Don't Hinder the Children...
Psalm 62
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.
1 Truly my soul finds rest in God;
my salvation comes from him.
2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
3 How long will you assault me?
Would all of you throw me down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
4 Surely they intend to topple me
from my lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse.
5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
6 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
9 Surely the lowborn are but a breath,
the highborn are but a lie.
If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion
or put vain hope in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.
11 One thing God has spoken,
two things I have heard:
“Power belongs to you, God,
12 and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”;
and, “You reward everyone
according to what they have done.”
Reflection:
Taken from Working Preacher.org, (Rolf Jacobsen, OT Professor at Luther Seminary my alma mater )
“So what is this psalm? It is one part trust and one part instruction. As for the part that is "trust," this keynote is evident in the refrain (noted above, verses 1, 5) as well as in the closing expression of confidence, which confesses "that power belongs to God, and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord."
Putting the elements of "trust" and "instruction" together, Psalm 62 is a poem of "instruction about trust." The psalm is an instructional meditation that offers to teach something about the life of faith (the life of trust).
Learning a Lot from a Little Particle -- 'ak
That great master of the malapropism, Yogi Berra, is reputed once to have quipped, "You can observe a lot, just by watching." When it comes to Psalm 62, the careful reader might observe a very small Hebrew word -- which seems to occur quite a lot in this short poem. Such a reader might notice that the Hebrew word 'ak occurs six times in this short poem.
For comparison sake, the term occurs only 24 times in the entire Psalter -- and in each case, the term begins a sentence -- which means that 25 percent of the occurrences of the word occur in this short poem. The term carries both a restrictive meaning -- "only" or "alone" -- as well as an asserverative meaning -- "truly" or "indeed."2 The poem plays on the dual meaning of term to make a theological point. Here are the six sentences that begin with the term:
verse 1 For God alone ('ak) my soul waits in silence. . .
verse 2 He alone ('ak) is my rock and my salvation. . .
verse 4 Their only ('ak) plan is to bring down a person of prominence. . .
verse 5 For God alone ('ak) my soul waits in silence. . .
verse 6 He alone ('ak) is my rock and my salvation. . .
verse 9 Those of low estate are but ('ak) a breath.
And that is the big faith-lesson conveyed by this small particle in this short psalm. The life of faith (the "way of trust in the Lord") carries both restrictive and asseverative qualifications. To trust in the Lord, according to the Israel's scriptures, means to trust in the Lord alone. As the Great Shema puts it, "Hear O Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one."
Meaning, we have one God -- and only one God. But, moreover, to have only one God is to know exactly, precisely, definitively to whom we entrust our lives -- to God indeed! Those who follow Abraham and Sarah's God are spared the confusion of those who either worship many gods -- whom shall we trust in this matter? -- or of those who trust no gods -- in what shall I trust? Those who follow Abraham and Sarah's God trust in God alone, and in God indeed.”
Numbers 3:33-4:14
38 Moses and Aaron and his sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, in front of the tent of meeting. They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary on behalf of the Israelites. Anyone else who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.
39 The total number of Levites counted at the Lord’s command by Moses and Aaron according to their clans, including every male a month old or more, was 22,000. 40 The Lord said to Moses, “Count all the firstborn Israelite males who are a month old or more and make a list of their names. 41 Take the Levites for me in place of all the firstborn of the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites. I am the Lord.”42 So Moses counted all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the Lord commanded him. 43 The total number of firstborn males a month old or more, listed by name, was 22,273.44 The Lord also said to Moses, 45 “Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites are to be mine. I am the Lord. 46 To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of the Levites, 47 collect five shekels[a] for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. 48 Give the money for the redemption of the additional Israelites to Aaron and his sons.” 49 So Moses collected the redemption money from those who exceeded the number redeemed by the Levites. 50 From the firstborn of the Israelites he collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels,[b] according to the sanctuary shekel. 51 Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.
Reflection: We see how serious God is about the exchange of Levites for the first born males of Israel. The Levites number 22,000 and the firstborn Israelites number 22,273. So doing the math, there is 273 that need to be redeemed. So to make up the difference the Lord asks Moses to collect 5 shekels from each one who exceeded the number. This reminds us that this word “redeem” is such a key word all throughout the bible. The word means to buy back and we see its true meaning when Jesus redeems us, or buys us back on the cross through his atoning sacrifice. His life in exchange for our life! And God’s accounting plan is still intact.
