Fbcsreadthruthebible's Blog
Part of the FBCS 2010 Read Through the Bible Project: Enter the Story. Join the Song.Archive for May, 2010
Accountability
“Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels” (1 Samuel 2:12); they did not care about God or their duties or the people. And they thought they were getting away with it. But, in the words of the man of God who came to Eli, “See, a time is coming . . .” (v.31) Or, in the words of the psalmist, “These things you have done and I have been silent . . . but now I rebuke you” (Psalm 50:21). The readings today communicate a critical truth: The grace, mercy, and love of God contain within them an assumption of accountability.
“Those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be treated with contempt” (1 Samuel 2:30). Our God is a God of covenant. And God has no use for religion apart from loving, respectful relationship. So it is that Psalm 50 declares, “to those who go the right way I will show the salvation of God” (v.23). And so it is that the sons of Eli are condemned and Samuel “continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and with the people” (v.26).
“I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind” (1 Samuel 2:35). Those who are faithful to God live in a manner that incarnates the heart and mind of God. Faith and practice together. Sacrifices with thanksgiving and prayer. Integrity. Accountability . . . Who we are and how we live matters. Tremendously. “For God himself is judge” (Psalm 50:6). So how is it with us? Are we, with Samuel, growing in favor with God and others? Or are we playing the scoundrel by treating God with contempt in our complacency? Are we seeking to live in loving, accountable relationship with God? Or are we simply presuming upon God’s grace? God is love, to be sure; pure, faithful, and accountable love. May we faithfully live according to what is in God’s heart and mind. Amen.
“Those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honor me;
to those who go the right way
I will show the salvation of God.”
— Psalm 50:23
Help From God
“To this day I have had help from God, and so I stand here” (Acts 26:22). This word from Paul, spoken to King Agrippa, provides perspective as we ponder today’s readings. Perspective. Consider: Paul is standing before the King in chains (Acts 26:29). He has been unjustly arrested and imprisoned, and his enemies have tried to kill him (v.21). Prior to this he has, at various times, been attacked and left for dead (Acts 14:19) and imprisoned (Acts 16). And his perspective? “To this day I have had help from God.”
“My heart exults in the Lord” (1 Samuel 2:1). So sings Hannah. When? Following years marked by “misery” (1 Samuel 1:11) and just after taking her only son to Shiloh, where “she left him there for the Lord” (1 Samuel 1:28). Perspective. Would we exult in the Lord if we were in Hannah’s place? Would we, in Paul’s situation, recognize God’s help? Or would we be inclined to view all of this as evidence of God’s absence? How do we define help? And what leads us into praise? Does it require the absence of difficulty and the presence of a happy ending? What might we learn from the perspectives of Hannah and Paul?
“Why should I fear in times of trouble?” (Psalm 49:5). Perspective. It is only by God’s help that any of us stand here today. If I believe this — that God has helped me, is helping me, and will help me — then why should I ever fear? What a difference it makes in our lives when we choose to see God with us! How the opportunities for testimony (Paul) and praise (Hannah) and confidence (the psalmist) open up before us!
Thank you, O God, for your continuing help. May we see you wherever we are standing this day. Amen.
“Why should I fear in times of trouble?
. . . God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
for he will receive me.”
— Psalm 49:5,15
A Place in the Family
“I’m sending you off to present my offer of sins forgiven, and a place in the family” (Acts 26:18, The Message). I love this translation of the Lord’s purpose for Paul, for it highlights the convergence of today’s texts, which continue to narrate the stories of Ruth the Moabite and Paul, Apostle to Gentiles. Paul’s commission is to offer a place (or inheritance) in the family to outsiders through their redeemer, Jesus (Acts 26:16-18), and Ruth is brought into the family through Boaz, her “next-of-kin” (Ruth 3:9), which is most literally translated, “one with the right to redeem.”
