Big Numbers

   Clearly the writers of the Book of Chronicles loved big numbers.  We have encountered many of them in our reading this past week.  Quoting King David's account of preparations for building of the temple:
    "With great pains I have provided for the house of the Lord a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weighing, for there is so much of it, . . ."  1 Chronicles Ch. 22, vs. 14.
It is not just about money and supplies; people are counted, too.  In  arranging for the ministry of the Levites in the temple, David accounts for the service of  38,000 men:
      24,000 are assigned to priestly duties,
       6,000 are judges and administrators,
       4,000 manage temple security,
       4,000 are responsible for music, (that's a big choir!)
More big numbers!  Scholars wonder if they are meant literally or metaphorically.  The best answer seems to be both, in different ways and places.


The thirst for numbers also led David into some deep waters:
   "Satan stood up against Israel, and incited David to number Israel." 1 Chronicles Ch. 21, vs. 8.
And so he counted over one million, one hundred thousand men in Israel, to the north, and four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah, to the south, who were capable of bearing arms.  That's an impressive military machine even by today's standards.
   But God was displeased with this, we are told.   Numbers have their uses, but when they obscure, or supersede the truth of the Living God, they have strayed beyond their bounds.
   In consequence, seventy thousand of them died before the plague was halted, and David spent six hundred shekels of gold to purchase the site on which the ark of the covenant could come to rest.


   What meaning should we draw from all these numbers?  The lesson David learned was: "All things come from Thee, O Lord, and of Thine own have we given Thee." 1 Chronicles Ch. 29, vs. 14.
   What about you?



Kissing Cousins

We have all heard of, or perhaps witnessed, strange marriages.  Like Jack Spratt, who would eat no fat and his wife, who would eat no lean, some partnerships seem to thrive as a combination of opposites.  At least Mr. and Mrs. Spratt would have had fewer arguments over Sunday dinner.  Wherever love is, there are at least two different personalities.  What is true for us, in this regard, extends all the way to the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three Persons in love.


   Here on earth, differences can also create the potential for conflict, sometimes with those whom we love, such as between parents and children, or husbands and wives, and who hasn't experienced sibling rivalry!  Does it need to be this way?  I can still hear my mother saying to us when we were young, "Why can't you learn to get along?"


   In Psalm 85, we find a song of deliverance from animosity and pain and bitter discord.  In this case the parties are God and His people Israel.  Sent into captivity for their sins, --this has been the theme of the prophet Ezekiel, among others, whom we have been reading lately--they longed to return to the land that God had given them.   Hadn't they been punished enough?
       "Wilt thou be angry with us forever?" they asked.
They longed for reconciliation with God, when
       "He will speak peace to His people, to his saints, to those who turn to Him in their hearts."
The King James version translates this last phrase as " only let them not turn back to folly."  Either way, it works.


   And God gave them their heart's desire, forgiving their sin and bringing them home, so they sang:
      "Mercy and truth have met together."
Two irreconcilables, sinful humanity and a holy God, brought back into harmony with one another, and the beauty was palpable:
      "Righteousness and peace have kissed each other."
Who could do this, and how could He have brought it about?  Well, that is story of a greater Prophet, in a different, New Testament, time.  But here we have the gist of it, two very different children, mercy and truth, sharing a similar lineage, who are indeed, like righteousness and peace, kissing cousins.
  
  

Departure Time

    Most of us are familiar with reading the big screens at airports announcing the details of arrivals and departures.  Who hasn't heard the announcement:  "Flight number so and so, for such a city , is departing from Gate number whatever, in ten minutes."


    With what mixed emotions I hear these words.  As a boy of twelve, being sent away to school for the first time, those words sounded an note of dread in my heart.   But at the opposite end of the school year, with exams done and the long vacation stretching deliciously before me, what rapturous joy the same words evoked.
    Even today, I hear those words with mixed emotions.


    In his Second Letter to Timothy, Chapter 4, verse 6, Paul makes the announcement of his own impending departure:
   "For I am already on the point of being sacrificed, the time of my departure has come."
How did he feel about it?  Typically, he was looking up, and yet he made no effort to minimize his precarious situation. 


     This was his second time of imprisonment in Rome, but unlike the house arrest recorded in the Book of Acts, he was now in chains, facing a trial with one foregone conclusion, his own execution.  On the point of departure, he looked back at his work accomplished:
     "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
He also looked around him, at his companions and the colleagues who had shared in his ministry.  It is a surprising list.
   Demas, "in love with the present world," had left him.
   Crescens and Titus had gone on errands to other places.
   Tychicus had been sent to Ephesus.
   Luke alone was with him.
   There was a warning about Alexander the coppersmith, who had done him great harm. 
   And then there was faithful Timothy, whom Paul urged to come quickly, bringing his papers ("parchments") and his cloak, for winter was soon to be upon them.


   The danger was immanent, but so was Paul's hope.  The very word "departure" is his favorite word  to signify the Christian understanding of death.  A nautical term, it is a testament to his thinking, and means a loosing, a casting off, and setting sail for the open sea.  For him physical death was not an ending, but a beginning.


     The same expression was used by the English poet, Alfred Lord Tennyson, who compared of his own impending departure from this world to a boat leaving harbor at the end of day.  It is called Crossing the Bar   (try reading it aloud.):


      Sunset and evening star
      And one clear call for me!
     O may there be no moaning at the bar,
     When I put out to sea,


He pictures the tide on the move:
     But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
     Too full for sound and foam,
     When that which drew from out the boundless deep
     Turns again, home


As the light fades, it is a time for farewells:
     Twilight and evening bell,
    And after that the dark!
    O may there be no sadness of farewell,
    When I embark;


And it is a time of hopeful expectation:
    For though from out our bourne of Time and Place,
    The flood may bear me far,
    I hope to see my Pilot face to face
    When I have crossed the bar.


 Now that is a departure I am looking forward to.

Tools of the Spirit

   I had a teacher in high school who would ask us, when we had forgotten our books (and our homework,) "What use is a workman without his tools?"


   The greatest tools of the Spirit that we possess are the Holy Scriptures.  In his second letter to Timothy, which we have been reading this week, Paul urged his protégé, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the world of truth." 2 Timothy Ch. 2, vs. 15. 
  How do we handle this great tool of the Sprit, the Holy Scriptures?  The question has several aspects.


   First, do we leave them on a shelf,  or do we take them out, and get the feel and heft of them?  Yes, this means holding them in our hands.  As the old gospel hymn puts it, quaintly but truly, '"Where there's dust on the bible, there's trouble in the home"  And in our house it doesn't take long for things to get dusty!


   Second, when we open them, do we use them?  A power tool, for example, is of no use unless it is plugged in, and the Scriptures are our direct conduit to the Holy Spirit.  As Jesus said to his disciples, "When you no longer see me, the Comforter will bring to mind all that I have said to you."


   Third, this tool of the Sprit requires an open minded and alert operator.  Have you ever hit your thumb with a hammer, or slipped with a pair of scissors and cut something you didn't intend?  Think about it!


   Fourth, do you use the Scriptures intentionally, with forethought?  Who hasn't been comforted by a phrase from the Bible that has leapt off the page in a crisis moment, such as words from the twenty-third Psalm?  But as we know, tools wielded haphazardly are only going to do half the job, or else make it take twice as long.


