March 13, 2025: Thursday Bible Study on Psalm 9:19-10:18
Good morning, dear friends in Christ. I hope that you are preparing for some pretty high winds later this morning and through the afternoon today. Even though it brings much needed rain, few of us relish that high wind warning time when it comes. Today we must remember all who are being affected by the radical changes in the nature and size of the United States Government. There is a great deal of uncertainty for people who have received benefits which make it possible for them to be in low-cost subsidized housing, which may soon be unavailable. This affects every one of us, our families, our congregation, and a lot more. Prayers now should be for smooth transitions to alternative sources of aid in order that low-cost housing will still be available through the work of people of goodwill who are willing to fill in the gaps which may be coming.
Our world is full of all kinds of problems, all of which appear to be made by people, and our Psalm for today presents for us a means by which we can see how it is that God, in the face of it all, must be praised. This part of these connected Psalms fills in the end, but at the start of this passage today we have how irresponsible people are. In fact, this Psalm sees every problem which David may have been facing as a result of the unfaithful. There is a real connection here to Christ's Beatitudes in the Gospel of Matthew. Christ's reminder for what is holy and right and good, in the way that His children live compassionate lives in word and deed, identifying with the needs of those who are certainly less fortunate in so many parts of their lives. This Psalm indicates that those responsible for suppressing others, those who live with a great deal of power and authority, who see everyone else as inferior, are not acting out of their faith in God, or a desire to help out, but only out of their personal need to care only for themselves. If you have encountered this kind of person in your life, or know of circumstances in our world where so many are suffering because of the lack of any faith in God on the part of the people who are in "charge", who have no relationship with God or God's authority, and see no reason to seek any guidance outside of their own creation, then appeal as the Psalmist does. With all that is going on in the world using this Psalm passage as a way of praying, appealing, and praising, and accepting God's seeming inaction in the light of the appeals of faithful for the LORD of heaven and earth to fix what needs to be fixed and changed, and yet, the Psalmist makes it clear that God still must be praised even when we think that He is being indifferent to our request to take care of some awful situation we have encountered. We must always remember that God is for ever and ever, and that He has an eternal plan for His creation, of which we only see a tiny bit during our short lives. Even the kingdoms of our world will be gone as God continues to move His creation to the fulfillment of His plan. This Psalm is not an appeal to God, but it is a challenge to God by His faithful ones, that He should be intervening. And if God doesn't do what our appeal is asking, then we must still praise His power, glory, and abiding love for all of us, such praise is what our God is always due from His children. Please remember to let God be God in all the places of your lives, and to give Him praise because He is God! We must know that God will, at some time, in some way, act. Give thanks for what He will choose to do! It will be because of His love for us!
Consider what God has already done!
With Love in Christ, Pastor Kim
Comentarios