Random Thoughts

Jim:

1 Kings 5:1-6:1, 7
Today I noted verse 5, a part of the message that Solomon sent to King Hiram of Tyre. “So I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord said to my father David, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.’” The house that Solomon intended to build was not for God, but for the name of God. The temple, then, would not be understood to contain God, but would point to God and to Israel’s relationship with God. (Later when Isaiah saw God in the temple, the hem of God’s robe filled up the space and the vision seemed to spill over into the heavenly court.)

Acts 28:1-16
I took comfort from verse 15. “The believers from there, when they heard of us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.” Again, the Christian faith is seen to be a corporate faith, one that creates communities and relationships, not an individual faith that can be practiced in isolation. Paul, who himself had offered encouragement to those on the ship, now receives encouragement himself. The main reason that we gather to worship on a regular basis is to praise God, but one of the effects is mutual support and accountability. Even Paul needed to know that others were standing with him.

Mark 14:27-42
Verse 36 is poignant. “(Jesus) said, ‘Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.’” Jesus, at a moment of real crisis, a time of personal torment, is able and willing to express his preference for a different outcome, but to also turn his life over to God. This is a part of Jesus’ perfect obedience that we talk about. That doesn’t mean that Jesus always liked what he was called to do, but he was willing to do it anyway and to trust God in the process. Incidentally, it is very appropriate for us to express our concerns to God, to badger and pester ever, but our effort should be to do God’s will, even when we disagree or don’t understand.