   Lastly, do you employ the Scriptures for the ends for which they are intended?  A hammer used to drive a screw, or any other misused tool will not only tend to make a mess, it can be dangerous.  The Scriptures used indiscriminately,  like taking a verse out of context--did you know the Bible says "there is no God"? Check out Psalm 14, verse 1, and see for yourself !--or wielded without charity, can do lasting harm, and leave scars that last a lifetime.  Employed with love and charity, however, and with understanding, as Jesus did, builds the temple of the Holy Spirit, which is us, into God's Church.  (See Paul's Letter to the Ephesians, Ch. 2, vs. 22 on this one.)


   How do you handle the tools of the Spirit?

Wheels

"Ezekiel saw de wheel, way up in de middle of de air," as the old negro spiritual sings.


What would you give to see God?
We began reading the prophet Ezekiel this week, whose book opens with one of the most dramatic human encounters with the presence of the living God recorded in scripture.  Like the prophet Isaiah, his eyes were opened to see the very throne of God, "in appearance like sapphire, and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness as it were of a human form."  And that's as close as Ezekiel gets.


He is given, however a detailed view of four living creatures that hover continually, before and around the throne of God.  As he described them in Chapter One:
   "They had the form of men, but each had four faces, and each had four wings."
They moved in unison, with wings touching, facing each direction, but without turning as they went, darting to and fro, he said, "like flashes of lightning."
Underneath were four huge spoked wheels, "and their rims were full of eyes."  And when the cherubim moved, the wheels moved also, "for the sprit of the living creatures was in the wheels." 


Overhead stretched the "likeness of a  firmament, shining like crystal."  And as the cherubim moved, Ezekiel wrote, "I heard a sound like the sound of many waters, . . . When they stood still, they let down their wings." 
It was above this firmament that Ezekiel glimpsed the throne of God, with a likeness of  human form gleaming like bronze, "and there was brightness all round about Him," like the brightness of the rainbow.  Dazzling.
"Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord." said Ezekiel, in Chapter One.


Jesus said:  "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."  Matthew Ch. 5, vs. 8.
There are wheels within wheels.

Hay, Paul, this is getting personal!

As I was getting ready to write my blog entry today, I wondered which of the three readings would capture my heart: Ezekiel?  1 Timothy?  a Psalm?  It wasn't long before I discovered that today's passages are not easy to understand.  Chapter 9 of Ezekiel reminded me once again of the nightly news.  Chapter 10  led me down a familiar path.  Whenever I read Ezekiel, I become so eager to figure out what his visions looked like exactly, that I miss the point of his message.  [Google images of Ezekiel's visions sometime.]

I thought maybe I could write from the 1 Timothy passage.  I got through verses 1 and 2 with no trouble. Then smack, verse 3.  What's are " widows indeed?" [KJV]  This will take closer examination.  Honor those who are "truly widows" [NRSV]; honor a widow "who has no one else to take care of her." [NLT]  It was a downhill slide from there.  You see, I am a widow; do I fit any of Paul's categories?  I became a widow in my early fifties, so I missed Paul's cut-off age.  I have children and grand-children, but I don't think it's their responsibility to take care of me.  Maybe I'll change my mind in a few years.  I do place my hope in God, but I would also like to have a little pleasure in life, Paul.  "Well reported of for good works"—that might depend on who you interview and on what day.  "Brought up children," check.  "Washed the saint's feet," check.  "Lodged strangers, " whoops.  I have lodged many, and some of them have been strange, but most have been my own kith and kin.  About the strangest I can think of is my late grand-dog, an English setter who was allergic to grass and feathers.

Since I'm in my sixties now, maybe I have missed the part about waxing "wanton against Christ," marrying, and having more children [bless you, Sarah].  At this esteemed age, I surely wouldn't be "wandering about from house to house," tattling, and being a general busybody, would I?  Maybe I would, however, be guilty of "speaking things which they [I] ought not" including this blog entry!   

Continuing in the chapter, I see that the elders and deacons are coming up next.  I'm off the hook for a little while!   Have fun with your reading this week.  

Habakkuk, a Minor Prophet

   How would you like being considered as "a minor prophet"?  Habakkuk was.  We concluded his short three chapter book this Monday.
   Minor means small or short, as are the last dozen books of the Old Testament.  Each is attributed to a different individual.  The longest is fourteen chapters, the shortest is just one, but most, like Habakkuk, are between three and four. 
   A prophet is someone who foretells, or proclaims the meaning of past, present and future events, as revealed by God.  The world is full of people hoping to tell us about the future, like economists.   Even ancient Israel had its schools of prophets, hopeful wannabees, who often believed it was better to tell people what they wanted to hear, rather than what God wanted them to hear.  In the Old Testament, however, these last twelve books are small time tellers of big time truths.


   Habakkuk is a good example.  We know next to nothing about him, except that he wrote during the height of Babylonian power, the decade between 608 and 598 B.C.  He speaks on behalf of the people of Israel who are crying out for deliverance:
   "O Lord, how long shall I cry to for help,
        and thou wilt not hear,
    Or cry to Thee 'Violence!',
       and Thou wilt not save?"
He also speaks on behalf of God, reminding them that these cruel invaders are nevertheless His instruments, surely not a welcome piece of information:
   "For lo, I am arousing the Chaldeans,
       that bitter and hasty nation,
   Who march through the breadth of the earth,
       to seize habitations not their own."


Habakkuk speaks also for himself, as a watchman waiting for news.
He has a word of warning:  "Behold, he whose soul is not upright shall fail;" 
And he has also a word of comfort: "But the righteous shall live by his faithfulness."
Was that a word worth waiting for?
   Paul thought so. 
In his letter to the Romans it is the gospel in a nutshell. (Ch. vs. 17)
In his letter to the Galatians it sounds the note of spiritual freedom. (Ch. 3, vs. 11)
In the epistle to the Hebrews it is a word of encouragement to persevere to the end. (Ch. 10, vs. 39)


Habakkuk finishes with a  hymn, addressed "to the Choirmaster with stringed instruments":
    "God the Lord, is my strength;
      He makes my feet like hinds feet,
      He makes me tread upon my high places."  Ch. 3, vs. 19
Are your feet secure on your high places?  This Hebrew prophet has scaled some pretty dizzying heights to give us a perspective, a glimpse, into the working of God's hand.  With him, we are like tightrope walkers, conscious of the awful abyss of destruction all around us, seemingly one misstep away, yet with our eyes on the hope set before us.  Habakkuk reminds us that the righteous shall live by his vision of God, if we can keep still enough to see it.
   "For the earth shall be full of the knowledge for the glory of the Lord,
        as the waters cover the sea."


Habakkuk's is a big message for a small book.
Some prophet!


  

Like many of you on this journey, I am reading from the King James Version of the Bible.  I have found several unexpected words and expressions during the course of our reading, and today brings another.  At first, a reader might think there has been a misprint, but no, "froward" is indeed a real word: 31The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.        32The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh    frowardness.  Proverbs 10:31-32

We came across "froward" in one of our Bible studies, and it has appeared several times in these Bible Club readings.  From these verses, we can assume that a "froward" tongue is unjust, and that a wicked mouth speaks things that are unacceptable, but is there more to this particular word than I think? 

Time for a little Internet search.  According to one on-line dictionary* "froward" means "perverse, deceitful and false."  "Deceitful" and "false" seem straightforward.  What about "perverse"?  I kept searching.  Another dictionary** helped me with that: "turning from, with aversion or reluctance; not willing to yield or comply with what is required."  The definition of "perverse" also carries the idea of being ungovernable, disobedient, and even peevish.  Now we are getting somewhere.

