DAY 234

KEEPING IT REAL

Psalm 107, 108 & 109 and 1 Corinthians 4

Today I want to start with 1 Corinthians 4. It seems as if Paul is having a bad day. He seems to be really “venting” on the church in Corinth. First he tells them that he is a “servant,” then he goes onto to tell them that he is trustworthy, that they should go ahead and judge him, but then he tells them they should not judge him! Something is obviously going on inside of him. It will unfold for us as we go deeper into the letter. The church has some real issues and, as you will see, rather than acknowledging their issues, they are trying to justify their behavior.

It does seem like he is trying to use some shame to get their attention. If they have any concern for him, they might notice all that he has endured while they apparently have flourished. Yet to many, this part of the letter seems as if Paul is carrying on a bit…so we ought to just take it in and see where it is leading.

The Psalms today give us an amazing sweep of emotions.

Psalm 107 begins Give thanks to the Lord for he is good…and it then has a series of sections. The first section begins Some wandered and the next some sat in the dark and then some were fools and rebellious and then some went down in ships to the sea…and in each section it describes how God is faithful and good so, whoever is wise, ponder these things and consider well the mercy of the Lord!

Psalm 108 proclaims My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is firmly fixed…a psalm of joy about and to God.

The tone turns, in fact seems to do an “about face” with Psalm 109. Psalm 109, at least the first 19 verses, seem like anger…anger against those who are harming the psalmist. The writer seems to more than “wish” evil upon their enemies. Is this Christian you might ask?

Today the Bible seems amazing honest. If you were to write a book of propaganda about your “perfect religion” you might edit a bit of today’s readings…yet the Bible is not about propaganda, it is about real life…real life with a real God.