile, after Jerusalem was destroyed and children were taken to Nineveh), a severe trial. He declares God’s presence, power and purpose, that He will bring children back and deliver His people. Take comfort, for God is in control, not the idols, and everything is going…

SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 12:31b-13:13 OBSERVATION: Paul is saying that the most important thing we can do is love people, its what gives legitimacy to all that I do for the Lord. We will never fully understand everything, so don’t make knowledge your highest goal – make faith, hope and especially love your highest ambition. Paul is challenging…