Those who work hard at things known to produce something of value (such as a farmer planting crops which do well where he lives) will have more than enough to eat. On the other hand, those who spend their time chasing get rich quick schemes and the latest thing to catch their fancy will do poorly.
This psalm contains a line which reminds me of something I have been struggling with the last few years: Why do we not see more miracles among Christians today (at least in the U.S.)?
We no longer see your miraculous signs.
All the prophets are gone,
and no one can tell us when it will end.
This tells me that I am not the first person to wonder about why God’s people were not seeing His miraculous signs. The rest of the psalm talks about how God’s enemies had struck down His Temple and His people. Yet, I see signs that that may soon happen. Nevertheless, I will join the psalmist in calling upon God to defend His cause and give the poor and needy reason to praise His name.
Luke put the accounts of the three potential followers of Jesus right before the account of His sending out the 72 for a reason. At least part of that reason is to show us the amount of dedication we need to the task to which God has called us. We have the accounts of those who were potential disciples, but were not willing to pay the price.
Then Luke tells the account of Jesus sending out the 72. Here we learn why it is important for those who choose to follow Christ to be fully committed without second thoughts. There is a lot of work to get done and not enough workers. This means that we need to do two things: Ask God for more workers…and buckle down and get to work. There is work to be done reaching those who do not yet know the Lord. Let’s get to work!
At the beginning of chapter 22 we are reminded that our responsibilities are not just passive. Doing the right thing is more, much more, than not doing wrong. We have a responsibility to help those who need assistance. If you have an opportunity to help someone and fail to do so, you are not better than someone who actively harms them. And it is indeed an opportunity with all of the positive connotations that word carries. When God send opportunities our way let us take advantage of those opportunities.
When troubles seem great and God seems far away, this psalm is a reminder that others have felt as we do with even greater reason. Let us remember what God has done in the past and trust that He will act on our behalf. Things seemed dark to the psalmist, yet he did not lose faith. In times of trouble, I will follow his example.
In this passage Jesus tells those of His disciples He was sending out as His advance team to pray that the Lord send out workers into the harvest. This passage causes me to look around me today and think that, “Yes, the harvest is great and the workers are few.” There are so many today who need to hear the word of God preached, yet there are few who are preaching it. I pray to God that He send more out to preach His Good News. I, also, feel guilty when I read this, because I do not preach the Gospel more. So, I pray that God show me what He wants me to say to whom and when He wants me to say it. And I pray that I have the courage to say it.
This passage reminded me of a saying I heard as a child, “Finders keepers, losers weepers.” This passage reminds me that it is my duty to God to do my best to return things I find to their original owners. I have an obligation to help those whose transportation has broken down. It is not acceptable to God for me to see someone in difficulty and just go about my business as if nothing had happened.
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.
Moses tells the children of Israel that if someone is discovered murdered and no one knows who committed the murder, the elders of the nearest town must offer a sacrifice and vow that they did not kill the person, nor do they know who did. When a murder happens and the leaders of the nearest town are unable to find the murderer it is not enough for them to just say, “Oh, we do not know who killed him,” and move one. They must take an oath before God that they did not do it and that they do not know who did it.
Moses instructs the children of Israel to provide assistance to parents in disciplining their children. Admittedly that assistance is harsh, if parents bring their son before the elders and testify that he will not listen to them and is rebellious, the men of the town are to stone the son to death. This seems very harsh, but think about the stories we occasionally hear of parents who were afraid of their teenage son (or daughter). I believe that is the sort of situation we are talking about here, where parents are afraid of violence from their mostly grown son.
Moses goes on to offer miscellaneous other regulations, including helping your neighbor if his animals get out and taking basic precautions to prevent people from accidentally getting hurt (putting a railing around the edge of a flat roof so people don’t fall off). Finally the passage ends with rules regarding marriage and sexual purity. It provides guidelines for distinguishing between rape and consensual adultery (in either case, the man is to be killed, while the woman is only to be killed in the latter case).
As Jesus began His final trip to Jerusalem before His crucifixion He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for His arrival. However, the people of the village did not extend a welcome to Jesus because He was on His way to Jerusalem. James and John asked Jesus if they should call down fire from heaven on the village. Jesus rebuked them for proposing that and merely chose to go to a different village.
As they were walking a man came up to Jesus and said that he would follow Him. Jesus replied that wild animals have specific places where they rest, but that He could offer no such shelter. Jesus asked another man to follow Him. This man replied that he would follow Jesus after his father died. A third man wanted to say goodbye to his family first. Jesus tells the second two that they need to put the kingdom of God first in their lives.
Jesus then sent out seventy-two of His disciples to preach the kingdom of God. They are to go out and heal the sick and preach His message. They are to rely on God’s provision during this ministry and accept the shelter and food those of good nature offer them. Luke here records an instruction from Jesus that even today we should follow. “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” Are we willing to be workers in God’s harvest? There is a mighty harvest ready for faithful workers, where is God sending me for the harvest?
Today’s psalm expresses faith that God will act to defeat His enemies and those who oppress His people. Those who are God’s enemies have persecuted His people and God has not acted, but when the time is right, God will burst forth against those who have chosen to attack His name and His people. This is not the first time when God has chosen to withhold miraculous signs from His people and we cannot know how long God will allow His enemies to appear to prosper. Fools have reviled God’s name in the past and mocked those who call on His name. The God who split the sea and owns both day and night will rise up and defend His cause. The day will come when God will exercise His power once more and rescue those who call on His name.
Another shot of white and purple crocus blooms next to a daffodil
