Through the Bible in one year - Day 86

Psalm 86:5

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,

abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

Exodus

This is the passage that made me stop when I first read it. Stop and think Oh NO! I am amazed at how soon the people forgot what God had done, what Moses had said - and how soon they drifted away from God. Samuel Clemmons, in his Autobiography of Mark Twain said that people are always tending toward monarchy - that they wish to be ruled. Yet, what we see here seems to be that the people wish to have a manageable god - one made by their own hands. The Lord was too scary and was not manageable. I don't know if Samuel Clemmons was correct when he wrote that people want a monarch but in the case of the Israelites they wanted something, something different, and if I think about what Mr. Clemmons was getting at in his Autobiography of Mark Twain, it was his critique of people that I thought of here and especially when the Israelites decide they want a king so they can be like everyone else. Maybe, that in the end is what it is all about. We want to be like everyone else. In this Exodus passage it was a case of mob rule - and it certainly did mimic the surrounding nations-they all had little man-made gods. The Israelites did not wish to be a light to the nations; they did not want to show the world that the kingdom of God had come near.

There is more going on here, of course. The intervention of Moses, and the mercy of God who had been set aside at the earliest possible convenience. I am amazed that although God says he will visit their sin upon them, Aaron lived through it. I noticed in this passage we read that the Levites did as the Lord commanded, and as we read on in the Nehemiah passage, the Levites are front and center when the Wall of Jerusalem is dedicated; what a joy to participate in that it must have been for them. We see that the Lord blesses their obedience - maybe this isn't a direct line but it is what stood out to me today as I read these passages. We see that in the time of Nehemiah the Levites were allotted portions as were the sons of Aaron. God, in His mercy, does not visit all our sins upon us - He is instead merciful.

1 Corinthians 4:2

Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

Psalm 86:11

Teach me your way, O Lord,

that I may walk in your truth;

unite my heart to fear your name.

Today’s readings: Psalm 86, Exodus 32, Nehemiah 12:27-47, 1 Corinthians 4

Through the Bible in one year - Day 85

Psalm 85:6

Will you not revive us again,

that your people may rejoice in you?

1 Corinthians 3:18-20

"Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness," and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”

I do not wish to deceive myself. How easy it would be to let myself off the hook - on whatever I haven't done or should have done - or shouldn't have done but did.

Going back a couple of days: 1 Corinthians 1:18

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

Will you not revive us again, that we may rejoice in you? Show us your mercy, oh Lord and grant us your salvation. -Psalm 85:7

Today’s readings: Psalm 85, Exodus 30-31, Nehemiah 11-12:26, 1 Corinthians 3

Through the Bible in one year - Day 84

Psalm 84:2

My soul longs, yes, faints

for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and flesh sing for joy

to the living God.

Verse 10:

For a day in your courts is better

than a thousand elsewhere.

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

Do I really long - yes faint for the courts of the Lord? If I'm honest the answer is not always (maybe never?) I know there have been times when I desire to stay in the Lord's presence ardently, and desire not to leave the mountain top as did Peter - but to say that I faint for the courts of the Lord, I don't know. I am simpatico with verse 10 - this is indeed true in my heart and I can say with certainty that I agree - how much better it would be for me to say with certitude that my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God - all the time; without distractions or selfish detours.

Exodus 29:43-46

There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory. I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar. Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests. I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.

In a continuation of our story, we have the Lord letting the people know how to come into his presence - and that he will be with them at the altar in their praises and worship; this is reinforcement for our psalmist's desire to reside - body and spirit in the courts of the Lord - this place to be in his presence.

Nehemiah has shown God to be concerned with all the people - and especially the poor and those who do not have 'kin' to look after them. Here the covenant is given/taken and the obligations set out for the people to know - in these ways are they keeping in step with the Lord's plans - that they do not neglect the house of God - and in our understanding this house - is built of the people of God in whom the praises and worship rest.

In Paul's letter to the Corinthians today he says something that stands out to me. He says:

I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (verses 3-5)

All along in our Exodus journey (and before that in Genesis) we have seen the power of the Lord for his people, and I think what Paul says here is important - that we are not just to think things or that we need to fully understand things - yet in the evidence of our lives with God we see him moving on our behalf, and like Abram, this is reckoned to us as righteousness. Paul finishes today's reading by saying - who has known the mind of the Lord - so as to tell him what to do? We do often desire to instruct the Lord - but this is very good advice - we do not know the mind of the Lord so how do we then instruct him?

Today’s readings: Psalm 84, Exodus 29, Nehemiah 10, 1 Corinthians 2

Through the Bible in one year - Day 83

Psalm 83 1-3

O God, do not keep silence;

do not hold your peace or be still, O God!

For behold, your enemies make an uproar;

those who hate you have raised their heads.

They lay crafty plans against your people;

they consult together against your treasured ones.

I can relate to this Psalmist. I don't really listen to or read the news because I get tired. I feel bowed down by all the railing against God. His enemies do not keep silent they make a loud clamor and if I listened too often I would begin to feel oppressed, under attack or like Elijah when he complains to God that the people have killed all the prophets, and he is the only one left. This I know is not the case. It wasn't the case in Elijah's time and it isn't the case now. Our news looks for noteworthy things, things they say are different, and not the norm-so in reality, if God and good things really became every day news, then in fact things would be darker still.

So, let them rail against God, if they dare. As for me and my house...we will serve the Lord. Joshua said it a long time ago and it still works today.

There is another Psalm when the people complained against God - and to Moses and the Lord, it says 'gave them their desires. but sent a leanness to their souls. (Psalm 106:15) I pray that the Lord's people do not fall prey to crafty plots, and don't succumb to a leanness of their souls. Protect us, Lord.

If we read Nehemiah 9 we see just these things. The people act recklessly, rebelliously, and walk away from God and his law, until things go poorly for them and they turn back-and God is ever ready to forgive and bring them back.

Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly.  - Nehemiah 9:33

Keep us this day Lord, from acting wickedly. If we might act honorably in all we do, and with all whom we come in contact, the world would be more according to your law - one person at a time. Let it begin with me.

Today’s readings: Psalm 83, Exodus 27:20-28:43, Nehemiah 9, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Through the Bible in one year - Day 82

Psalm 82:5

They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

Today's Gospel reading was the report of Jesus healing the man born blind, and this Psalm reminds me of the discussion in that Gospel; who sinned this man or his parents, that he was born blind...neither says Jesus. Later he says that those who did not see have an excuse for not knowing, but for those who can see-who have understanding, they will be accountable.

[John 9:41: Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains".]

From this Psalm and that reading, I see that my own sight is both not perfect - and yet I am called to see things with godly insight, so that I do not walk in physical or spiritual darkness.

Lord, I ask that I see as you see, and care as you care, not to be blind to your call upon my life - and in order to know you-to read your word. Amen.

1 Corinthians 1:10

I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

Today’s readings: Psalm 82, Exodus 27:1-19, Nehemiah 8, 1 Corinthians 1:1-17

Through the Bible in one year - Day 81

Psalm 81 - Oh that my people would listen to me

Ironic that I stopped reading and writing my quest to travel through the Bible in one year on this Psalm.

Today, I will take the up challenge again. There is no bad time to begin reading the Bible daily. So today I am re-committing to this desired task of 'reading, marking, learning and inwardly digesting' the words and works of the Bible.

Today's Collect says:
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Romans 16:17-18
I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 

Let us not be sewers of division, nor put up obstacles. Lord help us to be blessings in your kingdom.

see you tomorrow - maggie

Today’s readings: Psalm 81, Exodus 26, Nehemiah 7, Romans 16