pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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That Line

Reading: Nahum 1-3

Nahum 1:12-13 – “I won’t afflict you further, Zion. Now I will break off his yoke from you and tear off your chains.”

Photo credit: Nadine Shaabana

Nahum walks a fine line. The historical content of the book covers Assyria’s fall. The capital city, Nineveh, is the focus. In Jonah we saw a mighty God who was rich in mercy. In Nahum we read of a mighty God who pours out divine wrath on the Assyrians. In the long game, God will not tolerate any form of human pride or the existence of injustice. Here is where we get near that line. It can be tempting to rejoice in the downfall of an enemy. Is this not another form of pride?

Nahum describes God as “jealous… vengeful… strong in wrath… very patient… great in power.” The prophet declares that the world and all who dwell on it cannot stand before God’s indignation and fury. And he declares that God is “good, a haven in a day of distress.” In this spirit, Nahum assures God’s people. Though in exile now, God says, “I won’t afflict you further, Zion. Now I will break off his yoke from you and tear off your chains.” Hope is just around the corner.

From 1:14 through the end of the book, Nahum describes the great fall of Nineveh. God is against the city. The enemy’s sword will devour just as Assyria once devoured others. Assyria will become a spectacle. God declares there is “no remedy… your wound is grievous.” At the end we again come to the line. Nahum shares that all who had suffered under Assyria’s cruelty will “clap their hands over you.” To be relieved, even happy, when the yoke is broken,when the bully gets his or her due, – nearing the line. To be joyful and to celebrate someone’s utter destruction? Where did that line go?

Prayer: Lord God, we can sense your power and might today. We can feel your sense of justice and righteousness. You alone are the judge and the giver of just consequences. Help us to hold these things in holy awe. Curb in us the human tendency to find joy in another’s defeat. Keep us in our own lane. Focus us on our walk with you. Amen.


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Undignified

Reading: 2 Samuel 6: 12b-19

Verse Fourteen: “David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might”.

Today’s passage gives us two sides of worship. On the one hand we see some rituals being practiced. On the other hand we see unabashed and heart-led worship. Both “styles” or forms still have a vital place in our worship of God.

David uses rituals to worship God in several ways. After six steps are taken, David stops the procession. The priests and Levites sit down the ark and a sacrifice is offered as a thanks to God. The calf and bull are a way of thanking God for blessing them with the ark and its return to Jerusalem. The procession also ends with the proper sacrifices. David’s choice of attire is also ritualistic. The linen ephod is a religious garment. David chose to take off his royal robes and to don a garment worn in service to the Lord. In this choice he is telling all that he too will serve and honor God. The ceremony ends with blessings. David blesses the people in God’s name and also blesses them with gifts of food. Although our rituals might be different, we too have our worship traditions and practices. Our sacraments, liturgies, creeds, and other traditions help us to worship God.

David and the people also spontaneously worship God from the heart. “David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might”. He worships with reckless abandon before God. He worships with all his might. In our churches we might clap during a praise song. We might raise our hands toward heaven. In some churches we still dance before the Lord. As David dances with all his might, the people celebrate and worship with shouts and trumpets and other forms of music. There is joy in their worship. We too use music in our worship and maybe even lift up an unscripted shout or “Amen” once in a while too.

This passage always reminds me of a song. It is called “Undignified” and the verse simply reads, “I will dance, I will sing, to be mad for my King. Nothing Lord is hindering this passion in my soul”. This song is a good reminder that we should not allow anything to inhibit our worship of God. The chorus shouts, “And I will become even more undignified than this. Some may say it’s foolishness, but I’ll become even more undignified than this. Lay my pride by my side, and I’ll become even more undignified than this”. Today, Lord, may we lay aside our pride and unashamedly live out our gospel faith, worshipping you fully in all we do and say today. Amen.


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Realize and Recognize

Readings: Psalms 47 and 97

Both Psalms exclaim, “God reigns”!  In one we see the physical ways in which we can offer our praise: singing, clapping, shouting, and with instruments.  In the second, we see many ways we can experience or observe this exclamation: clouds, melting mountains, consuming fires, and images of heaven.  In these two Psalms, we see God’s grandeur, we see His glory.

At a concert last night we sang songs of praise to our God and to Jesus.  We also clapped and shouted; the band’s sang and played a variety of instruments to lead our praise and worship.  The Word was also proclaimed and the message of salvation was loud and clear.  Perhaps many of us also experienced something similar in church yesterday morning!  One leaves gatherings such as worhsip or a concert with energy, enthusiasm, and the Spirit of the Lord upon them.  We go forth with an exalted sense of who God is.  We go forth filled with joy, hope, love, and a sense of now being closer to God.

Often this reframed sense of our relationship to and with God causes us to see the world and people around us in a different way.  We exit an experience that drew us closer to God more able to see Him in our world – in nature and in people.  We also can recognize Him in people more quickly and more clearly.  When we choose to draw closer to God we are also choosing to be more like Him.  That joy, love, and hope that we now know better more easily flows from us to others in our lives.  Each time we allow ourselves to connect to, to share, to be a part of His activity in our worlds, the more we come to realize and recognize His presence the next time.  May we ever continue to seek, share, and grow in our relationship with our God!