Leawood, Kansas, United States - The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Wednesday, 30 April 2014 "I won't die—no, I will live"
Daily Scripture: Psalm 118:6 Yahweh is on my side. I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
7 Yahweh is on my side among those who help me.
Therefore I will look in triumph at those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in Yahweh,
than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in Yahweh,
than to put confidence in princes.
10 All the nations surrounded me,
but in Yahweh’s name, I cut them off.
11 They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me.
In Yahweh’s name I indeed cut them off.
12 They surrounded me like bees.
They are quenched like the burning thorns.
In Yahweh’s name I cut them off.
13 You pushed me back hard, to make me fall,
but Yahweh helped me.
14 Yah is my strength and song.
He has become my salvation.
15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous.
“The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly.
16 The right hand of Yahweh is exalted!
The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly!”
17 I will not die, but live,
and declare Yah’s works.
18 Yah has punished me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness.
I will enter into them.
I will give thanks to Yah.
20 This is the gate of Yahweh;
the righteous will enter into it.
21 I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me,
and have become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner.
Reflection Questions:
Psalm 118 praised God for his steadfast love. This was the last hallel (hymn of praise) Hebrews sang at Passover (cf. Mark 14:26) as they recalled God freeing Israel from slavery in Egypt. Jesus, just before his arrest and crucifixion, sang these words from the Psalm: "The Lord is for me—I won't be afraid. What can anyone do to me?"; "The stone rejected by the builders is now the main foundation stone"; and "I won't die—no, I will live."
Re-read verses 6-9. The Psalmist asked the simple yet profound question, "The Lord is for me….What can anyone do to me?" Do you trust that God is indeed "for" you? In what ways can you "take refuge" in the Lord today above any human source of safety? Verse 22 spoke of the "main foundation stone" (some translations use "cornerstone"), the key stone in the entire structure. Is Jesus the "main foundation stone" in your life's structure?
Picture it: Jesus was with his disciples for the Last Supper, a Passover meal. He knew exactly why he had come to Jerusalem and what would happen to him the next day. Despite what was about to come, Jesus sang Psalm 118 with his disciples, including verse 17: "I won't die—no, I will live." What does that show you about Jesus' faith as he faced suffering? We're tempted to think suffering means God doesn't care about us. What can you say about what God has done for you in and through suffering?
Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for your example of faith, and for conquering death on Easter. Help me make you the "main foundation stone" in my life and share Easter hope with those around me. Amen.
Insight from Rev. Steven Blair
Rev. Steven Blair is the Congregational Care pastor of Live Forward and Live Well Emotional Wellness Ministry. www.cor.org/liveforward
Staging
Wednesday, 30 April 2014
Psalm 118:6 Yahweh is on my side. I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
7 Yahweh is on my side among those who help me.
Therefore I will look in triumph at those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in Yahweh,
than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in Yahweh,
than to put confidence in princes.
10 All the nations surrounded me,
but in Yahweh’s name, I cut them off.
11 They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me.
In Yahweh’s name I indeed cut them off.
12 They surrounded me like bees.
They are quenched like the burning thorns.
In Yahweh’s name I cut them off.
13 You pushed me back hard, to make me fall,
but Yahweh helped me.
14 Yah is my strength and song.
He has become my salvation.
15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous.
“The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly.
16 The right hand of Yahweh is exalted!
The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly!”
17 I will not die, but live,
and declare Yah’s works.
18 Yah has punished me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness.
I will enter into them.
I will give thanks to Yah.
20 This is the gate of Yahweh;
the righteous will enter into it.
21 I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me,
and have become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner.
High school, college, and professional plays spend enormous attention to set design. The right set design and backdrop will help the audience see the actors’ dialogue in the setting of a living room, a forest, or a prison. The staging behind the dialogue adds dimension and, at times, additional meaning to the words that are being spoken. Consider the intentional staging of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream Speech” in front of the Lincoln Memorial and under the 16th President’s watchful eye.
Jesus used backdrops too. Today’s Scripture Psalm 118:6-22 was part of the yearly Passover Celebration where Jewish people remembered God rescuing their ancestors from Egyptian slavery. The disciples and Jesus were celebrating the Jewish Passover Feast in a meal that would later become known as The Last Supper. At the end of that meal, Jesus and his disciples would have sung Psalm 118 together. Here are some lyrics.
The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
I was pushed back and about to fall,
but the Lord helped me.
The Lord is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation.
I will not die but live,
and will proclaim what the Lord has done. Psalm 118 – assorted verses
When Jesus sang these words, he had the backdrop of millions of Jews singing these same words for over 1200 years. Jesus, like all these other Jewish women and men, would not back down. He is committing to being like his ancestors and standing unafraid of mere mortals.
In a dramatic shift of setting, as Christians when we hear Jesus sing these words we also see the future setting of his cross being moved into the background. Jesus “will not die but live.” The cross standing behind the words adds the dimension and meaning.
What happens when we say the same words? A past background and a future background appear.
Recite these words with me from Psalm 118.
The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
Challenge- What is the past setting where you have seen this to be true of you? Paint the picture. Focus on the full staging of this past event where you stood with boldness (even if your knees shook).
Picture a future setting where these words will also be true. A time when you will lean on the Lord for your strength and defense.
There is power in the words of Scripture and in the setting behind them.
May you find both today.
Grace and Peace,
Steven Blair
www.cor.org/liveforward
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