Blessed Are You Among Women
Psalm 73:21-28
21 When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.
23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
27 Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.
Reflections: Here we see the psalmist coming out of a particularly difficult temptation and time of trial. He admits that when he was tempted to be led astray, he was like a senseless beast. Often when we succumb to temptation it is without thought and very reactive. A beast only reacts to its own animal instincts, and when we are carried along by sin we are similar. But amidst the struggle the psalmist was wise enough to remember that God was with him.
In his thought life he was able to correct his false thinking with the truth. The truth that God is all he needed. The truth that even though things on earth might not go the way he wanted, his portion in heaven was secure and could never be taken. The truth is that as he went near to God, he would be given the strength to endure the temptation because God was his refuge.
What do you do when you are tempted? Do you draw near to God or draw away? We are all tempted in many ways and our response to it will belie our success in overcoming by His mighty power which works within us as we draw near to God!
Numbers 26:57-27:23
Joshua to Succeed Moses
12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain in the Abarim Range and see the land I have given the Israelites. 13 After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, 14 for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin, both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy before their eyes.” (These were the waters of Meribah Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)15 Moses said to the Lord, 16 “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community 17 to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership, and lay your hand on him. 19 Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. 20 Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him. 21 He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”22 Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. 23 Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the Lord instructed through Moses.
Reflections: We see even though Moses was not able to go into the Promised Land to conquer it, Moses did not sulk or become reluctant to help anoint a successor. In fact, Moses even requests it showing his heart for the people and for God’s purposes to be accomplished. Moses heart was that the people would not be like “sheep without a shepherd”. He has a heart like the Lord who when He came to see the people of Israel as they were scattered due to the diaspora, that they are like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus desired to gather these people together like a hen gathers her chicks.
Though Moses was an amazing servant of the Lord, and leader of God’s people, he had his weaknesses like everybody else. But in the end, Moses takes the high road and cares more about the people than his own personal success. Sometimes we may not be able to see the finish of what we started, but if we have a shepherd’s heart, we will care more about the outcome according to God’s will then our part in it.
Luke 1:39-45
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Reflections: Here we have the providential meeting between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth. Or we could say the meeting of Jesus and John the Baptist for the first time. John gives a portent of what he will be like when he is born, as he leaps in his mother’s womb. John was the forerunner to Jesus, and he already takes this role on, as he is the first to recognize the Messiah even now.
Elizabeth realizes the monumental moment, as Mary in faith goes to check out whether what the angel Gabriel told her was true. Elizabeth not knowing what has happened is informed by the power of the Holy Spirit within her, what is really going on. She recognizes that Mary is the mother of her Lord, much like her son John will be the first to announce it. In this moment they are both blessed because they have believed in the word of the Lord and the world will be blessed by both of their faithfulness to trust in God’s Word to them.
Where do you struggle to trust God’s Word even when it seems counter cultural or against even logic? As we trust in Christ God’s Word, we will be able to announce our Lord’s coming in ways we would never think possible.
There is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered. Psalm 130:4
As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. 2 Corinthians 6:1 (NIV)
Gracious God, we come to you with humble hearts, seeking reconciliation with you, with each other, and with ourselves. Help us to receive your grace. As you have forgiven us, may we also forgive others and ourselves. Amen.
21 When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.
23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
27 Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.
Reflections: Here we see the psalmist coming out of a particularly difficult temptation and time of trial. He admits that when he was tempted to be led astray, he was like a senseless beast. Often when we succumb to temptation it is without thought and very reactive. A beast only reacts to its own animal instincts, and when we are carried along by sin we are similar. But amidst the struggle the psalmist was wise enough to remember that God was with him.
In his thought life he was able to correct his false thinking with the truth. The truth that God is all he needed. The truth that even though things on earth might not go the way he wanted, his portion in heaven was secure and could never be taken. The truth is that as he went near to God, he would be given the strength to endure the temptation because God was his refuge.
What do you do when you are tempted? Do you draw near to God or draw away? We are all tempted in many ways and our response to it will belie our success in overcoming by His mighty power which works within us as we draw near to God!
Numbers 26:57-27:23
Joshua to Succeed Moses
12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain in the Abarim Range and see the land I have given the Israelites. 13 After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, 14 for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin, both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy before their eyes.” (These were the waters of Meribah Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)15 Moses said to the Lord, 16 “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community 17 to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership, and lay your hand on him. 19 Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. 20 Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him. 21 He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”22 Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. 23 Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the Lord instructed through Moses.
Reflections: We see even though Moses was not able to go into the Promised Land to conquer it, Moses did not sulk or become reluctant to help anoint a successor. In fact, Moses even requests it showing his heart for the people and for God’s purposes to be accomplished. Moses heart was that the people would not be like “sheep without a shepherd”. He has a heart like the Lord who when He came to see the people of Israel as they were scattered due to the diaspora, that they are like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus desired to gather these people together like a hen gathers her chicks.
Though Moses was an amazing servant of the Lord, and leader of God’s people, he had his weaknesses like everybody else. But in the end, Moses takes the high road and cares more about the people than his own personal success. Sometimes we may not be able to see the finish of what we started, but if we have a shepherd’s heart, we will care more about the outcome according to God’s will then our part in it.
Luke 1:39-45
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Reflections: Here we have the providential meeting between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth. Or we could say the meeting of Jesus and John the Baptist for the first time. John gives a portent of what he will be like when he is born, as he leaps in his mother’s womb. John was the forerunner to Jesus, and he already takes this role on, as he is the first to recognize the Messiah even now.
Elizabeth realizes the monumental moment, as Mary in faith goes to check out whether what the angel Gabriel told her was true. Elizabeth not knowing what has happened is informed by the power of the Holy Spirit within her, what is really going on. She recognizes that Mary is the mother of her Lord, much like her son John will be the first to announce it. In this moment they are both blessed because they have believed in the word of the Lord and the world will be blessed by both of their faithfulness to trust in God’s Word to them.
Where do you struggle to trust God’s Word even when it seems counter cultural or against even logic? As we trust in Christ God’s Word, we will be able to announce our Lord’s coming in ways we would never think possible.
There is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered. Psalm 130:4
As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. 2 Corinthians 6:1 (NIV)
Gracious God, we come to you with humble hearts, seeking reconciliation with you, with each other, and with ourselves. Help us to receive your grace. As you have forgiven us, may we also forgive others and ourselves. Amen.
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