God is Eternal and Unshakeable

The composer, who is described in the title of the psalm as “someone who hurts,” calls on God to make his healing presence known to him. His physical pain is overwhelming, and he seems close to death (vv 3-5); indeed his torment is bone deep (v 3). He feels that his life is temporary like smoke or short-lived grass (vv 4, 11).

The Great Test

Today, as then, many people turn up their noses at our faith. “It’s a hang-up,” they say. “It’s self-deception. You imagine all kinds of ‘answers to prayer’ in what are really coincidences. You have feelings you think come from God, but really they’re auto-suggestion!”

Continue To Do Good

“Let those suffering in accordance with God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful creator, while continuing to do good” (4:19 NRSV). This is a good summary of 1 Peter’s theology of suffering. It does more than acknowledge the reality of persecution and suffering; it expects it and accepts it as an element of God’s will.

But not just any suffering qualifies. Suffering caused by unethical and criminal behaviour is not within God’s will.

Cry Out For Justice

At first the psalms may bring to mind gentle brooks and rolling meadows, beautiful poetry extolling God’s magnificence and care. Some of them, however, are anything but. A number seethe with anger. There are bad people out there, doing horrendous, evil things and the psalmist is fed up.

The End of Death

“Lord have mercy! Christ have mercy! Lord, have mercy on us!”

I uttered those words as I read the horrendous details of the September 2013 shopping mall massacre in Nairobi, Kenya. One bright, sunny day terrorists stormed the mall, shooting and throwing grenades.

Read More suffering, death, hope, tragedy

Facing the Truth

So God proposes to redeem his world through the witness of his Church. I know – it’s breath-taking. As we are faithful, God will work. That’s the contract. Now in today’s passage, we read the small print.

There are encouraging things in it.