Monday, October 15, 2012

To Be Continued

October 15, 2012
Psalm 112
It’s happened to me on more occasions than I care to remember. I’ve settled in to watch a favorite TV program, usually a mystery or cop show, I’ve kept up with the twists and turns in the plot, I’ve begun to anticipate the end when the mystery will be solved and the questions will be answered, when, glancing at my watch I realize that there really isn’t enough time left in the hour to finish up the program. And that’s when it hits me, I’m watching the first half of a two-part program. Then the dreaded words appear on the screen: To be continued. I’m going to have to wait another week to see how it all turns out, assuming that I’m actually at home the next week and not out doing something more important. Needless to say I find “to-be-continued” TV shows very irritating.

Oddly enough in his commentary on the book of Psalms, Jim Mays suggests that if we really want to understand Psalm 112 –– one of our evening psalms for today –– we must really begin with Psalm 111. The two belong together, says Mays. One of the several ways that the two are connected can be seen in the last verse of Psalm 111 and the first of 112 which echo similar themes between them. 111 ends with the words, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever” (Psalm 111:10). Then 112 begins saying, “Praise the Lord! Happy are those who fear the Lord, who greatly delight in his commandments” (Psalm 112:1).

Wisdom and commandments, fear of the Lord, praise for God; each psalm uses these and other phrases. It is as fir Psalm 111 ended with the words “to be continued.” And frankly, this shouldn’t surprise nor disconcert us. After all, what is scripture? It is the story of God’s continuing involvement with a chosen people, beginning at the very start, at creation, and running right up to the place where it points to the future, our future. All of scripture is, in one way or another, “to be continued” because God has not and never will cease to be a part of our lives, of our history. God is with us for the long haul, though every episode we might say, and God’s grace abounds throughout. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: God of all that is, continue to bless your people with all we need to live and to serve you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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