Mark 10:13-31
The Little Children and Jesus
13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
The Rich and the Kingdom of God
17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
Reflections: It is important to see these two passages together to get the full weight of Jesus’ teaching. In the first story Jesus commends the faith of the little child and says, “To such belongs the kingdom”. He rebukes the disciples who think those bringing these kids are disturbing him, after all doesn’t he have more important things to do.
Then a rich, young ruler comes along and on his knees asks Jesus what he can do to inherit eternal life. Jesus gives him a severe challenge, “Go give all you have to the poor so you will have a treasure in heaven.” The man walks away sad. Then when the disciples question Jesus on this point he says it is harder for the camel to enter the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom. What gives? On one hand Jesus seems to give an easy requirement “the faith of the child” and then he says, “you must sell everything to enter the kingdom”?
The difference lies in one aspect, faith. The child humbly comes trusting in Jesus, and knows he can do nothing but put his trust in Him. The rich man says, “What must I do to enter into eternal life.” Just as he has bought everything else in life, he is trying to buy Jesus. But Jesus is trying to teach him what it really means to follow him and also teach his disciples as well.
Many try to figure out if a camel can actually go through the eye of the needle and various interpretations have tried to show how that might happen, but I think these interpretations are missing the point. Jesus is pointing out that when someone is relying on themselves for riches it is literally and figuratively impossible to enter God’s kingdom. Why? Because the secret of coming into God’s kingdom is giving up control and trust and surrendering to God’s will not mine. A child has it down, but as we grow up we lose the ability to trust and have faith. Yet faith is a gift given to us, and as we surrender control and come to God like a child, we too can enter into God’s kingdom and even expand it through His power working in us!
Do not say, 'I am a youth,' because everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak. Jeremiah 1:7 (NASB)
Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 2:1
God, you call us, young and old, influential and unknown, to be part of your dream for your creation. Help us see how we can labor with you, how you equip us to be about your tasks and how your grace surrounds us in both our strength and our weakness. Amen.
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.
1 Truly my soul finds rest in God;
my salvation comes from him.
2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
3 How long will you assault me?
Would all of you throw me down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
4 Surely they intend to topple me
from my lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse.
5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
6 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
9 Surely the lowborn are but a breath,
the highborn are but a lie.
If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion
or put vain hope in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.
11 One thing God has spoken,
two things I have heard:
“Power belongs to you, God,
12 and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”;
and, “You reward everyone
according to what they have done.”
Reflection:
Taken from Working Preacher.org, (Rolf Jacobsen, OT Professor at Luther Seminary my alma mater )
“So what is this psalm? It is one part trust and one part instruction. As for the part that is "trust," this keynote is evident in the refrain (noted above, verses 1, 5) as well as in the closing expression of confidence, which confesses "that power belongs to God, and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord."
Putting the elements of "trust" and "instruction" together, Psalm 62 is a poem of "instruction about trust." The psalm is an instructional meditation that offers to teach something about the life of faith (the life of trust).
Learning a Lot from a Little Particle -- 'ak
That great master of the malapropism, Yogi Berra, is reputed once to have quipped, "You can observe a lot, just by watching." When it comes to Psalm 62, the careful reader might observe a very small Hebrew word -- which seems to occur quite a lot in this short poem. Such a reader might notice that the Hebrew word 'ak occurs six times in this short poem.
For comparison sake, the term occurs only 24 times in the entire Psalter -- and in each case, the term begins a sentence -- which means that 25 percent of the occurrences of the word occur in this short poem. The term carries both a restrictive meaning -- "only" or "alone" -- as well as an asserverative meaning -- "truly" or "indeed."2 The poem plays on the dual meaning of term to make a theological point. Here are the six sentences that begin with the term:
verse 1 For God alone ('ak) my soul waits in silence. . .
verse 2 He alone ('ak) is my rock and my salvation. . .
verse 4 Their only ('ak) plan is to bring down a person of prominence. . .
verse 5 For God alone ('ak) my soul waits in silence. . .
verse 6 He alone ('ak) is my rock and my salvation. . .
verse 9 Those of low estate are but ('ak) a breath.