When we speak with a froward tongue, we are doing so out of choice.  Not only are we unwilling to comply with what is wise or acceptable, we actively turn away from wisdom and acceptability with aversion.  We are reluctant to speak with other than a froward tongue.  We choose disobedience and peevishness (and the definition of that one isn't flattering either!). No wonder the froward tongue must be pruned!   No wonder Jesus warns us that what comes out of our mouths makes us defiled! 

Is your Bible study leading you on these "birdwalks", too?  I hope so.  They really make our readings come alive, don't they?

*http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/king-james-dictionary/froward.html

**  http://av1611.com/kjbp/kjv-dictionary/froward.html,  

  

 

A Lamentation

This should have been posted on Friday, when we read Lamentations 1 and 2.

 If we are just casually reading our Bibles, it may be hard for us to imagine the destruction of Jerusalem.  Those events seem distant and far away.  Clips from this summer's nightly news, however, give us a clearer picture of what the destruction of a city looks like.  With those images in my mind, phrases like "How doth the city sit solitary" and  "how she is become as a widow"  [Lam 1:1] become more powerful than before.  They take my breath away. 

The children say, "Where is corn and wine?" [2:12] from a mountain top in northern Iraq.  Children and elders, mothers and fathers have "swooned as the wounded  in the streets of the city" [2:12] in Africa, in Syria, in Jordan, in Missouri, and in the Holy Land itself.  It does seem to us as though "the enemy prevailed" [1:16], even though we are not always sure who or what the enemy is. 

The poet tells us that Jerusalem weeps; her friends have been treacherous; her gates are desolate; she is bitter.  When we are grieving, most of us feel much the same.  We need to weep, to question, to blame and to be in distress.  We may feel distant from God and  question what we perceive to be God's silence.

All of this makes me think of Elijah in the wilderness.  He didn't find God in the clash and bang of wind earthquake and fire [1 Kings 19], but in the silence.  Out of the silence, God commissions Elijah to go and do.  What commission do you think God has for us in our grief and  in these times? 

Enemies

   Overheard on the VHF radio band during the annual Cutler Harbor Fourth of July boat race was this:
  "I always knew you was a slipp'ry customer."
Who hasn't had to face enemies?  From sibling rivalries to the bullies we encounter at school, to teenage competition and adult challengers, from what St. Paul calls enemies without, to enemies within, we ask, Why do we have to face such hostility?


   Many of our Psalms lately have dealt with the subject of enemies.  As Psalm 57 aptly describes them, they are like lions, greedily devouring their prey, their teeth are sharp like spears and arrows, and their utterances like sharp swords.  They are often far subtler than we are, laying traps not just for our feet, but for our very souls, and are obstacles to all progress.  As the Psalmist wrote in verse 6 :
   "They dug a pit in my way."


    What did I do to deserve such opposition?  Was it on account of my misdoings and mistakes?  The Scriptures tell us even Jesus found opposition from the devil, and one of his own disciples betrayed him into the hands of sinful men.  What more poignant description of Judas's kiss could we find than these words from Psalm 55:
   "My companion stretched out his hand against his friends,
        he violated his covenant.
     His speech was smoother than butter,
       yet war was in his heart."


   The Psalmist reminds us that we must never forget God is sovereign over all these things, our enemies included.  Sandwiched between verses 4 and 6, in Psalm 57, and repeated at the end, is this wonderful declaration: 
   "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
    Let Thy glory be over all the earth!"
Jesus showed us how to handle our enemies.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Love your enemies, and do good to those who hurt you.  We His servants are to do so also, remembering that, in the end, the victory is God's alone, and that our enemies will become a footstool for His feet.
  

Hearing and Seeing

After reading today's passage from John, I went back into Matthew, the source of recent readings from the Revised Common Lectionary, to review some of the references to eyes and found, among others, these: "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." (Matt 7:5); the story of the healing of two blind men (Matt 9:30); and "But blessed are your eyes: for they see; and your ears for they hear." (Matt 8:16)  There are also many references to light and darkness, seeing and not seeing, understanding and missing the kernel of truth threaded through these passages about eyes, and the like.


I say this because verse 16 stood out to me today.  So often, we think that all of the Pharisees opposed Jesus; this passage says "some" felt he was not of God because he did not keep the Sabbath day.  Others wondered why a sinner could do miracles.


In every age since the story of the healing of this blind man took place, most of us have gone along, doing our worship of God in almost the same way we have always done it, feeling right about it, feeling comfortable.  And every once in a while, someone or something enters the picture and shocks our vision.  In this case, the upstart itinerant preacher from the Galilee performs miracles on the Sabbath day in the name of the one who sent him.  The villagers, the Pharisees, and even the man's parents were comfortable with the man's blindness.  He was a beggar and outsider, but they were used to that.  They were uncomfortable with his ability to see and how he came to see...some of the Pharisees cast him out. 


Jesus had told the disciples early on in the story that "neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." (v.3)  Jesus was showing all of the characters here a new way to understand and that caused division among the Pharisees (v.16).    It takes courage to see with new vision.


  

Modern Day Jeremiah

   A local group of young church musicians formed a band, calling themselves Modern Day Jeremiah.
   Which raises the question how anyone could regard these hoary prophets of ancient Israel speaking to us in a modern voice.  Wasn't their job over long ago?  And in our fast paced, hard wired, soft-wared, world what could they possibly have to say of any relevance?  Even their metaphors are out of date, as in this morning's reading in Jeremiah, Chapter 18, verse 1: 
   "The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:
       'Arise, go down to the potter's house,
         and there you will hear my word.'"
Jeremiah's obedience led him to do as instructed, and there he watched  a potter working on a revolving wheel, shaping and re-making the lump of clay in his hands.  We read, "And the word of the Lord came to me:
    'O house of Israel, can I not do with you as the potter has done ?"
Like the Master Potter, God asks rhetorically, am I not able to reshape a nation that has not conformed to the pattern I have intended for it?  Jeremiah applies the lesson to Israel:
   "Behold, like clay in the potter's hand, so are you in  my hands, O house of Israel." vs. 6.
If you are unfit and unconforming, intended for destruction, but turn from your evil ways, God says through the prophet, "I will repent of the evil I intended to do."  And if you are well built and well planted, then do evil in My sight and disregard My voice, God says "then I will repent of the good I intended to do."


In conveying these words, Jeremiah had a difficult job to do in a difficult time.  Was his message only for ancient Israel? Or do his words speak to our own time and our hearts also?


Can there be a modern day Jeremiah?

God's Umpire

One of the joys of summertime is baseball.  Happy memories of sandlot games, or watching the big league players, belong to this time of year, and are certainly a part of my life.
   Saint Paul was also attracted to games and athletic competitions, judging from the sports metaphors that run through his letters.  As he wrote to his young protégé, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith," and referring to the ultimate in victory trophies, a crown of laurel leaves,  he continued: "henceforth is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that Day."  Second Epistle to Timothy Ch. 4, vs. 7, 8.
    Another sporting allusion comes in his letter to the Colossians, which we have encountered in our Great She Bible readings recently:
   "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which you were called in one body."  Ch. 3, vs. 15.
Games and contests often require judges or umpires to apply the rules, balance competing claims, and keep the ball moving.  In this passage, the word means literally, "Be umpire"--as in Let the peace of Christ be umpire in your hearts--Let this be the guiding determination in all your actions.
   How do you determine what is the best application of God's word to your life and circumstances?  Often there are competing claims to our attention, that appear equally compelling. What keeps us moving ahead as life swirls around us?
  Paul says here that the peace of Christ--the peace that passes understanding--is our God given guide and umpire to the right course of action.  Finding the peace of Christ in each day's activities is the will of God for you, and his body, the Church.  Let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts.

