Daily Devotions · January 9
Reading for January 9
Read the whole Bible in a year, a few chapters a day.
Genesis 23–24 · Luke 9
Genesis 23–24 · Luke 9, Berean Standard Bible
Genesis 23
Now Sarah lived to be 127 years old. 2 She died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went out to mourn and to weep for her. 3 Then Abraham got up from beside his dead wife and said to the Hittites, 4 “I am a foreigner and an outsider among you. Give me a burial site among you so that I can bury my dead.” 5 The Hittites replied to Abraham, 6 “Listen to us, sir. You are God’s chosen one among us. Bury your dead in the finest of our tombs. None of us will withhold his tomb for burying your dead.” 7 Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites. 8 “If you are willing for me to bury my dead,” he said to them, “listen to me, and approach Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf 9 to sell me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him sell it to me in your presence for full price, so that I may have a burial site.” 10 Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth. So in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city, Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham, 11 “No, my lord. Listen to me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.” 12 Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land 13 and said to Ephron in their presence, “If you will please listen to me, I will pay you the price of the field. Accept it from me, so that I may bury my dead there.” 14 Ephron answered Abraham, 15 “Listen to me, my lord. The land is worth four hundred shekels of silver, but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.” 16 Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver, according to the standard of the merchants. 17 So Ephron’s field at Machpelah near Mamre, the cave that was in it, and all the trees within the boundaries of the field were deeded over 18 to Abraham’s possession in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city. 19 After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field at Machpelah near Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20 So the field and its cave were deeded by the Hittites to Abraham as a burial site.
Genesis 24
By now Abraham was old and well along in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way. 2 So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh, 3 and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling, 4 but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5 The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” 6 Abraham replied, “Make sure that you do not take my son back there. 7 The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me from my father’s house and my native land, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’—He will send His angel before you so that you can take a wife for my son from there. 8 And if the woman is unwilling to follow you, then you are released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there.” 9 So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter. 10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all manner of good things from his master in hand. And he set out for Nahor’s hometown in Aram-naharaim. 11 As evening approached, he made the camels kneel down near the well outside the town at the time when the women went out to draw water. 12 “O LORD, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14 Now may it happen that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.” 15 Before the servant had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. 16 Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again. 17 So the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me have a little water from your jar.” 18 “Drink, my lord,” she replied, and she quickly lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink. 19 After she had given him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels, until they have had enough to drink.” 20 And she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the well to draw water, until she had drawn water for all his camels. 21 Meanwhile, the man watched her silently to see whether or not the LORD had made his journey a success. 22 And after the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring weighing a beka, and two gold bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels. 23 “Whose daughter are you?” he asked. “Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” 24 She replied, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor.” 25 Then she added, “We have plenty of straw and feed, as well as a place for you to spend the night.” 26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD, 27 saying, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not withheld His kindness and faithfulness from my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.” 28 The girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things. 29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he rushed out to the man at the spring. 30 As soon as he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and heard Rebekah’s words, “The man said this to me,” he went and found the man standing by the camels near the spring. 31 “Come, you who are blessed by the LORD,” said Laban. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.” 32 So the man came to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and feed were brought to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of his companions. 33 Then a meal was set before the man, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I came to say.” So Laban said, “Please speak.” 34 “I am Abraham’s servant,” he replied. 35 “The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys. 36 My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and my master has given him everything he owns. 37 My master made me swear an oath and said, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I dwell, 38 but you shall go to my father’s house and to my kindred to take a wife for my son.’ 39 Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’ 40 And he told me, ‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you may take a wife for my son from my kindred and from my father’s house. 41 And when you go to my kindred, if they refuse to give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.’ 42 So when I came to the spring today, I prayed: O LORD, God of my master Abraham, if only You would make my journey a success! 43 Here I am, standing beside this spring. Now if a maiden comes out to draw water and I say to her, ‘Please let me drink a little water from your jar,’ 44 and she replies, ‘Drink, and I will draw water for your camels as well,’ may she be the woman the LORD has appointed for my master’s son. 45 And before I had finished praying in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 46 She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well.’ So I drank, and she also watered the camels. 47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. 48 Then I bowed down and worshiped the LORD; and I blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who led me on the right road to take the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son. 49 Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; but if not, let me know, so that I may go elsewhere.” 50 Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the LORD; we have no choice in the matter. 51 Rebekah is here before you. Take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, just as the LORD has decreed.” 52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD. 53 Then he brought out jewels of silver and gold, and articles of clothing, and he gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and her mother. 54 Then he and the men with him ate and drank and spent the night there. When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way to my master.” 55 But her brother and mother said, “Let the girl remain with us ten days or so. After that, she may go.” 56 But he replied, “Do not delay me, since the LORD has made my journey a success. Send me on my way so that I may go to my master.” 57 So they said, “We will call the girl and ask her opinion.” 58 They called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” “I will go,” she replied. 59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands upon thousands. May your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.” 61 Then Rebekah and her servant girls got ready, mounted the camels, and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left. 62 Now Isaac had just returned from Beer-lahai-roi, for he was living in the Negev. 63 Early in the evening, Isaac went out to the field to meditate, and looking up, he saw the camels approaching. 64 And when Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac, she got down from her camel 65 and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?” “It is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself. 66 Then the servant told Isaac all that he had done. 67 And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.
