1 cor 13

13 If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains,but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[b]but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Nothing.  What a big word.  It seems like something at the time.  Some may listen, applaud, even honor you, but in the end…ashes. Nothing.  All because you did it without love.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

⁸ Love never fails.

Be careful.  You may think that you are full of Christian love, but is it patient and kind?  Is it envious?  Does it boast or show pride?  Here's a good one.  Does it dishonor others?  Is it trying to bring things around to your way of thinking?  Does it fall easily into anger? Is it busy keeping records?  Does it rejoice in the truth, even if that truth is inconvenient?  Does it protect? Trust? Hope? Persevere?

I'm sorry, but I am drawn to the line, it always protects.  What kind of love is being shown today in the name of Christianity?  Love that protects or self-righteousness that throws others under the bus and into the mouths of wolves?

8 (cont) But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 

We know so little when compared to what we will know.  We may see a good deal, but it is so little compared to what is to come.  Love.  We might prophesy, we might attain all wisdom, but it all will end.  Only love remains.

¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

To see without limitations.  To understand without the barriers that are common to man today.  To be able to wipe our eyes, open them wide, and see God's truth displayed clearly, in plain view. I will one day know him as well as he knows me.  And he is love.  To know him better even now, seek earnestly for the ability to grow in love.

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Ever believed beyond belief?  Ever hoped beyond hope?  Ever woke up one morning and thought--for that one precious second--that the lost loved one was back again?  It will one day happen.  And love will rule it all.  Come quickly Lord Jesus.

Psalm 144

I wanted to take a little time to day to reflect on the person who wrote Psalm 144.  It is said to be written by David--not all the psalms are, of course, and it speaks to me in ways that other psalms do not.

Praise be to the Lord my Rock,
    who trains my hands for war,
    my fingers for battle.
² He is my loving God and my fortress,
    my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield, in whom I take refuge,
    who subdues peoples^[a] under me.

David the poet--those fingers that strummed a lyre and fashioned poetry for his God also slew those that were against him.  He was equally secure praising his God in song and complaining about his slowness to come and deliver him.  He was aware of God's goodness and strength, and he was equally aware that God had equipped him, too, to be a power in His name.

³ Lord, what are human beings that you care for them,
    mere mortals that you think of them?
⁴ They are like a breath;
    their days are like a fleeting shadow.

What beautiful words.  This psalm is made by a true poet.  He goes from glorifying God for subduing people under him to musing about the nature of man.  They are like a breath--their days are like a fleeting shadow.  How true--David himself is now a song.  His legacy to us is his love of God and his honesty before the Lord.

⁵ Part your heavens, Lord, and come down;
    touch the mountains, so that they smoke.
⁶ Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy;
    shoot your arrows and rout them.
⁷ Reach down your hand from on high;
    deliver me and rescue me
from the mighty waters,
    from the hands of foreigners
⁸ whose mouths are full of lies,
    whose right hands are deceitful.

From observation to reflection to petition.  And what a petition!  Smite those that persecute me!  Who among us would have the brazenness to pray like this?  Those people who threatened him--they had families and cattle and land, too.  But they were full of deceit and lies, and therefore David felt justified in asking for their extermination.

⁹ I will sing a new song to you, my God;
    on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you,
¹⁰ to the One who gives victory to kings,
    who delivers his servant David.

Is this a bribe?  If you rescue me, I will give you more music?  I don't think so.  Instead, I think that David is asserting that his victory is a foregone conclusion.  If he is a man after God's own heart, how could anyone stand against him?

I especially like the last two lines--the one who gives victory to kings/who delivers his servant David.  Even as a king, David acknowledges his servanthood.

From the deadly sword ¹¹ deliver me;
    rescue me from the hands of foreigners
whose mouths are full of lies,
    whose right hands are deceitful

Is he all alone in this?  Who is with him to fight?  He seems self-absorbed, and yet, really, isn't that how we should all be?  God tells us to come to him with all our hurts and our needs, and this is exactly what David is doing.

12. Then our sons in their youth

 will be like well-nurtured plants,

and our daughters will be like pillars

carved to adorn a palace.

