28 August 2007

Today's Reading August 28

I hope you had an opportunity to see the eclipse last night. We were not in a mood to do so, but our younger daughter was and sent us a text message about 0510 telling us about it.
This week is a rough one. We came home from church Sunday to find the air conditioning is out. Not a good thing in Alabama summers, but we've had a bit of a cooldown from the weeks of 100+ temps so perhaps we'll have a short reprieve. And Sunday night we had three cats, all of who contrived to squeeze through a door and get out - not for the first time either. Yesterday morning, I found one of them across the street, cold and stiff, with evidence, perhaps, that she had been poisoned. And no sign of the other two. Dear wife was distraught - in the last year or so we've lost everything we had, both of our mothers have died, both our daughters have moved out, far away, I'm out of work, the air conditioner is out and we have no money, and now the kitty she raised from a kitten is gone. A very very tough evening, with all the things that have happened all piling up on top of us until we just felt beaten down to the dust.
Until, about 7:30 last night we heard a noise, and admitted one of the cats, the 3rd one, the Siamese. Dear wife about wore him out hugging and patting him, and crying for the other one. So from now on we take special care that he doesn't get out. The other matters, perhaps God will help us with. When, I don't know, but I do know that He sometimes shows His presence in the little things too.
And I will go walking about today, looking for where the Maine Coon cat may have fallen. That's not exactly an enjoyable proposition.
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This morning we will look at a few more of the Psalms, 136, 137, and 138. I love all three of these. Our Jewish friends might be a bit more familiar than we Gentiles with Psalm 137, though I love it too.

Chapter 137
1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a strange land?
5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.
7 Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.
8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
9 Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
By the way, that is not hyperbole in the 9th verse - such utter brutality was not rare in those days. For that matter, the National Socialists did likewise in Europe not that long ago, and the Islamo-heathens do very similar things today.
But I like Psalm 136 for a responsive reading: every verse ends the same - ''for his mercy endureth for ever'' which is a good thing to remember. Thus it goes
Chapter 136
1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
2 O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.
3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.
4 To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.
5 To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.
6 To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.
7 To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:
8 The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:
9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.
10 To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:
11 And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:
12 With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.
13 To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:
14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:
15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.
16 To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.
17 To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
18 And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
19 Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:
20 And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:
21 And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:
22 Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.
23 Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:
24 And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.
25 Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.
26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.
It is a good thing to rehearse and to remember the many great things that He has done. And to give praise: He's worth it.
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This evening we turn our attention to 1st Corinthians chapter 9
Paul is speaking here of his own ministry, of his own practices, of his fervent and focused efforts to bring the Gospel to as many as possible, no matter the cost. It shames me. We know the efforts that an athlete makes in order to achieve something that, in eternal terms at least, is of little value. Should we not put at least that much priority into the eternal?
19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

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