old testament – Mum's devotional

No more SK, I promise. There is, however, more about the Pilgrims…

January 5th

I proclaimed a fast by the Ahava River, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us, our children, and all our possessions. I did this because I was ashamed to ask the king for infantry and cavalry to protect us from enemies during the journey, since we had told him, “The hand of our God is gracious to all who seek Him, but His great anger is against all who abandon Him.” So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this, and He granted our request.

Ezra 8:21-23 (HCSB)

…in the wholesome counsel Mr. Robinson gave… at their departure from him to begin the great work of [Plymouth] Plantation in New England, amongst other wholesome instructions and exhortations, he used these expressions, or to the same purpose:

We are now before long to part… and the Lord knows whether he should live to see our faces again: but whether the Lord had appointed it or not, he charged us before God and his blessed angels, to follow him no further then he followed Christ. And if God should reveal anything to us by any other instrument of his, to be as ready to receive it, as we ever were to receive any truth by his ministry; for he was very confident the Lord had more truth and light yet to break forth out of his holy Word.

….Here also he put us in mind of our Church-Covenant, where we promise and covenant with God and one with another, to receive whatsoever light or truth shall be made known to us from his written Word: but exhorted us to take heed what we received for truth, and to examine and compare, and weigh it with other Scriptures of truth, before we received it.

‘Another thing he [re]commended to us, was, that we should use all means to avoid and shake off the name of Brownist, being a mere nickname and brand to make religion odious, and the professors of it [odious] to the Christian world; and to that end, said he, I should be glad if some godly minister would go over with you, or come to you, before my coming. For, said he, there will be no difference between the Nonconformist ministers and you, when they come to the practice of the ordinances of the Kingdom; and so advised us by all means… rather to study union then division; viz. how near we might possibly, without sin, close with them, then in the least measure to affect division or separation from them.

“Many other things there were of great and weighty consequence which he commended to us, but these things I thought good to relate, at the request of some well-willers to the peace and good agreement of the godly, (so distracted at present about the settling of Church-government in the Kingdom of England) that so both sides may truly see what this poor despised Church of Christ now at New-Plymouth in New-England, but formerly at Leyden in Holland, was and is; how far they were and still are from separation from the Churches of Christ, especially those that are Reformed.”

Edward Winslow

O Emmanuel!

December 23rd

EMMANUEL, our King and our Law-giver, Longing of the Gentiles; yes, and their salvation: come to save us, O Lord our God!

O Emmanuel antiphon

“Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,” declares the Lord. “Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you… Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.”

The angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua [the High Priest]: “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.

“ ‘Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.

Zechariah 2:10-13, 3:6-9 (NIV)

Here’s Nat King Cole’s Joy to the World on Youtube and Spotify.

…and here is an image of a hydrogen pillar in the Carina Nebula, from last year’s Hubble Advent Calendar in The Atlantic. Also, a Bok globule in the corner there, which is just a fun way of saying a lump of hydrogen (and a few other things).

Here’s this year’s calendar, if anyone’s interested.

O, Dayspring!

December 21st

O Dayspring, brightness of the everlasting light, Son of Justice, come to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death!

O Oriens* antiphon

These are the last words of David:

“The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse,
the utterance of the man exalted by the Most High,
the man anointed by the God of Jacob,
the hero of Israel’s songs:

The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me;
his word was on my tongue.
The God of Israel spoke,
the Rock of Israel said to me:
‘When one rules over people in righteousness,
when he rules in the fear of God,
he is like the light of morning at sunrise
on a cloudless morning,
like the brightness after rain
that brings grass from the earth.’
If my house were not right with God,
surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant,
arranged and secured in every part;
surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation
and grant me my every desire.”

2 Samuel 23:1-5 (NIV)

*If this sounds familiar it’s because O Come, O Come Emmanuel is based on the Greater [‘O’] Antiphons. As I may have said before, they are very, very old, and have been translated, paraphrased and re-translated many times.

Here is another John Wesley hymn: literally the only version of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing I found that I liked, by the U.S. Army Band of all things. (I think it’s just because it needs a lot of deep voices, but most of the men’s choruses that did it used the Willcocks arrangement, which I loathe with a passion.)

