10 September 2015

Scriptures:

• Luke 7:36-8:3
• Daniel 11:2-45
• 1 Samuel 31
• Psalm 39

Observations:

In the Luke passage, we see Christ talking about forgiveness and love - how one who is forgiven much loves the forgiver much and one who is forgiven little loves little. He was saying this in response to a pharisee's attitude towards a woman who was serving Christ. In Daniel, we see the prediction of the rise of Alexander, the division of his empire, the wars between the Ptolemies and Seleucids, at some point along comes Rome into the mix, before allegories of the Antichrist and hypotheses of references to Antiochus begin to overlap, with a couple commentators suggesting Mohammed, the Arabs, the Turks, and a later antichrist after Mohammed. The general trend amongst commentators I read towards the end of the chapter, however, appears to be in reference to Antiochus. In 1 Samuel, we see the fall of the lineage of Saul, as prophesied.

To be honest, I don't quite follow the psalm. I can't quite pick out a continual theme. We see the psalmist trying to hold in the torrent inside him before gushing to God everything he is feeling, about the fleeting nature of man, about his own sin, about the Lord's punishment. It seems to be the gushing of a desperate man towards one whom he loves and whose affections are not present. After some research, it appears David was ill during the writing of this psalm.

Applications:

Well, we definitely see God's prophesies verified in history, point one for consistency and historical veracity of scripture. This was a dry day for me. I can definitely identify with the psalmist, wanting to just throw a thousand questions at God. I read the Luke passage and recognise my own gratitude to God, though it's diminished by my tiredness. If Medical School were a disease, I understand how David feels. Moving in medical school while your wife works two jobs, trying to plan a semblance of meals, manage finances and paperwork, and engage in ministry while trying to maximise study time, all is draining. Thanks be to God who provides strength to my wife and I to tackle what we can while mired in the craziness of life (she has one over on me - she's trying to get back to school on top of her full plate).

Prayer:

God, I thank you that I have the freedom to just come to you, that, in my most tired and exhausted state I can still come and lean on you. Give me the endurance I need and give my wife the endurance she needs so that we can not only manage life, but face it and grow in it.

Be with my parents, Lord. Give them the wisdom they need to make this upcoming decision.

Help me to complete the studying I need to catch up on in preparation for Monday's test.

Amen