Psalm 62 is one of my most favorite Psalms. Take a minute and read it if you like. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2062&version=31
My refuge is in God alone. I must admit I don't always do this. Taking my heart and soul to God and looking to him for everything I need is more than I can muster. That's why David said that his honor and his salvation depend upon God alone.
The psalms are such a great collection of writings by people who want something to happen but cannot make it happen on their own. Or they want deliverance from something that is beyond their control. Their satisfaction and hope come from God so that whether the situation changes or not, God is there to deliver them.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Who Knows?
Years ago in rural Alabama, a regular tradition in my family was to visit my grandparents. I am not that old but I can remember as a child that country-folk would take Sunday afternoon and visit other people in the community. Whether folks went to church or not people would show up at my grandparent’s house and “shoot the breeze” (that is, they would talk). My grandfather would ask someone who came, “what do you know?” “Aw, nothing good” they would respond. But then they would proceed to talk on for hours. Those long, hazy, lazy days of summer – dog days – as we call them – were passed talking about stuff and discussing the local gossip. Frequently you would hear someone ask, “Who knows about …” and then they would proceed to ask their question.
These were the days before the internet and instant information; before Google search engines and minute by minute updates of football scores. Information passed slowly and deliberately by word of mouth and people depended upon individuals who were in the know to tell the news of what was happening in the next county.
No wonder that in many of these sorts of cultures people give themselves over to superstition and cult logic. When information is scarce, then we tend to rely on rabbit’s foots and voodoo dolls to make sure that we cover our tracks against anything that might happen. Who knows, it might work.
But then at times things would happen to shake these individuals out of their superstitions. A major natural disaster such as a tornado or flood would jolt them out of their normal sensibilities and then strangely the church would fill up and people would return to something more firm than their rabbit’s foot or witchin’ wands.
Ancient peoples did the same things, but when a prophet named Jonah showed up on the scene declaring that Nineveh would be destroyed in 40 days, the people stood up and took notice. The King heard it and declared a fast for everyone – even the animals. He said in Jonah 3:9 "Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish."
In the OT, there is this sense of “who knows.” Who knows if perhaps God will relent and leave a blessing? The King of Nineveh responded to Jonah’s preaching and asked the same question, “Who knows?”
Unfortunately in our information-crazed era our sense of superstition has not vanished with our knowledge. After 9-11 we filed into the churches looking for some sort of answer to the question “Who knows why this happened?” This is not even a prediction but it will not be surprising to me if our country embraces Islam after these attacks because we will instinctively think that if we go to that religion then it will keep “bad things” from happening to us. Who knows, it might happen.
But in reality, we do not need to worry nor do we need to think “who knows” when contemplating whether or not God will destroy us. God has already delivered his ultimate punishment. Yes, in case you missed it, he has already inflicted his wrath and he did this to his own son, Jesus. His anger and his penalty was taken out on him. There is no longer any reason to question and worry as the King of Nineveh did. Jesus answered the question of “who knows?”
These were the days before the internet and instant information; before Google search engines and minute by minute updates of football scores. Information passed slowly and deliberately by word of mouth and people depended upon individuals who were in the know to tell the news of what was happening in the next county.
No wonder that in many of these sorts of cultures people give themselves over to superstition and cult logic. When information is scarce, then we tend to rely on rabbit’s foots and voodoo dolls to make sure that we cover our tracks against anything that might happen. Who knows, it might work.
But then at times things would happen to shake these individuals out of their superstitions. A major natural disaster such as a tornado or flood would jolt them out of their normal sensibilities and then strangely the church would fill up and people would return to something more firm than their rabbit’s foot or witchin’ wands.
Ancient peoples did the same things, but when a prophet named Jonah showed up on the scene declaring that Nineveh would be destroyed in 40 days, the people stood up and took notice. The King heard it and declared a fast for everyone – even the animals. He said in Jonah 3:9 "Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish."
In the OT, there is this sense of “who knows.” Who knows if perhaps God will relent and leave a blessing? The King of Nineveh responded to Jonah’s preaching and asked the same question, “Who knows?”
Unfortunately in our information-crazed era our sense of superstition has not vanished with our knowledge. After 9-11 we filed into the churches looking for some sort of answer to the question “Who knows why this happened?” This is not even a prediction but it will not be surprising to me if our country embraces Islam after these attacks because we will instinctively think that if we go to that religion then it will keep “bad things” from happening to us. Who knows, it might happen.
But in reality, we do not need to worry nor do we need to think “who knows” when contemplating whether or not God will destroy us. God has already delivered his ultimate punishment. Yes, in case you missed it, he has already inflicted his wrath and he did this to his own son, Jesus. His anger and his penalty was taken out on him. There is no longer any reason to question and worry as the King of Nineveh did. Jesus answered the question of “who knows?”
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
