Through the Bible in one year - Day 26

 

 Psalm 25:3

Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;

they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

Lord, keep us from being “wantonly treacherous.”

Psalm 25:7-11

Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

according to your steadfast love remember me,

for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

Good and upright is the Lord;

therefore he instructs sinners in the way.

He leads the humble in what is right,

and teaches the humble his way.

All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,

for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

For your name's sake, O Lord,

pardon my guilt, for it is great.

Lord, yes, please remember not the sins of my youth...as I still make many every day.

Psalm 25:16-20

Turn to me and be gracious to me,

for I am lonely and afflicted.

The troubles of my heart are enlarged;

bring me out of my distresses.

Consider my affliction and my trouble,

and forgive all my sins.

Consider how many are my foes,

and with what violent hatred they hate me.

Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!

Yes Lord, be gracious. I used to talk with one of my nephews when he was having a particularly hard time, and tell him to pray the Psalms. These Psalms were written by someone who fully understood what it means to be frail, and fallen, and yet someone who knows the Lord’s love is forever. He (my nephew) told me praying the Psalms was a help. I find there is always room for me in the midst of these readings.

Genesis 24 has to be one of the most beautiful stories we read. The story of a servant who goes in good faith and finds the Lord is trustworthy. The story of kin, long separated who do not speak against the Lord, the story of love and blessing. I find irresistible, the way Abraham's servant tells the tale to Labon, and I am left amazed at the faith that develops in this servant – for whom God is his ‘master’s God, and becomes his own Lord. When we talk about “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob...” we are talking about this Abraham, and this Isaac, and now thanks to Rebekah, we can see our way toward Jacob. I am especially mindful of the way in which the Lord answered this servant; while he was still praying. The Lord is always ready to answer us, if we take the time to pray. This prayer was for the Lord’s will that the servant might do as he was commanded – but in the name of the Lord. I think I can learn from this; I too can pray for the Lord’s will to be evident and that I might follow His direction.

And here is a way to pray that each of us can use as a starting point, from 1Chronicles 29:10-12

And David said: "Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.

And now, as I read today’s passage from Luke I am thinking of Abraham’s servant who was traveling in a strange land and only on the word of his master did he know of the Lord God. These 10 lepers meet the Lord face to face, and Jesus listens to their plea for healing. I notice that while they were walking...they are healed. This seems to me to be like the prayer that Abraham’s servant was praying that was answered as he was praying it. These 10 men, (?) these 10 lepers anyway were on the road – they were without a home and meet Jesus face to face and ask to be healed. Now Jesus says go and show yourselves to the priests – this was the way they might be considered cleaned and verified – and returned to their families and communities; all of them turn to go and are healed. Only one, and that man not a Jew, this man from a distant land considered the ‘wrong-side’ of the tracks land and yet this man sees and is grateful, and returns giving thanks. Even before he goes to get a clean bill of health and be restored to his family and community – he goes back to say thank you. Jesus asks what about the others – and we will never know. Did they stay healed? Jesus tells the Samaritan: “rise and go on your way, your faith has made you well.” I wonder about those others who were not willing to come and give thanks, to whom was Jesus asking this question when he turns and asks: “Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"

I might not understand the whole of these verses, as they continue on to verse 37, but I notice that the Pharisees make an appearance and perhaps they were hearing the question about the lepers. They certainly were hearing the question about when the kingdom of God will come – since they were the ones asking. Today, I noticed Jesus answers by telling them the kingdom of God is in their midst, certainly as Mark would say; the kingdom of God has come near. (Mark 1:15) And Jesus continues by telling them that the signs will be obvious and yet, I can’t help but notice the examples he gives them are examples when most people didn’t heed the warning; in Noah’s time it was only Noah and his family (and the animals); in Lot’s case it wasn’t even his entire family that listened...let us hope that we will be praying and listening, and see when the Lord answers.

Today’s readings: Psalm 25, Genesis 24, 1 Chronicles 29:1-22, Luke 17:11-37