Monday, July 13, 2015

Monday, July 13th: Psalms 7-9, Acts 10:1-23 ~ Conrad

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalms 7-9, Acts 10:1-23

In today's reading, David appears to be under some distress.  He's putting his case before the Lord, and he believes in his own heart that he has not done anything to deserve the ill-treatment of his adversaries.

Throughout our lives, we will be judged by others.  Judged by what we say or do, and also for what we don't say or don't do.  The people who judge us will not be perfect, and therefore their judgements about us may not be perfect either.

David is able to place his trust in the Lord knowing that real help comes from the Lord.  "My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart." Psalm 7:9 

"God is a righteous judge," (vs 11a) and thankfully, God is the ultimate judge.  We cannot run, we cannot hide, and nobody gets away with anything.

David is thankful and praises God for His righteousness, and so should we.

I liked how chapter 8 began and ended the same way - "Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!"  Words in a song we have sung in church, but hard to grasp how majestic He really is!  

Cristiano Ronaldo, a soccer player from Portugal, is the most popular athlete in the world according to sporteology.com.  There is probably nothing more that he could do to become more well known than what he already has done.  Someone reading this blog may not of even heard of him.  But one day, everyone will know our Lord.  In The Message translation, this verse says, "God, brilliant God, your name echoes around the whole world."  To think that one day I could shout His name, and the furthest person away that could here my voice would recognize His name and also shout it out.  And so on, and so on, and so on, until it would come back to me - all around the world.  That's majestic!

In chapter 9, verse 10 stood to me.  "And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you."  

David knows that the Lord has not forsaken him, and it is encouraging to know that when we seek the Lord, He will never forsake us, and leave us hanging.

In our NT passage we read about a man named Cornelius.  Cornelius was "a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God."

God appeared to Cornelius and instructed him to send soldiers to Joppa to bring back Peter. 

While they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter was hungry and decided to have a before-meal nap and dreams about food - ritually unclean food. In verses 13 and 14, "And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. But Peter said, By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean."  

He has the same dream three times. However, the dream isn't really about food at all; we'll read about that tomorrow.  His rather informative dream voice tells him that he has visitors, and that he should go with them.  So, it's off to see Cornelius and his household - 30 miles up the coast to Caesarea. I wonder if he ever had a chance to eat before he left?

What I liked about this reading is that it shows that God will prepare us and others along our way when it is His plan.  Just like we read in Psalm chapter 9 we can put our trust in Him, because He will never forsake us!

3 comments:

Nathan said...

I like your point about when we are judged by people we are judged by someone who isn't perfect, therefore their judgements aren't perfect either. I'm too am glad we can be judged by God who is perfect.

Psalm 9:7 and 8: "But the Lord sits enthroned forever;
he has established his throne for justice,
and he judges the world with righteousness;
he judges the peoples with uprightness."


Tammy said...

I love Psalm 8. When we look at the wonders of creation - particularly areas we cannot even fathom (like space and the deep oceans) - we have the appropriate awe-filled response.... we become smaller and He becomes greater. And yet, this majestic God, who created things we cannot even fathom, also not only created us, but loved us enough to die for us. Amazing!

What I love about the story of Cornelius is that God will honour anyone who is truly seeking Him and will reveal Himself to them.

Pamela said...

I liked that you highlighted how majestic God is. We actually cannot wrap our minds around it.

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?

And yet, like Tammy mentioned, the Creator of the universe cares for us.