Serving a Mighty, Merciful Master

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that title. You might start with 'Welcome,' the first post in the archives, dated November 12, 2008, where I introduce myself and the blog.

Friday, October 2, 2009
Devotions: Ps 102, 107:1-32; 2 Ki 19:1-20; 1 Cor 9:16-27; Mt 8:1-17

Lord, hear my prayer and answer speedily! My days pass like smoke; my heart is withered like dry grass—I’m like an owl or vulture in the wilderness. I toss through the nights, then face strong opposition all day long. I feel cast away, Lord. But You! You are eternal, almighty, majestic, unchanging. Arise and have pity, great Lord. Build me up and bless me. Let me encourage rising generations to know and worship You. I am weak, but You are mighty; continue to cherish me and sustain my descendants after me, I pray. I am redeemed, and I declare the goodness of God. He protects and gathers His own to His household. He saved me in the desert; I thank Him for His steadfast love and mercy! He satisfies the thirsty and feeds the starving. I was walled in by darkness, and He brought the light of His countenance. When I finally cried out to the Lord, He delivered me and broke my bonds asunder. He shatters doors of bronze and slices bars of iron in two. When I was sick and in great pain, God delivered me from all my distress; He healed me, and I thank God for His steadfast love and faithfulness. When I have roamed the globe, I have seen great storms. But God has protected me—even our tiny home was not damaged by the mighty hurricanes. He stills the storm and holds back the waves. I praise God before His people and those who still wander in godless places. Save now, great Lord!

Confronted with the arrogant threats of the Assyrians, King Hezekiah tore his royal robes, dressed in sackcloth, and went to God’s temple. He sent his closest counselors, clad in mourning, to Isaiah the prophet with this message: ‘This is a day of distress, rebuke and disgrace. There is no strength to bring forth our young. If YHWH your God has heard the words of Sennacherib’s minister the Rabshekah—mocking the living God of Israel—perhaps He will rebuke these words. Pray for the remnant who remain.’ When the ministers came, Isaiah was ready to reply: ‘Thus says YHWH: “Do not be afraid because of these reviling words from the servants of Assyria’s king. Watch! I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a troubling rumor and return to his own land, where he will fall by the sword.”’ By the time the Rabshekah returned, his master was already relocated, fighting against Libnah; the Assyrian camp was troubled by various rumors, but the king took time to send messengers to Hezekiah to warn him again not to delay in submission, and citing all the other nations and other ‘gods’ his forces had subdued. Hezekiah took Sennacherib’s letter to the temple and spread it out before the Lord, and prayed: ‘O YHWH, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, You are the only God, Lord of all earth’s kingdoms. It’s true that the Assyrians have conquered every other nation they have assaulted, and thrown down their gods. But those were man-made idols of wood and stone. So now, O YWHW our God, save us I beg you from his hand, so that all nations may know that You, YHWH, are God alone!’ Presently, Isaiah sent this message to Hezekiah: ‘Hear what YHWH says: “I have heard your prayer about Sennacherib, Assyria’s king.”’ [God knows all Assyria had done, and all is unfolding as God has ordained. He will put a hook in Sennacherib’s nose and a bit in his mouth, and force him back the way he had come.]

Paul continues his first letter to the Corinthian Christians: ‘If I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast. I am compelled to preach—woe to me if I do not! I am commissioned by God for this task. My reward is that I can do this willingly and freely, abstaining from full use of my rights as a gospel preacher. I am free among men, yet I have volunteered to be a slave to everyone, so that I might win more to Christ. To the Jews, I became as a Jew; to those under the law, I conformed to the law, even though it has no power over me. To the Gentiles, I became as one outside Torah—yet I am under Christ’s law. To the weak, I became weak, to win them. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some—and I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings. Consider: in a race, all runners compete, but only one wins the garland. Conduct your lives like that winning runner. Athletes discipline themselves to compete for a perishable wreath; but we discipline ourselves for an imperishable reward! I don’t run aimlessly; I don’t box like one shadow-boxing the air. Rather, I master my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should not be disqualified.’

After completing His sermon on the mount, Jesus came down, followed by multitudes. Suddenly, a leper came to Him and knelt, saying ‘Lord, if You will, You can make me clean.’ Immediately, his leprosy was cleansed. Jesus said to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a proof to the people.’ When Jesus enterned Capernaum, a centurion approached him: ‘Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress.’ Jesus answered, ‘I will come and heal him.’ But the centurion responded, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; just say the word and my servant will be healed. I understand authority—I am under authority and I exercise it, telling one to go, another to come—and they do what I say.’ Jesus marveled at the centurion’s words, and said to His followers, ‘Truly I tell you, I have not found such faith even in Israel. Mark My words: many will come from east and west to sit at table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in heaven’s kingdom, while some erring sons of the kingdom will be thrown into outer darkness where people will week and gnash their teeth.’ Then Jesus said to the Roman, ‘Go; let it be done for you just as you have believed.’ And the servant was healed at that very moment. Finally, Jesus arrived at Peter’s house in Capernaum; when He entered, He say Peter’s mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. He touched her, and the fever left her, and she rose and served Him. That night the people brought to Jesus many who were possessed by demons; He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick. This fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy: ‘He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.’