my burg

Bible reading for March 11:  Exodus 22; John 1. "If ever you take your neighbor's cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate."  (Exodus 22:26-27)  Response and restitution (Ex 22).   We are continuing to read of the case laws in God's covenant with Israel.  These are the particular applications of the Ten Commandments to actual life situations.  For example, the laws dealing with theft are the outworking of the eighth commandment, "You shall not steal" (Ex 20:15).  The law considers the circumstances of our reactions, as well .  The qualification regarding striking a thief at night or in the daytime (22:2-3) is meant to prevent victims from killing those who are seen stealing, which would be excessive, as opposed to the situation at night, striking out in the...

Bible reading for March 2: Exodus 13; Luke 16. "And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people."  (13:21-22) Memorial and testimony (13:8-9). People are prone to forget, sometimes even forgetting important past events of their lives.  God's people are also prone to forgetting what great things God has done for them (Mark 5:19).  So, Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread became a "memorial" (an occasion to remember) and a "sign" (a distinguishing mark) so that people would talk about God's great salvation.  Just as a husband and wife wear wedding rings, or place wedding pictures in their home to remind them of their covenant relationship, so too, God's people have signs and testimonies of God's sav...