For today, One Year Bible Online links here.
Children will behave foolishly until someone uses corporal punishment to teach them to behave differently. Children do not learn to behave well, or wisely, without discipline.
This psalm contains powerful imagery. The earth may tremble and the mountains may crumble, but if we put our trust in God we will be secure. The world may be falling apart around us, but God is still in control. The psalmist tells us that a river brings joy to the city of God and that God dwells there. because God dwells there it will never be destroyed. The natural tendency is to read that as referring to heaven, and that is not wrong. However, I believe that the city of God is where the people of God dwell.
The nations may be in chaos, crumbling around us. But the city of God will remain secure. Those who dwell with God will have stability and peace, perhaps not as the world understands it. When I think of this psalm, I think of the Christian martyrs who went to violent, painful deaths singing hymns of praise to God, singing of the joy of worshiping Him.
There is yet more to this psalm. It reminds us that, in the middle of our chaotic lives, we need to slow down and remember God.
This phrase is the basis of a simple and wonderful hymn. One that is out of copyright, so I can list it here:
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am God.
2 I am the Lord that healeth thee.
I am the Lord that healeth thee.
I am the Lord that healeth thee.
3 In Thee, O Lord, I put my trust.
In Thee, O Lord. I put my trust.
In Thee, O Lord, I put my trust.
I try to avoid doing this, yet time and again I find myself thinking as I begin writing on a passage, “There are two messages in this passage.” Why two? Why don’t I see three? Don’t they teach preachers to always have three points? Yet I keep finding myself with two points in these passages. Which brings us to today’s passage in 2 Corinthians.
We must remember that there is urgency in the Gospel message. The time to preach the Gospel is now. The time to accept God’s grace is now. We need to remember that today is the day of salvation, tomorrow may be too late. This is my biggest failing as a follower of Christ. I lack of sense of urgency in preaching the Gospel to those around me. I pray that the Spirit move in me and give me a greater sense of urgency in attempting to reach my friends for Christ.
I just realized that the second message is related more closely to the first than I thought. Paul had that sense of urgency I lack. He was willing to be beaten, face angry mobs, be put in prison, go without food, work himself to exhaustion. All of this so that he might reach one more person with the Gospel message. He was willing to serve God equally if people honoured him, or despised him, whether people praised him or slandered him. His heart ached for those who did not respond to the Gospel message, yet he was filled with joy because of those who did. I beg the Spirit to move in me so that I too will preach the Gospel with urgency.
I am both troubled and fascinated by the book of Ecclesiastes. I am troubled by the fact that it talks about how meaningless everything is. On the other hand, that very message is what led me to the Lord. Everything we can attempt is meaningless. We may seek wisdom, but we can never learn all there is to know. No matter how much wisdom we acquire, we will make mistakes. And ultimately, those who are wise will die much the same as those who live foolishly. We can pursue pleasure, but there is no satisfaction to be found in pleasure. It will leave us feeling empty and unfulfilled. We can work hard and acquire great wealth and/or accomplish great things. But in the end our wealth will end up going to others and our accomplishments will be left in the hands of those who do not appreciate them (or worse, take them for granted).
Chapter three begins with some verses which have great meaning for me, partly because my wife and I included this on our wedding favor. For me the song by The Byrds “Turn, Turn, Turn” has always conveyed what this passage means to me (and fits it into how I read today’s passage from 2 Corinthians). There is a right time for everything. A time to be born and a time to die. There is a time for every purpose under heaven. And today is the day to turn to God and accept His grace. There is a time for peace on this earth and that time will arrive when enough people accept and embrace the Gospel. Today is the day, and as The Byrds sing in that song, I swear it is not too late. God is calling you now. Nothing else you can do will give your life meaning.