The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. from The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States "God: our place of safety even in the darkest valley" for Friday, 10 February 2017Scriptures:
Psalm 23:4 Even if I pass through death-dark ravines,
I will fear no disaster; for you are with me;
your rod and staff reassure me.
5 You prepare a table for me,
even as my enemies watch;
you anoint my head with oil
from an overflowing cup.
6 Goodness and grace will pursue me
every day of my life;
and I will live in the house of Adonai
for years and years to come.
Psalm 46:4 (3) even if its waters rage and foam,
and mountains shake at its turbulence. (Selah)
5 (4) There is a river whose streams
gladden the city of God,
the holy habitation of ‘Elyon —
6 (5) God is in the city.
It will not be moved —
when daybreak comes, God will help it.
7 (6) Nations were in turmoil,
kingdoms were moved;
his voice thundered forth,
and the earth melted away.
Reflection Questions:
The expression of trust in Psalm 23 did not promise that God’s people would never face painful, “dark valley” experiences. In fact, in common with other Biblical passages (e.g. Isaiah 43:3), it assumed that such times would come into all lives. The value the psalmists saw in trusting God lay not in being able to avoid pain and sadness, but in having God with us even in the darkest of times.
- Psalm 46:4 is poetry, not geography. “There is no river in Jerusalem. The river here is a symbol of life-giving power, in contrast to the threatening waters and waves of Psalm 46:3.”* How did that psalm set the stage for Jesus' dramatic claim: “On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and shouted, ‘All who are thirsty should come to me! All who believe in me should drink! As the scriptures said concerning me, ‘Rivers of living water will flow out from within him’” (John 7:37-38)? In what ways has Jesus quenched your inner thirst?
- We most often think something “pursuing us” is bad. Psalm 23 reversed that, saying, “goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life.” Were there times when you, like so many of us, tried to ignore or avoid God’s presence? In what ways have God’s goodness and faithful love pursued you even if you were trying to get away from them?
Lord God, sometimes I forget you. Sometimes I try to ignore you. But I do not want to face this scary world alone. And I thank you for never giving up on me, but pursuing me with your goodness and faithful love. Amen.
* J. Clinton McCann, study note on Psalm 46:4 in The CEB Study Bible. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2013, p. 891 OT.
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Last week our small group experimented with a Bible study based on the movie, The Blues Brothers, a comedy released in 1980, which was a raging success. (Define “raging success” – Editor. No one walked out mid-discussion & everyone received a pair of souvenir Ray-Ban sunglasses as a memento – DL.)
The movie plot opens with “Joliet” Jake Blues rejoining his brother, Elwood, after being released from prison. The brothers learn that their childhood orphanage needs $5,000 in 11 days to pay past-due taxes or the state will shut it down. During a church sermon, the brothers have an epiphany that they should re-form their blues band to pay off the orphanage’s debt. Their former fellow band members had all split up to new jobs, so Jake & Elwood go on their self-described “Mission from God” to reunite the band. Their schedule of gigs isn’t very lucrative so they finally arrange to pull off one major concert to raise the money before the deadline. After the concert they race across Illinois to try to pay off the debt in time.
Noting Jake was an ex-con, our group discussed how Christians could interact with those in prison & those released from prison. We talked about whether we had ever had an epiphany from God, what that epiphany might look like, & how we should proceed. We chatted about how we would handle obstacles if we believed we were on a “Mission from God” – would these hurdles raise doubts or increase our resolve? When the brothers openly talk about their Godly mission, they are accused of blasphemy, which led to a discussion of what exactly is blasphemy & how to avoid it.
Finally, the Blues Brothers deceptively play a gig at Bob’s Country Bunker that was expecting a band that played “both kinds of music – Country AND Western."1The band had to adapt from their usual play list including “Gimme’ Some Lovin’” to “Rawhide” & “Stand By Your Man.” We live in a diverse culture; so we discussed about when we should encourage assimilation & when we should be firm in our beliefs.
As we consider today’s passage, we are introduced to the idea of “God pursuing us” which can have a negative connotation. After all, when we think of someone in hot pursuit, movies like the Blues Brothers come to mind, which is infamous for its chase scenes & its 103 car wrecks. (For the record, the brothers are hounded by the Highway Patrol, a parole officer, Illinois Nazis, a Country/Western band, a mystery woman who attempts to kill them with a bomb, a flame-thrower, & an M-16, the Chicago PD, the S.W.A.T. Team, & eventually the Illinois National Guard.)
However, since Jake & Elwood believe that God is with them on their mission, these pursuits don’t bother them. How different might we act if we believed that God was actually seeking us out to ensure that He was by our side as we faced our own “pursuers?” That medical diagnosis could become an opportunity to strive to be a blessing to our caregivers, our coping with financial struggles could become a model for others who may face similar straits, & our experience with relationship challenges could help us counsel others trying to navigate those same trials.
On our own Mission(s) from God, we will likely find ourselves facing challenges like the Blues Brothers. As Elwood sits behind the steering wheel, he says to his brother, “It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark…and we’re wearing sunglasses.”1
Confident in God’s companionship, may we all respond like Jake: “Hit it."1
1Weiss, Robert K, & Landis, John. The Blues Brothers [Motion Picture] United States: Universal Pictures
DARREN LIPPEDarren Lippe helps facilitate Journey 101 “Loving God” classes, guides a 7th-grade Sunday school class, is a member of a small group and a men’s group, and serves on the curriculum team.
