Old Testament reading: Jeremiah 36-38
“Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven.” So wrote the Psalmist in Psalm 119:89. Were it possible to destroy every copy of the Bible (it isn’t), or eliminate every earthly reference to God’s word (ditto), it still wouldn’t change a thing. God’s word is eternal because it originates with Him who is eternal. King Jehoakim must have missed that in Sunday School. As God’s word was read to him, the king took a knife and cut the scroll before throwing it into the fire. Though righteous men pleaded with the king, he would not listen. Worse still, the king and his friends were not afraid of God’s words, neither did they repent (“tear their garments” – 36:24). The Divine response was to rewrite all the words of the first scroll and add many more similar words (36:32). In Jeremiah 38, the prophet’s enemies accused him of weakening the resolve of those fighting against Babylon, saying, “For this man does not seek the welfare of this people, but their harm” (38:4). In reality, the very opposite was true. Jeremiah did have their best interest at heart. Those who would heed Jeremiah would live, while those who continued to fight would die! We must not cave to those who accuse of us of being unloving simply because we preach a truth that they do not want to hear. Despite all the king had done to Jeremiah, I cannot help but be moved by the prophet’s pleading with Zedekiah to save himself, his family, and the city.
New Testament reading: Luke 10-11
Luke 10:25-37 is often identified as “The Good Samaritan.” I find this tag to be insulting, as elsewhere in the New Testament we can read of the Samaritans from a favorable perspective (cf John 4:39-42). No one ever writes of or tags a text with the moniker, “The Good Jew.” I’ve read this text many times, but today, for the first time, I made a connection to the situation with Mary and Martha. That is, the choice is not always good or bad, but sometimes good or better. I’m sure the priest and Levite were on their way to render some service to God and His people. However, that work was not more needful than to stop and show compassion on this brother who had fallen into the hands of reprobates. Regardless of our mission, may we never be so busy or in such a hurry that we fail to show the love of Christ to our fellow man.
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