Month: April 2017

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JOSHUA 16:1-18:28 | LUKE 19:1-27 | PSALM 87:1-7 | PROVERBS 13:11

The land-allotment to the tribes continues.  Joshua employs a variety of means from executive decision to mutual talks, to casting lots in order to identify and determine who gets what.  There is an account of a set of sisters who ask and get their little piece of the sun as well.  This is noteworthy in a society that treated women unequally compared to men, let alone allow property inheritance to women.  It is to be seen if this is the end of the distribution of the land or there are still other land issues that need to be addressed.

Turning next to our reading in the Book of Luke, we find the interesting story of Zacchaeus, the tax-collector.  Short of stature but long on curiosity, Zacchaeus climbs atop a tree in order to get a better look at this miracle-man called Jesus.  Zacchaeus himself had no illness or need of any favors to ask of Jesus and therefore did not feel a need to approach Jesus directly, but Jesus knows that he is up in the tree, and looks up to tell him that he’d like to come to dinner to his house.  Imagine that! 

Zacchaeus scrambles down the tree and evidently so overwhelmed is he that he tells Jesus, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 

That is the impact Jesus has on the true believer!  It is the least that one can do when you realize what the Lord has done for you!  And Jesus seems to go out of his way to make the case time and again about how the Kingdom of God is not limited to the good and upright.  On the contrary, it is especially open to even the most despicable of persons—such as Zacchaeus. 

And Jesus says to him:  “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Next, there is another parable about the rich man and the ten minas:  a story of stewardship.  Of the three who are given the same amount for safekeeping and wise investment, two of the three use their discretion in growing substantially what is entrusted to them and return to their master ten-fold and five-fold.  But one of them does nothing more than keep the one mina safe and returns it as is to the master. 

While the master is very pleased at the first two and rewards them handsomely, he is highly displeased with the one who simply returns the initial amount to him.  There is no reward for this steward; instead, there is a reprimand, and the one who excelled in the duty of stewardship is further rewarded with the mina that is taken away from this last steward. 

Jesus says:  ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away.’  Jesus’ point is that when one is endowed with gifts and talents, it behooves the recipient of those gifts to use them wisely and to grow those with hard work.  Initiative and good efforts pay off, as we well know.  And yet, lack of the same will result in utter loss and shame.

Our psalm for today is an interesting one, and I needed to look up commentary in order to understand better its many meanings.  Scholars believe that it is about two Jerusalems:  Zion, aka, Jerusalem is the holy city of God and where Solomon eventually built the Temple.  And the second Jerusalem in verses 4 through 6 are supposedly meant to signify the church of Christ, aka, Christians from throughout the world.  It is possible to be “born in Zion” in a figurative way, i.e., to be born again in Christ which would allow your name to be written in the “register of the peoples” or the Book of Life.

Finally, our one verse from the book of Proverbs for the day is another one about money.  There is much to be said regarding the value of saving slowly but surely, the very sentiment voiced earlier in the story of the minas.  The verse is:

¹¹ Dishonest money dwindles away,
   but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.

May God bless the reading and reflection of His Word.  Amen.

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JOSHUA 15:1-63 | LUKE 18:18-43 | PSALM 86:1-17 | PROVERBS 13:9-10

If you ever wondered about the distribution and allotment of land between the twelve tribes of Israel—most likely a quarter million population by this time—well, there was certainly much to wonder about: in terms of who got what, how much, and so on.  And so, we find in this chapter a further detailing of this land-distribution project. 

It was not so much a project as much as a work in progress, I suppose, with people coming to Joshua and asking if they could have this or that, or that they didn’t want that or this.  Whatever the case, Joshua most likely did his best, and we have here in particular, details about the land allotted to the tribe of Judah.

Turning to our reading in the book of Luke, we find the famous story of the rich man who approaches Jesus to ask what he must do to obtain eternal life.  He is evidently following the Law as he tells Jesus, but when asked if he would give away his wealth to the poor and follow Jesus, the rich young man is unable to do so.  Peter is quick to point out that he along with the other disciples have done just that, i.e., given it all up in order to follow Jesus. 

