Day 360 Zechariah 9:1-17; Revelation 17:1-18; Psalm 145:1-21; Proverbs 30:32 I Bless the Lord at all Times Unless you give gifts for the Twelve Days of Christmas, most likely all the presents have been unwrapped. For some, the day after Christmas brings a sigh of relief, while others experience an emotional letdown. I believe many…
Day 359 Zechariah 8:1-23; Revelation 16:1-21; Psalm 144:1-15; Proverbs 30:29-31 Rejoice! The King Has Come! We are nothing if not encouraged by the Prophet Zechariah’s words in chapter 8 today as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. To this point, the nation of Israel was discouraged and facing opposition. They needed a word that would…
Day 358 Zechariah 6:1-7:14; Revelation 15:1-8; Psalm 143:1-12; Proverbs 30:24-28 Jesus Gathers His Faithful In Psalm 143, the writer cries out speaking of an enemy that holds him in darkness. He asks for God’s mercy for relief. Meanwhile, in Revelation 15, St. John speaks of the angels who deliver the seven last plagues, which also…
Day 357 Zechariah 4:1-5:11; Revelation 14:1-20; Psalm 142:1- 7; Proverbs 30:21-2 Strong or Weak? “’Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.” – Zechariah 4:6b From Genesis on, the Bible reveals what happens when mankind tries to do things in its own strength and power. Adam and Eve try…
Day 356Zechariah 2:1-3:10; Revelation 13:1-18; Psalm 141:1-10; Proverbs 30:18-20 A Pleasing Prayer “I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me; hear me when I call to you. May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.” – Psalm 141:1-2 When it comes…
Day 355 Zechariah 1:1-21; Revelation 12:1-17; Psalm 140:1-13; Proverbs 30:17 A Proverb That Is More Than a Proverb Today’s Proverb reminds us of a theme that is not new in Scripture. “The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten…
Day 354 Haggai 1:1-2:23; Revelation 11:1-19; Psalm 139:1-24; Proverbs 30:15-16 Knowledge Too Wonderful Does this sound familiar, “…and from you no secrets are hid”? We open Holy Communion with a prayer including this phrase each Sunday. The first eight verses of Psalm 139 explain that God knows every aspect of our lives, including what we…
Day 353 Zephaniah 1:1-3:20; Revelation 10:1-11; Psalm 138:1-8; Proverbs 30:11-14 When Is Enough? Zephaniah is pretty clear—God has had enough. His people worshiped other gods and no longer sought out the Lord in prayer. They did not cry out to Yahweh for help, blindly walking their own selfish and greedy way. In their arrogance, they…
Day 352 Habakkuk 1:1-3:19; Revelation 9:1-21; Psalm 137:1-9; Proverbs 30:10 Wickedness. Wonder. Waiting. Today’s readings are prophetic words of warning, woe, and waiting. They are not joyful words, but they are words that lead to hope. Habakkuk understands why God is punishing His disobedient people, but he does not understand why God is using a…
Day 351 Nahum 1:1-3:19; Revelation 8:1-13; Psalm 136:1-26, Proverbs 30:7-9 Trust in The Lord “…for his steadfast love endures forever.” – Psalm 136 Nineveh was sacked and razed to the ground in 612 BC, shortly after these oracles by Nahum. It was never rebuilt and today is merely an archaeological site. The hard judgments and…
Day 350 Micah 5:1-7:20; Revelation 7:1-17; Psalm 135; Proverbs 30:5-6 New Heaven and New Earth An echo of Micah is what I heard when I read from John’s Revelation today. Triumph over difficulty and a time of rest and blessing are included as images of what the world will be when the new heaven and…
Day 349 Micah 1:1-4:13; Revelation 6:1-17; Psalm 134:1-3; Proverbs 30:1-4 Come, Let Us Go Up to the Mountain of the LORD Micah was a true prophet of God who was called to warn the people of Israel and call out the false prophets and priests of his time. Many refused to listen to Micah because…
