Read To Me Daily Semester 4Sample

ESTHER 1-2:
In the final two chapters of Nehemiah, we heard of the culmination of Nehemiah’s work— the ceremony for the dedication of the wall. The people proved that the wall could stand up to more than just a fox walking on it. Then Nehemiah went back to Babylon. When he came back to Jerusalem, he needed to right several wrongs, as the people had allowed a deterioration in the temple worship.

We now turn to the book of Esther, which may have been written by Mordecai (a major character in the book), or by Ezra or Nehemiah, who would have known this story. King Xerxes (Ahasuerus) was defeated in a famous naval battle against Greece. From the historian Herodotus we find that the feast mentioned in the first chapter of Esther was the occasion for planning that battle. Esther has been compared to Joseph and David. She also started out as just an ordinary person, but God planned something great for her.

ISAIAH 40b:
The three memorable musical compositions in Handel’s Messiah that quote from Isaiah chapter 40 are taken from just verses 1-11. We will find more memorable verses in today’s reading.

PHILEMON:
In chapter 4 of Colossians we heard Paul encourage alertness in prayer and making the most of every opportunity to share the Good News. Our speech should be— when literally translated— ‘seasoned with salt’. NLT does a nice job translating that meaningfully as ‘attractive’, and GNT also get’s right to the point with ‘interesting’.

Today we read the little letter to Philemon. The letter has to do with Onesimus, who was mentioned along with other people at the end of Colossians. He was the slave of Philemon. It is likely that the letter Paul mentioned at the end of Colossians as “from Laodicea” was the letter that we will read now! I wish that we knew if Onesimus was so attracted to the Gospel after over-hearing Paul speak at Philemon’s house that he ran away to search for Paul during the time when he was under house arrest in Rome. Or did Onesimus just run away as any ordinary slave might do and just ‘happen’ to ‘end up’ in prison with Paul in Rome? Both stories would be fascinating!

Let’s pray.
Dear Lord Jesus, how wonderful it is when fellow believers become just like real family, and some even closer than our own families. We see that Paul and his friends were just like that. It shows in the way they prayed so fervently for one another. It shows when believers sent people to help Paul. It shows in Paul’s words back to the senders. Lord, increase the bonds of love among believers today that we may have a family resemblance with the early believers. Help us to pray more and more alertly, not only for ourselves, but for others, including those who are persecuted for being your followers. Lord, please give us wisdom in all our actions and conversations with people who do not yet believe in You. Give us right answers to their questions. For those who are most antagonistic against us, help us to treat them as people whom You will later make into trophies of your grace. Thank You for entrusting the “secret of Christ” to us. Just like Paul prayed, help us to make it clear to others.