January 1, 2018 - Happy New Year and Seventh Day of Christmas

Day 1 (Today’s Bible readings - Genesis 1:1-19 / Psalm 1 / Matthew 1:1-17)

The Song

    ♬ On the seventh day of Christmas

my true love sent to me:
Seven Swans a-Swimming
Six Geese a-Laying
Five Golden Rings
Four Calling Birds
Three French Hens
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree.

Why Seven Swans a-swimming on the 7th Day of Christmas, New Year’s Day 2018?

Seven Swans a-Swimming represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit:

3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:3-9 ESV)

As you can see in these verses from Romans, we Christians are called upon to fight the natural human tendency to think more about ourselves than we should. We all have a role to play in God’s plan, a role for which He has provided you with just the right gift(s). We are all in this together.  As we begin our journey through 2018, may we do so with a determination to make better use of our God-given gifts for His glory and in His service.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your undeserved mercy in this past year. Yes, thank You for forgiving my sins and setting my feet upon Your path.  In 2018, please help me to better use my God-given gifts and abilities to Your glory. Amen.

Pastor David Paape

Today we begin a three year Biblical journey that will take us through the entire Old Testament one time (with the exception of the Psalms which we will cover twice each year), and the New Testament twice. There will be daily readings form the O.T., a Psalm and the N.T. Special days on the church calendar will be highlighted with appropriate readings. This calendar has been compiled by representatives of the Lutheran Church of Canada, the North American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Please click this link for the daily reading calendar:
https://blogs.lcms.org/2017/lcms-lcc-and-nalc-compile-three-year-schedule-of-daily-bible-readings  
Then scroll down to 2018 Bible Reading Calendar and download it if you so wish. The “assigned” daily readings will appear on a daily basis in this blog. May the Lord bless you meditation upon His precious life-giving Word!