It took a year to read the Bible, then almost 9 months to read the Apocrypha. Now, I'm going to try to offer reflections on the Narrative Lectionary. But, I won't be posting daily--at least, for a while.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Surely you can't mean all, Continuing to reflect on Psalm 145

The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
The Lord is good to all,
and his compassion is over all that he has made.


The Psalmist is quoting the proclamation of the Lord on Sinai after Moses had cut the words of the Ten Commandments onto stone tablets. This good news of love for all is repeated throughout the scriptures (The Wesley Study Bible cites as examples Numbers 14:18; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 103:8, 17; and Jonah 4:2).

I'm reading these words today first as a reminder that God loves me, gives me what I need, and is merciful when I don't deserve mercy. And, these words are also a reminder to me that I'm not the only recipient of God's gifts and mercy; nor, are they restricted to people like me. God has compassion over all. And, then, it gets harder for me. If God is compassionate to all, how does God expect me to be?

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