20-20 Blog

Today’s Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 25–26; Psalms 63; Matthew 9

Scripture Focus:

1 Samuel 25:41 Then [Abigail] arose, bowed her face to the earth, and said, “Here is your maidservant, a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.”

Observation:

When I read this verse today I thought it might be fun to try it out on my husband Charlie, just as a joke. How would he react if I bowed down to the ground before him and said, “Here is your maidservant, a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.”? I could just imagine his chuckles of amusement.

But then it struck me—whoa! That’s exactly what Jesus did at the last supper! He bowed before his disciples and washed their dirty feet one by one. And here’s what Jesus said when he was done:

“Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’ feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” (John 13:12–17)

In another passage Jesus says this:
“Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.” (Matthew 20:26)

Application:

Having a servant attitude is not an option. It’s part of kingdom living. Abigail expressed her servant heart by bowing down to the ground and saying she was willing to do anything. I might not bow to the ground or use the same expression, but my heart attitude needs to be the same: “What do you want me to do, Lord? I’ll do whatever you say!”

Prayer:

Abba Father, today is a new opportunity to serve. May I truly have a servant’s heart in whatever I do. Amen

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Today’s Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 3–5; Psalm 77: 2 Corinthians 8

Scripture Focus:

Psalm 77:10-12 And I said, “This is my anguish; But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.” I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds.

Observation:

The Psalmist (Asaph) was down in the pits. He was going through troubled times, but instead of focusing on the trouble, he chose to remember what God had done for him and for Israel in the past. He chose to fill his mind with images of God’s faithfulness and power rather than focusing on his despair.

Application:

It matters what I focus on when my emotions are wonky. If I focus on my problems, I’ll just wallow deeper in the mire. If I choose to focus on what God has done in the past, I allow a seed of faith and hope to grow. The circumstances don’t matter as much as my response to them.

What will I focus on today?

Prayer:

Father God, I choose to focus on you and what you’ve done for me in the past. May your mighty arm perform wonders for me again today!

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Today’s Bible Reading: Ruth 3–4; Psalm 64–65; 2 Corinthians 6

Scripture Focus:

2 Corinthians 6:10 . . . as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

Observation:

Things can never make you rich. We can amass as much monetary wealth and as many things as we can, but true riches are not ours until they are not the focus of our life. Paul had given up everything, yet he thought himself rich and rejoiced to pass along those kinds of riches to others.

And what would those riches be? Salvation from our sins through Jesus would be first on the list, and then a changed character because of the transforming work of God in our lives. Paul mentions a few: patience in tribulations, purity, knowledge, longsuffering, kindness, sincerity of love, the ability to endure dishonor and hardship and the ability to rejoice, even in sorrow.

Application:

Wow. That’s quite a list. I’d like to be rich in those things. I don’t want to worry about stuff when there are true riches for the asking.

Prayer:

Father God, Your economy is so different from the world’s! May I seek and be satisfied with the riches that last for eternity!

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Today’s Bible Reading: Judges 19–21; 2 Corinthians 4

Scripture Focus:

2 Corinthians 4:18 The things which are not seen are eternal.

Observation:

Paul tells us to look at (focus on) the things we can’t see. Why? Because they are eternal. The things we can see with our eyes, the things we tend to focus on, are temporary.

Application:

It’s hard to focus on something we can’t see and so easy to get caught up with the bright, shiny objects in front of us. They look important, but they are oh, so temporary! If we could grasp the fact that something eternal is much more important than something temporary, we might not be so enticed by the things that don’t really matter in the long run.

Prayer:

Father God, give me eyes to see the true value in what I’m looking at . . . and to make the right choice about what I will focus on.

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Today’s Bible Reading: Joshua 21–22; Psalm 47; 1 Corinthians 10

Scripture Focus:

1 Corinthians 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

Observation:

It would appear that cockiness is a bad thing most of the time, and certainly here where Paul has just delineated the sins of the children of Israel under Moses. They lusted after evil things, they became idolaters, they committed sexual sin, they tempted God, and they complained.

Ouch. Why did Paul have to remember that part about complaining?

Application:

Looks like I always have something to work on. It may not be idolatry, but it’s a good bet a complaining response will rear its ugly head.

Prayer:

Father God, You have a way of humbling us when we get too cocky. Give me the sense to cut out the cockiness so I can get my nose out of the air long enough to keep on the right path.

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Today’s Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 30–31; Psalm 40; I Corinthians 1

Scripture Focus:

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Observation:

We must need to hear this often because God repeats this so often in the Bible: be strong, take courage, don’t be afraid. I’m going with you. I won’t leave you.

