Daily Reading: Genesis 46
Scripture Focus: For every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians. (Genesis 46.34)
Devotional Thought: I receive The Washington Post editorial page in my inbox each morning and afternoon. WaPo has a very liberal bias, and most of the editorials have been - shall I say - unfriendly to President Trump in particular and to Republicans in general. Most struggle to say even something neutral about conservatives. I thought about that as I read Genesis 46. I had a good laugh, thinking, "Every Republican is an abomination to The Washington Post!" It is sad, really, that the political divisions and rancor are so deep that we can't even say nice things about each other - even when we agree!
Bias and prejudice are common among people, aren't they? For Jacob's family moving to Egypt, that turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The Israelites were given an area of land in which the Egyptians weren't interested - an area suitable for their flocks. Sheep and Shepherds were an abomination to Egyptians! I wonder if history would have turned out differently for a nation that knew not Jehovah if the Israelites had moved into their communities. Instead of enslaving them as foreigners, perhaps the Egyptians would have accepted them as neighbors. Instead of losing their firstborn to a plague of death, perhaps they would have consecrated them to the Lord's service!
It seems that we as Christians are increasingly like the shepherds of Israel. By preaching and standing on the Truth of God's Word, we have become an abomination. Sadly, America will suffer the consequences of rejecting God's ways. Let us do what we can to be exemplary citizens, but may we never compromise on the Truth!
Prayer: Father, help us to be salt and light in our world - even when we are ridiculed and rejected. Give us grace to love and pray for those who persecute us. Heal the divisions among us, O Lord, and grant that we may be found faithful. Amen.
Psalm of the Day: 9 But you have rejected us and disgraced us and have not gone out with our armies. 10 You have made us turn back from the foe, and those who hate us have gotten spoil. 11 You have made us like sheep for slaughter and have scattered us among the nations. 12 You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding no high price for them. 13 You have made us the taunt of our neighbors, the derision and scorn of those around us. 14 You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples. 15 All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face 16 at the sound of the taunter and reviler, at the sight of the enemy and the avenger. (Psalms 44:9-16)
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