Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 12 January 2013

Happy Saturday, I guess.  Yesterday was a tough day.  I had a big deadline running at me, but in the middle of the regular morning Big Meeting, a big issue -- or, more properly, someone making A Big Issue out of a matter below trivial -- at our major customer arose.  So, casting All Else aside, I was detailed into a 62-mile drive, there to be visible and present at the customer's site, to take abuse in several languages over a non-issue for the next 7 hours.  One should not refer to the highly placed functionaries within a customer's organization as idiots.  But I know equivalent terms in several languages, and thought them frequently.  And still do. 
Now I "get" to drive 45 miles one way to my office, there to try to catch up on what I intended to have done by end of day yesterday.  And all for zero pay.  Dear Lord, can You see to it that one of the several potential employers I've been speaking to and meeting with, can come through?  Please??
Oh, and now I feel like the Crud is starting in on me.  Just what we don't need right now.

The Old Testament passage for the day is chapters 29 and 30 of the Genesis.  Jacob has fled his father's house, partly in (justified) fear of his brother Esau, and partly to honor Isaac's admonition to seek a wife from his mother's kin.  He does, and prospers there, and we start to see in his sons the names we see as the tribes of Israel.

Genesis 29

1	Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.
2	And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.
3	And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place.
4	And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.
5	And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.
6	And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.
7	And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.
8	And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep.
9	And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she kept them.
10	And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
11	And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.
12	And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father.
13	And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.
14	And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.
15	And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?
16	And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17	Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favored.
18	And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
19	And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.
20	And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
21	And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
22	And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
23	And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.
24	And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.
25	And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?
26	And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
27	Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
28	And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
29	And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
30	And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.
31	And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
32	And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.
33	And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.
34	And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.
35	And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.

Genesis 30

1	And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.
2	And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?
3	And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.
4	And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.
5	And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.
6	And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan.
7	And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son.
8	And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.
9	When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.
10	And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son.
11	And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.
12	And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son.
13	And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.
14	And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes.
15	And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son's mandrakes.
16	And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.
17	And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son.
18	And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.
19	And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son.
20	And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.
21	And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah.
22	And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
23	And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:
24	And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.
25	And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.
26	Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.
27	And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favor in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.
28	And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.
29	And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.
30	For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?
31	And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock.
32	I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.
33	So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.
34	And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.
35	And he removed that day the he goats that were ring-streaked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.
36	And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.
37	And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chestnut tree; and pilled white streaks in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.
38	And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.
39	And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ring-streaked, speckled, and spotted.
40	And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ring-streaked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle.
41	And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.
42	But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.
43	And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.

The New Testament reading is verses 1-23 in chapter 10 of Matthew's gospel.  Some of the interpretations of this get contentious, others less so.  Certainly the admonition to 'Go, and tell' is, in my view, still valid today.  Others disagree.

Matthew 10:1-23

1	And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
2	Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
3	Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
4	Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
5	These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
6	But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7	And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8	Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
9	Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,
10	Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
11	And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.
12	And when ye come into an house, salute it.
13	And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
14	And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
15	Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
16	Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
17	But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
18	And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
19	But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
20	For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
21	And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
22	And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
23	But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.