The wicked destroy others by what they say. It is interesting that the proverb writer tells us that the righteous escape such destruction through knowledge, which tells us that the wicked destroy others through lies and deceit. Reading this reminded me of a friend who has been struggling lately. Their posts suggest that their struggles are the result of things others have said about them. The friend I am speaking of is being destroyed by words spoken by evil people.
My first thought on reading this psalm was, “Another psalm on crying out to God for protection. A wonderful message, but what can I write about this psalm that I have not already written, more than once, in the last few days?” Then I read this verse:
I cry out to God Most High,
to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.
Yes, it talks about crying out to God, but it reminds me that God has a purpose for me, a purpose which He will fulfill. Not only does He have a purpose for me, He has a purpose for you. And He will fulfill His purpose for you. Your life here on earth is not pointless. It serves a purpose. That purpose will be fulfilled, because it is God’s purpose.
In response to Gabriel’s message Mary replied, “I am the Lord’s servant.” The message Mary received indicated that she was being called to a very difficult task. She is unmarried and a virgin. The angel has just told her that she is about to become pregnant, in a society that treats women who bear a child out of wedlock poorly. Yet her response is the Magnificat, a song of praise to God. Do we respond with similar joy to the tasks which God sets before us? Do you really think the task which God has set for you is harder than the one He gave Mary?
Let us make our response to God’s message be the same as Mary’s. When God calls us to a task, let us respond, “I am the Lord’s servant.” And rather than worry about how hard the task is, let us rejoice in God our Savior.
Balak the king of Moab, having seen how the Israelites defeated his neighbors, sent messengers to offer Balaam money to come and curse them. Balaam consults with God and is told that under no circumstances is he to curse the Israelites because they have been blessed. In the morning, Balaam sends them home, rejecting the task they had offered him. Balak sent a second group of emissaries to Balaam offering even more money. Instead of rejecting them on the basis of the message God had already given him, Balaam asks them to spend the night to see if God has some other message for them this time. This time God tells him to go with them, but to only do what He tells him to do.
From what is written in tomorrow’s passage, we know that Balaam had done something wrong at this point. I have struggled to understand what Balaam had done wrong. I realized that the answer is that what Balaam told the emissaries (both groups) would have been seen by the emissaries as a negotiating ploy. First Balaam said no, then, when asked again, he left open the possibility of doing something for them. God had told Balaam that the people the emissaries wanted cursed were blessed. Nevertheless, Balaam looked for a way to give Balak something for his money.
For me, one of the most interesting points of this passage is the indication that there were people, other than the Israelites, who worshiped and served God. We have very little information about them, but from time to time there is a reference to someone who was a prophet, or priest, to the same God whom the Israelites worshiped.
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, or more. in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.
This passage reminds us that our very words can be destructive. Those who are wicked destroy others and tear down the community with their words. The godly check their facts before they allow the words of the wicked to effect their actions. By doing so, they strengthen the community. In addition, the godly act and speak so as the build up the community in other ways.
A reminder for us when we are surrounded by trouble and enemies. Let us turn to God. He will send help and rescue us. Our enemies may seem clever, but, if we depend on God and faithfully follow His commands, they will fall into the traps they have set for us. I will have confidence in God and praise Him every day.
When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, she was confused and disturbed. This should not surprise us, aren’t we often confused and disturbed when God sends us messages. There is probably something wrong with us if we aren’t. The amazing thing about Mary is that once the angel finished telling her what God had planned for her, her reaction was, “Let’s do this thing.” (well, not those exact words) I look at what the angel told Mary and think that it must have been a very scary thing for a young woman (by our standards, a girl) to hear in that culture. Nevertheless, Mary was no longer frightened. No, she declared, “I am the Lord’s servant.” Am I willing to surrender my fear of the consequences of following God’s plan in order to do God’s will? Will I respond to God’s messenger by declaring that I am the Lord’s servant?
At the end of yesterday’s passage, the people of Israel requested permission to cross Edom. When they King of Edom refused, they turned aside and went a different way. In today’s passage, the king of the Canaanites attacked the Israelites and took some of them captive. The Israelites prayed to God and He gave them victory over the Canaanites. The account records how the Israelites completely conquered several nations in this passage. Yet, not once did they initiate the hostilities. They requested permission to cross the lands of the Amorites. But rather than either grant them permission, or deny them permission, the King of the Amorites attacked them.
After seeing the inability of his neighbors to stand against the Israelites Balak, the Moabite king, tried a different approach. He sent for Balaam to have him curse the people of Israel for him. When the messengers arrived to speak to Balaam, Balaam told them that he would consult God to see if he could accompany them. When God told him overnight not to go with the messengers because the people they wished him to curse were blessed by God. Balaam told the messengers, “No” and sent them on their way. Balak sent them back with even more promises of reward for cursing the people of Israel. This time Balaam told them right away that he could not accompany them. He knew God’s will on the matter, yet he told them to stay the night to see if he could get a different answer this time. How often do we do this? God has told us His will for us, yet we desire something else.
