1 Kings 21-22 Psalm 102 2 Corinthians 10
Once again, we are reminded that when the leaders of the
people turn from the ways of the Lord and do evil that not only do, they pay a price
but so does the community. Notice the deception that Jezebel uses to give Ahab
what he wanted, and it is the community that participated in that false claim
that is held accountable for their actions. While Ahab repents and cries out as
he sees himself as God sees him it will be future generations that will pay the
price for his sin.
We also see again that the voice of the Lord is often a
minority voice, often one, and the tendency to listen to the louder more
numerous voices is the way to being misled. The voice of the Lord is spoken to
the people so that when the truth unfolds it is clear who spoke on behalf of
the Lord and who misled the people. The fulfillment of God’s word sometimes
looks ugly because the results of sin are often brutal. Even though they have
many examples and testimonies on which to put their trust in God alone, they
often walk away and demand their own way.
The song is one of
those sung in the middle of a troubled time in life when we cling to the Lord
for hope. It is encouragement for those times when we feel all is against us
and the ways of God and that there seems so little we can hope in. It reminds
us of the days yet to come when we will want to praise the Lord for what he has
done.
Paul tells us that there is a difference between when we
communicate with someone in person and when we do it with written
communication. We tend to be bolder when writing and meeker when present. He
also points out though that when we are present our boldness should be in the
way we live as a reflection of Jesus.
We are quick to want to punish others for their disobedience
and we can when our obedience to Jesus Christ is complete. Will that ever be?
It is important to spend our time looking within ourselves and how we are
reflecting the love of God, as shown through Jesus, to the world around us. We
should therefor be careful about our boasting in the Lord, but rather let us
boast about our reflection of Jesus to their world.
Today we are reminded that God does not look at our outward
appearance but our inward, including our thought life, and judge us based on
that reality. We are to put our trust in God enough that when we follow his ways,
we still hold on to the faith that the struggle we face are worth the effort
and will be rewarded by God. Each of us have to decide who we will follow, and
it will be our life, not our word, that will be a reflection of who we choose.
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