Saturday 14 May

Judges 18:1-19:30

Wow.  That is some crazy, messed-up stuff.  That is properly sick.  Micah shouldn’t have had his own idol, Jonathan the priest shouldn’t have ‘priested’ anywhere other than at the House of God, the Danites shouldn’t have taken the land that Joshua allocated to the Ephraimites, the Danites shouldn’t have massacred the Laishites, the Gibeahites shouldn’t have left it to an old man to host the travellers, the wicked men should not have pounded on the door demanding sex with the traveller, the old man should not have offered his virgin daughter as a token, the traveller should not have given his concubine to the wicked men, the wicked men should not have gang-raped her all night and the traveller should have been a little more concerned than just opening the door in the morning and saying “get up”.  What on earth must God have made of all of this?  He no doubt felt more revulsion over this than we ever could.  But the amazing thing we know is that God didn’t look at this and just dish out a punishment.  He decides to act in one decisive way.  He leans over the the Word and says to him “start packing your things...”

John 8:12-30

Amid this fairly dense passage is an incredible insight into the sheer intimacy there was between Jesus and the Father.  I’ve noticed that recently I have thought a lot about Jesus and about God as Lord but this concept of God as Father has ever so slightly been nudged to one side.  I hope this realisation will see that being remedied.  Absolutely fundamental to Jesus’ life was his utter dependance on his Father.  He knew exactly what his Father had taught him.  He knew that his Father had sent him, was with him and had not left him alone.  Even more than that, he knew that his Father was pleased with every single thing he was doing.  How could he have had such confidence about these things?  I’m not in that place, but I do want to be.  I want to be constantly aware of the Father’s presence with me and of his desires for my life in general and for this moment in particular.  I want to feel his pleasure at what I am doing.  I want to put myself in a place where I can be taught by the Father and where I live completely out of that learning.  Jesus please help me become like you in this.  Jesus I put my faith in you.

Psalm 60:5-12

Here’s an interesting example of Israel’s hope that God would trample down her enemies.  God really would toss his sandal over Edom, but not in the way that the Psalmist expected.