Application:

These are sweet words when faced with the multitude and magnitude of the tasks before be today. The reason I can be strong and of good courage and not be afraid is that God is with me and, indeed, goes before me. This is good news!

Now I need to stop acting like it’s all up to me. No. God is with me. All I need to do is pay attention so I can see where he’s leading me today.

Prayer:

Father, God, I’m so glad life doesn’t depend on me. I’m counting on you to go before me today and show me the way.

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Today’s Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 13–15; Galations 1

Scripture Focus:

Deuteronomy 15:12, 16–17 If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you…And if it happens that he says to you, ‘I will not go away from you,’ because he loves you and your house, since he prospers with you, then you shall take an awl and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever.

Galations 1:9–10 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

Observation:

A Hebrew man or woman in desperate financial need might sell himself to be a servant—basically a slave—to another man. The law required that such servants be released from bondage in the seventh year, but if that servant loved his master, he could choose to stay with him. An awl would be driven through his ear lobe to indicate that he was a bondservant for life.

In Galations Paul calls himself a bondservant of Christ and asks the question, “Do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.”

Application:

As a Christian I have pledged my allegiance to Christ. I am his bondservant by choice, someone who seeks to please her master and has signed on “for life.” This may sometimes mean that I won’t please others, but so be it.

Prayer:

Father God, I’ve chosen to be your bondservant. May I not worry about what others think. Instead, may I worry about what you think.

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Today’s Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 1–2; Mark 12

Scripture Focus:

Deuteronomy 1:21 Look, the LORD your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as the LORD God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged.’
vs 30–31 30 The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.’

Observation:

After nearly 40 years living in the desert because of unbelief, the time has finally come for the nation of Israel to enter the promised land. Moses had to remind them what God said: go up and possess it, do not fear or be discouraged.

Fear and/or discouragement will neutralize our effectiveness. If God has given us a territory to conquer or a job to do, we must go in the power of the Lord, knowing he will make our way successful.

As Doug Weed so eloquently put it years ago in a sermon I heard him preach, “When your heart says, “Hey, I think I’ll be troubled,” you must say, “No! You’re not allowed to be troubled!”

The same way with fear and discouragement.
“What? You mean I can’t be afraid or discouraged?”
“No!”
“Not even a little?”
“No!”
“Why not?”
“Because God told you not to!”

Application:

God has given me a vision to fulfill. He still says today, “Do not fear or be discouraged!” Why? Because he goes before me and carries me and fights for me. Wow! If God is on my side, what more can I ask?!

Prayer:

Father God, give me boldness to chase away fear. Help me rely on you and keep my eyes on you so discouragement can’t creep in.

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Today’s Bible Reading: Numbers 30–31; Mark 9

Scripture Focus:

Mark 9:37 Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.

Observation:

Jesus consistently shows love, patience, and care toward children. In this verse Jesus equates how we receive children as how we receive him.

Our culture is pretty mixed up when it comes to children. In my observation, our culture both ignores and over indulges children. We let other people raise our children, and we’re too busy to give them much of our time. We don’t teach them how to be responsible, working citizens with respect for others, so children and teens often have an attitude of entitlement.

Jesus gives us a unique perspective to help us understand how to relate to children: “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me.”

Application:

My children are grown now, but I have the opportunity to touch the lives of other children, especially through the church nursery, where I volunteer. Having this perspective raises the value of my contribution to a whole new level. Who knows how I may affect the life of a child for good in the Kingdom of God?

If more people understood this concept, I don’t think we’d have trouble staffing the church nursery and children’s ministry.

Prayer:

Father God, Give me your love for other people’s children as I meet them or interact with them in the church nursery. Help me to understand that such acts of kindness have eternal value.

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Today’s Bible Reading: Numbers 12–13; Psalm 90; Mark 2

Scripture Focus:

Numbers 13:33 There we saw the giants (the descendants of
Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.

Observation:

Twelve leaders of Israel were sent to spy out the land of Canaan. Ten of them saw only the difficulties, the giants they had to overcome, and as a result, they viewed themselves as ineffective and small by comparison. They were discouraged, so instead of thinking clearly about strategy, they were ready to give up.

Application:

When God asks me to do something, it’s a good idea to scope out the situation, but I shouldn’t be alarmed by the potential problems or difficulties. I must not measure the problems by how big or capable I am, but by how big and capable God is.

If I keep my eyes on God, my judgment won’t be clouded by how small and insignificant I am. In fact, God delights in giving victory to the underdog!

Prayer:

Abba Father, when I see a potential problem, may I lift my eyes to you. My problem will then seem like a grasshopper in comparison.

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