Daily Bible Readings - June 27,2013

1^ST READING

 

Abram has a moment of doubt and gives in to Sarai’s request that he have a child with her maid Hagar. Hagar gives birth to Ishmael. We will all have moments of weakness and allow doubts to overwhelm us. Let us seek to minimize these times as much as we can. In order to do this, let us pray for the grace of a stronger faith that believes and trusts in the promises of God.

 

Genesis 16:1-12, 15-16

1 Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children. She had, however, an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar. 2 Sarai said to Abram: “The Lord has kept me from bearing children. Have intercourse, then, with my maid; perhaps I shall have sons through her.” Abram heeded Sarai’s request. 3 Thus, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, his wife Sarai took her maid, Hagar the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his concubine. 4 He had intercourse with her, and she became pregnant. When she became aware of her pregnancy, she looked on her mistress with disdain. 5 So Sarai said to Abram: “You are responsible for this outrage against me. I myself gave my maid to your embrace; but ever since she became aware of her pregnancy, she has been looking on me with disdain. May the Lord decide between you and me!” 6 Abram told Sarai: “Your maid is in your power. Do to her whatever you please.” Sarai then abused her so much that Hagar ran away from her. 7 The Lord’s messenger found her by a spring in the wilderness, the spring on the road to Shur, 8 and he asked, “Hagar maid of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She answered, “I am running away from my mistress, Sarai.” 9 But the Lord’s messenger told her: “Go back to your mistress and submit to her abusive treatment. 10 I will make your descendants so numerous,” added the Lord’s messenger, “that they will be too many to count. 11 Besides,” the Lord’s messenger said to her: “You are now pregnant and shall bear a son; you shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard you, God has answered you. 12 This one shall be a wild ass of a man, his hand against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him; in opposition to all his kin shall he encamp.” 15 Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram named the son whom Hagar bore him Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

 

P S A L M

 

Psalm 106:1-2, 3-4, 4-5

R: Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. 2 Who can tell the mighty deeds of the Lord, or proclaim all his praises? (R) 3 Blessed are they who observe what is right, who do always what is just. 4 Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people. (R) Visit me with your saving help, 5 that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones, rejoice in the joy of your people, and glory with your inheritance. (R)

 

 

GOSPEL

 

Not only do we have to build on the foundation of faith that God provides us, but we also have to build with and for Him. If we build for our own glory we will fail and God will not know us on Judgment Day. Our lives are not really about us but about taking the opportunity to give glory and praise to God. This is what any creation does for its Creator. This does not lessen our dignity as we are free to choose whatever we want to do with our lives. We only need to remember that, if we want fulfillment, it will only come if we obey God’s will — that is, follow the Creator’s instruction manual for our lives.

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him and we will come to him.

 

Matthew 7:21-29

21 Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the Will of my Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ 23 Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’ 24 Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. 26 And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.” 28 When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

 

think:  Our lives are not really about us but about taking the opportunity to give glory and praise to God.

 

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: __________________

 

____________________________________

 

God’s special verse/thought for me today_

_____________________________________

 

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 1 Chronicles 13-15