Reference links:
Old Testament
Land is divided. Lots of place names. Balaam’s death is brought up again.
New Testament
Today we read a parable that seems to have a similar lesson to Luke 11:5-8, don’t give up when you pray. If you keep asking, God will eventually get annoyed and give you what you want. A widow bugs a judge who will not give her justice until he does. Since it had to do with a judge, Jesus could say,
Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly!
The problem with this is that the judge did not give justice to get the widow to stop bothering him, he gave her whatever she wanted to get her to stop bugging him. If, indeed, it was the other person who deserved justice, there is nothing in this story to indicate that the judge would not have given the widow her way anyway to get her off his back. In fact, there is everything to imply that he would have given her her way anyway.
Like yesterday, we get another story that could be summed up with its punchline:
For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Also, Jesus blesses some children. Awww.
Psalms and Proverbs
Today’s psalm: God, you did wonderful things in the past. Do them again, please! He totally will, I know it.