13. Our barns will be filled

 with every kind of provision.

Our sheep will increase by thousands,

by tens of thousands in our fields;

14. our oxen will draw heavy loads.^[b]

There will be no breaching of walls,

no going into captivity,

 no cry of distress in our streets.

Their sons and daughters (now we have the our) are dependent on David in a very real way.  Kingdoms fell or grew strong in the strength of their king.  He knew exactly what he was talking about.  Victors had confidence, peace, freedom--and food.

15. Blessed is the people of whom this is true;

blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.

David leads the sons of Israel into battle.  He leads the Chosen, the people that God pulled out of Egypt, led to the Promised Land, and saved from danger again and again and again.  And all we who believe are adopted into this same wonderful family.  Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord!  Maranatha, Lord Jesus! Come and take your people home! Amen!

Who shall find rest? Thoughts on Messiah

He shall lead his flock like a shepherd
Will you, now?  Will you really?  Who exactly will you lead?  The conservative right? The liberal left?  The gatherings who can trace their heritage to  the foundation of Your church? The newcomers who have broken away because of perceived errors in this line or that line?  Who?

Will you lead only those who are fit to be called Your children?  And who determines that, by the way?
The above-mentioned conservative right or liberal left?  Are all children your children?
Are none of us really really yours?
Is this just some big cosmic joke?

What flock exactly will you lead?

And he shall gather the lambs in his arm
And he shall carry them in his bosom
The lambs.  You will gather the lambs and carry them.  The lambs from Columbine?  The lambs from Sandy Hook?  The lambs from Kenya and Congo and Botswana?  All of these?  What if some don't believe in you?

Will you keep them safe even when the world is determined to do them damage?

And he shall gently lead those who are with young.
Oh.  That was me.  You led me all those days when the earth was black and without hope or purpose.  You led me past hardship and sorrow and grief and pain and loss and suicidal thoughts and you carried me
right into more grief and pain and loss

But were you really carrying me?  I felt so alone.

Come unto him, all ye that labor
Come unto him, ye that are heavy-laden
And he will give you rest.
Well, that's pretty clear.  All.  Conservative right, liberal left, homosexuals, homophobes, pro-life, pro-choice--everyone. Only qualification--you have to be heavy-laden.  Does that let anyone out?  I really don't think so.  All of us struggle.  Guilt, shame, depression, humiliation, physical and mental infirmity-we all struggle.  We all labor under our own yokes.  And when we come unto him--when we seek him out (or accept that he has led us to him) what happens?  We find rest.  Rest for the weary. That sounds good. 

Take his yoke upon you
And trust in him
What? Another yoke?  Don't we have enough to bear already?  Do we also have to bear his burden?  But wait.  Trust in him.  When you yoke two animals together, the burden--no matter what it is--is decreased.  You don't have to bear it alone.  He isn't asking you to take more; he's asking you to give him more and let him take care of it all.  You just have to trust.  But trust is such a big word!  Why should we trust?

For he is meek and lowly of heart
And you shall find rest unto your soul.
Oh.  He is meek and lowly of heart.  What does that even mean?  Meek?  The dictionary says that to be meek is to be patient and submissive.  Submissive?  To me?  You mean he will allow me to put my needs first?  And lowly?  What is lowly of heart?  A heart that is meek.  A heart that isn't bound up in pride.  Coming unto a man such as this would surely bring rest to the soul.

So yes, Lord,
I accept you as my Shepherd. 
I accept that I am a lamb--one of many, but precious to you.
I acknowledge my need to find rest
And to find the ability to trust.

So today,
As much as I can,
I take your yoke, 
Put it upon myself--
knowing that you are sharing my burden so much more than I'm sharing yours
And I ask for grace
To trust in You.

And this trusting comes without the need for answers.
I need not worry about conservative right, liberal left,
Lambs in the US and abroad,
Those who know you and those who don't know you.

They are not my burden to bear.
Not that they aren't important--
They are, much more than I can ever comprehend.
But they are your burden, 
Not mine.
And even my own burden,
My heart, my friends, my children, my past and my future--
Your desire is for me to give them over in bondage with you.

And so I do,
Now and forever.
Amen.