Call on me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you,
and you shall glorify me.
(Psalm 50:15)
Numbers 8:1-9:23
Mark 13:14-37
Looking back at the beginning of chapter 13, we see that Jesus is talking privately to four of his disciples--Peter, James, John, and Andrew. They are sitting on the Mount of Olives looking at the temple. By the time that Mark wrote this gospel, the temple had been destroyed. His first audience would have recognized the allusions to the destruction of the first temple and their exile.
Jesus' words are meant for them, and they continue to be intended for us.
God had created a good world. We human beings had failed at our responsibilities. The old ways have to go. A new way is coming. God desires for us to live in a world transformed. Keep awake.
Psalm 50:1-23
Psalm 50 begins like a description of a trial. God the Lord summons us to judgment (1). And God is the judge (2-5).
The psalm then reminds us what true worship is--not an occasional public display but rather a consistent practice of thanksgiving (8).
What we do in worship is useful as a reminder of what we are supposed to be doing all the rest of the time.
Proverbs 10:29-30
Prayer for Today: Choose a prayer from Joan Stott's website, The Timeless Psalms.
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