Through the Bible in one year - Day 43

Psalm 42:11

Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you in turmoil within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,

my salvation and my God. (and Psalm 43:5)

The Psalmist here is questioning God, and asking himself the question: what’s up, what’s gotten into me. I noticed that in the first Psalm he remembers how he led the procession around the altar (verse 42:4) with much joy and then in Psalm 43 he asks that the light and truth of God be in the lead (verse 43:3). I don’t know if that is a big point but for me, I can see where it is more important to have God in the lead, and not always to go around seeking great celebrations and prominence; rather it is the Lord who should be noticed, and I will be joyful in that.

I noticed that today we are back to the story of Joseph after the little diversion with Judah and Tamar. Today Joseph is put in a position to take the easy way – and do what is wrong in god’s eye – and against the law, or to say no to the powerful wife of his master, (Joseph says: “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” verse 9) and Potiphar didn’t ask for clarification – why would he doubt his wife? So Joseph is sent to prison. In all the reading in 2 Chronicles today we read that the Lord is with Joseph and blesses all that he does – but to us reading from the remove of all these years we might wonder how can being sold into slavery and thrown into jail be an indication of the Lord’s favor? I guess we will have to continue reading to see.

This reading in 2 Chronicles today ends rather sadly, and I can say I’ve seen this behavior at times around other leaders. Asa gets word from the prophet that he hadn’t relied on God – that in effect he had made a mistake – and rather than admit (and repent) Asa puts the messenger in the stocks. He is mad at God for telling him he did something wrong. Asa then gets sick and is still so mad at God that he refuses to even ask for help – and he dies. Now, yes Asa was old (this was the 39^th year of his reign, verse 12) but he died without making peace with god, and without ever recognizing the error he made or asking forgiveness. I know I’ve seen people do this and it is always so sad to watch from the outside. Let’s try to remember not to shoot the messenger, but rather, like the Psalmist ask ourselves – ‘what’s gotten into me?’

In the Acts reading today we read of Peter’s travels and the healing of Dorcas/Tabitha – a miraculous healing since she was dead. Apparently her name is the name of a gazelle – or means gazelle, and I don’t know why they tell us that other than to clarify that she was a real person who was loved and was being mourned at the time of Peter’s arrival. This reading ends by saying that word spread and many believed in the Lord because of this. I can say if it happened today, word would spread.

Today’s readings: Psalm 42-43, Genesis 39, 2 Chronicles 16, Acts 9:32-43