Category: daily meditations

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…

SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1 OBSERVATION: Just because something is allowed, doesn’t mean its beneficial or helpful. Paul is making the case for caring more for the sensitive conscience of unbelievers than for our own rights and freedoms. The issue is not the food itself (belongs to God, received with thanks), but the attitude of the person who…

SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 10:1-22 OBSERVATION: Paul uses OT Israel as an example for those who were too cocky and casual about dabbling in sinful, immoral practices. He warns them that just because they were baptized and share in Christ through the Lord’s Supper, that doesn’t mean they cannot fall – look how many OT followers fell into…

SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 9:19-27 OBSERVATION: Paul’s point is that though He is free in Christ from other peoples’ demands and expectations, he voluntarily becomes like others in order to win them to Christ. He illustrates this with the Jews (v.20), the non-Jews (v.21) and the weak (v.22). In relation to the law, Paul says that he is…

OBSERVATION: The truly blessed (happy) person is the person who knows God’s forgiveness and who has an honest, sincere heart (v.1-2) When we live in denial, life is hard, and God prevents us from experiencing joy and peace (v.3-4). When we are honest with God, God does forgive us; we should reach out to Him…

OBSERVATION: A testimony of thanks to God for rescuing David from sickness and death. Used at the dedication of the temple as the place where they worshiped God, a call to worship. David acknowledges that ‘sickness and health’ do not come to us by chance but are directed by His fatherly hand. David (and his…

OBSERVATION: As with Naaman (1 Kings 5:1-27), it is the outcast (or outsider) who believes, while others who should believe don’t. Jesus is moved by compassion, this is the basis of all that He (and God) does. Jesus commands the man to fulfill the law of Moses because they are still under that covenant, and will be…