Daily Lesson for May 29, 2020

Today's Daily Lesson comes from 2 Chronicles chapter 1 verses 7 through 10:

7 That night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, “Ask what I should give you.” 8 Solomon said to God, “You have shown great and steadfast love to my father David, and have made me succeed him as king. 9 O Lord God, let your promise to my father David now be fulfilled, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can rule this great people of yours?”

And Psalms 72 verses 1 through 4:

1 Give the king your justice, O God,

    and your righteousness to a king’s son.

2 May he judge your people with righteousness,

    and your poor with justice.

3 May the mountains yield prosperity for the people,

    and the hills, in righteousness.

4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,

    give deliverance to the needy,

    and crush the oppressor.

These are the prayers of Solomon as he acceded to the throne.  They were prayers for wisdom and for judgement, for righteousness and for justice. 

Solomon knew how fragile the nation was when he came to power.  He had seen its discord and division.  He had witnessed its fires and bloodshed. As he came to the throne he trembled, "Who can rule these peoples?" he asked. 

So, he turned himself in humility towards God. He asked for wisdom.  He prayed for understanding.  He pledged himself to be a leader who could hear and understand the cries of the people, work to build their prosperity, and assure that no abuse of power over them would be tolerated.

These are prayers every leader in every American city ought to be praying now.  They are the prayers every Mayor, and Governor, and the President ought all to be praying.  They should be on their knees praying to God for wisdom this morning on how to govern and lead this frustrated nation.

As I said, that will take humility; and that's a tall order.  But it's also the only way to earn the consent of the governed and assure the peace of the City.

NOTE: We're reading the whole Bible through this year.  Over the weekend we'll begin reading the so-called works of Solomon: Song of Solomon, and Proverbs 1 through 6.

Daily Lesson for May 28, 2020

Today's Daily Lesson comes from 1 Kings chapter 3 verses 6 through 9:

6 And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. 7 And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?”

As Solomon accedes to the throne, he prays for wisdom for the way forward.  The NRSV translates what he asks for as "an understanding mind" though literally what he asks for is "a listening heart".

Solomon is already wise enough to know he will need wisdom.  As Socrates said, the truly wise person trusts not in his own wisdom.  Solomon knows the nation is in a fragile state.  Beset by his father's scandals, and not one but two attempted coups, Solomon receives royal power by the strength of a single thread.  If he is to hold onto the throne he must have wisdom and he must be willing to listen with an open mind and an open heart.

A famous event immediately follows this prayer in the pages of Scripture.  Two women argue over the life of an infant, each one claiming to be the rightful mother.  When Solomon suggests the baby be split in half, the real mother gives in, relinquishing her claim on the baby.  With that, Solomon knows who the true is -- the one who loves the baby enough to let go.

This is a parable, not only for Solomon's time but also for ours.  The life of the nation is in dispute.  Two different visions lay claim to its future. It is in danger of being torn apart.

So what is needed is wisdom, open minds and an open hearts.  What is needed are listening hearts. There must be more than the will to win -- the desire to dominate at any cost.  That will rend the baby asunder.  There must also be the will to let the child live. And that will require the wisdom of compromise.  It will require the wisdom of knowing when to speak and when to listen, when to hold on, and when to let go.

Lord, grant us such wisdom. 

"Grant us wisdom for the living of these days."

NOTE: We are reading the whole Bible through this year.  Tomorrow's Lesson will come from 2 Chroinicles 1 and Psalm 72.

Daily Lesson for May 27, 2020

Today's Daily Lesson comes from Psalm 119 verses 105 through 114:

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet

    and a light to my path.

106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,

    to observe your righteous ordinances.

107 I am severely afflicted;

    give me life, O Lord, according to your word.

108 Accept my offerings of praise, O Lord,

    and teach me your ordinances.

109 I hold my life in my hand continually,

    but I do not forget your law.

110 The wicked have laid a snare for me,

    but I do not stray from your precepts.

111 Your decrees are my heritage forever;

    they are the joy of my heart.

112 I incline my heart to perform your statutes

    forever, to the end.

113 I hate the double-minded,

    but I love your law.

114 You are my hiding place and my shield;

    I hope in your word.

