About 2 years ago, Brian Hardin on the Daily Audio Bible started providing an introduction to each book of the Bible as he started reading from each book. I really enjoyed hearing these historical bits and pieces related to the books and I continue to read these introductions when provided. While reading The Introduction to Luke-Acts, I get this picture of Luke as a very well educated, conservative, even tempered and honest man whose determination to tell the truth of the events he has written about overshadowed almost everything, even the regard for his own safety. Below is a painting of Luke that I found.
In today's reading, Luke 1:53, Mary says:
"He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands."
It seems to me that there are quite a few references in the Bible of the rich in a negative manner. These verses about the rich have always struck me as odd, for some reason, and I'll continue to note when I come across one of these.
The other verse that stood out to me today was Luke 2:19; Marys regard for the shepherds reaction to Jesus' birth:
"18 All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often."
I was trying to make sense of what it meant that she "kept all these things in her heart". I guess what this is saying is that Mary kept all of these emotions about giving birth to the Son of God inside of her and didn't outwardly express them. Not that she ignored them, but that she kept them inside and reflected on them often. That "often" part probably really means "for the rest of her life". I read an interesting sermon on this very verse that is worth a read.
Watt's What - Christmas Eve, 2007, Luke 2.19
I think we're off to a good start with the NT40 challenge. It's close to 7:30am now, so I may need to start waking up at 5am instead of 5:30am to give myself plenty of time to pray, read, research, reflect and journal.
Day 2 and more of Luke tomorrow!
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