Monday 6 January 2014

TFTD - 04 January 2014 - Thoughts from Today's Bible Readings

04 January 2014

Genesis 7; 8
Psalms 9; 10
Matthew 6

"THE LORD IS KING FOREVER AND EVER"

David in the Psalms reveals how he goes through various moods as he pens his thoughts. He, like us all, goes through different situations in life. Sometimes he is inspired by the wonder of God, all that he is, his majesty [Psalm 8:1]. Sometimes he wonders why God takes any notice of human beings [Psalm 8:4]. Sometimes he is filled with a spirit of thankfulness toward God [Psalm 9:1] Sometimes he looks into the future and sees the need for God to discipline the nations, "Arise O LORD! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before you! Put them in fear, O LORD! Let the nations know that they are but men! [Psalm 9:19,20]

But at other times, David is perplexed, just as we saw that Job was perplexed, and commences a Psalm with questions, "Why O LORD do you stand afar off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? [Psalm 10:1] Yet, in just about every Psalm that starts in this and similar ways, by the time he reaches the end his mind has re-focused on positive attitudes of thinking. In this Psalm he is frustrated, just as we are, by the attitudes that are prevalent around him; "the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD … all his thoughts are, 'there is no God' " [Psalm 10:3,4]

David proceeds to ask more questions, "Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, 'you will not call to account'?" [Psalm 10:13]. We are also reading Genesis and we see there how the wicked were dramatically called to account! God destroyed them all with a flood. Now note this Psalm's final verses, they are a declaration of God's ultimate acts, "The LORD is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land" But of the afflicted he says, "you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear" [Psalm 10:16,17]

Thought for the Day

04 January 2014

"A star shone at his birth, and was seen by Magi in the East as a sign; and the star which is the herald of dawn, or the rising sun itself the bringer of dawn, become his symbols. Both are light givers, and become the symbols of the righteousness and peace which will spread over the world as the morning of a new day - and that day a Sabbath of rest - in the history of God’s creation."

- L.G. Sargent
The Morning Star (1952)

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