I lift up my eyes to the hills--
from where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
(Psalm 121:1-2)
2 Samuel 20:14-21:22
The ten tribes of Israel and the two tribes of Judah haven't gotten over their resentment of each other. David's kingship is again threatened. Through the help of a wise woman, the leader of the rebellion is eliminated. When the Gibeonites reminded David of the sufferings caused them by Saul, he agreed to execute almost all of Saul's sons. The actions of the grieving Rizbah, one of Saul's concubines, inspired David to give the remains of Saul and Jonathan a proper burial.
More war with the Philistines. David's men told him it was time for him to retire from army leading. Then another giant is killed, this time not by David but by his nephew.
Acts 1:1-26
He was a man who taught and worked and died. He appeared to travelers and disciples. We don't experience him in the way that they did. Yet, we continue to experience him. In the Christian calendar, we mark the 40th day after Easter as the day of the Ascension of the Lord (May 29 this year).
They had listened to his teaching. They had asked him when things would be the way they wanted them to be.
He told them that the Holy Spirit would visit them and bestow power upon them.
2 Samuel 20:14-21:22
The ten tribes of Israel and the two tribes of Judah haven't gotten over their resentment of each other. David's kingship is again threatened. Through the help of a wise woman, the leader of the rebellion is eliminated. When the Gibeonites reminded David of the sufferings caused them by Saul, he agreed to execute almost all of Saul's sons. The actions of the grieving Rizbah, one of Saul's concubines, inspired David to give the remains of Saul and Jonathan a proper burial.
More war with the Philistines. David's men told him it was time for him to retire from army leading. Then another giant is killed, this time not by David but by his nephew.
Acts 1:1-26
He was a man who taught and worked and died. He appeared to travelers and disciples. We don't experience him in the way that they did. Yet, we continue to experience him. In the Christian calendar, we mark the 40th day after Easter as the day of the Ascension of the Lord (May 29 this year).
They had listened to his teaching. They had asked him when things would be the way they wanted them to be.
He told them that the Holy Spirit would visit them and bestow power upon them.
He vanished from their sight.
But not from their lives.
In order for the church (yes, I realize that it wasn't called that yet) to continue, they are going to have to tell what Jesus had done and they're going to have to do the work he was doing.
Witnesses are essential to knowing what has happened and then telling about it--telling that the church continues to live, continues to do the work that it was created to do. The question that the Ethiopian convert asked Peter remains a good question, "How can I understand what the scripture says unless someone is willing to explain it." I would add, "or live by its teachings right in front of me."
Matthias is chosen to replace Judas. The team is complete, again.
Yet, I am troubled that we never hear any more about Matthias. We're left to wonder whether he did a good job preaching and healing and teaching or not. Or, maybe, I should be reassured by the omission of Matthias' success or lack of it. After all, the job did get done even if we don't know all the details of who did what work or how well.
Psalm 121:1-8
Commentaries tell me that this psalm was used by pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate various festivals. The goal was important, desirable, worthy, but the trip to get there was often uncomfortable, even dangerous.
We moderns can benefit from the words of this psalm. We are also on journeys. We're not traveling through geographic Israel toward the physical Mount Zion to visit the site of the temple in Jerusalem. But, we are moving in our lives surrounded by calls to give allegiances to worldly pleasures and protections. As we go through each day, we may be confronted by, interrupted by, irritations or even threats of actual danger.
May we in our journeys, real and metaphorical, as we face our adversaries, in situations due to our own transgressions or not, have the assurances offered to those ancient pilgrims that are still offered to us:
God will protect us from stumbling, night or day, now and always.
Book recommendation: Openings, a Daybook of Saints, Psalms, and Prayer by Larry James Peacock, published by Upper Room Books.
In his discussion of Psalm 121, Peacock points out that in encompassing day and night, near and far, present and future, all of life rests under the protection of the Lord.
The Lord is always awake. The Lord is always with us. The Lord protects us in all our comings and goings, now and forever.
Can I have the confidence in the Lord that the psalmist expresses? Do I usually look for help from the Lord, or am I more likely to try something else first?
Witnesses are essential to knowing what has happened and then telling about it--telling that the church continues to live, continues to do the work that it was created to do. The question that the Ethiopian convert asked Peter remains a good question, "How can I understand what the scripture says unless someone is willing to explain it." I would add, "or live by its teachings right in front of me."
Matthias is chosen to replace Judas. The team is complete, again.
Yet, I am troubled that we never hear any more about Matthias. We're left to wonder whether he did a good job preaching and healing and teaching or not. Or, maybe, I should be reassured by the omission of Matthias' success or lack of it. After all, the job did get done even if we don't know all the details of who did what work or how well.
Psalm 121:1-8
Commentaries tell me that this psalm was used by pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate various festivals. The goal was important, desirable, worthy, but the trip to get there was often uncomfortable, even dangerous.
We moderns can benefit from the words of this psalm. We are also on journeys. We're not traveling through geographic Israel toward the physical Mount Zion to visit the site of the temple in Jerusalem. But, we are moving in our lives surrounded by calls to give allegiances to worldly pleasures and protections. As we go through each day, we may be confronted by, interrupted by, irritations or even threats of actual danger.
May we in our journeys, real and metaphorical, as we face our adversaries, in situations due to our own transgressions or not, have the assurances offered to those ancient pilgrims that are still offered to us:
God will protect us from stumbling, night or day, now and always.
Book recommendation: Openings, a Daybook of Saints, Psalms, and Prayer by Larry James Peacock, published by Upper Room Books.
In his discussion of Psalm 121, Peacock points out that in encompassing day and night, near and far, present and future, all of life rests under the protection of the Lord.
The Lord is always awake. The Lord is always with us. The Lord protects us in all our comings and goings, now and forever.
Can I have the confidence in the Lord that the psalmist expresses? Do I usually look for help from the Lord, or am I more likely to try something else first?
Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
Prayer for Today: Choose a prayer from Joan Stott's website The Timeless Psalms.
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