“We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah” (Ruth 4:11). Ruth, the outsider, takes her place in the family, and, in so doing, becomes an ancestor of David . . . and Jesus, the messiah (Matthew 1). And Paul is sent to bring outsiders in. And God’s name “reaches to the ends of the earth” (Psalm 48:10) . . . And we are witnesses to, and beneficiaries of, this amazing grace and steadfast love.
So now, how are we going and doing the same? Are we inviting others to enter the story? Are we seeking new singers of the song? In what way are we continuing the story embodied by Ruth and Boaz, Paul and our Lord himself? May all know that there is always a place in the family. Amen.
“We ponder your steadfast love, O God,
in the midst of your temple.
Your name, O God, like your praise,
reaches to the ends of the earth.”
— Psalm 48:9,10
Awesome
“For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome” (Psalm 47:2). As I read the unfolding stories of Ruth and Paul, I am led to the psalmist’s conclusion: God is awesome! Consider the purpose with which Paul steps toward Rome. Observe the working out of Ruth’s decision to stay with Naomi. Just look at the weaving of the stories into the common thread of God’s purpose and grace!
“The man is a relative of ours, one of our nearest kin” (Ruth 2:20). Ruth goes out to glean . . . it is the field of Boaz . . . who “just then” comes from Bethlehem (Ruth 2:4) . . . and so their once separate narratives intersect and begin to connect . . . Awesome, indeed, is “the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge!” (Ruth 2:12). . . I am mindful of the assertion that, for the person of faith, no meeting is an accident . . .
“I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defense today” (Acts 26:2). Imagine Paul attempting to schedule an audience before the King and Queen. Or the governor. Or “his Imperial Majesty.” And yet, by means of the machinations of his enemies, Paul is given the opportunity to testify for Jesus before the powers that be! Awesome . . . And what of the twists and turns in our own stories? Have we ever ended up somewhere we could never have planned to be? And did we consider ourselves fortunate to be there? I wonder . . . What might we learn about God from the stories of Paul, Ruth, Naomi and Boaz? It is worth pondering.
“Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
For God is the king of all the earth;
sing praises with a psalm.”
— Psalm 47:6.7
Who’s Story?
“All the people did what was right in their own eyes” (Judges 21:25). So what’s up with Judges? Terrible story, that. Progressively worse. Right up to this summary statement. What, do you think, is the message? What might we take away from this book? Perhaps this: they were writing their own story. This devolving tale is the result of a collective choice and individual decisions to step off the page and make it up as they went . . . And then there is Paul . . .
“I do my best always to have a clear conscience toward God and all people” (Acts 24:16). Paul was, by choice and conviction, part of the story that God is writing. Far from doing what was right in his own eyes, Paul included the consideration of God and others in his decisions and actions. He clearly saw himself as part of something larger than himself. Imagine that. It is good for us to reflect upon the contrast between Paul and his wayward ancestors . . . Who are we emulating? Who’s story are we living? What course corrections might be in order?
“I have a hope in God” (Acts 24:15). Paul’s word to Felix. It is a far better word than that of Judges. And it is the word of all who choose to enter the story and join the song. Amen.
“The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.”
— Psalm 46:7, 11
Setting the Stage
“In the place of ancestors you, O king, shall have sons” (Psalm 45:16). Civil war in Israel (Judges 20), the lead-up to Paul’s hearing before Felix (Acts 23,24), and an ode for a royal wedding (Psalm 45) . . . today’s texts all set the stage for the next chapter(s) of the story. In the case of Judges, the horrific war against Benjamin drives us toward the final verdict of the book and the era of the kings. In Acts, all is leading toward Rome (Acts 23:11). And Psalm 45 does what any good wedding song would; it draws the couple and all who hear it into a promising future . . .
“I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive” (Acts 23:35). Whether it be waiting for something as unpleasant as the arrival of accusers, or as joyful as a wedding . . . Or even enduring the complete disintegration of hope and promise, everything we walk through in this life sets the stage for the rest of the story. It has been said that the past is prologue. So, too, is the present. The challenge, then, is to live well in the present, mindful of the influence that today has on tomorrow . . .
