July 13

July 13

Hoshea (Northern King 9 years) -- The northern kingdom's captivity & history of the Samaritans.

Today's Readings:

Reading 1: 2 Kings 17

Reading 2: John 8:45-49

Reading 3: John 4:1-9

What a sorry story today as we review all that has happened with the Kingdom of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) up to their destruction and captivity. This history is the ancestry of the Samaritans who were hated and rejected by the Jews in the time of Jesus.

Notice how God rules the land and all who will follow Him, and that time and again, the judgment comes on those who follow their own way, make their own choices, and disobey God. It is a solemn charge to us today - we rightly value liberty and the God-given freedom to make our own choices, but that liberty is to follow God freely. Any twisting of that into our own way leads to doom.

That is the core message of Jesus' challenge to the people in John 8 and why his conversation with the woman at the well was so significant.

Will you freely follow today?

Have a great day!

Mark.