Luke 9
Then Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and power to cure diseases. 2 And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 “Take nothing for the journey,” He told them, “no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no second tunic. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that area. 5 If anyone does not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that town, as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere. 7 When Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, he was perplexed. For some were saying that John had risen from the dead, 8 others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that a prophet of old had arisen. 9 “I beheaded John,” Herod said, “but who is this man I hear such things about?” And he kept trying to see Jesus. 10 Then the apostles returned and reported to Jesus all that they had done. Taking them away privately, He withdrew to a town called Bethsaida. 11 But the crowds found out and followed Him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and He healed those who needed healing. 12 As the day neared its end, the Twelve came to Jesus and said, “Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside for lodging and provisions. For we are in a desolate place here.” 13 But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.” “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered, “unless we go and buy food for all these people.” 14 (There were about five thousand men.) He told His disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 They did so, and everyone was seated. 16 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke them. Then He gave them to the disciples to set before the people. 17 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 18 One day as Jesus was praying in private and the disciples were with Him, He questioned them: “Who do the crowds say I am?” 19 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that a prophet of old has arisen.” 20 “But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” 21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. 22 “The Son of Man must suffer many things,” He said. “He must be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” 23 Then Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet lose or forfeit his very self? 26 If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 But I tell you truly, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.” 28 About eight days after Jesus had said these things, He took with Him Peter, John, and James, and went up on a mountain to pray. 29 And as He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became radiantly white. 30 Suddenly two men, Moses and Elijah, began talking with Jesus. 31 They appeared in glory and spoke about His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Meanwhile Peter and his companions were overcome by sleep, but when they awoke, they saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with Him. 33 As Moses and Elijah were leaving, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.) 34 While Peter was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, whom I have chosen. Listen to Him!” 36 After the voice had spoken, only Jesus was present with them. The disciples kept this to themselves, and in those days they did not tell anyone what they had seen. 37 The next day, when they came down from the mountain, Jesus was met by a large crowd. 38 Suddenly a man in the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 A spirit keeps seizing him, and he screams abruptly. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It keeps mauling him and rarely departs from him. 40 I begged Your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable.” 41 “O unbelieving and perverse generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.” 42 Even while the boy was approaching, the demon slammed him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43 And they were all astonished at the greatness of God. While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus was doing, He said to His disciples, 44 “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” 45 But they did not understand this statement. It was veiled from them so that they could not comprehend it, and they were afraid to ask Him about it. 46 Then an argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. 47 But Jesus, knowing the thoughts of their hearts, had a little child stand beside Him. 48 And He said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me. For whoever is the least among all of you, he is the greatest.” 49 “Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not accompany us.” 50 “Do not stop him,” Jesus replied, “for whoever is not against you is for you.” 51 As the day of His ascension approached, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 He sent messengers on ahead, who went into a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him. 53 But the people there refused to welcome Him, because He was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do You want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 And He and His disciples went on to another village. 57 As they were walking along the road, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow You wherever You go.” 58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” 59 Then He said to another man, “Follow Me.” The man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 But Jesus told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead. You, however, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Still another said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first let me bid farewell to my family.” 62 Then Jesus declared, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain.
How to SOAP
Grab a journal and a pen. Read the chapters above and watch for the verse that stops you. Then take it through four steps.
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Scripture
Write out the verse that stood out to you.
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Observation
What is it saying? Who is speaking, and to whom?
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Application
What does it mean for your life today? Be specific.
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Prayer
Talk to God about it. Ask Him to help you live it.
Your SOAP journal
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Why daily devotions?
Devotions are time set aside each day to read God's Word and let Him speak. The point isn't checking off chapters. It's meeting with Him.
Ten or fifteen minutes is enough to start. Pick a time and a place and keep the appointment. Mornings work well for a lot of us, before the phone and the day start talking.
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