Reading for today
Old Testament: Numbers 16, 17 ,18
New Testament: Luke 1
Thoughts from today’s reading
Numbers 16-17. In chapter 16 of Leviticus, we see a rebellion among the people over the ministry of the priests. The Lord was clear about the work of the priests as the ones who would atone for the sins of the people and bless them in the Lord’s name. Not everyone was qualified to approach God on behalf of the people.
He then asks Moses in chapter 17 to bring rods for each tribe and He would show which He had chosen to stand before Him. We see that the rod of Aaron produced life and fruit from the dead rod.
The priests carry the blessing of God and remind us that when He blessed man, He made them fruitful. We have been made a nation of priests in Christ, so we have life and produce fruit in the midst of dead situations.
Luke 1: 18, 34. Zechariah and Mary seemed to ask the angel the same question, but he was made dumb and she got an answer to her question.
Zechariah should have known better because what the angel promised him was something that God had already done for Abraham and Sarah, there was enough scriptural evidence for a repeat of this type of miracle.
In Mary’s case, what she was faced with had never been done before and she asked from a place of wanting to know and not from unbelief.
When we are faced with impossible situations we should look at scriptural precedence and if unbelief grips our hearts, we should ask the Lord to help our unbelief.
Prayer
1. Lord I thank you for making me a priest that carries the life and blessing of God. I declare that I am fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, I subdue it and have dominion according to your mandate given to man. My presence as a priest in my community brings preservation because I am the salt of the earth.
2. Lord when I am faced with impossible situations, I look to your word and the teaching of your Holy Spirit to understand what my response should be in that situation. Wherever my mind or intellects grapples with unbelief, I pray Lord help my unbelief and let faith displace doubt in response to your word.