Old Testament reading: Genesis 24-26
“He who finds a wife finds a good thing” (Proverbs 18:22). Today’s reading is a beautiful account of faith as Abraham seeks a wife for Isaac, who is still grieving the loss of his mother. This account sheds some light on the seemingly out of place account of Genesis 22:20-24. Sandwiched between Abraham’s journey to Beersheba and Sarah’s death is the news of children being born to the house of Nahor. Abraham, rejecting the idolatrous daughters of Canaan, and knowing that a suitable wife for Isaac can be found at home, sends his servant back to his homeland to find a wife for Isaac. This shows us how important it is to marry a Christian. The home will never reach its greatest height of holiness unless both members are equally committed to serving God.
New Testament reading: Matthew 22-23
“Jesus wept” (John 11:35). Most are familiar with this common text noting the weeping of our Savior at the death of Lazarus. Why He wept is a matter of speculation. In Matthew 23, Jesus wept again – “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem!” Unlike his grief concerning Lazarus, the Bible gives us a clearer view of the reason for the Lord’s mourning. As we consider Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem, it must be remembered that He had been with His Father from the beginning. His desire for Israel did not begin after His incarnation. Rather, He had labored and mourned over His people for more than a thousand years. His statement in 23:37 concerning a hen and her chicks is particularly interesting to me. One day I returned home from an extended time away to find one of my hens had hatched seven chicks. When I went to check on them that evening, I watched her gather all seven underneath her wings to hide them from me. In like fashion, Jesus desired to hide Jerusalem from her destruction, but they refused to be protected. Regarding this destruction, I believe Flavius Josephus’ account of Jerusalem’s destruction is one of the most moving pieces of non-inspired literature.
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