Christmas Reading: December 11

Today’s Reading: Genesis 1, Isaiah 1:18, Psalm 51:1-10 (English Standard Version)

Genesis 1

1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

3And God said, Let there be light, and there was light.4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

6And God said, Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.7 And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so.8 And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

9And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear. And it was so.10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

11And God said, Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth. And it was so.12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

14And God said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years,15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth. And it was so.16 And God made the two great lights–the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night–and the stars.17 And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

20And God said, Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.23 And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

24And God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds–livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds. And it was so.25 And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

26Then God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

28And God blessed them. And God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food. And it was so.31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Isaiah 1:18

18 Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

Psalm 51:1-10

1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Takeaways:

  • Genesis 1 is proof that we serve a God that gives good gifts!  Look around this morning, He painted that sunrise for you and caused the frost to sparkle on the lawn.
  • I love this passage from Isaiah…it proves that Christians are called to be intelligent and to use their brains for His glory.  Come, let us reason together!
  • Psalm 51 is a deep look inside my wicked heart.  Dear Lord, have mercy on my soul.  Thank you for not giving up on me!
  • Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit in me.

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