We hope this week's devotional will encourage you in your spiritual walk. You are welcome to share this and include it in your church newsletters if you wish; we just ask that you please give credit to NTC and the author. Thank you!
Psalm 37.1-11; 39-40 (NLT)
1 Don’t worry about the wicked
or envy those who do wrong.
2 For like grass, they soon fade away.
Like spring flowers, they soon wither.
3 Trust in the Lord and do good.
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.
5 Commit everything you do to the Lord.
Trust him, and he will help you.
6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
7 Be still in the presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
or fret about their wicked schemes.
8 Stop being angry!
Turn from your rage!
Do not lose your temper—
it only leads to harm.
9 For the wicked will be destroyed,
but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.
10 Soon the wicked will disappear.
Though you look for them, they will be gone.
11 The lowly will possess the land
and will live in peace and prosperity.
39 The Lord rescues the godly;
he is their fortress in times of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them,
rescuing them from the wicked.
He saves them,
and they find shelter in him.
Luke 6.27-38 (NLT)
27 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.
35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
37 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”
Devotional Thought:
As a child I always looked forward to spending holidays at my grandparent’s farm in rural East Tennessee. It was located in a quiet valley, many hours away from the city lights, noises and smells. My brother and I were free to roam over the fields by ourselves. We spent our days chasing cows, jumping on the hay bales, and splashing in the clear mountain streams. We experienced the farm as a place of peace and quiet, relaxation, and adventure. It was a place of safety and security.
The final lines of the Psalm above trigger the memory of the farm for me. In many ways I saw the farm as a fortress, a rescue, and a shelter from all of the challenges of life back in the city. The farm was an escape for our family. When we were there, we were free and protected from the ‘wicked’ and ‘evil’ people. In many ways, this is how the Psalmist understood the relationship we have with God. In other places, God is described as the stronghold, the protector and provider. In relationship with him we are at peace, relaxed, and safe. It is as if the Psalmist is saying, ‘Just let the wicked get on with what they are doing. God will deal with them. You just stay away and live your life in God’s peace and protection.’
When Jesus began his preaching ministry I imagine the people hearing him were expecting to hear echoes of the Psalmist. They were expecting Jesus to say that God was returning to establish peace and prosperity to the land of promise. He was coming to deal with the wicked and rescue his people from them. But, as we read this part of one of Jesus teachings, we find that God’s intention for his people is not quite what they may have imagined. Jesus says, instead of removing yourself from your enemies, offer them love and prayer. Instead of seeking a peaceful oasis, engage the challenges you face with compassion. If someone asks something of you, give them even more than they ask.
What is Jesus doing here? Doesn’t God want us to be safe and protected from the evil one? Here is what I think Jesus is saying. We ARE safe and protected from the evil one BECAUSE of our relationship with God and it is from this place of security and identity as God’s children, we are CALLED to love our enemies, engage them with compassion, and offer an abundance of grace to all people. From this place of security, Jesus says, ‘you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.’ This is exactly what we see in the incarnation of Christ. The Son of God, from a place of security and identity as God’s Son, entered creation with all of its evil and wickedness in order to offer grace, compassion, and love. In the same way, and from the same place of security, we are called to ‘go, and do likewise’ (Luke 10.37).
Prayer:
Almighty and loving Father, we thank you for the security, peace, and protection we have as your children. We thank you for offering yourself to us in Christ, revealing to us the ways in which we are called to engage those around us. Strengthen us by your Spirit to live as people of love and compassion. Amen.
Rev. Joseph Wood, PhD
Dean of Students and Lecturer in Theology and Church History