Unlikely Characters...
Note: I will be on vacation through Labor Day and not able to access a computer so this will be the last Daily Bread for a while. You can continue to access the Moravian Daily Texts to keep up with the reading through their website:
http://www.moravian.org/faith-a-congregations/moravian-daily-texts.html
The daily texts are on the right side of the website!
Reflections: One of the beautiful things about the bible is the realness of the stories and the characters. It adds to the authenticity, when you see the variety of people God uses in the Story. Today in the Psalms we read of a lament song by an unknown author. We hear about a person who was afflicted and grown weak, yet still had the strength to cry out to God in His distress. There were no quick fixes here, only a man hoping God would restore His health and wondering if it was because of God’s wrath that He was suffering. I think all of us can relate to those times when we wonder if God is punishing us for something we have done wrong when we are suffering. And yet the important thing is this person was still reaching out for God and crying for His help. He had not yet gotten to the point where he didn’t think his lament/prayer could somehow change the situation.
As we continue our journey through the Judges we see the pattern that Israel had gotten into. We call doing the same thing “all over again and expecting different results” insanity, yet we see Israel continuing back in its previous idolatrous pattern after its previous judge, Ehud had died. This time God raises up a woman, who was also a prophet. For those who make the argument that women shouldn’t speak publicly and/or teach for the Lord, here in the Old Testament we have an instance/precedence for a woman to speak on behalf of God. Not only does Deborah speak with authority on behalf of the Lord, but Barak has so much respect for her authority/power, that he asks her to accompany him to conquer King Sisera. Deborah agrees but tells Barak that this will diminish some of the honor accorded to him, since it would be said Sisera was delivered into the hands Deborah. Women today continue to help lead the church and be a voice for God. The argument that women should not teach in church based on Paul’s teaching in Corinthians (a church where women had misused their spiritual freedom), does not hold the weight when looking at the whole of scripture and the many examples of women being used by God in the story of redemption and proclamation of the gospel.
Finally, in our gospel lesson, we see the despised tax collector Zaccheus, spotted by Jesus who invites himself over to Zaccheus’ house, much to the chagrin of the judgmental Pharisees who mutter about it! Zaccheus is not only seeking Jesus, but ready to repent by giving back half of what he possessed to the poor and also a willingness to pay back anyone he had cheated four times the amount he had taken. Notice the combination of being willing to follow Jesus, and also make amends for the unjust lifestyle he had led. Jesus honors not only his willingness to accept him, but also his act of repentance and says, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham.” Zaccheus exhibits the same faith as Abraham did in following God by faith, and it is credited to him as righteousness and he is saved.
So again today in these 3 biblical stories we see God using all sorts of people to accomplish His purposes. We see it through a person wondering where God is at in their suffering, yet continuing to cry out to God. We see it in a woman who defied culture by leading the people both by her prophetic word and action to victory. And finally, through a man who despite being hated by society, trusted in Jesus’ unconditional acceptance and was willing to repent of his wrong doing and follow Him!
Which character do you relate to? How is God calling you to step out and trust Him despite your circumstances? May these 3 saints of God encourage you that God is faithful to those who follow Him and trust in Him with all their hearts and lives despite their circumstances that surround them!
Psalm 102:1-11
A prayer of an afflicted person who has grown weak and pours out a lament before the Lord.
1 Hear my prayer, Lord;
let my cry for help come to you.
2 Do not hide your face from me
when I am in distress.
Turn your ear to me;
when I call, answer me quickly.
3 For my days vanish like smoke;
my bones burn like glowing embers.
4 My heart is blighted and withered like grass;
I forget to eat my food.
5 In my distress I groan aloud
and am reduced to skin and bones.
6 I am like a desert owl,
like an owl among the ruins.
7 I lie awake; I have become
like a bird alone on a roof.
8 All day long my enemies taunt me;
those who rail against me use my name as a curse.
9 For I eat ashes as my food
and mingle my drink with tears
10 because of your great wrath,
for you have taken me up and thrown me aside.
11 My days are like the evening shadow;
I wither away like grass.
Judges 4
Deborah
4 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, now that Ehud was dead. 2 So the Lord sold them into the hands of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. Sisera, the commander of his army, was based in Harosheth Haggoyim. 3 Because he had nine hundred chariots fitted with iron and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the Lord for help. 4 Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. 5 She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided. 6 She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor. 7 I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands. ’”8 Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.” 9 “Certainly I will go with you,” said Deborah. “But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 There Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali, and ten thousand men went up under his command. Deborah also went up with him. 11 Now Heber the Kenite had left the other Kenites, the descendants of Hobab, Moses’ brother-in-law, and pitched his tent by the great tree in Zaanannim near Kedesh. 12 When they told Sisera that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, 13 Sisera summoned from Harosheth Haggoyim to the Kishon River all his men and his nine hundred chariots fitted with iron.14 Then Deborah said to Barak, “Go! This is the day the Lord has given Sisera into your hands. Has not the Lord gone ahead of you?” So Barak went down Mount Tabor, with ten thousand men following him. 15 At Barak’s advance, the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and army by the sword, and Sisera got down from his chariot and fled on foot.
Luke 19:1-10
Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” 8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Psalm 103:22
Christ says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” Matthew 28:19
We hear the call to share your Gospel with all nations, our Redeemer, but we cannot always go ourselves. Remind us that sharing the Gospel with our neighbors or those in need in our own communities also answers your call. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
† On this day in 1732, the first missionaries departed from Herrnhut bound for St. Thomas.
http://www.moravian.org/faith-a-congregations/moravian-daily-texts.html
The daily texts are on the right side of the website!