And that is the big faith-lesson conveyed by this small particle in this short psalm. The life of faith (the "way of trust in the Lord") carries both restrictive and asseverative qualifications. To trust in the Lord, according to the Israel's scriptures, means to trust in the Lord alone. As the Great Shema puts it, "Hear O Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one."
Meaning, we have one God -- and only one God. But, moreover, to have only one God is to know exactly, precisely, definitively to whom we entrust our lives -- to God indeed! Those who follow Abraham and Sarah's God are spared the confusion of those who either worship many gods -- whom shall we trust in this matter? -- or of those who trust no gods -- in what shall I trust? Those who follow Abraham and Sarah's God trust in God alone, and in God indeed.”
Numbers 3:33-4:14
38 Moses and Aaron and his sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, in front of the tent of meeting. They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary on behalf of the Israelites. Anyone else who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.
39 The total number of Levites counted at the Lord’s command by Moses and Aaron according to their clans, including every male a month old or more, was 22,000. 40 The Lord said to Moses, “Count all the firstborn Israelite males who are a month old or more and make a list of their names. 41 Take the Levites for me in place of all the firstborn of the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites. I am the Lord.”42 So Moses counted all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the Lord commanded him. 43 The total number of firstborn males a month old or more, listed by name, was 22,273.44 The Lord also said to Moses, 45 “Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites are to be mine. I am the Lord. 46 To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of the Levites, 47 collect five shekels[a] for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. 48 Give the money for the redemption of the additional Israelites to Aaron and his sons.” 49 So Moses collected the redemption money from those who exceeded the number redeemed by the Levites. 50 From the firstborn of the Israelites he collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels,[b] according to the sanctuary shekel. 51 Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.
Reflection: We see how serious God is about the exchange of Levites for the first born males of Israel. The Levites number 22,000 and the firstborn Israelites number 22,273. So doing the math, there is 273 that need to be redeemed. So to make up the difference the Lord asks Moses to collect 5 shekels from each one who exceeded the number. This reminds us that this word “redeem” is such a key word all throughout the bible. The word means to buy back and we see its true meaning when Jesus redeems us, or buys us back on the cross through his atoning sacrifice. His life in exchange for our life! And God’s accounting plan is still intact.
Mark 10:13-31
The Little Children and Jesus
13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
The Rich and the Kingdom of God
17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
Reflections: It is important to see these two passages together to get the full weight of Jesus’ teaching. In the first story Jesus commends the faith of the little child and says, “To such belongs the kingdom”. He rebukes the disciples who think those bringing these kids are disturbing him, after all doesn’t he have more important things to do.
Then a rich, young ruler comes along and on his knees asks Jesus what he can do to inherit eternal life. Jesus gives him a severe challenge, “Go give all you have to the poor so you will have a treasure in heaven.” The man walks away sad. Then when the disciples question Jesus on this point he says it is harder for the camel to enter the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom. What gives? On one hand Jesus seems to give an easy requirement “the faith of the child” and then he says, “you must sell everything to enter the kingdom”?
The difference lies in one aspect, faith. The child humbly comes trusting in Jesus, and knows he can do nothing but put his trust in Him. The rich man says, “What must I do to enter into eternal life.” Just as he has bought everything else in life, he is trying to buy Jesus. But Jesus is trying to teach him what it really means to follow him and also teach his disciples as well.
Many try to figure out if a camel can actually go through the eye of the needle and various interpretations have tried to show how that might happen, but I think these interpretations are missing the point. Jesus is pointing out that when someone is relying on themselves for riches it is literally and figuratively impossible to enter God’s kingdom. Why? Because the secret of coming into God’s kingdom is giving up control and trust and surrendering to God’s will not mine. A child has it down, but as we grow up we lose the ability to trust and have faith. Yet faith is a gift given to us, and as we surrender control and come to God like a child, we too can enter into God’s kingdom and even expand it through His power working in us!
Do not say, 'I am a youth,' because everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak. Jeremiah 1:7 (NASB)
Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 2:1
God, you call us, young and old, influential and unknown, to be part of your dream for your creation. Help us see how we can labor with you, how you equip us to be about your tasks and how your grace surrounds us in both our strength and our weakness. Amen.
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