Prayer for Wednesday: Most Gracious Father and Lord of the New Year, let me not when this morning prayer is said, think my worship ended and spend the day forgetting You. Rather from these moments of quietness let light go forth, and joy, and power, that will remain with me through all the hours of the day. Keep me...pure in thought, restrained and truthful in speech, faithful and diligent in my work, humble in my estimation of myself, honorable and generous in my dealings with others, loyal to every holy memory of the past, mindful of my eternal destiny as Your child. God, who has been the Refuge of my mothers and fathers through many generations, be my Refuge today in every time and circumstance of need. Be my Guide through all that is dark and doubtful. Be my Guard against all that threatens my spirit's welfare. Be my Strength in the time of testing. Gladden my heart with Your peace; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.
Scripture Reading for Wednesday: Genesis 1-3
Scripture Reflection for Wednesday: Today's journey in God's word visits Genesis 1-3, presenting a new chance to read the Bible in 2020!
In Genesis 1, we consider the power of God in creation. If a computer were observing 10 million stars per second, it would still take 63 million years to count all the stars! Such is the power of the Almighty. Remarkably, the stars are the work of His fingers (Ps. 8:3) but salvation is the work of His right hand (Ps. 98:1). In a wonderful way, God’s work in making believers new creations in Christ Jesus demonstrates a power greater than commanding the world into existence. Let us be amazed at the wonder of creation; let us be overwhelmed with the wonder of grace. How does saving grace display even greater glory than creation?
In Genesis 2, we see that we should honor marriage as a divine institution and picture of Christ and His church. Our marriages should reflect the different roles that the Lord made for man and woman. The woman was made of the man and for the man. Her calling is to assist and support him as a blessed helpmate. Man was created first and received the commission and commandment of God. His calling is to lead the family in doing God’s will, and to love his wife as Christ loved the church—with humble and glad self-sacrifice for her good.
In Genesis 3, we see the horrible effects of the fall. Immediately, there was shame (v. 7), separation from God (v. 8), and guilt (v. 10). Consequently, according to God’s sentence on the guilty, man now knows toil and hardship in work and women know suffering in childbearing. But yet, in the very statement of curse, God announces the first gospel message of a coming Seed who will reverse the curse itself. As soon as man needs a word of grace, God gives the word of grace. Only Christ can reverse this for He took the curse for sin. How believers should thank the Lord that He did not banish us as He has banished the angels that sinned! We have a Redeemer!
Daily Teaching (Catechism) for Wednesday:
(8.1) God was pleased, in His eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, according to the covenant made between them, to be the mediator between God and humanity. God chose him to be prophet, priest, and king, and to be head and savior of the church, the heir of all things, and judge of the world. From all eternity, God gave to the Son a people to be his offspring. In time these people would be redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified by Him (Isaiah 42:1; 1 Peter 1:19, 20; Acts 3:22; Hebrews 5:5, 6; Psalms 2:6; Luke 1:33; Ephesians 1:22, 23; Hebrews 1:2; Acts 17:31; Isaiah 53:10; John 17:6; Romans 8:30).
May God help you to grow in Christ today,
