Patient confidence before our sovereign God

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching the blog archives for that title. You might start with 'Welcome,' the first post, dated November 12, 2008, where I introduce myself and the blog. As you read, I encourage you to record any reflections or comments you may have, for the entries here serve best as the first remarks in a conversation.

Blessings and best wishes,
Dr. Will

Saturday, July 3, 2010
Devotions: Ps 104; 137:1-6; 144; Num 24:12-25; Rom 8:18-25; Mt 22:23-40

Let my soul bless YHWH: You are covered with honor and majesty, Who made and sustains all that exists. You ride the winds and make flames and fire Your ministers. You founded the universe; the earth and seas belong to You, and all nature moves according to Your power and grace. How you care for all living things, my Lord! How many and how wonderful are Your works; in wisdom You have made them all. May Your glory endure forever, and may Your rejoice in all Your works, as we also rejoice in You! Hallelujah! It’s hard to celebrate God and His ways in enemy-occupied territory. But may I never forget Jerusalem, and may God avenge the harm infidels have done to God’s places and God’s people! I bless YHWH, Who trains me for the struggles; He is my Protector and my Deliverer. We are like a breath, a passing shadow before You. I will sing a new song to You, O God, You Who give victory to Your people. Establish our sons and daughters under Your protection, and bring prosperity to our lands and industries. Happy are the people whose God is YHWH!

Balaam told Balak what would come between Moab and Israel in days to come: ‘One is coming from Israel, a star and a scepter will arise, and He will crush Moab’s forehead and break down the sons of Sheth. Edom will be dispossessed, and Seir too, while Israel prospers valiantly. Jacob will exercise dominion, and the survivors of your citis will be destroyed.’ Then Balaam looked on Amalek and continued his discourse: ‘Amalek was the first of the nations, but in the end he shall come to destruction.’ Concerning the Kenites: ‘Enduring is your dwelling place, and your nest is set in the rock; nevertheless Kain shall be wasted: Asshur will take you away a captive.’ Concerning Asshur and Eber: ‘Who will survive when God acts? Ships will come from Kittim and will afflict Asshur and Eber; and Kittim too will come to destruction.’ So Balaam’s oracles were ended, and he and Balak returned to their homes.

Paul wrote about the basis for Christian confidence and patience: I consider that present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The whole creation eagerly awaits the revelation of God’s sons and daughters. For the creation was subjected to futility by the will of Him Who subjected it in hope, because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God! We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in childbirth until this moment. And not only the creation, but also we who have the first fruits of the Spirit groan inwardly as we await our adoption as sons and daughters, which is the redemption of our bodies. We were saved in this very hope! Pay attention: hope seen is not hope; no one hopes for what he can see. But if we hope for what we cannot yet see, we wait for it patiently.

The Sadducees seized their opportunity to challenge Jesus: ‘Teacher, Moses said if a man dies without children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married, but died without children; and the second married her, with the same outcome. In turn, all seven brother married the woman and later died, but none fathered a child with her, and finally, she died, too. In the resurrection, who will be her husband, because all seven had her.’ Jesus recognized their duplicity: ‘You are wrong, because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God. In the Resurrection, people neither marry nor are given in marriage; instead, they are like the angels of heaven. Concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read the message God left for you: “I AM the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob”? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.’ The crowd, hearing this dialog, were astonished at Jesus and His teaching. Next, the Pharisees challenged Jesus; one of them, a lawyer, asked Him, ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?’ Jesus replied, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.’