Scripture Union Daily Guide 17th February 2021 Today – Being Fair And Just
You are reading Scripture Union Daily Guide Devotional for Today Wednesday 17th Devotional 2021. May you be blessed as you read on.
TOPIC: BEING FAIR AND JUST
OPENING PRAYER: Make my life oh Lord a reflection of you as I study your word.
SCRIPTURE: Deuteronomy 24:10-25:4
1If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, 2and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man, 3and her second husband dislikes her and writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, or if he dies, 4then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been defiled. That would be detestable in the eyes of the Lord. Do not bring sin upon the land the Lordyour God is giving you as an inheritance. 5If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married. 6Do not take a pair of millstones?not even the upper one?as security for a debt, because that would be taking a person,s livelihood as security. 7If someone is caught kidnapping a fellow Israelite and treating or selling them as a slave, the kidnapper must die. You must purge the evil from among you. 8In cases of defiling skin diseases,be very careful to do exactly as the Levitical priests instruct you. You must follow carefully what I have commanded them. 9Remember what the Lordyour God did to Miriam along the way after you came out of Egypt. 1When people have a dispute, they are to take it to court and the judges will decide the case, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty. 2If the guilty person deserves to be beaten, the judge shall make them lie down and have them flogged in his presence with the number of lashes the crime deserves, 3but the judge must not impose more than forty lashes. If the guilty party is flogged more than that, your fellow Israelite will be degraded in your eyes. 4Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.
Question(s) for Reflection:
• What does the passage teach about God the Father, God the Son or God the Holy Spirit?
• What is God revealing to me in this passage?
TODAY’S OUTLINE: SCRIPTURE UNION DAILY GUIDE 17TH FEBRUARY 2021
God is concerned about how we treat each other as we live together as His children and in the world. Throughout the Old Testament, He told His people to treat the poor and the disadvantaged justly. Our passage today highlights seven issues. Identify them (vs.10-13,14-15,16, 17-18, 19-22, 25:1-3,4). Think about these issues and see how you can apply them in your life today. The Lord tells us why the poor should be treated fairly (vs.18,22).
As the Israelites were slaves in Egypt and were at a disadvantaged position, many of us have been in need at one time or another. Therefore, we must not take advantage of people during their difficult moments. Are you a judge responsible for delivering judgment on offenders? Are you ensuring that the offender is not so much humiliated in the prison cells that he comes out hardened than before?
The aim of punishment is not to destroy the person but rather to help reform him or her into a better person for society. As a teacher or parent, is your punishment abusive or reforming? Read chapter 25:1-3 again. We also must consider what we say to our children and the people around us when they go wrong so that their dignity and self-worth are preserved.
Practice/Word Application:
• What next: How do we treat our house-helps, drivers, gardeners, security guards, etc.?
• Any new insight or reinforcement of what you already know?
Closing Prayer:
• Ask for grace to show mercy to others as God has shown you His mercy.
• Pray against the syndrome of sit-tight leadership in some countries.
Offer a prayer of faith in line with John 8:32 – And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Bible Reading: Ex. 1-3; Mark 15:1-25
Thank you for reading Today’s Scripture Union Daily Guide 17th February 2021 Today – Being Fair And Just. God bless you!
Scripture Union Daily Guide 16th January 2021 – Detestable In The Eyes Of The Lord