What Do You See?

    We have recently celebrated a great national holiday, with parades, fireworks, and in Eastport, the arrival of a big Navy ship, the USS Anzio, named after one of the great amphibious landings of World War II.  These events down east were capped by a summer hurricane that crushed cars, smashed into people's houses, and did untold property damage.
    A similarly unusual confluence of events was described by the prophet Amos, whose book we having been reading this week.  No professional forecaster, he insisted "I am a herdsmen, and a dresser of sycamore trees., and the Lord took me from following the flock, and said to me: Go, prophesy to my people Israel."  Amos Ch. 7, vs. 14-15.   Amos was called by God to speak difficult words in a smooth season.  In a time of national prosperity, he denounced the nation for its reliance on military might, for grave injustice in social dealings, abhorrent  immorality, and its shallow, meaningless piety.
       "And the Lord said to me:
             Amos, what do you see?
       And I said,
            A plumb line . . . "
In a vision, Amos saw the Lord standing beside a  wall with a plumb line in his hand.  Like a hopelessly crooked wall, the nation had become irreparable, and the Lord said : " I will never again pass by them."  Ch. 7, vs. 8.  Israel would be made desolate, a wasteland dismembered by the sword.
   Again, He said:
       "Amos, what do you see?
    And I said,
        A basket of summer fruit."
Like fresh garden produce, that quickly spoils and becomes rotten, the nation's blooms were about to be swept away:
   "The end has come upon my people Israel,
         I will never again pass by them."
   What could be more desolating than to be overlooked by the hand of God?  And yet, even in the midst of such distress, there is hope:
     " For lo, I will command,
         and shake the house of Israel
             among all the nations
       as one shakes a sieve."
As our trees and gardens were shaken and washed away by last Saturday's storm, God will restore his planting:
    " 'For I will replant them upon the land,
            and they shall never again be plucked up
       out of the land which I have given them,'
              says the Lord your God."  Ch. 9, vs. 15.
On this Independence Day holiday, what did you see?

Pet Heaven?

   We lost our dog this past week, a beagle, who had shared our lives for the last eighteen years.  He is much missed.  And this raises a question that is often asked:  Will our pets be in Heaven?
   It is a natural enough question, given the reciprocated love that can exist between an animal and ourselves.  As one French writer put it, "Who knows, when I am playing with my cat, if my cat is not really playing with me?"


   The Book of Jonah sheds some light on God's relationship with the animal creation.  First, Jonah tells us:
   "God appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. " Ch.1, vs. 17.
Having what we might justly call an insiders view of the situation, Jonah had three days to consider the meaning of this unforgettable event.  Apart from the question of historical verisimilitude--and there are several stories from the Nantucket whalers of sailors being recovered after being accidently swallowed by these gigantic mammals--this great fish was clearly in the right place at the right time, and properly equipped to scoop up the reluctant prophet, and take him in the direction he needed to go.
 
   Secondly, we are told:
   "God appointed a worm . . .  " Ch. 4, vs. 7.
Having fulfilled his mission, announcing the impending doom of the great Assyrian city, Jonah waited to see the results.  As the sun rose, so did his temper, convinced that God would spare the city and spoil the purpose of his trip.  Until, that is, He caused a large plant, (the Hebrew word suggests a castor oil plant,) to spring up overnight and over shade him, helping him keep cool. Then God appointed a worm to consume the root of the plant, which withered as fast as it grew, and prepared to teach the angry prophet a lesson.


   Thirdly, by way of instruction to this overheated Hebrew, God asked him:
   "Do you do well to be angry?"  You feel sorry for the plant, which you did nothing to cause to grow in the first place. . .   "Should I not pity that great city Nineveh, with more than one hundred and twenty thousand people who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?"


   Does not God have compassion on all creatures, great and small--fish, worms, cattle, humanity?
   Is there heaven for pets?


   What do you think?

In Prison

   " . . . so it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ."  Philippians Ch.1, vs. 13
   Have you ever known anyone who is in prison?
   How about arrested?  At a public supper here in Dennysville recently, in honor of a retiring deputy sheriff, the Master of Ceremonies asked those whom he had ever arrested to stand up, and good portion of the room did so. 
   Paul also knew what it was like to be arrested, and imprisoned--and not just once!  He wrote his famous Epistle to the Philippians from prison in Rome.  Unlike his first house arrest, when he was able to live in a rented house for two years, as Luke tells us, and "welcome all those who came to him,"  (Acts Ch. 28, vs. 30,) this time he was locked up, under constant surveillance, and wearing chains.

   What is it like to be in prison?  It's not called doing time for nothing.  If we, as Christians, are to remember those in prison "as though in prison with them," (Hebrews Ch. 13, vs. 3,) we need to have some idea of what it is like.  We are all hemmed in by circumstances beyond our control, whether there are bars and walls or not.   Mark Twain has one of his characters declare:
   "I wish I wasn't cramped and kept down and fettered with poverty. . . . Oh, it is a fearful thing to be poor."
What is it that imprison you and me, and what can we do about it?  Are we really as helpless as we feel?


    In his letter to the Philippians, Paul lets us into the mind of a prisoner, giving us a glimpse of his own mind.  Despite the reality of chains and guards, God was still at work:
   "But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ . . ." 
Then there was the trickle down effect:
   "and most of the brethren in the Lord having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear."  Philippian Ch. 1., vs. 12, 13, 14.


   Who wants to go to prison?  How do we respond to the limitations and restrictions that the changes and chances of this fleeting world cast upon us?
What lessons, if any, does Paul have to teach us about being "in prison"?

Snakes

   "They will take up snakes, and if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them." Mark Ch. 16, vs. 18.
   Do you like snakes?
   To call someone a snake is to imply he is deceptive, slippery, and liable to strike without warning. 
   Perhaps we have the serpent in the Garden of Eden to thank for that.  Would Eve have responded so receptively to Satan's suggestion--'Go ahead, take a bite, it won't hurt you'-- if she what she saw was so repulsive?
The consequences for that first disobedience fell not only on Adam and Eve, but on the serpent, also, suggesting a kind of metamorphosis:
   "Upon your belly you shall go,
      and dust you shall eat all the days of your life."  Genesis Ch. 3, vs. 14
However beguiling the original form of the serpent, it became something detestable:
   "God said to the serpent, 'Because you have done this,
       cursed are you above all cattle, and all wild animals.' 
How can anyone snuggle up to a snake, except, perhaps, with extreme caution.?
   Yet here, in Mark's Gospel, we find even this old Enemy is no longer a deadly threat to those who have place their trust in Jesus.  Mark quotes Him in chapter 16, verses 17 and 18, saying:
   " In my Name they will cast out demons,
      they will speak in new tongues,
      they will pick up serpents,
      and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them;
      they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover"
Remarkable!  So remarkable, in fact, that some scholars have considered them improbable, and concluded the Gospel after verse 8, before the account of the Resurrection.
    Or is Mark telling us, in his breathless, straightforward style, that, as believers, we need not worry, for sin has been crushed at its fountainhead by Jesus Himself, on the Cross?  As God said to the serpent in the Garden of Eden:
   "He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."
We can safely leave the handling of serpents to snake charmers, and other who feel called to do so.
But rest assured, the Ancient Serpent has been dealt with, Death has lost its sting, and there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 
   Tread carefully, but do not fear.  Snakes will not hurt you.