Reflections: One of the beautiful things about the bible is the realness of the stories and the characters. It adds to the authenticity, when you see the variety of people God uses in the Story. Today in the Psalms we read of a lament song by an unknown author. We hear about a person who was afflicted and grown weak, yet still had the strength to cry out to God in His distress. There were no quick fixes here, only a man hoping God would restore His health and wondering if it was because of God’s wrath that He was suffering. I think all of us can relate to those times when we wonder if God is punishing us for something we have done wrong when we are suffering. And yet the important thing is this person was still reaching out for God and crying for His help. He had not yet gotten to the point where he didn’t think his lament/prayer could somehow change the situation.
As we continue our journey through the Judges we see the pattern that Israel had gotten into. We call doing the same thing “all over again and expecting different results” insanity, yet we see Israel continuing back in its previous idolatrous pattern after its previous judge, Ehud had died. This time God raises up a woman, who was also a prophet. For those who make the argument that women shouldn’t speak publicly and/or teach for the Lord, here in the Old Testament we have an instance/precedence for a woman to speak on behalf of God. Not only does Deborah speak with authority on behalf of the Lord, but Barak has so much respect for her authority/power, that he asks her to accompany him to conquer King Sisera. Deborah agrees but tells Barak that this will diminish some of the honor accorded to him, since it would be said Sisera was delivered into the hands Deborah. Women today continue to help lead the church and be a voice for God. The argument that women should not teach in church based on Paul’s teaching in Corinthians (a church where women had misused their spiritual freedom), does not hold the weight when looking at the whole of scripture and the many examples of women being used by God in the story of redemption and proclamation of the gospel.
Finally, in our gospel lesson, we see the despised tax collector Zaccheus, spotted by Jesus who invites himself over to Zaccheus’ house, much to the chagrin of the judgmental Pharisees who mutter about it! Zaccheus is not only seeking Jesus, but ready to repent by giving back half of what he possessed to the poor and also a willingness to pay back anyone he had cheated four times the amount he had taken. Notice the combination of being willing to follow Jesus, and also make amends for the unjust lifestyle he had led. Jesus honors not only his willingness to accept him, but also his act of repentance and says, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham.” Zaccheus exhibits the same faith as Abraham did in following God by faith, and it is credited to him as righteousness and he is saved.
So again today in these 3 biblical stories we see God using all sorts of people to accomplish His purposes. We see it through a person wondering where God is at in their suffering, yet continuing to cry out to God. We see it in a woman who defied culture by leading the people both by her prophetic word and action to victory. And finally, through a man who despite being hated by society, trusted in Jesus’ unconditional acceptance and was willing to repent of his wrong doing and follow Him!
Which character do you relate to? How is God calling you to step out and trust Him despite your circumstances? May these 3 saints of God encourage you that God is faithful to those who follow Him and trust in Him with all their hearts and lives despite their circumstances that surround them!
Psalm 102:1-11
A prayer of an afflicted person who has grown weak and pours out a lament before the Lord.
1 Hear my prayer, Lord;
let my cry for help come to you.
2 Do not hide your face from me
when I am in distress.
Turn your ear to me;
when I call, answer me quickly.
3 For my days vanish like smoke;
my bones burn like glowing embers.
4 My heart is blighted and withered like grass;
I forget to eat my food.
5 In my distress I groan aloud
and am reduced to skin and bones.
6 I am like a desert owl,
like an owl among the ruins.
7 I lie awake; I have become
like a bird alone on a roof.
8 All day long my enemies taunt me;
those who rail against me use my name as a curse.
9 For I eat ashes as my food
and mingle my drink with tears
10 because of your great wrath,
for you have taken me up and thrown me aside.
11 My days are like the evening shadow;
I wither away like grass.
Judges 4
Deborah
4 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, now that Ehud was dead. 2 So the Lord sold them into the hands of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. Sisera, the commander of his army, was based in Harosheth Haggoyim. 3 Because he had nine hundred chariots fitted with iron and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the Lord for help. 4 Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. 5 She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided. 6 She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor. 7 I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands. ’”8 Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.” 9 “Certainly I will go with you,” said Deborah. “But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 There Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali, and ten thousand men went up under his command. Deborah also went up with him. 11 Now Heber the Kenite had left the other Kenites, the descendants of Hobab, Moses’ brother-in-law, and pitched his tent by the great tree in Zaanannim near Kedesh. 12 When they told Sisera that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, 13 Sisera summoned from Harosheth Haggoyim to the Kishon River all his men and his nine hundred chariots fitted with iron.14 Then Deborah said to Barak, “Go! This is the day the Lord has given Sisera into your hands. Has not the Lord gone ahead of you?” So Barak went down Mount Tabor, with ten thousand men following him. 15 At Barak’s advance, the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and army by the sword, and Sisera got down from his chariot and fled on foot.
Luke 19:1-10
Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” 8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Psalm 103:22
Christ says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” Matthew 28:19
We hear the call to share your Gospel with all nations, our Redeemer, but we cannot always go ourselves. Remind us that sharing the Gospel with our neighbors or those in need in our own communities also answers your call. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
† On this day in 1732, the first missionaries departed from Herrnhut bound for St. Thomas.
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