pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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Compassionate, Forgiving

Readings: Psalms 76-78

‭Psalm 78:38 – “But God, being compassionate, kept forgiving their sins.”

Photo credit: Shane Rounce

Today’s three Psalms begin with praise, turn to lament, and close with a remembrance of God’s redeeming actions throughout Israel’s history. Psalm 76 recognizes God’s presence in Israel and God’s power over “the shield, the sword.” The psalmist praises God’s justice and care for the poor – another side of God’s compassion. In response, the invitation is given to keep their promises and to bring gifts to God.

The mood shifts in Psalm 77. The psalmist cries out to God day and night. They wonder if God has “rejected me forever.” In verse 11 the mood reverses. The author recalls God’s deeds and power. These are revealed both in the redemption of God’s people with “a mighty arm” and in the power of the thunderstorm. The Psalm closes by remembering Moses and Aaron’s leadership in the wilderness.

This line transitions us into Psalm 78, a teaching on God’s activity with Israel. Asaph begins by declaring the charge to tell future generations these stories. He then summarizes Israel’s history. He is honest, sharing again and again how “they didn’t keep the covenant.” He also recounts how God split the sea, provided manna and quail, gave them the Promised Land. “How often they rebelled” is followed by a review of the ten plagues that led to their freedom from Egypt. And again we read, “They tested and defied…” Shrines and idols replaced God. The Israelites were then delivered into the enemy’s hands. But they weren’t rejected forever. God chose David to lead them back and used Solomon to build the temple – God’s presence amongst the people of God.

We too can be a stubborn and sinful people. We can stray from God, turning to the idols of our time. Yet God’s unconditional love remains: “But God, being compassionate, kept forgiving their sins.” Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, I am so grateful for your love and mercy. Like the Israelites we try to walk obediently. Yet we fail at times. We separate ourselves from you and eventually cry out, seeking you once again. In your covenant faithfulness you draw us back into relationship. Again and again. Thank you, God. Amen.


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Love and Goodness

Reading: Psalm 100:4-5

Verse 5: “The Lord is good and his love endures forever.”

Returning to Psalm 100 today we are once again encouraged to praise the Lord our God. We are invited to be thankful as we enter into God’s courts to offer God our praises. The image created here is one of people entering the temple to spend time in worship, praising God for all of God’s blessings. We have inherited the idea of sabbath worship. We enter the sanctuary once a week to spend an hour or so in worship. During this time we praise God and we offer our thanks for the many ways that God has blessed our lives.

The danger in this system comes in doing to God what we do to the rest of our lives. We can segment God into that time slot on Sunday mornings. By noon we’ve done our God thing and we can get on to the next thing in our lives. This can be part of our tendency to compartmentalize our life. I go to work from x to y on these days. I parent my children in these times slots. I have a date night on the second Friday of each month… We can be so busy. Having times and places for each part of our lives feels easier to handle. It feels more manageable. But faith does not fit into this model. When we try and keep that “God thing” penned into a time slot once a week, then we are practicing religion not faith. Faith is meant to be a part of every aspect of our lives. God desires to be our all in all.

In verse 5 we get a sense of this desire. Here the psalmist writes, “The Lord is good and his love endures forever.” There is a reality here: God is always God. God’s love and goodness are always there. The challenge for us is to be and to bring God’s love and goodness into all of life. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, you are faithful to all generations. Your love and goodness are constants in this world. So, Lord, use me to reflect that love and goodness each moment of each day. In and through me, may others come to know you more and more. Amen.


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God’s Plans and Purposes

Reading: Psalm 33:6-12

Verse 11: “The plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of God’s heart through all generations.”

Turning to Psalm 33 we are first reminded that God is the creator. The psalmist calls us to “fear the Lord” because God “spoke and it came to be,” because God “commanded and it stood firm.” For the ancients there was a “forever” feeling to this world. To a large degree that is still the secular feeling today – the world will be here forever.

In verse 10 there is a pivot. Humanity likes to plan. It makes us feel like we are in control. We’re really not. In verse 10 we are once again reminded that God “foils the plans” and “thwarts the purposes” of humanity. This, of course, is humanity living outside of God’s will and ways. It is when the world tries to guide the shop that God foils and thwarts those plans.