Stubby-Fingers

"And immediately they left their nets and followed Him." Mark Ch. 1, vs. 18.


      The nickname Stubby-Fingers was attributed to Mark, the Evangelist, from the earliest days of the Church.  Why?  The ancient world loved using such short forms, just as we do. Like "old Copper-Guts" or "Golden-Tongued,"  it didn't really refer to physical features so much as an unusual or defining personal characteristic.
    In Mark's case, we know from his gospel, that he liked to write things down as he heard them.  One of his favorites words, used over and over again, is "immediately"--at least six time in first chapter alone.  Count them!  In this earnest, breathless style, Mark recorded the details of Jesus' ministry as he heard them from Paul, and Peter, and those who had seen Him.  Compared with the other gospel writers, Mark's manner of speech is simple, declarative, and sometimes a little clipped, like a reporter who wants to get out the facts of the matter.


   What do we know about him?  From the beginning he was identified as John Mark, the nephew of Barnabas, and  described in the Book of Acts, Ch. 13, as accompanying his uncle and Paul on their first missionary journey, only to loose heart and return home in the middle of their travels.  Later, we find him reconciled to Paul, who wrote to Timothy from his prison cell in Rome, "Bring Mark with you, for I find him a useful assistant."  2 Timothy Ch. 4, vs. 12.
   Younger than the twelve Apostles, tradition places him in Rome during Peter's ministry  and imprisonment, and eventual execution.  It is reasonable to suppose that his Gospel records what he heard from him.


     Mark also gives us a tantalizing glimpse of  what happened the night Jesus was betrayed in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He reports the very words of Jesus' agonizing prayer, "Lord, not my will, but Thine be done."  With all the other disciples asleep, who would have heard that, except for his comment that "a certain young man followed Him, with nothing on but a linen cloth.  They tried to seize him, but he slipped out of the linen cloth and ran away naked." Ch. 14, vs. 51-52.  A breathless and unforgettable incident, noted in none of the other gospels.
   Could this be Mark, giving us a glimpse of himself, as a curious teenager, following from the upper room in his nightshirt and watching from the shadows, and when surprised and grabbed, wriggling out of it and running home naked?
  No wonder he was out of breath!  Under those circumstances, wouldn't you run home too?  Immediately?  Stubby-Fingers!


QUESTION:  In each chapter, how many times can you count the use of the word "immediately"?  Report your result by clicking on the comment button below, and entering the chapter and number.  It's easy! Note: different versions may yield slightly different results, as the word for "immediately" , or euthus in the original Greek, is sometimes rendered ""directly" or "straightway", or in some other way.
Go ahead and pick a chapter, any chapter, and try it!

  

A Fresh Start

"For the strong arm of the wicked shall be broken,
     but the Lord upholds the righteous." Psalm 37, vs. 17
Does the prescription of punishment for the wicked and rewards for the righteous seem a little too simplistic to you?  Does is sound like a superficial seal of approval that covers over the murkiness of our human existence?
Consider the first chapters of the Book of Kings.  While King David lay dying his sons are squaring off over his throne, and everyone has a score to settle.  How can justice be done?

• The eldest son, Adonijah, claims the crown, and has invited everyone to his inaugural banquet.
• Among his supporters  are the high priest Abiathar, like our Secretary of State, and Joab, acting as the Secretary of Defense, as well as all the top bureaucrats;
• David, however, had promised the throne to Solomon, his younger son by another marriage, and has the help of only two religious leaders with one lesser official, and the members of his royal bodyguard, the equivalent of our Secret Service.

The future hung in the balance. 
Then King David ordered them to place Solomon on his own mule, the Presidential limousine of its day, to take him to Gihon. "There let Zadoc the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him King over Israel. . . .And people shouted 'Long live King Solomon!'... so that the earth split with the noise." I Kings Ch. 1, vs. 34 & 40.
On hearing the noise, Adonijah, and all those with him, realized the game was up; they had overplayed their hand.  At the moment of their triumph, tasting victory, they were swept away utterly.

• Adonijah, double minded to the end, loses his life,
• Joab, steeped in the blood of innocent men, is executed,
• Abaithar is banished for life.

"And Solomon succeeded his father David as king, and was firmly established on the throne."
Does this seem murky to you?  From our perspective, our own lives often appear so, and our choices are like logs in a jam.  Reading the Book of Kings, however, we can see that God's purposes are worked out through it all.  As we become familiar with the personalities of the Bible, and their circumstances, the mists begin to clear, revealing God's hand upon them: the strong arm of the wicked being broken, and those who trust in the righteousness of God, being upheld.
It means a fresh start for everyone, ourselves included.
Does that seem simple to you?

Mining Underground in Job Chapter 28

I know it was a little while back when we read this, but I was fascinated by the description of mining for metals and jewels which is given in this chapter for a people who lived several thousand years ago.  Without modern tools of any sort these people dug deep and dangerously for a living to bring, gold, silver, iron, copper and jewels such as sapphires, rubies, onyx and topaz to the surface. The passage  tells of cutting shafts and digging tunnels into the "farthest reaches and blackest darkness" in places unknown.  Quite a task in those days I am sure!
But Job concludes that wisdom is priceless compared with gold and jewels.  "The price of wisdom is beyond rubies" (Job 28:18)

Readings June 2-8

We have all Old Testament readings this week.  Leviticus means "relating to the Levites" because much of it pertains to God's instructions for worship in the tabernacle by priests who were sons of Aaron assisted by men from the tribe of Levi.  It gives the laws and regulations for worship but it also includes instructions about ceremonial cleanness, moral laws, and holy days,  the sabbath year and the Year of Jubilee.  Much of it is obviously written for an ancient society very different from ours but the key thought of Leviticus is holiness.  God has come down and made his dwelling in the tabernacle amongst his people Israel and his people are to respond by being holy, set apart for service for his purposes and glory and to be separated from sin.  Leviticus tells the people how to be holy.  In fact Chapters 17-26 are often called the 'Holiness Code' giving many instructions for holy living.

Chapters 11-15 are all about purity, ceremonial cleanness giving instructions on what is clean and unclean. Chapter 16 is about the annual Day of Atonement.  An important day when the sins of the Israelites are dealt with by both sacrifice and sending a goat off into the wilderness taking all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites with it.  The origin of the scapegoat!
Leviticus can be a tough read but contains many interesting items and it is referred to many times in the New Testament particularly in the book of Hebrews which tells us about Christ as our High Priest.

Ecclesiastes is our second book and it is one of the Wisdom books.  It is the musings of "the Teacher" on the meaning of life, is life worthwhile?  Most of the pleasures of the world are explored and found meaningless. There is that wonderful passage in chapter 3 where there is "a time for everything."

There is only one Psalm this week, Psalm 35, and it is a cry to God for help in distress.
There is so much we can learn in the Old Testament but it sometimes takes a little more digging than in the New Testament.

  2 Leviticus 11 Ecclesiastes 2 Leviticus 12-13
  3 Leviticus 14 Ecclesiastes 3 Leviticus 15
  4 Leviticus 16 Ecclesiastes 4 Leviticus 17-18
  5 Leviticus 19 Ecclesiastes 5 Leviticus 20
  6 Leviticus 21 Ecclesiastes 6 Leviticus 22
  7 Leviticus 23 Ecclesiastes 7 Leviticus 24
  8 Leviticus 25 Ecclesiastes 8 Leviticus 26 Psalm 35

Why a Priest?

