Proper 8 (13)
June 29, 2008
Genesis 22:1-14; Psalm 13; Romans 6:12-23; Matthew 10:40-42
Ever feel forgotten? Ever feel like nobody cares? This week’s Psalm has David wondering that. Here’s what David writes,
1 O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever?
How long will you look the other way?
2 How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
with sorrow in my heart every day?
How long will my enemy have the upper hand?
3 Turn and answer me, O Lord my God!
Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.
4 Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!”
Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
6 I will sing to the Lord
because he is good to me.
It’s real easy to feel like David — we think the bad guys are going to win again — Why doesn’t anything ever go my way? Here’s the answer to our whining — But I trust in your unfailing love — I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he picks up that theme of what God has done for us and reminds us that because of Christ’s death on the cross and subsequently His resurrection from the dead, sin has no power over us unless we let it have power over us. Paul calls believers to be slaves to righteousness and not to sin, because we, as believers, are free from the power of sin and to live a life of holiness.
Part of that involves what Jesus tells us to do. I love verse 42. 42 And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.” I remember several years ago, while we lived in Fort Miller, there was an annual Bike Fest not to far away. Because we were on the main north-south route that was not an interstate, many of the bikers made their way past our house and church. One Saturday morning, I was doing the lawn maintenance, when some bikers stopped in front of our church. It looked like they were trying to find a place to go to the restroom. I put down my stuff and let them in. As soon as I did that, I got some cups from the kitchen and ran over to the house to get some cold water from the refrigerator. Our tap water was bad there. I came back and offered drinks to the 12 to fifteen bikers gathered there. They were really appreciative of the rest stop and the hospitality. One said about our hospitality, “I almost makes me want to go find a church like this one back home.” Several handed me twenty dollar bills as they left and Pam and I put them in the offering in the morning. I got to meet some really nice people that morning and got a chance to minister briefly to them and offered them a cool drink of water in Jesus’ name. That’s the life of holiness lived out practically. Blessings…
