Through the Bible in one year - Day 71

 

Psalm 71:17-18

O God, from my youth you have taught me,

and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.

So even to old age and gray hairs,

O God, do not forsake me,

until I proclaim your might to another generation,

your power to all those to come.

The Psalm today continues to cry for help and ask that the Lord not forsake us, but there is this added bit that I have quoted above, where the psalmist recognizes the steadfast love and saving help he has received from God, and also acknowledges his own responsibility to tell the next generation of God’s saving help. I am reminded of a time when one of my nephews – who was eight at the time asked about God, and he wanted to know if I had (or anyone had) ever seen God. I talked to him about seeing the evidence of God and reminded him of the actions and miracles that he knew himself. I also talked to him about the ‘little’ thanksgivings I had experienced, things like driving home late at night in the dark, by myself over elevated highways, only to pull into my driveway and have the muffler fall off. I was so thankful it hadn’t happened anywhere else along that trip home – and he was VERY excited by this news; these stories of miracles of children alive who weren’t supposed to be among other things, and he said “does anybody know this? Do my parents know?” He was so excited he wanted to make sure we told his parents the good news about God. You know what sticks with me still all these years later (he is no longer 8) is was what he wanted to tell his parents – not the big stories of new life, no, what he wanted them to know was the muffler story; this seemingly little thing that God did to keep me safe. So when I read this Psalm today I was reminded of this episode and of how exciting it can be to tell others of the evidence of God’s grace.

I think that this story in Exodus reinforces this idea of how important it is to tell of God’s grace in the big and the little. These poor Israelites were trapped in the wilderness of Sin (if that isn’t a metaphor is sure could be) and they grumbled – again. This time they were thirsty, and again they said why did you bring us out here – so we could die of thirst? Moses asks why do you grumble at me, and then asks the Lord what should I do with these people? God, of course gives them water.

Then we have this very interesting depiction of fighting against Amalek and whenever his hands were too tired to hold up the staff the people faltered. What is interesting to me is the illustration of helping one another – or literally lending a hand in support.

I noticed that in our Ezra reading today this same theme of teaching the next generation continued as Ezra is sent to teach the people. I appreciated that his prayer was in thanksgiving for putting this idea in the king’s heart.

And in Paul’s letter to the Romans we read this:

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (8:14-17)

This is what our friends in Exodus are learning that they do not need to fall back into slavery – that they are freed through God’s saving actions on their behalf.

Today’s readings: Psalm 71, Exodus 17, Ezra 7, Romans 8:1-17