What is priest, and why do we need one?
This is the question that the Book of Leviticus sets out to answer, beginning in Chapter 1, verse 2:
    "When any man of you brings an offering to the Lord, you shall bring them from the herd or from the flock."
What then?  You can't exactly place an animal on an offering plate.  The offerings required of ancient Israel were not money, but agricultural produce, perhaps a cow or bull, a sheep, a dove, or grain and oil. But it must be the best available, God says to Moses, "without blemish," the choicest example.
As a burnt offering, it was to be immolated, reduced to ashes, and used up.
Wouldn't it be a strange thing if the cash on an average collection plate in a church were to be thrown onto a bonfire and incinerated?  What a waste!  All those checks and bills and change.  It would be like throwing away the work of our hands!
What is the point?  Leviticus continues:
    "He shall offer it at the tent of the meeting, that he many be accepted before the Lord."
The purpose is made even clearer in the symbolic laying of his hand upon the creature's head:  "and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him." vss. 3 and 4.  It is offering to atone for his sin.
But how can an unacceptable, sinful human being approach the perfection of the presence of God?
The creature, whatever it might be, is to be killed, " and the sons of Aaron, the priests shall present the blood, and throw it round about against the altar that is at the door of the tent of meeting." It was an unforgettable, unmistakable scene.  "And the priest shall offer the whole, and burn it upon the altar, it is a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the Lord." vss. 5 & 13, --a kind of holy barbeque.
A priest provides the necessary connection between man and God, is a link, or a great bridge, (in Latin "Pontifex Maximus,") between us and our Maker, re-connecting earth to heaven, the sinful to the sinless.  Without a priest, how could we do it?
Let's think about this as we explore the Book of Leviticus together.

Reflections from the fog

This morning, as I began to read chapter 39 in Job, I couldn't help but think of spring coming to Washington County after the long and hard winter.  Granted, I don't have wild goats and unicorns cavorting on my lawn, but we have seen the geese fly north and are now watching leaves burst forth and spread themselves to catch rays from the occasional sun. (You guessed correctly; it's foggy in Jonesport today!)  We try to see who will be the first to hear the "peep frogs" entertain us with a nightly chorus, and who will see the first robin.   In times like these I think of Genesis and the creation story--"...and God saw that it was good."


As I read the chapter from Leviticus concerning several types of offerings, all I could think of was that it would be impossible for me to get this right.  At some point, I would be "in a fog."  Even if I had made these sacrifices dozens of times, I guarantee I would sooner or later make a mistake and in doing so, dishonor God.  And that would not be my intention. 


Job has been in a similar place...he has not intended to dishonor God in any way.  He doesn't think he has, and yet, all this hardship has come upon him.


So here I sit with my cup of coffee, thinking of you reading these same passages.  What does this all mean to you?  I have been trying to make connections between the chapters, trying to make meaning for myself, and I find myself thanking God for this earth, the birds and animals, and  the ocean at the foot of my lawn.  I also thank God for promises...though it is impossible for me to get things "right" all of the time, though hardships will come my way, God's love and forgiveness and mercy and grace cover me.  Unlike the fog, they will never disappear.     


    

Not Ashamed

"In you, O Lord, I have put my trust,
  O let me never be ashamed."  Psalm 31, vs. 1.
What a strange thing to read in a Psalm!  Are you ashamed of God?  (Perhaps before Him, on account of our stumbling into sin, but that is a another matter.)  Why should the Psalmist ask God "Never let me be ashamed of trusting you"?
How often have you stepped out in faith, confident in the assurance that God answers prayer, and will not let you down, only to feel disappointed?
This was certainly Job's experience.
It was also Paul's experience: "We were so utterly, unbearably crushed," he wrote to the Corinthians, "that we despaired of life itself." 2 Corinthians, Ch. 1, vs. 8.
It was also the experience of Jesus on the Cross, when he uttered these words:
   "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" Mark, Ch. 15, vs. 34.
In bearing the sins of the whole world, the sinless for the sinful, He actually endured the complete and utter separation from God the Father that we sometimes anticipate in our anxious, agonizing, faltering moments, yet never truly have to know. Underline that word never.
Jesus has been there, and done that, for us.
As a character in a modern novel says to a friend who feels God has forsaken him: 'That may seem to happen, but it never happens.  But never, never, does it happen."
The final words belong to the end of Psalm 31, vs. 24:
   " Be strong, let your heart take courage,
      all you who wait for the Lord."
And you will not be ashamed.

Readings May 19-25

This week we continue with our readings from the book of Job. Job's three 'comforters' maintain their attacks on Job and his integrity giving their supposed wisdom to him.  Job replies each time defending himself and questioning God at times through a second and third cycle of speeches.  I was struck by the striking resemblance Psalm 31 bears to the afflictions Job is suffering.  Do we too trust the Lord to deliver us amidst the difficulties of life?  'Be strong and take heart all you who hope in the Lord.' (Psalm 31:24)

Our Psalm readings also cover praise (33), a song of praise (30), a testimony to God's gracious forgiveness (32) and instruction on godly wisdom (34).  The psalms are a wonderful kaleidoscope of different types and themes.

Finally we return to the Torah, the Law, with the book of Leviticus.  This can be a bit heavy going as much is not directly applicable to our worship or lives nowadays.  But do persevere as  there are many good nuggets of knowledge and wisdom in there. The first two chapters cover the burnt offering for atonement of sin and the grain offering which recognizes God's goodness and provision for us.

 19     Job 13                  Psalm 30               Job 14
 20     Job 15                  Psalm 31               Job 16
 21     Job 17                  Psalm 32               Job 18-19
 22     Job 20                  Psalm 33               Job 21
 23     Job 22                  Psalm 34               Job 23-24
 24     Job 25-26             Leviticus 1            Job 27
 25     Job 28                  Leviticus 2            Job 29

Readings May 12-18

I have realized I missed a week!  Just goes to show pastors are not infallible. (I think you knew that already!)  Anyway as I know a few people are maybe behind (I was until this week) I will still add my comments.

This week brought us to the end of the book of 2 Samuel with the last four chapters which are all bringing the reign of King David to an end.  There is David's song of praise in Chapter 22 which may seem familiar because it is repeated in Psalm 18 which we have already read!  David's last words are recorded in Chapter 23 although his death does not appear in this book but we await that in our reading of 1 Kings.

We also finish Acts with the final chapters there telling of Paul's trials in Caesarea on the coast of the Mediterranean about 60 miles from Jerusalem.  From there we travel with Paul all the way by sea to Rome.  So Acts tells the story of how the good news of the kingdom of God makes its way from Jerusalem, the spiritual capital of the Jewish world, in Acts 1 (v3) all the way to Rome the political capital of the Roman Empire in Acts 28.  It finishes with Paul boldly preaching the kingdom of God at the heart of the biggest political kingdom in the world at that time!  Where Caesar is normally proclaimed as lord, Paul teaches about another lord the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 28:31).

We now have a break from the New Testament daily reading for a while.  Why? Because there are only 260 NT chapters in the Bible - not enough for one each day.  So we need a double portion of Old Testament readings at times!

Job is the next book we read in the OT and it is a remarkable ancient story.  Read the blog post by Phyllis entitled 'Job's Comfort' and the excellent comment attached to that post to get a flavor of the book.

The Psalms are a wonderful resource for all aspects of life we go through and the psalms this week are no exception. Enjoy and meditate!

