365 Reflections

Numbers 32:1–5 (ESV) Now the people of Reuben and the people of Gad had a very great number of livestock. And they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, and behold, the place was a place for livestock. 2 So the people of Gad and the people of Reuben came and said to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the chiefs of the congregation, 3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon, 4 the land that the Lord struck down before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.” 5 And they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession. Do not take us across the Jordan.” The slaves of Egypt have come a long way. They are no longer poverty stricken. They have experienced a few sizable victories over powerful peoples. They have seen God's blessings for obedience. Now they face a different temptation altogether. The temptation to stand pat where they a...

Genesis 14:17–23 (ESV)   After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19 And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 21 And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the Lord , God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ Abram makes a key decision here. After winning the war, he is blessed by the mysterious Melchizedek when he's brought brea...

To live in pride is to live like a animal. Psalm 49:12 (ESV) Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish. The Psalmist calls us to examine life in the light of our brevity and purpose. Our purpose is to know God, yet some of us spend our whole lives trying to know riches and power.  Psalm 49:10–11 (ESV) For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. 11 Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names. There is a story of a man who was granted one wish. So he wished for a copy of the Wall Street Journal one year in advance. He was about to go to business with his new found insight and make a fortune, but he as he looked through the pages he saw his own name and picture in the Obituaries. They called him a successful financial tycoon, but for him it was all over before it started.  We are surr...