Daily Readings and Thought for January 3rd. ” … WHO TESTS THE MINDS AND HEARTS”

Our Genesis readings are about the way those living before the flood lost their vision of the Creator, and therefore their appreciation and relationship with Him.  As a result “the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and … filled with violence.” [Gen. 6 v.11].  Then, our Psalms reading fitted in with this when David lamented he was surrounded by godlessness causing him to pray and write, “Oh let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous – you who test the minds and hearts.” [Psa. 7 v.9]

This is what God did in the days of Noah, and found only in Noah, his wife and family those who were righteous and he was willing to preserve.  As to the rest, “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” [Gen. 6 v.5].  It is tragic that the world of today is again becoming like that. So many no longer believe there is a God, or so many of those who claim to believe do so only in a superficial sense, rarely or never feeding their minds on his inspired word.  We need to let the ‘power” of God’s words in the Bible enter our hearts and provoke our thoughts, actions and prayers.  Again, we noted in David’s Psalm the words, “The LORD judges the peoples; judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me.” [Psalm 7 v. 8]  Can we say – and pray – the same as David did?  

We also read today that Jesus told his disciples, “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?  It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out” [Matthew 5 v.13].  That is what happened to all the others in Noah’s generation.  But it also happened to the generation that heard Jesus and saw his works! As he was taken to the cross he said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and your children” [Luke 23 v.28]

And today? Does this generation feel like weeping – or only in partying?   Recall that parable of Jesus – “relax, eat, drink, be merry!” Read it in Luke 12 v.16-21.