Today's Readings and Stuff--- Wednesday, 18 April 2018

Snowed a good bit yesterday.  At one time or another, it was "sticking", then, being just a degree or two above the freezing point, eventually melted away.  When I took the Niece's dog outside for a potty break last night, the ground was clear, but the temperature was falling.  But our predicted high for today is 54°, which would be most welcome.  But tomorrow and Friday, highs in the low 40's.
Niece and husband and kids are still in Orlando, back Sunday (or that's the plan).  So they're avoiding this "stuff" (being nice).

Been a topsy-turvey sort of day.  I'd given some thought to working on our washing machine, to install the new safety switch.  But that didn't happen.  When I woke, we had snow or ice crystals on the porch.  NOT a good sign.  Our hovel is set up in such a way that to get to the back of the washer, I have to take the dryer (the one we'd just bought) out onto that same deck, and then maneuver the washer around so that the back is in the newly-vacated area.  But when you have snow or ice on that deck, it's not a good sign for doing this stuff.  So, it's been deferred again.  Added to that, we've been going around and around with the various doctors and pharmacies, etc for refills of standard (for her, anyway) medicines.  And I had to get refill on my BP meds.  The prescription for mine were marked "no refill  -- doctor must authorize", so I had to go through all that. That was the easy part.  Wife  has been on one med for more than 35 years now, longer than I've known her, and she is now out.  NOT good when the body has become reliant upon it.  But now the family doctor and the rheumatologist are squabbling over who is supposed to authorize the refills.  They did, eventually, OK the stuff that sprays into the nose.  And mine did, finally, get authorized.  So, I "got" to go Over The Line into Pennsyltucky, there to hit the pharmacy and get some of the needed meds.
And the prediction is for more snow tonight and/or tomorrow again.  So I won't be working on the washer tomorrow either.  Weather is predicted to improve Saturday, so that's probably going to be my next chance at this.

My thought. meditation, and prayer focus for the day is on the subject of forgiveness.  It's a big subject, isn't it?  Too big by far for a few lines here from my feeble mind and fingers.
I'm thinking particularly of forgiveness, and its opposite, in terms of the way our minds run.
Ever met an unforgiving personality?  Ever BEEN one?  I have.  I've been there, seen and heard and, yes, been the one shouting eternal condemnation, hellfire and brimstone and all the rest of it, over matters that are, relatively speaking, minor.  Yes, they may be real and do real lasting harm to real people.  But often, they're no more momentous than the lout who pushes ahead of you in the checkout line at the grocery, or steals from you, who passes (with amplification) false and salacious rumors about you or someone you love.  These are bad things, certainly.  I've done some of them, and more.  Yet the Lord, for Christ's sake, has forgiven me.  Shouldn't I, in like manner, forgive others?  After all, that business of the term "Christian" meaning "a little Christ", really means that we are to be a living representation of  Him and His nature.  I'm not good at that.  Can't speak for anyone else, but I am not good at that.
I have, sadly, seen those whose entire being seems to have been taken over with rage, thirst for revenge, hatred, anger, and all the rest.  Like any other sin, and such it is, it consumes a person and takes over.  We've all of us seen it.  Not pretty.  Not Christlike, certainly.  Doesn't leave much room for the Lord.
He has called us to something better.


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Today, chapters 3 and 4 in the book of Judges.

Judges 3

1  Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

2  Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;

3  Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal–hermon unto the entering in of Hamath.

4  And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

5  And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:

6  And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

7  And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgat the Lord their God, and served Baalim and the groves.

8  Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan–rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan–rishathaim eight years.

9  And when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

10  And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the Lord delivered Chushan–rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan–rishathaim.

11  And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

12  And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord.

13  And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

14  So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

15  But when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.

16  But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.

17  And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.

18  And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.

19  But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.

20  And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.

21  And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:

22  And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.

23  Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.

24  When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.

25  And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.

26  And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.

27  And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.

28  And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the Lord hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.

29  And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.

30  So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

31  And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

Judges 4

1  And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead.

2  And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.

3  And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

4  And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

5  And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Beth–el in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

6  And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh–naphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

7  And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.

8  And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.

9  And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

10  And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.

11  Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanannim, which is by Kedesh.

12  And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.

13  And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.

14  And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the Lord hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the Lord gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.

15  And the Lord discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.

16  But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left

17  Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

18  And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle

19  And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.

20  Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.

21  Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died

22  And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.

23  So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.

24  And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.p

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Today, Psalm78.  This is another "maschil", which means a psalm for instruction.   It has been said that we more often need to be reminded of something we had learned before, rather than learn something new.  The history of the people, had largely been forgotten or ignored.  Sounds familiar:  see your kids' schoolbooks if you doubt that.  It's a fair guess that those who had come through all the trials, the wars, the struggles, had neglected to fully pass the faith down to their children and grandchildren, and they to theirs.  Goes on all around us, we see it, we're no better and perhaps worse.  So they ignored the Lord and bad things happened.  Which can happen again.  These "maschil" are on the order of teaching songs.  Our better hymns today do something like that, they tell of what we believe and why.

Psalm 78

Maschil of Asaph.

 

1  Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

2  I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:

3  Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

4  We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.

5  For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:

6  That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:

7  That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:

8  And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

9  The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.

10  They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;

11  And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.

12  Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

13  He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.

14  In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.

15  He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.

16  He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.

17  And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.

18  And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.

19  Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?

20  Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?

21  Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;

22  Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:

23  Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,

24  And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.

25  Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.

26  He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.

27  He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:

28  And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.

29  So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;

30  They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,

31  The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.

32  For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.

33  Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.

34  When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.

35  And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.

36  Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.

37  For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.

38  But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

39  For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

40  How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

41  Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.

42  They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.

43  How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:

44  And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.

45  He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

46  He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.

47  He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.

48  He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

49  He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

50  He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;

51  And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

52  But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

53  And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

54  And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.

55  He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

56  Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:

57  But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

58  For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.

59  When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:

60  So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;

61  And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.

62  He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.

63  The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.

64  Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.

65  Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.

66  And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.

67  Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:

68  But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.

69  And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.

70  He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:

71  From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

72  So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

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Today, chapter 10 in the Gospel of John

John 10

1  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2  But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

4  And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

5  And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

6  This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

7  Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

8  All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

9  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

10  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

18  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

19  There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.

20  And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?

21  Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

22  And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

23  And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.

24  Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

25  Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.

26  But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

27  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

30  I and my Father are one.

31  Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

32  Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

33  The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

34  Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

35  If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

36  Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

37  If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

38  But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

39  Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,

40  And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.

41  And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.

42  And many believed on him there.