8/6/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
Psalm 34 proclaims the joy of boasting. Of course, we have all been taught that it’s not good to boast. After all, who needs a braggart? Nobody. But what is the boast of the Psalmist? The Psalmist boasts in the Lord. This is the Lord who is very good. It is the Lord who is willing to care for the humble, the poor, the needy. Specifically, it is the Lord who is willing to care for me, though I don’t deserve it at all. Yes, this is the boasting which is fitting for the Christian.
Would you like to talk about something great? Tell me about your Christ, not about your works, your faith, your loyalty, or your intelligence. Tell me about how Jesus is the one who, by his gracious choice, humbled himself to take on our frame, our weakness, our sufferings. Tell me how Jesus, the possessor of all heaven and earth considered your life too precious to allow it ruined by your sin. Tell me how Jesus, the one who knew no sin became sin for you. Boast away, but boast in the Lord! Then, if you are helping me in this way, as verse three describes, we can rejoice together.
If my boast is in myself you have no reason for rejoicing. If my boast is in the Lord, you can join in and we will encourage one another.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
Psalm 34 proclaims the joy of boasting. Of course, we have all been taught that it’s not good to boast. After all, who needs a braggart? Nobody. But what is the boast of the Psalmist? The Psalmist boasts in the Lord. This is the Lord who is very good. It is the Lord who is willing to care for the humble, the poor, the needy. Specifically, it is the Lord who is willing to care for me, though I don’t deserve it at all. Yes, this is the boasting which is fitting for the Christian.
Would you like to talk about something great? Tell me about your Christ, not about your works, your faith, your loyalty, or your intelligence. Tell me about how Jesus is the one who, by his gracious choice, humbled himself to take on our frame, our weakness, our sufferings. Tell me how Jesus, the possessor of all heaven and earth considered your life too precious to allow it ruined by your sin. Tell me how Jesus, the one who knew no sin became sin for you. Boast away, but boast in the Lord! Then, if you are helping me in this way, as verse three describes, we can rejoice together.
If my boast is in myself you have no reason for rejoicing. If my boast is in the Lord, you can join in and we will encourage one another.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
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