Today's Readings and Stuff -- Monday, 28 August 2017

Counting down the days to the end of August.  Then September.  Then, a few weeks later, the official first day of Autumn on 22 September..  And the change to "Standard Time" thereafter on 5 November.  Christmas is 118 days from now.
No, I'm not in my best mood.

And I've been thoughtful today, in no small part from our readings for the day.
In this case, Psalm 137.  Which, in a roundabout way of things, led be also to Psalm 19:14

Psalm 137 was composed out of the Babylonian captivity.  Their nation and homes destroyed, wholesale and gruesome slaughter before their eyes, including of babies and pregnant women, and taken away as slaves to a far-off land.  Utter hopelessness.  Except for their faith in the Lord.
And, then, their captors wanted to hear them sing.  How could they sing in joy?
There are some things that vary greatly between cultures and between individuals.  I am not one who has or ever really has had a sense of "this is home".  Never have had.  Part of that came out of life, having attended three different schools as a kid and 3 colleges as an adult, having lived in six different houses as a kid, and now twenty-two places as an adult, I have understanding of being an outsider.  Can still recall in 4th grade, moving to a new district, a different house, a new school, and immediately being tagged as a stranger.  A "distinction" that I held until high school graduation, and got beat up at lunch time more often than not.
Wife, in contrast, was accustomed to living next door or VERY close to extended family, and suffered greatly from that lack during our decades of living far away.  That is common in many cultures.
The Jews, then and even today, by and large regard Israel, the Promised Land, as their only legitimate home.  To be taken by force from a place almost in their DNA was painful in the extreme.  Even today, many conclude a gathering with the words, "Next year in Jerusalem!", and mean it.  So how can they sing?
Which led me to a different sort of "song of the day".  "By the Rivers of Babylon".  It's not, strictly, a hymn, but pretty much follows the words of that Psalm 137, and includes the words of Psalm 19:14 as mentioned.
Which gets me into another train of thought.  Psalm 19:14 has these words,

"¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer."

 And THAT gets us into some stuff.  Heavy stuff.  Look-at-your-heart stuff.  Are the meditations of my heart, ALL of them, be acceptable in His sight?  I have to admit that is not always the case, and that is putting it mildly.
And then, there is that word "Redeemer".  We don't hear it much any more.  The very concept is foreign to many of us, if not utterly objectionable.  Yet it is real, and it is there, and it is true.  Just as slaves were redeemed by the payment of a price, we too are redeemed from slavery to our inherent sin nature.  That sin nature is, itself, a currently out of favor idea and concept, and one little heard or considered.  And has inspired several songs, "Redeemed How I Love to Proclaim It" is one.  Or this one, and don't skip the brief intro.  Jessy has passed over, but he left some good memories.

As I said, a day for some deep thoughts.

Oh, and lest I forget.  Yes, the imagery in the last verse of Psalm 137 is gruesome itself.  I can not imagine doing such a thing.  But such things were done, matter-of-factly in that place and time, and still occur today, notably where the heathens of Islam hold sway.  It was and is part of a pattern of attempts to destroy a people group utterly.  Still happens, ask the Yazidi, the Kurds, and Hindus, for example,  Or in the Philippines on Mindanao.  And MANY other  places.

===============================
================================

The day's reading in the Old Testament is Psalms 136, 137, and 138.

Psalm 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.

Psalm 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.

Psalm 138

1 I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee. 2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. 3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. 4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth. 5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD. 6 Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. 8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

=================================
================================

The New Testament reading today is chapter 9 of 1st Corinthians. 
Another one that merits being chewed on for a good bit.  Paul did not make the mistake that all too many of us make, that of going only to his own kind.  No, he went where the Lord directed him, to where the real need was.  That's not often the case any more, is it?


I Corinthians 9

1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? 2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. 3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this, 4 Have we not power to eat and to drink? 5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? 6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? 7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? 8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? 9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? 10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. 11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? 12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. 13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? 14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. 15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. 16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! 17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. 18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. 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. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.