Dearest e-votees-
The appointed gospel text for this week in the Revised Common Lectionary is Mark’s account of the dispatching of John the Baptist.
For our devotional time this week we will draw from the appointed Psalm text which has some deep connections to the life and ministry of John. We will look at the text verse-by-verse.
At the end of each mini-reflection is a prayer petition that God might have God’s way in our lives.
Peace,
Karl
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The verses that did not get included in this week’s psalmody (verses 1-7) are worthy of consideration. I commend them to you. They speak of God’s forgiveness and mercy and are an earnest prayer for God’s mercies and forgiveness to come anew. Not a bad way to start one’s devotion or one’s day.
God has spoken. God will speak. God is speaking. One of our neighboring congregations had “God is still speaking. Don’t put a period where God put a comma.” on their reader board recently. This hearkens back to a 2004 United Church of Christ campaign that was in part inspired by a quote attributed to Gracie Allen “Never place a period where God has placed a comma.” The story is that she left that in a note for her husband George Burns who found it after she had passed. What a word of grace to a grieving heart.
God is still speaking. God is speaking a word of peace. God speaks to those who are faithful. God speaks to those of us who struggle to be faithful, too. And God speaks to those of us who flat out fail at being faithful. God will help us turn Godward in our hearts. We will grow in our ability to hear God’s message of peace. God will shape us to be messengers of that peace in a war-weary and embattled world. God can and will use us to help others turn Godward in their hearts. We can offer a word of grace to grieving hearts.
“God speak your words speak into our hearts and from our mouths.”
Verse 9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.
Fear has the connotation of deep respect and awe in addition to senses of terror or dread. God’s glory is an awesome presence. We do well to not engage it lightly or recklessly. Just as the majesty of the ocean can obscure the treacherous undertow God’s majesty can snatch us too. But God snatches us towards a good end. The drowning is not a literal drowning but more akin to the drowning of baptism. We are immersed and submerged in the gracious and cleansing waters. The very same waters John offered to help people prepare for the one coming who would baptize with the Holy Spirit. Salvation is indeed at hand.
“God bring your saving glory to bear in our lives.”
Verse 10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
Love and faithfulness have met. They came together in the person of God incarnate, Jesus. Jesus came bearing love and redemption for all who would hear. He faithfully bridged the chasm we could not in order to restore us in relationship with God. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other as Jesus and his cousin John’s lives and ministries intersected. John preached righteousness and repentance. Jesus lived righteousness and repentance. Jesus lived into the calling to be Prince of Peace and opened the way for all to find restoration and healing—peace with God. John lived faithfully and true to the point of losing his life rather than compromise his message.
“God beckon us fully into the kingdom of peace and grant us tenacity of faith when persecutions beset us.”
Verse 11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.
In the garden God creates humanity from the ground. In restored relationship with God faithfulness is nurtured. We will never be completely faithful. And how faithful we become will never enhance nor threaten our salvation. Our salvation rests secure in our Father in heaven who knows us and loves us. Our salvation rests secure in Jesus who left the Father to show us the full extent of God’s knowledge and love of us. Our salvation story rests secure as the Holy Spirit reminds and inspires the faithful telling of good news to those who have yet to hear and those who have forgotten.
“God draw faithfulness from us and keep your loving and righteous gaze on our days.”
Verse 12 The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.
Every good gift is from God. Every breath, every morsel of food, every kind and loving relationship, every gift, every ability, every possession—every good gift is from God. God blesses us in so many ways that we do not begin to merit. God gives good gifts to God’s children. When we ask for an egg, God won’t give us a scorpion (see Luke 11:11-13). God is faithful and good. We may well experience blessing and prosperity and abundance from our gracious God. When we do we give thanks for God’s goodness. At other times the blessings won’t be so apparent. The resources may be stretched beyond what seems tolerable. Abundance may seem scarce. Our good and loving and gracious God has not forsaken us. When that happens we give thanks for God’s goodness, too. True faith persists through the droughts and the persecutions and, in John’s case, the beheadings.
“God help us receive well whatever you choose to send our way and give us a steadfast faith regardless of what comes or does not.”
Verse 13 Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.
Righteousness has gone before Jesus. John the Baptist came and lived a life of testimony that was in stark contrast to the world around him. People flocked to him and asked to be baptized by him and changed their ways in response to him. Jesus connects John to Elijah who was to usher in the Lord (see Malachi 4:5). John made a path for Jesus’ steps. John made a path for our steps as well. John’s steely spine and passionate proclamation spoke to the crowds and spoke to Herod and have words for us as well—do we hear? Jesus’ resolute focus towards Jerusalem and passion spoke to the crowds and spoke to Nicodemus and spoke to the Samaritan Woman and can speak to us too—do we hear? There is a path before us. We don’t travel alone. John led the way. Jesus followed and opened up the way for all of us to travel with him.
“God draw us into the journey with you. Help us celebrate and emulate faithful followers such as John who poured themselves out fully for your sake. Amen.”
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