St. Augustine said the Word of God is a lamp unto our feet guiding our next step, and light on the path assuring us of the way we are walking.  In between there is darkness.

Much is darkness now and we can't see the path.  It is night in the world now and too dark for our eyes to apprehend the way.

But the lamp at our feet shows us the next step -- what they call in Alcoholics Anonymous "the next right thing"; and the light down in the distance assures us that the path does not run out.  And in between there is faith.

Keep walking, friends.  Keep trusting.  We don't have to see the whole way.  Have faith we are headed somewhere.  Look down in the distance.  Believe the Word.  It ends in a great Light.

As for now, there is a small light -- small, yet enough. It is enough to guide every right step we have to take.

NOTE: We are reading the whole Bible through this year.  Tomorrow's Lesson comes from 1 Kings chapters 3-4.

Daily Less for May 26, 2020

Today's Daily Lesson comes from Psalm 37 verses 1 through 11, and 39 and 40:

1 Do not fret because of the wicked;

    do not be envious of wrongdoers,

2 for they will soon fade like the grass,

    and wither like the green herb.

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;

    so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.

4 Take delight in the Lord,

    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the Lord;

    trust in him, and he will act.

6 He will make your vindication shine like the light,

    and the justice of your cause like the noonday.

7 Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him;

    do not fret over those who prosper in their way,

    over those who carry out evil devices.

8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath.

    Do not fret—it leads only to evil.

9 For the wicked shall be cut off,

    but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

10 Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more;

    though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there.

11 But the meek shall inherit the land,

    and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

39 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;

    he is their refuge in the time of trouble.

40 The Lord helps them and rescues them;

    he rescues them from the wicked, and saves them,

    because they take refuge in him.

As we are reading through the Bible we've come now to the death of David, and are given these last words as an exhortation from his mouth to all generations.

Evil flourishes awhile.  Like a weed it sprouts and grows in the sun and threatens to take over.  Troubles come like storms, turning the day's sky to night and light to darkness.

But soon the harvest comes.  The weeds are separated from the wheat.  The storm passes; and the blue of God's fixed firmament can be seen again.

We will get through this.  Do not be anxious.  Do not be dismayed.  We will get through all this in time.  Soon the storm shall pass.  The weed will wilt.  And the righteous will shine in the harvest sun.

These are last words from a flawed, but mighty man.  All go the way of the earth.

But the LORD remains. Trust in the LORD and be not afraid.

NOTE: We are reading the whole Bible through this year.  Tomorrow's Lesson will come from Psalm 119.

Daily Lesson for May 25, 2020

Today's Daily Lesson is Psalm 127:

1 Unless the Lord builds the house,

    those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the Lord guards the city,

    the guard keeps watch in vain.

2 It is in vain that you rise up early

    and go late to rest,

eating the bread of anxious toil;

for he gives sleep to his beloved.

3 Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord,

    the fruit of the womb a reward.

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior

    are the sons of one’s youth.

5 Happy is the man who has

    his quiver full of them.

He shall not be put to shame

    when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

As we are reading along through the Bible, we come now to the end of King David's reign and the beginning of Solomon's.  The Lesson today is one of the Psalms of Ascent -- Psalms sung as Jewish pilgrims made their way to the Temple in Jerusalem -- and the only Psalm of Ascent said to be written by Solomon who built the Temple.

Charles Spurgeon called Psalm 127 "the Builder's Psalm", calling attention to the similarity of the word sons (banim) in verse 3 and builders (bonim) in verse 1.

Today is Memorial Day, and we can think how many sons have given their lives in the building of this nation.  We remember especially today the sons' and daughters' lives which were taken like arrows from a quiver in defense of this country and its ideals. Our deepest prayer today is that these lives shall not have been spent in vain.

That depends on us now.  These sons and daughters are no more, arrows lost in wars and conflicts, some more noble than others.  But the building still stands and, indeed, is still being built.  And we honor the builders who built before by continuing to build on the foundations they set through the centuries -- Life and Liberty, E pluribus unum, Truth, Justice, and the American way.

NOTE: Tomorrow's Lesson will come from 1 Kings 1-2; Psalms 37, 71, 94.