“So the soldiers took Paul . . . brought him . . . presented Paul . . .” (Acts 23:31,34). While Judges provides negative learning when it comes to stage setting, Paul offers an example worth pondering. How does Paul act and react as he moves through these days? What does he do and say as he is taken and brought and presented and ordered to wait? As his accusers present their case? And what might we learn from him as we walk through our own days? How might we live more mindfully? What spiritual discipline(s) might assist us in being present in the moment? And aware of the manner in which the stage is being set? Present and mindful. Expectant and prepared. Encouraged and hopeful. Today and in the days to come. Amen.
“When Paul had been summoned,
Tertullus began to accuse him . . .”
— Acts 24:2
Redeem Us
“Rise up, come to our help” (Psalm 44:26). The readings this day remind us just how much we need God’s help, as Israel descends into utter chaos (Judges 19), the psalm writer cries out during a time of defeat and shame (Psalm 44), and Paul is faced with violence and potential ambush and assassination (Acts 23:10,12). Though the texts converge at the point of crises, they reveal three very distinct attitudes toward God . . .
“Why do you hide your face?” (Psalm 44:24). From the psalmist’s perspective, God has forgotten Israel and has either fallen asleep at the wheel or gone into hiding. In Judges 19, it is Israel that has forgotten God. (so much so, that God is not even part of the narrative). Paul, on the other hand, sees purpose and opportunity in each new crisis and experiences God as present in the midst of the mess (Acts 23:11). Three very different views, these. Where is God in times of trouble? Absent? Hiding? Or Present?
“Keep up your courage!” (Acts 23:11). So speaks the Lord to Paul. Notice. The encouragement is not based upon a promise of rescue from the trouble, but upon a promise of purpose and presence through the turmoil, “you must bear witness also in Rome.” The courage comes, then, in trusting God to be redemptively present no matter the circumstances. Paul gets this. The psalm writer is getting there. The Levite? Not so much. And how about us? Do we live as if God is absent? Or assume that God is asleep at the wheel when trouble comes? Or do we trust God to be with us at all times? The truth be known, the answer is most likely “all of the above.” But while we may not, as of yet, have the confidence of Paul, God is still faithful. Amen.
“Rise up, come to our help.
Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love.”
— Psalm 44:26
Spiritual Self-Destruction
“So they maintained as their own Micah’s idol . . .” (Judges 18:31). Spiritual self-destruction is the order of the day in today’s readings, as silver becomes a coveted idol (Judges 17 and 18), and listening is turned to shouting (Acts 22:22). We do well to examine our own lives in the light of these two behaviors . . .
“Then he returned the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother” (Judges 17:3). An unexpected infusion of silver! “Extra” money! What to do? What to do? Make it into an idol! (Judges 17:3,4). Well now. Certainly not the first — or last — time that has happened . . . Have you ever noticed just how easy it is to turn “extra” or “unexpected” funds into idols? You know, objects of devotion and distraction? It is an act of spiritual self-destruction, this. Stealing our focus and bringing no small amount of trouble. Why, it can even threaten our very lives (Judges 18:25) . . .
“Up to this point they listened to him, but then they shouted, ‘Away with such a fellow!'” (Acts 22:22). What to do when someone challenges our prejudices? Shout! Stop listening and go on the attack. Away with the one who would include those we exclude! Such people “should not be allowed to live!” Wow. Throw out the message and the messenger. After all, who wants good news if it includes people I don’t think should be included? Hmmm . . . It leads me to ponder prejudice as another form of idolatry and shouting down the opposition as a spiritually self-destructive behavior. Just ponder what we will forfeit in the name of being right . . .
May we willingly examine ourselves this day, pondering the scriptures, listening to the Spirit, and walking in the light of truth. Amen.