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"God: the unchanging 'king of kings'” for Saturday, 11 February 2017
Psalm 46:10 (9) To the ends of the earth he makes wars cease —
he breaks the bow, snaps the spear,
burns the shields in the fire.
11 (10) “Desist, and learn that I am God,
supreme over the nations,
supreme over the earth.”
Revelation 17:9 This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven hills on which the woman is sitting; also they are seven kings — 10 five have fallen, one is living now and the other is yet to come; and when he does come, he must remain only a little while. 11 The beast which once was and now is not is an eighth king; it comes from the seven and is on its way to destruction. 12 The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet begun to rule, but they receive power as kings for one hour, along with the beast. 13 They have one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are called, chosen and faithful will overcome along with him.”
Ezra 7:11 Here is the letter that King Artach’shashta gave ‘Ezra the cohen and Torah-teacher, the student of matters relating to Adonai’s mitzvot and his laws for Isra’el:
12 “From: Artach’shashta, king of kings
“To: ‘Ezra the cohen, scribe of the law of the God of heaven, etc.:
“Herewith
Revelation 11:15 The seventh angel sounded his shofar; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,
“The kingdom of the world
has become the Kingdom
of our Lord and his Messiah,
and he will rule forever and ever!”
16 The twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones in God’s presence fell on their faces and worshipped God, 17 saying,
“We thank you, Adonai,
God of heaven’s armies,[Revelation 11:17 Amos 3:13; 4:13]
the One who is and was,
that you have taken your power
and have begun to rule.
18 “The Goyim raged.[Revelation 11:18 Psalm 2:1]
But now your rage has come,
the time for the dead to be judged,
the time for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your holy people,
those who stand in awe of your name,
both small and great.
It is also the time for destroying
those who destroy the earth.”
19 Then the Temple of God in heaven was opened, and the Ark of the Covenant was seen in his Temple; and there were flashes of lightning, voices, peals of thunder, an earthquake and violent hail.
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The traditional King James Version translation of Psalm 46:10 is, “Be still.” But the Hebrew did not refer to going to a quiet mountain retreat. It was a call to say “enough” to our noisy inner
fears, and with them silenced, to recognize God as our place of safety. At the end of the Bible, in visions packed with symbols, Revelation proclaimed Jesus’ final triumph over evil. In the first
century, for Christians, the persecuting Roman Empire (Rome—the city on seven mountains, or hills) was evil incarnate. The vision gave Jesus a double title— “Lord of lords and King of kings.” It echoed a title Caesar often claimed. Jesus was king, not just over “little people,” but over all other kings, even over Caesar. He was, and is, “our place of safety.”
• “The basis for the Lamb’s victory in 17:14 is that ‘he is Lord of lords and King of kings’…. Just as the Babylonian king [in Daniel 4] was addressed by this title, so the king of latter day Babylon (Rome) in John’s day was similarly addressed…. The Lamb exposes as false the divine claims of the emperor and others like him.”* Rome was hardly unique. Human rulers have often claimed divine approval or status (e.g. Nazi soldiers wore belt buckles that said, in German, “God is with us”). Many rulers today, formal or informal, claim exalted status for themselves. Do you trust that Jesus is “king of kings” over all of them? In what ways is that trust the foundation for the peace and hope in which we can live at all times?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are the King of kings, you are the Lord of lords. I cannot fully grasp all the reach of that, but I can and do ask you to be Lord of my life, to make me the person you want me to be. Amen.
* G. K Beale and D. K. Carson, ed. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007, p. 1139.
Family Activity: Many people struggle with change, sometimes even fear it. As a family, name the four seasons, then invite each person to share what they like and dislike about each one. For example, the summer brings about more free time, but often high heat. The winter offers snow for sledding and snowball fights, but unsafe driving conditions. Take a moment to imagine what life would be like if you only experienced one seasonevery day, all year long. What would you like about that? What would you miss? Remind one another that even though change can be difficult, we can often find good in the new experience or situation. Read Lamentations 3:22-23 and Hebrews 13:8 [Lamentations 3:22 that the grace of Adonai is not exhausted,
that his compassion has not ended.
23 [On the contrary,] they are new every morning!
How great your faithfulness! and Hebrews 13:8 Yeshua the Messiah is the same yesterday, today and forever.] aloud, then thank God for being faithful through all of life’s changes. Pray for a heart and mind open to positive and healthy change.
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Join us for worship today - see our worship times and locations here. If you are not in the Kansas City area, you can take part in our worship via live Web stream atrezonline.org.
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Prayer Requests – cor.org/prayer
Prayers for Peace & Comfort for:
• June Wallis and family on the death of her husband Charles Wallis, 1/30
•Brad Wallis and family on the death of his father Charles Wallis, 1/30
•Tim McCarthy and family on the death of his sister Katie Maninger, 1/30
•Steven Blair and family on the death of his mother Sandy Blair, 1/30
• Julie Bickel and family on the death of her mother Gloria Qualls, 1/30
•Gene Spratford and family on the death of his wife Missy Murray, 1/29
• Joyce Gregory and family on the death of her father Frank Deibert, 1/27
•Tim Danner and family on the death of his mother Mary Anderson, 1/27
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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
913.897.0120
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