Investigating the Eye-Witness Accounts of Luke About Jesus: The Start of a New Series
Month: February 2017
May Your Unfailing Love Rest Upon Us, O Lord, Even as We Put Our Hope in You
Click Here For Today’s Reading
EXODUS 34:1-35:9 | MATTHEW 27:15-31 | PSALM 33:12-22 | PROVERBS 9:1-6
Click on the link below to listen to an audio recording of this post:
Moses goes back to meet God on the mountain and after forty days and forty nights, he returns with the new tablets which will eventually be placed in the Ark of the Covenant, the fabulous golden chest that was kept in the Temple built by Solomon in Jerusalem until it disappeared from history following the Babylonian invasion of the city in 597 BC. [And has been the inspiration for many a book and motion picture!]
He came unto his own, and his own received him not. That was the irony and great misfortune of the Jewish people.
Instead, they say, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!”
As we continue through Matthew, we now approach the scene of Jesus being brought before Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor of the day, and there is the well-known account of Pilate, who upon the prompting of his wife, wishes to release Jesus as the Passover amnesty. But the crowd chants, “Crucify him!”
And so, Pilate does what is to thereafter become a well-known symbol for not taking personal responsibility: he washes his hands. How very convenient it was to grant oneself absolution by the mere act of the washing of hands—but if only it were that simple!
If only he could have exonerated himself that easily! The fact is that no amount of washing would ever wash the blood off his hands. Because Pilate sets into motion the greatest event in the history of the known world. He sends this man to his death. Only this man is no ordinary man. And as we shall soon see, this man does what has since then never been done before or after. He rises from the dead!
Next, turning to the Psalm of the day, we find Psalm 33, a beautiful psalm for corporate worship. David, the author and one of the greatest kings of Israel was a most fascinating character. Great, not because of his military prowess or his intellectual acumen, but because of all his weaknesses. He fell from grace time and again, and yet, it was never long before he turned from the error of his ways and sought forgiveness.
But above all, he had a heart that was on fire for God. He loved God with all his heart and mind and soul and being. We see him express this love countless times in his many psalms of praise. This psalm is one in which David as leader of his people proclaims an affirmation of trust in the living God. Furthermore, it is a reflection on the greatness of God and the futility of our human efforts when we place our trust in horses and princes. The psalm is reproduced here in its entirety:
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he chose for his inheritance.
13 From heaven the LORD looks down
and sees all mankind;
14 from his dwelling place he watches
all who live on earth—
15 he who forms the hearts of all,
who considers everything they do.
16 No king is saved by the size of his army;
no warrior escapes by his great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
despite all its great strength it cannot save.
18 But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
19 to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.
20 We wait in hope for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,
even as we put our hope in you.
Finally, a few verses from the book of Proverbs in which Solomon, wise king of Israel serves as Wisdom’s mouthpiece in extending this invitation:
4 “Let all who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense she says,
5 “Come, eat my food
and drink the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave your simple ways and you will live;
walk in the way of insight.”
May God bless the reading and reflection of His Word. Amen.
Blood Oranges: I’m Hooked!
Blood Oranges: I’m Hooked!
“Mommy, I love to take little naps while we’re running errands!”
“Mommy, I love to take little naps while we’re running errands!”
I ❤ the Mom ❤
I ❤ the Mom ❤
Sing to Him a New Song, Play Skillfully and Shout for Joy
Click Here For Today’s Reading
EXODUS 32:1-33:23 | MATTHEW 26:69-27:14 | PSALM 33:1-11 | PROVERBS 8:33-36
Click on the link below to listen to an audio recording of this post:
The fascinating account of Moses’ exchange with God continues where Moses is given the two tablets and prepares to bring them back to the people, but when he descends from the mountain, he sees that things are not what they used to be. The people are doing the one very thing that is abhorrent to God: idol worship. And they are led by none other than Aaron himself, Moses’ brother, and previously designated Chief Priest.
Are you sufficiently shocked?!
How do these things happen? Here is the God who has provided for them day in and day out, but the one thing that is asked of the people they cannot adhere to. And what about that Aaron– he certainly had feet of clay! But so it goes. It is the weak who are chosen for greatness, and if anything, it is their very weakness that might make them most eligible for greatness!
However, in the midst of all this, Moses does the most regrettable thing of his life. In his utter shock and dismay, he drops the two tablets to the ground. There is nothing perfect and planned in any of this.
The plan continues to evolve as circumstances dictate. Moses is outraged; Aaron is repentant; God is utterly disappointed; and the people forlorn. Such is the state of things.
But Moses, for all his stammering and earlier timidity has one thing that is consistent: he knows a thing or two about reasoning with God. When God tells Moses he is through with leading them, it is Moses who reminds God of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! It is Moses who persuades God to stick around! And God relents.
God says to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”
What a fascinating account!
May it be that we all aspire to have that kind of relationship with God: one where we might be so bold as to reason with him so as to have him change his mind! Although it is another matter altogether if we always know what is good for us!
Turning next to Matthew, we continue onward with what is to come after Jesus’ arrest. But first there is realization and remorse. Peter willfully denies knowledge of knowing Jesus– not once, not twice, but three times. And Judas, the disciple who rested his head on Jesus’ bosom and greeted him with a kiss in order to turn him over to the crazed authorities realizes not too much later what exactly he has done.
And so it is with us. We choose evil. But sometimes we are so fortunate so as to realize the error of our ways and do something about it before it is too late. And here’s the rub: even though it might be too late to undo things, it is never too late to make amends. Peter knew this truth: he goes on to become an even stronger believer as we will see down the road. But Judas is filled with so much remorse that he fails to pause and consider going back to make amends. He takes the easy way out. It might be the easy way out, but it is never the right way out.
Next, we turn to the Psalms, and find David exhorting the reader to offer praise to the Lord. He says:
1 Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
2 Praise the LORD with the harp;
make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
3 Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy.
Finally, Solomon continues to offer an exhortation worthy of repeating:
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise;
do not disregard it.
34 Blessed are those who listen to me,
watching daily at my doors,
waiting at my doorway.
May God bless the reading and reflection of His Word. Amen.
Floundering for Flounder
Floundering for Flounder
Because There’s No Substitute for Homemade
Because There’s No Substitute for Homemade
