I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.
As long as his uncle, Jehoiada, the man who had raised him, was alive, Joash followed the Lord faithfully. He ordered the Levites to collect the offerings required by the law and use those funds to repair the Temple. When the Levites failed to follow through, Joash ordered a chest made and placed at the entrance to the Temple. He then sent word throughout the land that people were to bring their offering to the Temple and place it in the chest, rather than give it to the Levites visiting their town. When the chest was full, it was brought to Joash’s officials who emptied it and tallied how much had been collected. Once a large amount had been collected, Joash hired construction supervisors to repair the Temple. When the repairs were finished the money left over was used to replace the various articles of worship which had been destroyed or defiled over the years.
Jehoiada lived to 130, but unfortunately after his death Joash began listening to less righteous advisers. They encouraged him to abandon the Temple of God and start worshiping Asherah poles and other idols. Jehoiada’s son, Zechariah prophesied against these practices telling the people that since they had abandoned God, God had abandoned them. Joash ordered that Zechariah be stoned to death in the courtyard of the Temple. In the spring of the following year a small army of Arameans invaded Judah and plundered Jerusalem. In the battle Joash was wounded. While he was recuperating some of his officials assassinated him for killing Zechariah.
Amaziah, Joash’s son, succeeded him on the throne. Amaziah gathered his army and attacked Edom, plundering it. He brought back the idols of Edom and began worshiping them. A prophet confronted Amaziah, asking him why he worshiped gods that had been unable to rescue their own people? Amaziah told the prophet that he had not been appointed a counselor to the king and should keep quiet. The prophet concluded by telling Amaziah that God had determined to destroy him. Amaziah then issued a challenge to the king of Israel to meet in battle. The king of Israel responded by telling Amaziah that he should not stir up trouble just because he had defeated Edom. Amaziah did not listen to this advice and went to war against Israel. The king of Israel soundly defeated Amaziah and plundered Jerusalem, tearing down a large segment of its walls. Eventually there was a conspiracy against Amaziah and he was assassinated.
Today’s passage is perhaps the clearest part of the book of Romans and a great basic outline of how to live as a Christian. First Paul tells us not to conform to the world, that is not to copy its behaviors and customs. Rather we are to be transformed by God’s Spirit so that we will know and practice God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will for us.
Next he tells us not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. That is not to think we are more important or better than others. We need to honestly evaluate ourselves, judging ourselves against the standard of what God has called us to be, not against the standard of what others do (or more likely what we perceive others to do). Paul explains both why we should not think ourselves better than others and why we should not judge ourselves against others. He tells us that just as the body has different parts which each have their own purpose, so each of us in the Church are different and have different gifts from God so as to fulfill different purposes. We should use the gifts which God has given us to the best of our ability.
We should not hypocritically love others, holding them to a standard that we do not live up to ourselves. Let us hate what is evil and strive to do that which is good. Paul tells us to be devoted to our fellow Christians, giving preference to others over ourselves. He commands us to work hard at serving the Lord. Let us rejoice in the hope that God has given us and be patient when we face difficulties and trouble, praying at all times. Help those around us who are in need, especially our fellow Christians, seeking opportunities to practice hospitality.
Paul finishes out this section by telling us how to deal with those around us who wrong us. He tells us to bless those who persecute us. He tells us not to curse them, if we are not to curse even those who persecute us, how can there be anyone it is appropriate for us to curse? Through Paul, God commands us to live in harmony with each other. It is our duty to live at peace with those around us as much as that is within our control. God calls us to associate with those others might consider beneath us. When someone does wrong to us, we should respond by doing good and certainly not by doing wrong to them. It is not our place to take revenge. God reserves vengeance for Himself. Paul reminds us that God says: “Vengeance is Mine. I will repay.” I will not be conquered by evil, but will strive to conquer evil with good.
When I think that I owe someone revenge, I try to remember this passage (forgetting more often than not). However, if someone has truly done something to me deserving of revenge, what can I do to them that comes close to the vengeance which God will enact against them. On the other hand, if God never exacts vengeance for the wrong I believe was done to me, there are two possibilities. Either I am mistaken in perceiving the person to have done me wrong, or I was due that wrong for wrongs I myself had done. Of course, just because I never see God exact revenge on those who have done wrong does not mean that He has not done so.
There is a further quote from the Old Testament that Paul uses here.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
burning coals of shame on their heads.”
If I do good things for those who have, by their actions, declared themselves my enemies there are three possible outcomes. All of which reflect well for me. The first is that they will live in fear, waiting for me to “drop the mask” and exact my revenge, which they will be convinced will be all the worse for being set up by my kindness. The second is that they will feel shame and remorse for having done wrong by me. The final is that those whose good opinion is worth having will hold me in high esteem for my failure to sink to the level of the one mistreating me (and will hold the one who wronged me in low esteem).
I chose my title for today’s blog because God’s command to us is to not let evil overcome us. It is to overcome evil with good. We don’t understand it, but God tells us that if we want to defeat our enemies then we must follow Paul’s instruction: “If your enemies are hungry, feed them.” The people of God win when they do good, even for those who do evil against them.
Today’s psalm is the second part of Jesus’ last message for His disciples while He hung on the cross. In the first part, which we covered yesterday, the psalmist expressed utter despair and the feeling of abandonment. However, in today’s portion he tells us that God has not ignored his cries for help. He proclaims that God listens and answers the cries of those in need. For this he will praise God in the assembly of the people.
When I read this psalm, I realize that when Jesus cried out on the cross, “My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?” he was not crying out in despair because God had turned His back on Him. Rather He was telling His disciples that despite the despair He was (and they were) feeling, God had NOT turned His back on Him. Rather, in the midst of His suffering, Jesus was praising God for His faithfulness and kindness. At that, His lowest moment, Jesus was still willing to praise God and have faith that God would redeem Him.
I have read this proverb, “Who can say, ‘I have cleansed my heart; I am pure and free from sin’?”, many times. Today for the first time I realized the key part of it, “Who can say, ‘I have cleansed my heart;…'”. I have not cleansed my heart. To the degree that my heart has been cleansed, it is God who has done it. Until I am willing to accept that the only way any and every sin can be cleansed from my hearts is for God to do it, those sins will remain. Any time, I say to God, “OK, I see what you want, I’ll take it from here,” I will fail to overcome the sin in question. It is only when I turn to God in abject humility and say, “God, I can’t do it. It is beyond my ability to overcome. Please do this for me,” that the sin in my life will be overcome.