Bible in a Year - Day 25

Oh dear. Poorly baby, busy weekend and hubby away on business have all kept me from blogging. Life and people are much more important though, and I am glad of it. I am up to date on my reading. On Friday I finished Genesis, and Saturday brought the beginning of Exodus.

The readings:
Day 18 - Genesis 42 & 43; Matthew 13:33-58
Continuing the story of Joseph. God's love for Joseph is apparent here, as his dreams come true when his brothers bow down before him. And His love for Jacob and his sons who, despite their wrongdoings, are still His people and will be provided for.

Day 19 - Genesis 44 & 45; Matthew 14:1-21
But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. (Genesis 45:5)
God plans ahead for us. He loves us even when it seems He has forgotten us.

God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. (Genesis 45:7)
God made a promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that they would be the fathers of a great nation. Here He shows how in His love He will work always to fulfill His promises.

Day 20 - Genesis 46, 47 & 48; Matthew 14:22-36
“I am God, the God of your father,” the voice said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make your family into a great nation. I will go with you down to Egypt, and I will bring you back again. You will die in Egypt, but Joseph will be with you to close your eyes.” (Genesis 46:3-4)
God continues to show Jacob how much He loves Him, calming his fears and reminding him of the promise to be fulfilled. Jacob will see his favourite son again, and God will walk with him.

Then Jacob said to Joseph, “I never thought I would see your face again, but now God has let me see your children, too! (Genesis 48:11)
God provides. He keeps His promises. He gives the gift of Joy.

Day 21 - Genesis 49 & 50; Matthew 15:1-20
You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. (Genesis 50:20)
Sometimes we have to go through lows to reach the highs God has in store for us. At the time it feels like He has forgotten us, that He doesn't care, but this verse, and the whole story of Joseph, can help us in our despair. We are reminded how much God loves us. This is a verse I will try to hold on to when I feel low.

Day 22 - Exodus 1, 2 & 3; Matthew 15:21-39
So God was good to the midwives, and the Israelites continued to multiply, growing more and more powerful. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own. (Exodus 1:20-21)
God remembers His people. He blesses them, and He plans ahead for them. When we are suffering, God provides us with people who care.
God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act. (Exodus 2:24-25)
God remembers His promises to us and hears our cries for Him to intervene.
So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live. (Exodus 3:8)
I have promised to rescue you from your oppression in Egypt. I will lead you to a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live. (Exodus 3:17)
God hears our cries; He listens to us. He will bring us to glory.
Then Jesus called his disciples and told them, “I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry, or they will faint along the way.” (Matthew 15:32)
Jesus has compassion for us.

Day 23 - Exodus 4, 5 & 6; Matthew 16
Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say. (Exodus 4:12)
When God asks us to act for Him, He doesn't leave us on our own - we have a helper in Him.
You can be sure that I have heard the groans of the people of Israel, who are now slaves to the Egyptians. And I am well aware of my covenant with them.
“Therefore, say to the people of Israel: ‘I am the Lord. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment. I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt. I will bring you into the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you as your very own possession. I am the Lord!’” (Exodus 6:5-8)
God hears our cries. He keeps His promises. He loves His people and will free them from slavery.
Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. (Matthew 16:18-19)
Jesus loves and protects the Church. He plans good for us. He loves us and trusts us enough to give us great responsibility. Jesus knew Peter's heart, and saw how he would grown and learn, and who he would become. We can rest assured that He does the same for us.

Day 24 - Exodus 7 & 8; Matthew 17
I will make a clear distinction between my people and your people. (Exodus 8:23)

But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground. Then Jesus came over and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” (Matthew 17:5-7)
God loves Jesus dearly, and yet, because of His great love for us, He sent Jesus to earth to die to save us. Jesus always comforts and calms our fears.

Day 25 - Exodus 9 & 10; Matthew 18:1-20
The extent God will go to in order to protect and save His people. We can be assured that with God, we belong.