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Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go Josh 1:9 |
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| Daily Manna: | |
Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. 8/9/2025
Today's PassageTobias and the Fish BibleVerseTobit 6:1-8 (DP) "They went on their journey, and as evening approached, Tobias and Raphael, still accompanied by Tobias’ dog, came to the river Tigris and decided to pass the night there. When the young man went down to wash, a fish leaped up in the river and tried to devour his foot. The angel said, “Grab the fish!” So Tobias took it in his arms and wrestled it to land. Then the angel instructed him, “Cut open the fish; and remove its organs; but keep the heart, liver, and gall bladder, for they make medicine.” And again Tobias did as instructed. Then, setting aside the organs, he roasted the fish for their supper. The next day as they continued on their way to Ecbatana, young Tobias asked the angel: “Brother Azarias, what good are the heart, liver, and gall bladder of that fish?” And he replied, touching the heart and liver: “If a devil or evil spirit makes any trouble for us, we can burn these to make thick smoke to surround the person who harbors it; and the person will depart from them and never return.” “And the gall bladder?” asked Tobias. “That is used to anoint the eyes of a person with whiteness, or cataracts,” the angel answered. “It will restore sight.”" Message:
Tobit often seems fantastic, and it might seem supernatural that a fish would try to eat him or eat his foot, especially one living in fresh water. But in nature, rivers all over the world harbor mind-boggling fish that have been known to attack humans and are rumored to eat children. The largest is the beluga, in Russia, which are known to reach 20 feet in length and 3,500 pounds. In the United States, gar in the Mississippi River, with their great teeth and jaws, reach 10 feet. So the scene does not require a supernatural interpretation and is, actually, less fantastic than Jonah.
Illuminated capital “S” showing Jonah.
13th c. illuminated “S” showing
two scenes from Jonah
The great fish or whale which swallowed Jonah played much the opposite role of Tobit’s fish. Jonah was fleeing from God’s commands to him and he was possibly punished, and certainly disciplined to obedience, by being swallowed. Tobias, on the other hand, is acting in righteousness and, with the aid of Raphael’s instruction, is not swallowed as the fish intends; he defeats the fish and has it for supper. Although he does not realize it, Tobias is acting in obedience to God by fighting the fish; and in fighting under the tutelage of Jehovah, he does exactly what Joshua and countless other great Hebrew leaders had done, on a very small and human scale.
A reader who is paying close attention will realize that the two medicinal properties of the fish’s offal correspond to the two great problems facing characters in the book: Tobit was blinded with cataracts when birds discharged into his eyes, and poor Sarah is possessed by the demon Asmodeus, who kills her husbands every time she marries, before she can consummate the marriage. So these salubrious fish organs might prove useful!
Archangel San Rafael, by Bartolomé Román, ca. 1628.
Archangel San Rafael, by Bartolomé Román, ca. 1628.
Daily Inspiration
“Is There A Cost?”
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Meditation : “You cannot always reach your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.” ~ Jim Rohn Prayer : O Sovereign and almighty Lord, bless all your people, and all your flock. Give your peace, your help, and your love unto us your servants, the sheep of your fold, that we may be united in the bond of peace and love, one body and one spirit, in one hope of our calling, in your divine and boundless love. Amen. |
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