Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Footprints

Wednesday 3-25-15 (Martinez, Argentina)

Scripture reading:    Josh 21-22     Ps 47     1 Cor 10


S.   1 Cor 10:11  All these events happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us, who live at the time when this age is drawing to a close. NLT


O.  Paul is referring to the history of the Israelites as recorded in the Old Testament.  Since many of the Corinthians were Gentiles, it is likely that they had never been exposed previously to the hundreds of stories of the victories and failures of God’s chosen people. 


A.  The remarkable fact about the Holy Bible is its frank exposure of both the good and bad “footprints” of its heroes.  Many of us, who write our devotional journals using the acronym SOAP (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer) are following Wayne Cordeiro’s Bible reading chart.  Author Cordeiro’s book “Divine Mentor” is simply an exposition of what the Apostle Paul is saying here.  All these events are written so that we can learn from both the glorious victories and tragic failures of our “mentors” that went before us.  Perhaps the two most recognized “Hero-Failure-Recoveries” are David in the Old Testament and Peter in the New.  But there are many more.  Some fell to rise no more.  Others, like Joseph, Daniel and Queen Esther, seem to keep a clean slate.  The ‘holiness factor’ and ‘sin factor’ have never changed.  These frank, truthful records are there for us to enjoy and to learn how to live our lives in this modern age. 



P.  Lord, I confess that there are some things I don’t like to read in the Old Testament.  As I read of the horrible wars and the bloody massacres… You know how I suffer for the innocent men, women and children that were slaughtered.  There are many things I do not understand.  But as I read, I see bright lights in the lives of men and women like Joseph, Daniel and Esther whose character caused them to rise to the top even when living as captive slaves.  Help me to leave behind “footprints” that my grandchildren and theirs can safely follow.  Amen.

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