Psalm
19:12-13
Who
can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
Keep
back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then
I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
This
is enough to contemplate for one day. We all like to think we know ourselves
and the reasons for our actions are always honorable, but this Psalm asks the
question “who can discern their hidden faults?” I think if I am honest the
answer is, that I cannot discern my faults. Next the Psalmist asks to be saved
from presumptuous sins, and I must admit I am as likely as the next person to
presume my way is the correct way and to mentally at the very least assume my
way is superior over someone else’s. I will tell a tale on myself, that is not
a great big glaring sin but one of presumption that speaks to me about my
attitude in general that I need to Lord’s saving help with.
I
went in to a small rural market to buy some fish, and saw some labeled trout.
Now I know what trout looks like and this certainly didn’t look like it, so I
asked the person at the counter if the sign was incorrect, and he told me no,
that in fact it was an ocean going trout and that is what it looked like. So, I
decided he was incorrect but the price was right for what I believed to be
salmon and I cooked it as such. It was very good and tasted mostly like salmon
but it did seem a little different in texture. Well, the ending of the story
was that I looked up this ‘ocean going trout’ and found that the store
attendant was correct – and I had been wrong.
I was wrong in my arrogance; I ‘knew’ what trout looked like and apparently
the rural store didn’t have well trained staff...Guess what? This presumption on
my part is just the tiniest tip of what the Psalmist is getting at but I can
see where I must pray this prayer right along with him if I am to have any hope
of being “blameless and innocent of great transgression.”
Genesis
19
Wow,
after Abraham interceded with God on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah there were
none left worth saving in all the towns. The people tried to kill God’s
servants just because they were there, and then when Lot intervened they tried
to kill him! Lot’s sons-in-law (interesting that they were pledged to be
married and not yet married to his daughters) thought it all a joke and wouldn’t
leave. I see Lot acting honorably and then... the passage ends with his two
daughters – all that are left to him at this point getting him drunk so they
can bear him sons. I wonder if we will hear more of these Moabites and Ammonites.
I wonder if it will be good news.
1
Chronicles 21
King
David insists on paying, saying “No, I will not take for the Lord what is
yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” (1 Chronicles 21:24) David charges his son Solomon “to set [his]
mind and heart to seek the Lord.” (1 Chronicles 22:19)
Both
of these verses offer great wisdom for all of us.
Luke
12:13-48
These
verses today make me think about coveting and greed – and my soul. It is
interesting that Jesus says to be on guard against all covetousness because “one’s
life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15) Jesus
illustrates this parable for us by telling the tale of a rich man who stored up
all his grain for the future –and then said to his soul “relax, eat, drink, be
merry.” (Luke 12:19) Next Jesus asks what can we accomplish by worrying or
coveting. The answer is nothing – and the good news is that the Lord cares for
us – all our material needs as well as our spiritual needs. Covetous greed and
selfish ambition does not save our souls – what saves us is storing up treasure
in heaven, setting our mind and heart to seek the Lord, like Solomon.
Psalm
19:14
Let
the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Today’s
readings: Psalm 19, Genesis 19, 1 Chronicles 21:18-22:19, Luke 12:13:-48
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