 12     2 Samuel 21         Acts 25 (26*)         2 Samuel 22
 13     2 Samuel 23         Acts 27                  2 Samuel 24
 14     Job 1                    Acts 28                  Job 2-3
 15     Job 4                    Psalm 26               Job 5
 16     Job 6                    Psalm 27               Job 7-8
 17     Job 9                    Psalm 28               Job 10
 18     Job 11                  Psalm 29               Job 12

* We read Acts 26 in January but you may wish to read it again for continuity.

Job's Comfort

This week we have been reading the story of Job.  Like many through the ages, I have come to Job for comfort during my darkest days.  In times gone by, I have risen at dawn to read this story.  [In fact, it seems as though I can feel the cool sand of the lakeshore on my bare feet and hear the soft lapping of early morning waves and the beginnings of birdsong as I open my Bible today.]  At other times, I have read this story in the dark of night when my house was silent and still.  In my old paperback Bible, the pages of the book of Job are a mess...pencil notes, tear stains...you probably know what I mean.  My "relationship" with the book has felt so deeply personal that I have wondered all week "What will I, what can I write about Job?"  Deep breath...


In two of the three chapters for today's reading, Job speaks...he is without hope; he feels as if his own destruction would be better than the emotional and physical pain he is experiencing; he wants to understand;  he feels as though he has a target on his back.  He is all of us. While we may not have lived the same losses that Job has lived, in our heart of hearts, we all have lived his despair.  In times like these, we begin to question our faith, our mortality, our relationships, ...our God.  "Why me?" we might ask, "Why Job?" 


Often, in times like these, the words of friends offer no comfort to us.  Sometimes they don't even make sense.  They cannot penetrate our sadness.  So it is with Job.  No matter how well-intentioned Job's friends may be, and I often wonder about even that, their words do not do the trick.  Bildad, in chapter eight, may be trying to make sense of the situation, but he does not comfort Job.  Offering comfort, being comforted are not always easy for us.


After living through these chapters with Job this morning, my comfort came from Psalm 27.  I know we are just beginning this journey with Job...more lies ahead, but I would like to think that, when he is on the other side of this trial, he, too, will find comfort in Psalm 27.

An Admission

I must admit that there have been days since we began this journey in January that I have read the daily passages just to get them done.  There!  I said it.  I'm not proud of that admission, but at least it's out in the open.  I must do better than that.


Last week at the Congregational Christian Council of Maine spring meeting, we looked at several issues with these questions in mind: What did you like?  What surprised you?  What challenged you?  What did you learn? This morning as I read of difficulties that both David and Paul are experiencing, I thought of those questions.  Might they be good guidelines for us to use as we work our way to next December? Because what we bring to this blog is so different from person to person, the answers to those questions will also be different, but none of them can be wrong.  Sharing will be hard sometimes...but I think we can do it!


So, here I go...I liked Acts 20:8 "And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together."  I can imagine this little band of followers seeking the way together into the dark hours of the night.  I can imagine their conversations, their questions, and their discussions.  Notice I am omitting the scene that happened from Paul's "long preaching."


I am surprised at David's flight before Absalom.  The King David we have been reading about was ready for battle most of the time; his behavior here makes me stop and think.  I am challenged, and this isn't a very theological answer, mind you, by the catalog of names and places in Acts.  Will I have to know these people, these cities, to understand something later or am I just reading the itinerary of Paul's trip? 


What did I learn? I come from these readings with a view that sees a human side of David and Paul...both are "leaving;" both experience loss.  David is preparing for the wilderness; Paul is preparing to sail.  How will God be with them in the days ahead?  How can I use their situations to help me as a pastor, a daughter, and a mom?


I plan to write these four questions on my reading list; may they be a reminder to me as I read and listen.  I hope they help you.   

Readings May 5-11

This week we have only two books.  In the Old Testament we continue with 2 Samuel and David's kingship.  David extends his kingdom and consolidates his rule but there are still quite a few bumps in the road.  David gets caught out in an adulterous affair with Bathsheba and arranges for her husband to be killed.  Yet God is watching and uses the prophet Nathan to confront him with his sin.  Also David's son Absalom rebels against him and forces him to flee for a time and again later there is Sheba's rebellion.  All is not plain sailing for the king after God's own heart!  He made quite a few mistakes but still God did not reject him.  That should be comforting for us.  We do not have to be perfect but if we sin we still need to repent and ask for God's forgiveness.

In Acts we read about Paul and his co-workers travelling to Macedonia and Greece.  He debates with the philosophers in Athens and goes on to establish the church in Corinth.  Then on to Ephesus where he gets caught up in a riot (not a quiet life for Paul!)  Then he revisits many of his churches again.  Never a dull moment for Paul.  I like the story in Acts 20 about the young man who fell asleep listening to Paul's sermon and falls out the window!  It is nice to know even the Apostle Paul can preach someone to sleep!  The story has a happy ending though as he is prayed for by Paul and he comes back alive!

  5      2 Samuel 6           Acts 16                  2 Samuel 7
  6      2 Samuel 8           Acts 17                  2 Samuel 9-10
  7      2 Samuel 11         Acts 18                  2 Samuel 12
  8      2 Samuel 13         Acts 19                  2 Samuel 14
  9      2 Samuel 15         Acts 20                  2 Samuel 16
 10     2 Samuel 17         Acts 21(22-23*)     2 Samuel 18
 11     2 Samuel 19         Acts 24                  2 Samuel 20

* We read Acts 22 and 23 in January but you may wish to read them again for continuity.

Seeking God's Heart

As I read the 1 Samuel chapters for today, the last part of 30:6 seemed to beckon.  David and his companions are in the midst of great grief at the loss of their wives and children in the burning and looting of Ziklag.  They speak of stoning David...they are grieved to their very souls.  "...but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God." 


In Acts 13, today's New Testament passage, Paul stands in the synagogue at Antioch and tells the story.  When he speaks of the Lord's raising David, he uses the Lord's voice: "I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will."


We know that David will face trials and temptations in his future, and he won't always make choices favorable to God.  That is the stuff of another post.  Right now, I want to think of those two verses  spoken of David weaving their way through the fabric of the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament.  Encouraging ourselves in the Lord...seeking after God's own heart...


As Easter people, we know the Good News.  Do we use that to encourage ourselves in the Lord?  It's easy to get discouraged; it's easy to be overwhelmed.  Do we seek God's heart?  Do we remember Easter?  I am not a "Pollyanna. " I can only imagine the grief David and his followers are experiencing in 1 Samuel and the difficulties the early church is wading through, but I do believe that if we encourage ourselves in the Lord and seek after God's own heart, we'll be two steps closer to what God wants of us and for us...Acts 13:52. 

Readings April 28-May 4

We are into May this week! Where has the time gone.  Four months of the year have passed already.  Some facts - at the end of this week you will have read 402 chapters! Just over a third of the way through the Bible!  You will have completed 18 of the 66 books of the Bible and be partway through 3 other books.  So keep going!

We complete the book of 1 Samuel this week with the sad demise of Saul who seemed to promise so much but seemed to try to do things in his own strength instead of God's. David spares Saul's life when he could have killed him and taken the kingship by force. Then at the end of the book Saul is defeated and takes his own life.
In 2 Samuel David is crowned king of Judah but continues at war with the remains of Saul's household and after several sorry tales of murder and betrayal eventually David becomes king of all Israel.