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. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me. I had three visits from Nepal yesterday. If whoever that was is back today (or someone else from Nepal), do you know Dale Nafziger?
After the Israelites turned aside from Edom the Canaanites that lived in the Negev attacked them and took some of them captive. In response the Israelites called on God for vengeance against this group. God granted their request and they utterly destroyed the cities and towns of the Canaanites living in the Negev.
From there the Israelites took the road around the land of Edom. Once again the people of Israel began grumbling about the wilderness and complaining about having nothing to eat except for manna. In response God sent poisonous snakes among the people and many were bitten and died. This caused the people to repent of their grumbling and ask Moses to call on God for relief. God told Moses to set up a bronze snake on a pole. Anyone who was bitten could look at the bronze snake and be healed. They moved on until they came to the border of the land of the Amorites. When they requested permission to cross the land of the Amorites, the king of the Amorites attacked them (as opposed to the king of Edom who merely mustered his army to keep them out). The Israelites responded to this attack by conquering the land of the Amorites and settling in their cities. They then continued their march which went toward Bashan. The king of Bashan also attacked them and they defeated him as well and occupied his land.
The Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped east of the Jordan river, across from Jericho. The people of Moab were terrified by the numbers of the Israelites. The king of the Moabites, Balak, sent messengers to Balaam, who had a reputation for being able to bless and curse whole peoples. When the messengers arrived, Balaam told them to stay overnight while he inquired of God if he should go with them. God told Balaam not to go with them because He had blessed the people which Balak wished cursed. In the morning, Balaam told the messengers that he could not go with them. Balak sent a second, larger delegation to Balaam promising to pay him whatever he wished if only he would curse the Israelites. Balaam told them that he could do nothing, no matter how much Balak offered him, that was against the will of God. However, he told them to stay the night and he would inquire of God again. This time God told Balaam to go with them, but to only do that which He instructed him to do.
Do we recognize that we are powerless to do anything against the will of God? Do we carefully seek God’s will before we act? I know that all too often I act without taking the time to seek God’s will in prayer. I have learned to sleep on all big decisions, to think them through over night. Even so, I do not spend as much time seeking God’s will on many decisions as I ought.
When Elizabeth was six months pregnant the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary (this would be while Zechariah was still unable to talk). Mary was confused and troubled by the angel’s appearance. When the angel told her that she would conceive and bear a son, she questioned how that could happen since she was still a virgin. Gabriel told her that the Holy Spirit would cause it to happen and as evidence that this was possible pointed to the pregnancy of her cousin Elizabeth. Mary’s response is one of humble obedience, “I am the Lord’s servant.”
Shortly after this Mary traveled to Judea, where Zechariah lived. She appears to have stayed there until Elizabeth gave birth. When she arrived and greeted Elizabeth, Elizabeth was immediately aware that Mary’s child would be special. Elizabeth tells Mary that Mary is blessed because she believed the Lord would do what He said He would do. Luke then records one of the earliest hymns of the Church which he tells us was Mary’s response to Elizabeth’s greeting. It is often referred to as “The Magnificat” or as “Mary’s song”. I tried to summarize this song or to restate the message it has for me today, but find that not truly possible. So, I will settle for quoting a few lines that especially resonate with me today.
the Mighty One is holy,
and he has done great things for me.
While I have not experienced anything close to what Mary experienced, I will still agree with this. God has done great things for me. I just wish that I had followed His leading and allowed Him to do more through me (although I know He is not through with me yet).
He shows mercy from generation to generation
to all who fear him.
I strive to make fear of the Lord the centerpiece of my life. I have found that fear of negative consequences is an integral part of making good decisions (desire for positive consequences plays an important role as well).
His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
He has brought down princes from their thrones
and exalted the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
Those who proudly rely on their own strength will be brought down and crushed, while those who humbly rely on the Lord will be raised up. I strive to humbly acknowledge that all that I have is a gift from the Lord.
Tulips emerging
Once again this psalm really speaks to me. The psalmist calls for God to have mercy on him. I will take refuge in the shelter of God’s wings in times of trouble. In addition to the beauty of this psalm there is one line that gives us something to apply to our lives. If we walk a path of integrity before God and man, our enemies will fall into the traps which they lay for us.
The psalm tells us that we can sing God’s praises because we are confident in Him. Am I confident enough in God to praise Him at all times? I strive to be and I will echo this line and call for its fulfillment:
Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.
May your glory shine over all the earth.
The godless destroy their friends with the things that they say about them. The righteous, however, avoid suffering from the words of the godless because they rely on knowledge, not say-so. When you hear something bad about another, consider the source and what you know about the individual in question.
Society as a whole benefits when the righteous prosper and when the wicked fall. The behavior and words of the upright lead a community to glory, but the words of the wicked lead to its downfall. When a society praises the wicked and condemns the righteous it is doomed.
