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.
Why do we read the first sentence of a text then assume we’ve got it all? It seems pointless but it’s what we do. For those who have been courageous enough to keep reading, we’ll get to the application. Psalm 67:1 asks that God would be gracious to us. Many in our nation and culture would be very happy with that statement. Granted, some would take offense at any suggestion that God exists or that we would want Him involved in anything. Yet most would say it’s all right and that we are glad when God blesses us. It makes everything all right, no matter what we are thinking or doing, if God blesses us.
What’s the matter, then? For one thing, we didn’t read beyond the first sentence. Actually, we didn’t even finish the first sentence. Maybe we need to do that. Verse 2 finishes the sentence with the desired result of God’s blessing, “that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations” (ESV). I’m actually going to let us stop at the end of the sentence. What is the outcome of God’s blessing? It is that all nations should know the particular Lord of all, in all his glory and mercy. The God of the Bible is the Lord who saves people. He is not content to leave us thinking we’re all right, no matter what we think or do.
Christian’s don’t passively look for the blessing - the God stamp of approval, saying anything goes. We look for God’s salvation. We expect Him to work in our world, changing it to reflect His glory and purpose. Congratulations! You have now read not only the first sentence of the Psalm but also the last sentence of this post.
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