“O send out your light and your truth;
let them lead me.”
— Psalm 43:3
Where Is Your God?
“My soul thirsts for God” (Psalm 42:2). In Psalm 42, we see the psalm writer wrestling with the sense that God has forgotten him (v.9) and, at the same time, voicing hope in God and God’s help (v.6,11). In Judges, Samson asks God to remember and strengthen him once more for “one act of vengeance” (Judges 16:28), and Samson is successful. And in Acts 21, Paul’s fellow disciples, “through the Spirit” (v.4), tell Paul not to go to Jerusalem, yet Paul continues on to Jerusalem believing it to be “the Lord’s will” (Acts 21:13,14). From where I sit, the readings for this day highlight the challenge of recognizing God’s presence and discerning God’s will.
“The Lord’s will be done” (Acts 21:14). And just how does one know what that is? Paul’s fellow believers believed they were voicing God’s will in telling him not to go to Jerusalem (21:4,12,14). Paul, however, strongly believed otherwise and told them they were breaking his heart (v.13). The psalmist longs for God and God’s help, and believes God is present (Psalm 42: 8), but can only hope. Meanwhile, those around him taunt him in his trust (Psalm 42:3). And was Samson’s desire for vengeance of God??? “The Lord’s will be done.” It seems that discernment of God in the midst of human life is a bit complex . . .
“These things I remember” (Psalm 42:4). The psalm writer’s choice to hope in God and future help (v.6) is based upon his history with God. As is Samson’s final request. And Paul, as we know, sought to live his life as a “captive to the Spirit” (Acts 20:22). As a result, he also had the story of God’s grace to draw upon. So what do these scriptures offer us as we seek to discern and do God’s will? Well. They are a call to reflect upon and remember how God has led us, and others, in the past. And they invite us to remain hopeful and expectant. They also call us to a life of disciplined prayer and attentiveness. And one more thing. The psalmist offers a beautiful image of God singing his song over us as we sleep; a song that then actually becomes a prayer back to God on our behalf . . .
“Where is your God?” (Psalm 42:3). Our God is with us. Let us remember that.
“By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,
and at night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.”
— Psalm 42:8
A Study in Contrasts
I am thinking today of the contrasts between Samson (Judges 14,15) and Paul (Acts 20) . . . One undisciplined and impulsive, the other focused and intentional; one committed to exercising his freedom to do to others “as they did to me” (Judges 15:11), the other “a captive of the Spirit” (Acts 20:22). I am pondering the spiritual life choices these two men set before us.
“The Spirit of the Lord rushed on him” (Judges 14:19; 15:14). Samson had his moments. Sometimes ruled by his appetite, sometimes empowered by the Spirit of God. It is both a reflection of the man and the spirit of the times. Intermittent focus and moments of fiery passion . . . in the context of a life summarized in one sentence: “Get her for me, because she pleases me” (Judges 14:3). . . Contrast Paul:
“If only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:24). Paul was a man “captive” to the Spirit (Acts 20:22). By choice and discipline. Remembering the words of Jesus, “Is it more blessed to give than to receive,” (v.35), Paul was willing to go where he felt led and do what he was told. Even if it meant imprisonment and persecutions (v.23). Nothing intermittent about this. And Paul, in contrast to Samson, provides us with an example of life lived in the Spirit . . .
Samson or Paul? It is a question worthy of prayerful reflection. How does my life as a disciple of Jesus compare? Do I run “hot and cold,” sometimes filled with passion for the Lord and sometimes not? Am I disciplined and focused, or not? Am I most interested in giving? Or receiving? As followers of Jesus Christ, we have been given the opportunity of living lives filled and led by the Holy Spirit. Are we availing ourselves of this gift? Or are we content with a few moments now and then, when the Spirit rushes upon us? May we choose wisely. Amen.
“Keep watch over yourselves
and over all the flock.”
— Acts 20:28
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