God looks at the heart of a person when judging his or her actions - Daily Bible Readings July 18,2014

1^ST READING

 

Hezekiah was one of the better kings of Israel. He was a little corrupt but he ruled fairly and well. Here we see the story where he gains an extra 15 years of life. Given that the average age of someone at this time is probably around 30-35, this is an enormous amount of time. If only our good rulers were given more years and our bad ones had their reigns shortened.

 

Isaiah 38:1-6, 21-22, 7-8

1 When Hezekiah was mortally ill, the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, came and said to him: “Thus says the Lord: Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you shall not recover.” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord: 3 “O Lord, remember how faithfully and wholeheartedly I conducted myself in your presence, doing what was pleasing to you!” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: 5 “Go, tell Hezekiah: Thus says the Lord, the God of your father David: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you: in three days you shall go up to the Lord’s temple; I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 I will rescue you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; I will be a shield to this city.” 7 [21] Isaiah then ordered a poultice of figs to be taken and applied to the boil, that he might recover. 8 [22] Then Hezekiah asked, “What is the sign that I shall go up to the temple of the Lord?” 9 [7] Isaiah answered: “This will be the sign for you from the Lord that he will do what he has promised: 10 [8] See, I will make the shadow cast by the sun on the stairway to the terrace of Ahaz go back the ten steps it has advanced.” So the sun came back the ten steps it had advanced.

 

P S A L M

 

Isaiah 38:10, 11, 12, 16

R: You saved my life, O Lord; I shall not die.

12 [10] Once I said, “In the noontime of life I must depart! To the gates of the netherworld I shall be consigned for the rest of my years.” (R) 13 [11] I said, “I shall see the Lord no more in the land of the living. No longer shall I behold my fellow men among those who dwell in the world.” (R) 14 [12] My dwelling, like a shepherd’s tent, is struck down and borne away from me; you have folded up my life, like a weaver who severs the last thread. (R) 18 [16] Those live whom the Lord protects; yours is the life of my spirit. You have given me health and life. (R)

 

GOSPEL

 

God looks at the heart of a person when judging his or her actions. Of course, no good intention can override a fundamentally wrong act such as murder. In this case, it is not fundamentally wrong to eat corn on the sabbath. With these laws we need to take into account what they intend to protect or promote. The sabbath is an important time of prayer and so they avoided work. But hunger is more important than this discipline, especially if you know you have to or will pray that day.

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.

 

Matthew 12:1-8

1 Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath.” 3 He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry, 4 how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering, which neither he nor his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat? 5 Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the sabbath and are innocent? 6 I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. 7 If you knew what this meant, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned these innocent men. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath.”

 

think:  God looks at the heart of a person when judging his or her actions.

 

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: __________________

 

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God’s special verse/thought for me today_

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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Nehemiah 6-9