In Acts we have the wonderful story of Philip meeting the Ethiopian eunuch in the desert which is followed swiftly by the Damascus Road experience of Saul (later changing his name to Paul).  Then there is in chapter 10 the story of how God convinced Peter that the church was meant to include not just the Jews but the Gentiles as well.  A pivotal point in the history of the church and the world which is cemented at the Council of Jerusalem in chapter 15! The church continues to grow and Paul sets off on his first missionary journey with Barnabas in chapter 13 (and incidentally they fall out with each other in chapter 15!  Not everything is plain sailing in the early church!)

 28     1 Samuel 22         Acts 8 (9*)             1 Samuel 23

 29     1 Samuel 24         Acts 10                 1 Samuel 25

 30     1 Samuel 26         Acts 11                 1 Samuel 27         Psalm 25

  1      1 Samuel 28         Acts 12                  1 Samuel 29

  2      1 Samuel 30         Acts 13                  1 Samuel 31

  3      2 Samuel 1           Acts 14                  2 Samuel 2

  4      2 Samuel 3           Acts 15                  2 Samuel 4-5

* We read Acts 9 in January but you may wish to read it again for continuity.

"...the Lord looketh on the heart"

One of the themes we have discussed in Bible study here at SMCC is the intention of the heart.  As I read our chapter assignment for today, I was reminded of those discussions. 


God chooses Samuel to anoint another while Saul is yet alive.  God has chosen well in Samuel; Samuel steps out to fulfill his commission despite the danger that lurks for him.  At one point, Samuel is sure the chosen of the Lord stands before him...Eliab...but Samuel himself is reminded by God that God looks not on outward appearance but "on the heart."  Samuel waits.  Eliab is not the one. 


The text in Luke shows us the example of  Ananias and Sapphira who appear to be godly followers, but who have indeed been dishonest.  Peter names Ananias's heart as the place where the trick was conceived...a place that Satan now fills.  This husband and wife meet a bad end when God looks on their hearts. 


Later in the chapter, as we read of the actions of Peter and the apostles, of the high priest and the chief priests, and even of the Pharisee Gamaliel, we get a good idea of what might be going on in each of their hearts.


All of these examples...all of these intentions...make me stop and think.  How much effort do we spend on improving what the world sees of us?  How much effort do we put into what God sees? 


What is the intention of our hearts today? 

Readings April 21-27

 We start an exciting new book in the New Testament this week, the Acts of the Apostles.  It is the story of the founding and growth of the church after Jesus' resurrection and ascension into heaven.  Chapter 2 is pivotal as it tells us about the Holy Spirit coming at Pentecost which empowered them for service. Peter and John feature in the early chapters leading up to the stoning of Stephen, who was the first to die for his faith.  Following Christ can be costly!

In the Old Testament in 1st Samuel the people of Israel insist on having a king like all the other nations, even after being told he will oppress them and they will become his slaves. Saul is the first king but things don't turn out well and he is rejected by God.  David is chosen instead and anointed by Samuel.  In chapter 17 there is the classic Sunday School tale of David and Goliath - stirring stuff!  Also look out for the fine story of friendship between Jonathan, Saul's son, and David.

Psalm 23 is included this week - what a wonderful psalm which has brought comfort and help to untold multitudes.  But don't miss out on Psalm 24 an equally wonderful psalm about the Lord taking his rightful place as King. 

 21     1 Samuel 8           Acts 1                   1 Samuel 9

 22     1 Samuel 10         Acts 2                   1 Samuel 11         Psalm 23

 23     1 Samuel 12         Acts 3                   1 Samuel 13

 24     1 Samuel 14         Acts 4                   1 Samuel 15

 25     1 Samuel 16         Acts 5                   1 Samuel 17

 26     1 Samuel 18         Acts 6                   1 Samuel 19         Psalm 24

 27     1 Samuel 20         Acts 7                   1 Samuel 21

What Stone?

   "But on the first day of the week, at early dawn they went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared.  And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body."  Luke Ch. 24, vs. 1-2.
Imagine the scene.  A handful of women from a defeated, spiritless group of disciples, going early in the morning to perform the last simple rites for the body of One they had loved and followed.  The sun had only begun to touch the treetops, and penetrate the long shadows of night that lingered into early day.
Mark tells us what happened next:
   " And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back--it was very large.  And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed.  And he said to them: "Do not be amazed, you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified, He is not here, see the place where they laid him."  Mark Ch. 16. vs. 4-6.
Which all raises several questions:
      What stone was rolled away?
         -The door to an empty tomb, or the door to their understanding?
      Why was it rolled away?
         -So someone could get out, or so they could go in?
    What did they find?
         - Why, nothing.  What was there to find?
    Questions Easter answers.
As the angel told them: 
   "He is not here, he has risen, as he said."  Matthew Ch. 28. vs. 6.


Happy Easter, everyone!

These days of the Triduum are the most solemn, and yet the most filled with God's love, of any group of days we experience in the life of the church.  At Sawyer Memorial, we begin the Triduum with a Maundy Thursday service that includes a Pedilavium (foot-washing) and Holy Communion and ends with Tenebrae, a service of shadows.  Today, Good Friday, the church will be open for those who wish to keep vigil.  Tomorrow will be a day of stillness as much as it can be.  Sunday, we will begin joyful Easter services at 5:30 am at the Marina.  On that day, we will share a breakfast and offer our regular 9:30 worship service as well.  We will have spent a significant amount of time together, and we will be exhausted yet exhilarated. 


Practicing all of these events helps us live the joy of Easter morning with much greater understanding than we would have if we simply moved from the joy of Jesus's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to the joy of his Resurrection on Easter Sunday. 


That being said, Psalm 22 is part of the reading for today.  Both Matthew and Mark record the words of verse 1 as being spoken by Jesus from the cross.  I would ask you today, this day of all days, to  read the rest of the psalm.  How many Good Fridays have I thought about only verse 1 without getting to verse 22?  Was Jesus once again teaching and preaching, training and guiding...even from his own pain and despair?   Was Jesus asking us to remember the rest of the Psalm?   


I am glad that Psalm 22 was one of my readings today, but, as a continuation to the rest of this story, I can tell you that I will not wait until April 22 to read Psalm 23; I must read it Easter Sunday morning.  What a fit ending to the Triduum...a renewed appreciation of God's love!

Samson's Riddle

Do you like riddles?  Try this one from the Book of Judges, Ch. 14, vs. 14:
   "Out of the eater came something to eat.
    Out of the strong came something sweet."
What is it?
Samson, who thought this one up, is remembered as a pillar of astounding physical strength, beset with equally astonishing physical weaknesses.  His proverbial strength met its match in the proverbial charms of the prostitute Delilah, and it cost him his life to redeem this reckless behavior. 
To begin the story, however, the period of the Judges was a time of spiritual compromise, when the children of Israel were neglecting the law of God, and being overwhelmed by their enemies as a result.  To compound matters, Samson, as a youth,  had fallen in love with a young woman of these neighboring Philistines, and demanded of his parents that they approve the match.
 In a contest of wedding one-upmanship, Samson proposed this riddle:  What is both strong and sweet, which when eaten, will make the consumer sweet?
The answer, inspired by a honeycomb that had appeared inside the carcass of a dead lion, lies in Israel's greatest possession, the Law of God.  This neglected treasure, alone, is stronger than the sun shining in full strength, and "sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb," as Psalm 19 declares.
According to the Law, even the strong and the wicked, like the lion Samson had killed with his bare hands, yield food and nourishment for the people of God.  As Lorne Cunningham, a former President of Youth With a Mission, observed, in God's economy "the wicked store it up for the righteous."
Its a lesson that God's children, and His enemies, need to hear.
Knock, knock . . .