Ezekiel 14:12-16:42, Hebrews 7:18-28, Psalm 106:1-12, Proverbs 27:4-6

Ezekiel 14:12-16:42, Hebrews 7:18-28, Psalm 106:1-12, Proverbs 27:4-6

 

            When I think back to all my years of schooling, I can think of one teacher from high school who had the greatest impact on my life.  Ms. Sal literally glided with grace in her classroom from one side to the other as she inspired us with Renaissance art, we were emotional remembering the trenches of World War I, and discussed the differences in of Greek and Roman architecture.  I am who I am for many reasons because of her.  I am a romantic and a history lover because she taught me how to see, learn, and be passionate about the past, because it shapes our present and future.  I will always love her for that.  In these chapters of Hebrews and especially Psalm 106, I thought about this love of history and some of her lessons echo in my mind.  Psalm 106 is a small chronicle of the Jewish nation and their history.  It is a representation of who they were as a nation, and this picture is what we think of the, today. 

 

            The first point that jumped out of me was God as the main character.  All

Glory goes to God first and is an example of how we should respond to Him.  Praise the Lord. Give thanks.  Why?  Because He is Good.  Thinking of history, there is a well known story about Corrie Ten Boom from World War II.  She and her family were imprisoned by the Nazis because they hid Jews.  When in their jail cells, she was separated from her sister and the prisoners would pass messages back in forth by whispering to each other…a large game of telephone.  One of the messages that the Ten Boom sisters shared to each other was "God is good."  Even in a cold, scary, hopeless Nazi prison, they still knew the goodness of God.  Sigh,  Such faith.  The author of this Psalm had the same faith and love in God.  They knew and proclaimed that God's love never fails and never gives up even though we all have lives and histories that constantly turn our backs to God. 

 

            Psalm 106 shows the character of God as Savior – verse 4 asks for God's aid WHEN he saves.  The next few verses transition into the beginning history of the Hebrew nation by leaving Egypt and slavery.  The fact that God is love and that He saves will be the hope and relief after each mess up if highlighted.  The chapter mentions rebellion, deliverance, rebuking, and being lost.  It also follows up with repentance, praise, and worship.  This is the beginning and a reminder of what we have been reading all year, and WHY we have been reading all year.  We are in the middle or our own chapters.  We are living our own histories.  This has had me thinking of what my chapter would look like.  What will Nikkie's history story say?  Will it reflect worship, love and obedience?  As verse 3 says, "Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right."  Or will the chapter be heavily coated with the mess ups, the doubt, the rebellions, the lost wanderings of my own?  Well, I know the answer, and of course it's both.  As I think about it, I'm thankful for those lost times, the rebellions, and the hopeless journeys, because just like Israel, those moments were followed with repentance and FORGIVENESS, and always filled with God's love that never fails.  We are living our histories, our stories.  My prayer is that during the bad times and during the great times we will always be able to whisper or shout that God is Good…that God Saves…that God's love never fails.