Reading: Matthew 5:21, Acts 7:39-60, Psalm 12, Genesis 29-30

Recall:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell." Matthew 5:27-30

Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord do not hold this sin against them." Acts 7:60

He set the rods that he had peeled in front of the flocks in the troughs, that is, the watering places, where the flocks came to drink. And since they bred when they came to drink, the flocks bred in front of the rods, and so the flocks produced young that were striped, speckled, and spotted. Genesis 30:38-39

Reflect:
I've noticed that everything that jumps out at me in my scripture reading lately is put through the filter of my life situation right now.

I am in no fear of of going to hell, but Jesus' words in Matthew still are powerful. Whatever is keeping me from being the disciple of Jesus that I need to be needs to be removed. Whatever is keeping me from fulfilling my mission needs to be removed.

From Genesis, I see the opposite side of the coin. Whatever I need to do to accomplish the mission God has given me, I need to do. It would appear that Jacob fooled around with magic to get the goats he needed. And from the results, it would appear that God was OK with that.

And in everything, I gotta love. As Stephen was being pummeled with stones, he cried out to God to not hold it against them. What love!

Respond:
Mighty, gracious, loving God, I am ready. Whatever I have to do, however I have to do it, whatever I have to relinquish in order to do it, I will do it.