By contrast, in verse 11 we read, “The plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of God’s heart through all generations.” Those words – “forever” and “through all generations” – they contrast to our temporary and earthly plans. Our lives and therefore our plans are but a tiny, tiny blip on God’s timeline. This is our reality. So let us turn to the promise and truth of the next verse. We are “blessed” when “our God is the Lord.” When we choose not the things and ways of the world, but instead choose to faithfully and obediently participate in God’s plans and purposes, then we are blessed. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, when decisions arise, guide me to first turn to you in prayer, seeking you in the discernment process. By the power of your Holy Spirit, reveal to me the way that I should go. Then fill me with the trust and courage to faithfully and obediently live out your plans and purposes for me. Amen.


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Light in the Darkness

Reading: Isaiah 9: 1-2

Verse 1: “In the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles”.

We have all experienced times of isolation and darkness. These can be caused by an illness. For example, when the flu or other sickness drags on and on, we reach a point that feels like we’ve been sick forever. Isolation or darkness can also be caused by mother nature. A fierce winter snowstorm can leave us stuck in the house for a number of days. Soon enough we begin to feel closed in upon and cut off from the rest of the world. In these and other similar experiences, we long to be reconnected with others, to be freed from that which binds us. In this sense we can relate to Zebulun and Naphtali, the two lands that Isaiah writes to in our passage today.

These two tribes were conquered and have been living under a foreign power’s oppression for many years. It has been so long that they feel like this is just life. Their time of isolation and darkness has gone on for generations. Many of the people have given up hope for a different tomorrow, slowly coming to accept this situation as the new normal. Isaiah indicates that this situation was God’s way of humbling these two tribes. It is into this situation that Isaiah brings today’s words of hope.

The passage opens with this declaration: “there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress”. The oppression will not be forever. Isaiah continues with words of hope, adding, “in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles”. The time is not right now but it is coming. God has a plan to rescue and restore Zebulun and Naphtali. And not only these two tribes but the Gentiles as well. In verse two Isaiah goes on to write, “the people walking in darkness have seen a great light”. In the future the light will dawn. They are, in fact, a long way from the end of the tunnel – 700 years. But there is hope now because there is light at the end of the tunnel.

We too can claim this hope and promise as well as helping others claim it as well. Isaiah speaks of a God who will not allow suffering to be endless. According to God’s plan, all things will be made new. In the interim, we are promised life abundant. We will suffer and feel isolation and darkness at times. This is unavoidable in our earthly life. But the light is close. God’s love never fails. The Spirit’s presence is always with us – we are never alone. We can lean into God, trusting in his plans, holding to the light and love of Jesus. We know the great light. May we cling to Jesus every day. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, you are my strength and my shield, my light and my hope. In all times, but especially in the hard times, remind me over and over of your love and care. Help me to be these things to people walking in isolation and darkness, that they might get a glimpse of you. Amen.


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Remember and Retell

Reading: Psalm 78: 1-4 and 12-16

Verse Four: We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord.

Today’s Psalm is about remembering and retelling.  It is about remembering the times of God’s presence and activity in the past and retelling it to others.  The Israelites are very good at doing this.  It keeps reminding them over and over of both God’s love and their status as the chosen people of God.  Remembering and retelling keeps them intimately connected to God and His love.

As Christians, we also are called to remember and retell.  We are first called to tell the good news of Jesus Christ.  The Great Commission charges all believers to tell of Jesus to all nations.  In doing do we help people to connect to the Savior.  In telling the story we also remind ourselves of how Jesus saves, loves, forgives, … each of us.  This personal story is the second calling we have to remember and retell.

Each of us has our own personal faith story.  It is the story of how Jesus Christ makes a difference in our lives.  It is the story of how Jesus is better – better than any other god we can chase after, be it money or power or some other religion.  It is the story of how Jesus walks with us through the joys and the trials, lifting us up at times and carrying us at others.  It is a deeply personal story because Jesus is a deeply personal Savior.  And it is a story that others need to hear.  We remember and retell our faith story so that others can see how the good news of Jesus Christ can be good news to them as well.

So what is your faith story?  Why Jesus?  Just as the Israelites pledged to “tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord”, we too are called to follow the same.  Jesus put it this way: “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).  May we go and tell all we meet of our faith in the only one who can save.