Good morning, everyone. Hope you are doing well today. I am taking my turn with the respiratory crud. My cracking voice is causing me to relive puberty all over again–it takes a special dad to do whatever it takes to connect with his 13-year-old son. My voice recognition software is quite confused. So, hopefully this will make sense.
Here is the Bible reading for today: Genesis 11:1-13:4; Matthew 5:1-26; Psalm 5:1-12; Proverbs 1:24-28.
I don’t remember many specific lectures from seminary, but one that I do remember illustrated the contrast between the Tower of Babel and Pentecost. At the Tower of Babel, people came together to glorify themselves, and God brought a supernatural confusion of languages that divided them. At Pentecost, people came together to glorify God, and God brought a supernatural understanding of languages that united them. The Tower of Babel is a picture of living life in the flesh, while Pentecost is a picture of living life in the Spirit. Does your life look more like Babel or Pentecost?
I love Psalm 5:3 (NIV)
In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait in expectation.
What are you expecting from God today?
Like the Apostle Paul, I want more than anything to know Christ (Phil. 3:10). I do not want to simply know about Him. I want to know Him-- personally, intimately, and experientially. It is not enough for me to hear about Him. I want to see Him with my own eyes.
With My Own Eyes 
Deb
January 5, 2012 at 11:01 am
First of all, I love that comparison of Babel and Pentecost! Very cool. Second, the verses that meant a lot to me today were Matthew 5:10-12 about those who are persecuted. I was just reading my Voice of the Martyrs this morning and it just makes me so sad and frustrated but I know, because of God’s promise to them in Matthew, that their reward in heaven is above and beyond anything I could ever imagine so I have hope. God never leaves us hopeless. YAY God!! 🙂
chadzaucha
January 5, 2012 at 5:36 pm
You are right, Deb. Those folks are going to be absolutely richly rewarded for all eternity.
susan molina
January 5, 2012 at 6:35 pm
I’m REALLY liking the psalms and Proverbs, which is not the part of the bible I gravitate to, normally.