Today’s Podcast
Today’s Scriptures
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – Leviticus 26:1-13
Set – Leviticus 26; Acts 23
Go! – Leviticus 26-27; Acts 23
Leviticus 26:1-13
Eternal One: Do not fashion any idols or blasphemous images. Do not erect any sacred pillars as the nations around you do. Do not set up any carved stones in your land and bow down to them. I am the Eternal your God. 2 Honor My Sabbaths, and treat My sanctuary as a holy place I am the Eternal One.
3 If you walk in My decrees and keep My commandments in your daily lives, 4I will grant you plenty of rain in the seasons when you need it, and your land will produce abundant crops and your trees will be filled with fruit. 5Your grain threshing will last until the time of the grape harvest, and the grape harvest will continue until it is time to plant again. You will fill your bellies with food and feel secure as you live in the land. 6I will see to it that you have peace in your land. You will be able to go to bed at night without a worry on your mind. I will take away the dangerous animals that roam your land, and no armies will invade your land. 7-8When you go after your enemies, they will fall by your sword. Five of you will go after 100 of your enemies, and 100 of you will cause 10,000 to flee. 9I will grant you My favor, and you will be fruitful, multiply, and have many healthy children, and I will continue to honor My covenant with you. 10You will have so much surplus food from year to year that you will have to make room for the new harvest when it comes in. 11I will make My home among you and never turn away from you. 12I will walk among you and be your god, and you will be My people. 13I am the Eternal One, your God, who led you out of the land of Egypt so that you would no longer be their slaves. I have shattered the yokes that broke your backs and helped you walk straight and upright.
Today’s Devotional
From today’s background scripture God might say:
I made a lot of promises to the children of Israel in the covenant I made with them. Some people think I broke My promises because many of these don’t seem to hold true today as you look at the nation of Israel. But people forget what covenants are. Covenants are contracts between people. There is an if in there that the Israelites forgot.
I gladly take care of My children. I long to give them good things. But I also don’t intend to spoil My children. And so I expect them to live by the rules of My I lay out before them. They are not burdensome. They are not hard. They only require focusing on Me. They require love for Me and for each other. My Son, Jesus, put it well when He told those who would try to entrap Him, “The greatest commandment is this,’Love the Lord with all you heart, soul, mind, and strength.’ And the second, is close to it, ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’”
The Israelites failed in their responsibilities under the covenant. I still gave them many of the promises contained in the covenant. I still poured out many blessings and gave them great victories to try and win them back to worshiping Me the way I intended them to worship Me. But ultimately, I could no longer let them disregard the terms of the covenant and operate in such a one-sided fashion and maintain the glory and honor of My name. My chosen people’s rebellion toward Me required My action.
The same is true of you. I want to make a personal covenant with you. I want to pour out My blessing, My grace and mercy on you. I want to give you peace and joy and the abundant life you hear about in New Testament living. But you must give up old ways of thinking, and acting. You must let Me direct your life. I must be Lord of your life.
But think about it. If I can create the universe and everything in it; if I can keep the universe running with clockwork precision; if I can make the lame walk and the blind see; if I can do the impossible, why not put your trust in Me? Don’t you think I am capable of running your life better than you or anyone else could? Don’t you think I can help you make the decisions that are best for you? Don’t you think I would do things in your best interest?
Covenants require both parties to provide something. You provide yourself, following My way as I lead you, and I’ll do all the rest.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.