Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 17 August 2017

G'day to all (said in his best Australian accent).
Dear Wife is still feeling awful.  I had a whole lot of around-the-house construction work planned for this week, and haven't touched it, what with taking care of her, and then needing to be very quiet when she would fall into a much needed sleep.  So I have stuff piled all around in disarray and it makes the place look even less organized and tidy than usual, which is saying something. 
Sometimes life intrudes on our plans.  I'm not driving this bus.



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Our reading in the Old Testament today is Psalms 107 and 108.  Praise.  You may see just a bit of a constant theme here.  Which is not so bad.
I call particular attention to verse #2.  Let the redeemed of the Lord SAY SO!!"  It's not supposed to be a secret, after all.

Psalm 107

1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; 3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. 4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. 5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. 6 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. 7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. 8 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. 10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; 11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: 12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. 13 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. 15 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 16 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder. 17 Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. 18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. 19 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. 20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. 21 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. 23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; 24 These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. 25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. 26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. 27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end. 28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. 29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. 30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. 31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. 33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground; 34 A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. 35 He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings. 36 And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation; 37 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. 38 He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease. 39 Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. 40 He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way. 41 Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock. 42 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. 43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.

Psalm 108

1 O god, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. 2 Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. 3 I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. 4 For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. 5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth; 6 That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me. 7 God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. 8 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver; 9 Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia will I triumph. 10 Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? 11 Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts? 12 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. 13 Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.

a good song captures some of that.  Be Exalted O God
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The New Testament reading today is verses 21-33 in chapter 15 of the Epistle to the Romans.
Paul is winding down this document.  But there's some interesting stuff here.
One that caught my eye was his reference to plans to go to Spain.  Now, there is no Biblical reference to  him ever being in Spain.  None.  But there are numerous accounts elsewhere.  Now, a caution:  legends of all kinds can be found everywhere you look, and examples of that are not hard to find.  Even today.  But some of these accounts have been pretty reliable in the past, as say, from Jerome.  It's an interesting question.  In this case, the term "Spain" would probably mean the Iberian Penninsula adjacent to the Mediterranean, as Paul would likely have had to go by ship.  So it doesn't mean the interior regions, like Madrid or Seville, but coastal.  Now, for a typically land-based people like the Hebrews, we don't think of them as being sea-faring.  But there are certainly Biblical references to the city-state of Tarshish.  And Tarshish is, supposedly, on the Iberian Penninsula of Spain, but on the side beyond the Mediterranean Sea, on the Atlantic Ocean!  So Spain on the Mediterranean side was certainly not the unknown world. 
(And, yes, like some other things, there are disagreements even on this.  Some scholars believe that Tarshish was on the island of Sardinia, in the Mediterranean between Italy and Spain.)
There are some interesting viewpoints on this at web sites like the Bible Archeologist and Biblical Hermeneutics.  Does it matter?  A bit.  For it displays the intention of the evangelists of the Early Church to carry the Gospel wherever they could.  The Pax Romana prevailing at the time enabled them, even in the first century, to carry that Word to the far reaches of the  known world.  No matter what.  No, he probably didn't make it to Britain and Ireland, though some believe that he did.  But, all in all, not bad for a tent-maker's son from central Turkey.

Romans 15:21-33

21 But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.  

22 For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you.  

23 But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you;  

24 Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company. 

25 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.  

26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.  

27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.  

28 When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.  

29 And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.  

30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;  

31 That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;  

32 That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.  

33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.