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, December 26, 2014

Reflection on the One-Year-Bible readings for December 26

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.
(Psalm 145:3a)

Zechariah 9:1-17
Rejoice! Your king is coming, triumphant and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey.

Revelation 17:1-18
Jerusalem is pictured as a woman dressed in expensive clothes and adorned with costly jewelry, a woman who has been intimately involved with kings of other nations. Riches won't save her. Her powerful friends will desert her.

Commentators presume John was talking about the disaster which would eventually destroy Rome.  But, the message continues to be important. Riches and powerful friends can fail.

Psalm 145:1-21
Psalm 145 tells us--or, speaks for us:
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.
It's a reminder, one that we may well need, that we're living in God's kingdom and that we should be living according to God's intentions for us. The Lord's desire is for all to be fed and attended to. Those who care what the Lord wants will work toward these goals.

All. Think about it--all. All to be fed. All to be attended to. All.

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?

Proverbs 30:32
If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, 
or if you have been devising evil, 
put your hand on your mouth.

Prayer for Today: O Lord our, we thank you for your many gifts, those times when you have bestowed upon us your mercy. Remind us now to demonstrate your love and your mercy to those around us. Amen.

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