The Gathered People of God

In today’s Bible reading* God promises a new day when the people of God are gathered from their exile. In God’s judgment and anger, He scattered His rebellious people, sending them far from their homes in Israel and Judah to an exile in Babylon in modern-day Iraq. But God says a day is coming when…

Music as Ministry to God

In Psalm 137 in today’s Bible reading* we read of the Babylonian captors demanding that God’s people sing their songs for their amusement. The psalmist asks, how can we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land. God’s people obviously feel differently about their songs than the Babylonians do. Given the words the psalmist says,…

A Psalm for Deliverance

God’s people find themselves captives in a strange land and they cry out for God’s deliverance in today’s Bible reading*. Asaph records their prayer in Psalm 79. Do not hold past iniquities against us; let your compassion come to us quickly, for we have become very weak. God of our salvation, help us, for the…

As Sure as the Sun Rises

Today’s Bible reading* has a definitive statement concerning the promises of God: As sure as the sun rises, God will make good on His covenant with His people. You would more likely break God’s covenant with the day and night than break God’s covenant with His people. Wow! “This is what the LORD says: If…

Warnings for those Entrusted with the Care of God’s People

Today’s Bible reading* includes some very strong warnings for those entrusted with the care of God’s people. Specifically, Jeremiah is addressing the spiritual leaders people of Judah and Israel. Instead of leading God’s people to gather around the heart of God, these leaders are scattering God’s people. But God promises to bring His people back….