There is a touch of hubris that we sense in Peter’s statement, but Jesus doesn’t point it out, and says instead to him (and to everyone who reads these words):  ²⁹“Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God ³⁰ will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Jesus continues with his ministry of healing as he moves through the regions of Galilee and Judea.  There is the story of the blind beggar who hears of Jesus passing by and cries out to Jesus, Lord, I want to see!  Such a plaintive, simple request—spoken in implicit faith.  This beggar had not witnessed any of the miracles that Jesus had been performing throughout the lands; he had only heard of Jesus’ fame, but that was enough for him to believe that this man Jesus could do something for him too! 

And so, he cries out to Jesus—helpless as he is sitting on the side of the road, listening to the crowd passing by, hope is aroused within him, and he cries out for the greatest need that he has:  sight. 

And Jesus stops to listen to him, and says to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”  Just like that!  Ask and it shall be given unto you…

David’s psalm for the day is a beautiful song of praise.  His words remind you of the blind beggar we just encountered.  Like David, the beggar also would most likely have had these very thoughts and might have offered these words of praise to God.  David says:

⁷ When I am in distress, I call to you,
   because you answer me.

The blind beggar would have also echoed these other words of David from this same psalm:

¹² I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
   I will glorify your name forever.
¹³ For great is your love toward me;
   you have delivered me from the depths,
   from the realm of the dead.

And finally, our two verses from the book of Proverbs for today are certainly worthy of reading and remembering:

⁹ The light of the righteous shines brightly,
   but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.

¹⁰ Where there is strife, there is pride,
   but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

May God bless the reading and reflection of His Word.  Amen.

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JOSHUA 13:1-14:15 | LUKE 18:1-17 | PSALM 85:1-13 | PROVERBS 13:7-8

Joshua is getting to be old, and it has been forty-five years since he was first commissioned by Moses to scout out the territories of Canaan that he eventually led the children of Israel into.  At the age of 85, Joshua says he is still just as strong as he was when he first came here, and he continues to serve as leader of the people. 

The chapter starts out with God telling him that there are yet lands to be explored and taken, and it is to be seen if Joshua will carry this out in the days to come.  In the meantime, he attends to some other unfinished business:  some of the lands east and west of the river Jordan are further distributed and awarded to the various tribes of Israel.

Turning to our reading in Luke, we see Jesus continuing to teach with parables or stories with a deeper meaning.  There is at first, the parable of the persistent widow who refuses to go away despite being denied.  Finally, the judge she has been crying out to, out of a sheer sense of exasperation grants her plea.  To this, Jesus says how much more would God do for his children who cry out to him day and night.  There is certainly something to said for perseverance!

Then there is the parable of the pharisee and the tax-collector.  The Pharisee being the upright and self-righteous pillar of society, and the tax-collector known for his cheating ways, both find themselves praying side-by-side in the Temple.  And while the Pharisee is quick to praise himself for this circumspect behavior, the tax-collector simply prays for mercy and forgiveness. 

Jesus says this of the two:  ¹⁴ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Jesus’ love of children is also evident from this passage.  While his disciples are quick to shoo away those who bring their children to seat on Jesus’ lap, Jesus himself welcomes them and tells his disciples not to turn them away. 

He says:  “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 

Like little children full of faith and devoid of fear, we are to likewise accept the gift of God into our own hearts.  Doing so will usher in the kingdom of God into our hearts and lives.

Next, in our Psalm for the day, David the consummate poet, sings the praises of the Lord.  He says:

¹⁰ Love and faithfulness meet together;
   righteousness and peace kiss each other.
¹¹ Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
   and righteousness looks down from heaven.
¹² The LORD will indeed give what is good,
   and our land will yield its harvest.
¹³ Righteousness goes before him
   and prepares the way for his steps.

May it always be so!

And finally, a most suitable verse from the book of Proverbs just in time for Tax Day, April 15th^!

⁷ One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;
   another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.

May God bless the reading and reflection of His Word.  Amen.