Today's Readings and Stuff -- Wednesday, 15 August 2018

Another day has landed on us.  Wife is "watching" the little  ones next door while dad recovers from another night shift.  Niece had to be at work at 07:00, so we were walking across the back yard at 06:25.  Niece is supposedly off at 4:00 p.m., but her husband will probably be up and alive by then, so Wife can catch a break.  Tentatively scheduled to go by the cell phone joint then, but it may wait until tomorrow, depends on how she feels.

I notice, with sorrow, that the progression through the seasons continues.  We are now down to a "day" of 13 hours 50 minutes, and will lose another 2 minutes 25 seconds by tomorrow.  The Equinox, the 12/12 point, is just over a month away now, in one of those ghastly months whose name ends in "-ber", which always ALWAYS is heard in my mind as implying 'Brrrrrrr! cold!".  I hate winter in NE Ohio, always have, always will.  Some people don't mind it, some actually like it, and others can't imagine anything else.  I can.  I have.

And another point in the week's pattern.  Here, the trash pickup is (normally) on Thursday morning.  Therefore, the cans go to the road on Wednesday evening.  And, naturally enough, that means that Wednesday is the day to go through the house and collect the  trash.  We don't throw as much out as most people do: we don't buy pre-made pre-packaged food as a rule.  We don't use soda, we don't have a lot of that stuff.  We get rid of one small (grocery bag size) bag in the bathroom, a similar one in the bedroom, a slightly larger one in the living room, and a larger one in the kitchen for things like potato peelings, empty flour sacks, coffee grounds, etc.  Oh, and during the week several collections of "used" cat litter.  So, for a few hours at least, we're pretty free of "junk".
I only wish it were as easy to deal with the "junk" in our lives and hearts.  Speaking only for myself (but realizing that the matter is probably rather common), there's a lot in the mind that isn't God-honoring.  Some of it is probably more or less neutral:  knowing the current win-loss record of the Cleveland Indians isn't wicked (probably).  But it, and the attention that it occupies, crowds out better things. And that IS a problem.  We (I) tend to fill our minds and our days with stuff that, in the Eternal sense, really doesn't matter.  As someone pointed out, there are people in the church house on Sunday that know all the words to popular songs, but need a hymn book, or words projected on a screen, to know the words to hundred-year-old hymns.  Or who need an index to find where the book of Amos is.
And it goes down from there.  We truly do also fill our minds and attention with some pretty bad stuff.  I think we've all seen it.  The incidence of pornography usage among church-goers is a scandal.  Less discussed is the fact that roughly 30 per cent of those using it are women!  Or the incidence of sexual immorality in the membership, and in the pulpits as well:  I know some very specific cases of both.
It's not a magic method, of course, but I do find that if I am into the day's readings even before getting out of bed, the prevalence and impact of all those temptations (and many MANY more besides) is reduced.  Not to zero, unfortunately, but reduced.  Worth a try.  And that reading is not just casually scanning a text, no, it takes more involvement than that.  That text should change us, that's part of the reason for it.
Now if I could just find a trash can to dump all the temptations into and haul it to the curb, that would be great.


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Job 11

1Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

2Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?full…: Heb. of lips

3Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?lies: or, devices

4For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

5But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;

6And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

7Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

8It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?as high…: Heb. the heights of heaven

9The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

10If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?cut…: or, make a changehinder…: Heb. turn him away?

11For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?

12For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.vain: Heb. empty

13If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;

14If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

15For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:

16Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:

17And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.be clearer…: Heb. arise above

18And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

19Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.make suit…: Heb. entreat thy face

20But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.

Job 12

1And Job answered and said,

2No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

3But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?understanding: Heb. an heartI am…: Heb. I fall not lower than youwho…: Heb. with whom are not such as these?

4I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

5He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

6The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

7But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:

8Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

9Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?

10In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.soul: or, lifeall…: Heb. all flesh of man

11Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?mouth: Heb. palate

12With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

13With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.With…: that is, With God

14Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.up: Heb. upon

15Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

16With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

17He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

18He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.

19He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.

20He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.speech…: Heb. lip of the faithful

21He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.weakeneth…: or, looseth the girdle of the strong

22He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

23He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.straiteneth: Heb. leadeth in

24He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

25They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

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Psalm 142

Maschil of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave.

1I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication.Maschil…: or, A Psalm of David, giving instruction

2I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.

3When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.

4I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.I looked…: or, Look on the right hand, and seefailed…: Heb. perished from mecared…: Heb. sought after

5I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.

6Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.

7Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.

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2nd Corinthians 13

1This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

2I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare:

3Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.

4For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.

5Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

6But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.

7Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.

8For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

9For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.

10Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.

11Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

12Greet one another with an holy kiss.

13All the saints salute you.

14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.