I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.
Isaiah prophesied that God would raise up Cyrus to serve His purposes. He would guide his actions. This is how God works in all of history. He raises up people to serve His purposes and guides their actions, whether they will it or not. The prophet goes on to tell us that God created this world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos. There is no one else like God. He does not whisper secrets to be passed on from teacher to student, God has proclaimed His words for all to hear. In due time, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that God is Lord of all.
The people of Babylon worshiped the gods they made with their own hands and relied on the powers and wisdom of their magicians and astrologers. They had become arrogant and cocky. They were secure in their wickedness, convinced that they were the center of all existence. But now God was proclaiming that time was running out, they could turn to the answers they had always relied upon, but they would no longer save them from the coming destruction. Because we are stubborn, God has revealed some of His future plans so that when they come to pass we will see that it was God who has done these things.
This world was made for people to live in it. We are to care for the environment around us, but first we are to care for the people God has put there. An ongoing temptation for humans is the desire to be on the “inside”, to know special secrets that have not been revealed to others. That is not how God works. He does not have secret knowledge that is only revealed to those who have been initiated into the inner circle. The knowledge of God’s will is there for anyone who seeks Him. When Pope Francis speaks of those who do not believe in God only needing to follow their conscience, I hear him saying that if we sincerely follow our consciences it will lead us to God and we will learn to know God. It is only those who refuse to follow their conscience when it takes them to God who will remain outside.
Paul wrote that we should strive to live a life worthy of the call which we have received. He calls on us to be humble and gentle, making every effort to remain united in the Spirit. If we allow, the Spirit will bind us together in peace. Through Christ and the Holy Spirit, God has given us gifts of grace. These gifts are divided up among us according to the wisdom of God. Some of us are gifted to be apostles, others prophets, evangelists, teachers, and pastors (or shepherds). It is the responsibility of those with those gifts to equip God’s people to do works of service and to build up the Church. As we become more mature in our faith, we will not be tossed about by the wind of new teaching.
Paul here emphasizes the importance of being humble and gentle with one another in the Church in order to maintain the unity of the Church. Yet, he also emphasizes the importance of not following every new teaching that comes along. Part of the way that we can resist the lure of clever lies which sound like the truth is by speaking the truth in love. It is not enough to speak the truth, we must do so in love. This is a difficult task to accomplish. Just as difficult is maintaining the focus on unity while staying faithful to God’s truth.
“Our God is a God who saves.” What a powerful truth that is! God’s power is on display for all to see. In the meantime, let us tell everyone about God’s great power. The time will come when God will crush those who fight against Him by oppressing the people of this earth.
A united group requires wisdom to come into being. Such a group becomes strong when those who lead it exhibit good sense. Knowledge of human behavior make the group rich in those things that are truly valuable.