Seasons of Reflection  »  SORJul30

NIV Daily Bible Devotion for July 30

Click here for more information about this devotional series.

Heads Up

St. Paul’s letter to the Romans turns today to the very practical subject of obeying authorities. When reading this section, it is important to remember that the Roman government (of which Paul wrote here) was indifferent, at best, to Christianity, and often hostile to it. This truth did not prevent Paul from writing these instructions. It is true that this passage has been exploited by wicked rulers who hid behind “the divine right of kings,” but this abuse does not change the truth of what St. Paul writes.

What’s Cool

Today, our reading in Chronicles ends its lengthy section detailing names of Israelite descendents. 9:1 is more than just a marker ending a section; it is an acknowledgment that not everyone could be mentioned. As long (and tedious) as this list was, it is too short to include everyone; its purpose was to allow those living in Jerusalem, who had returned after the exile, to see their families listed.

It is curious to note, in passing, that the entries in today’s reading have a distinctly more military sound than those that came before. The count sounds like a census taken to enroll military men. These listings, it is fair to guess, were taken from David’s census of fighting men, taken toward the end of his reign. This census had displeased God, but now even its results could be put to holy uses. God once again shows, that even the results of our sinful actions can be used for good.

Challenge for Today

To a sensitive ear, sentences like Romans 13:10 are extremely challenging: “Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” It sounds so nice and comforting--yet at the same time, we should realize that love is much harder than we generally think it is. The law is hard to follow--no one doubts that--but how often do we stop to think that loving includes all of the law and more?