We spent a LOT of time with friends this weekend, but it was such a good thing and so much fun!! Friday night we hung out at Neutral Groundz (the college-kids-only coffeeshop that's open on weekend nights, which is also where Joshua and I met) with Ruth and Joe. Saturday for lunch we had over another married couple, and then two girl friends of mine from school came Saturday night to watch Phantom of the Opera and Ruth and Joe joined us then, too. Sunday we went to the Evangelical Free church and a friend who goes there came over for lunch, and then after work Sunday evening we went to Ruth and Joe's. Yes, we were with them three days in a row. Plus I worked out with Ruth this morning. :)
It's funny how much our social life has actually expanded since we got married. This weekend was more of the exception than the rule--we normally aren't quite this social! We both really enjoyed it, though. I LOVE being a hostess.
In between all the company we managed to do two weeks' worth of laundry (which was so much easier now that we have our own car again!) and get the house really clean. It's gotten a bit cluttered since last night but tomorrow we'll have time to get it in order again.
I've been learning quite a bit this weekend: about communication, about marriage and relationships, about how couples and people in general relate to one another, about love and forgiveness and acceptance. I've been learning that it's okay if we don't always see eye-to-eye on things; we can still love each other and be friends and get along. I've learned once again that it's easy to hurt those closest to us, even unintentionally, but that there's forgiveness and reconciliation and through the love of God our relationships can be restored.
I've been reminded how much of a blessing it is to be a blessing, and the joy that comes from serving and caring for others.
I love the privilege we have of being able to share the gifts that God has given us.
And as today is Reformation Day, I'm thanking God for those people who He worked through in order that His Gospel might be clearly proclaimed, preached, taught and practiced. I'm also thankful for Martin Luther and the work he did within the Christian church. (I'm glad I'm Lutheran! :) )
This week I have wedding thank-you notes to finish (no, they're not done yet; yes, I'm a horrible person) and a big history test to study for. So blogging might not happen for a few days. But every day God pours out his blessings, every day I have so much to be thankful for, every day I get to serve and love and glorify Him.
Showing posts with label Luther. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Luther. Show all posts
Monday, October 31, 2011
Friday, November 5, 2010
I am His: Psalm 119:89-96
Today's section of the psalm has so much to it. I practiced a little bit of lectio divina, a contemplative, meditative reading of the Scriptures. I would highly recommend trying it sometime with a few verses, by the way. It's my favorite way of reading the Bible.
I'm going to go through the passage verse by verse and write my thoughts on each.
89 Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.
Here, "word" could be taken to mean the Scriptures- which are eternal, more so than any other religious writings- or it could mean the Word made Flesh: Jesus Christ himself. So, Christ is eternal, lasting forever in heaven, and so is the Scripture eternal, lasting forever.
90 Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures.
What I find wonderful about this truth is that despite humanity's constant unfaithfulness to God, which has happened since the beginning of time, God's faithfulness continues- through all generations! Not only that, but the earth that he created has endured despite man's continued unfaithfulness. What grace!
91 Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you.
This could be taken to mean God's law in Scripture, which does endure just as all Scripture does. I think it also applies to the laws which God set in creation: the sun rises every twenty-four hours, our lungs brreathe in and out, things are born and grow and die, and it all continues: because all things do serve God.
92 If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.
I had to check my notes on this one. God's law teaches us the way to live, and without delighting in his law, we would perish in the affliction of our sin. Verse 93 repeats this in a different way, and it says:
93 I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.
94 Save me, for I am yours; I have sought out your precepts.
The first phrase of this verse is one that is quoted in the Luther movie. Luther is arguing with Satan and desiring a merciful God, "one who loves me and who I can love". His father confessor tells him to pray, "I am yours. Save me." I didn't know till today that that prayer is Psalm 119:94b! It is a prayer that I can pray all the time, daily, to remind me that I am God's and to beg him to save me.
95 The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder your statutes.
Honestly, I don't really understand this verse. Maybe it is clearer in the original Hebrew. I suppose it could have something to do with the fact that when we know, understand and live by God's law, we are less easily ensnared by sin and those who would deceive us.
96 To all perfection I see a limit, but your commands are boundless.
My notes have a good interpretation of this: "boundless. Lit. 'very broad', i.e., an inexhaustible source of wise counsel for life." Most perfect things can only get to be so perfect and then they are as perfect as is possible. God's commands, his "wise counsel for life," are so broad that they are uneclipsable. (I don't know if that's a word, but it describes well what I'm trying to say.) In other words, God's commands are so perfect that they have no limits! God himself is like this also. He's so good that he transcends all other perfection and then some!
It is this completely perfect, fully eternal, forever faithful amazing God who saves us and whom we belong to.
Today, I am going to remember that I belong to this incredible God who has saved me.
I'm going to go through the passage verse by verse and write my thoughts on each.
89 Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.
Here, "word" could be taken to mean the Scriptures- which are eternal, more so than any other religious writings- or it could mean the Word made Flesh: Jesus Christ himself. So, Christ is eternal, lasting forever in heaven, and so is the Scripture eternal, lasting forever.
90 Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures.
What I find wonderful about this truth is that despite humanity's constant unfaithfulness to God, which has happened since the beginning of time, God's faithfulness continues- through all generations! Not only that, but the earth that he created has endured despite man's continued unfaithfulness. What grace!
91 Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you.
This could be taken to mean God's law in Scripture, which does endure just as all Scripture does. I think it also applies to the laws which God set in creation: the sun rises every twenty-four hours, our lungs brreathe in and out, things are born and grow and die, and it all continues: because all things do serve God.
92 If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.
I had to check my notes on this one. God's law teaches us the way to live, and without delighting in his law, we would perish in the affliction of our sin. Verse 93 repeats this in a different way, and it says:
93 I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.
94 Save me, for I am yours; I have sought out your precepts.
The first phrase of this verse is one that is quoted in the Luther movie. Luther is arguing with Satan and desiring a merciful God, "one who loves me and who I can love". His father confessor tells him to pray, "I am yours. Save me." I didn't know till today that that prayer is Psalm 119:94b! It is a prayer that I can pray all the time, daily, to remind me that I am God's and to beg him to save me.
95 The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder your statutes.
Honestly, I don't really understand this verse. Maybe it is clearer in the original Hebrew. I suppose it could have something to do with the fact that when we know, understand and live by God's law, we are less easily ensnared by sin and those who would deceive us.
96 To all perfection I see a limit, but your commands are boundless.
My notes have a good interpretation of this: "boundless. Lit. 'very broad', i.e., an inexhaustible source of wise counsel for life." Most perfect things can only get to be so perfect and then they are as perfect as is possible. God's commands, his "wise counsel for life," are so broad that they are uneclipsable. (I don't know if that's a word, but it describes well what I'm trying to say.) In other words, God's commands are so perfect that they have no limits! God himself is like this also. He's so good that he transcends all other perfection and then some!
It is this completely perfect, fully eternal, forever faithful amazing God who saves us and whom we belong to.
Today, I am going to remember that I belong to this incredible God who has saved me.
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