…and here is an image of another spiral galaxy, M74, from last year’s Hubble Advent Calendar in The Atlantic.

Here’s this year’s calendar, if anyone’s interested.

Paying attention

December 7th

“Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.”

1 Samuel 15:22 (HCSB)

…You see that the sun, as it rises, shows us the size of objects which we could only make out obscurely during the night. Remember that, as the inner light increases, you will see the imperfections which you have seen heretofore as basically much greater and more harmful than you had seen them up to the present. You will find in your heart all the weaknesses which you will need to lose confidence in your strength; but this experience, far from discouraging you, will help to uproot all your self-confidence, and to raze to the ground the whole edifice of pride. Nothing marks so much the solid advancement of a soul, as this view of his wretchedness without anxiety and without discouragement.

The wise and diligent traveller watches his every step, and always has his eyes upon the part of the road directly in front of him. But he does not turn constantly backward to count every step, and to examine every track. He would lose time in going forward. A soul whom God truly leads by the hand (because I am not speaking of those who are learning to walk, and who are still looking for the road), ought to watch his path, but with a simple, serene vigilance, limited to the present, and undisturbed by self-love. It takes a continual attention to God’s will to accomplish this every moment, and not a turning back upon self to assure ourselves of our condition, while God wishes us to be unsure of it. This is why the Psalmist said, “My eyes are raised to the Lord, and it is he who will deliver my feet from the snares.”

Notice that to conduct his feet safely among roads sown with snares, instead of lowering his eyes to examine every step, he raises them instead to the Lord. We never watch over ourselves so well as when we walk with God present before our eyes, as God commanded Abraham. We should follow God’s will step by step.

Whoever conforms to it in all things watches over himself, and sanctifies himself in everything. If then we should never lose the presence of God, we should never cease to watch over ourselves, but with a simple, affectionate, serene and detached vigilance; while that other vigilance that we seek for self-assurance is sharp, uneasy and full of self-interest. It is not in our own light, but in that of God, that we must walk. We cannot see the holiness of God, without being horrified by the least infidelities. We examine ourselves, not for our own interest, but to follow the advice, and to accomplish the pure will of God. Moreover, we abandon ourselves in his hands, and we are as glad to know ourselves in the hands of God as we should be sorry to be in our own.

…Our life is a continual combat, but a combat in which Jesus Christ fights with us.

from Fenelon’s Christian Perfection (6 – Faults and Temptations)

I was pretty sure that I’d already posted part of this passage, but I couldn’t find it in my index. So, sorry if this is redundant.

Here’s Pentatonix’s God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen on Youtube and Spotify.

…and here is an image of another galactic collision (in Corvus) from last year’s Hubble Advent Calendar in The Atlantic.

Here’s this year’s calendar, if anyone’s interested.

‘Not a thing for skies and stars’

December 3rd

Faith also helps us to use the world as not abusing it. It is good at hard work, and at daily duty. It is not an angelic thing for skies and stars, but a human grace, at home in kitchens and workshops. It is at home at every kind of labour, and in every rank of life. It is a grace for every day, all the year round. Holy confidence in God is never out of work.

Spurgeon, in Around the Wicket Gate (To Those Who Have Believed)

Then the Lord appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre… he saw three men standing near him…

“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.

“There, in the tent.” he answered.

The Lord said, “I will certainly come back to you in about a year’s time, and your wife Sarah will have a son!”

Now Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him. Abraham and Sarah were old and getting on in years. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. So she laughed to herself: “After I have become shriveled up and my lord is old, will I have delight?”

But the Lord asked Abraham “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Can I really have a baby when I’m old?’ Is anything impossible for the Lord? At the appointed time I will come back to you, and in about a year she will have a son.”

Sarah denied it. “I did not laugh,” she said, because she was afraid.

But He replied, “No, you did laugh.”

…Then the Lord said, “Abraham is to become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him so that he will command his children and his house after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just.”

Genesis 18:9-15,18-19 (HCSB)

Abraham laughed too, by the way. People always forget that. On that whole subject, the title of this post was almost “The really, really, really, long road to Bethlehem,” but it won’t let me use italics up there.

Here is Tim Foust and The Hound + The Fox’s version of We Three Kings with some really kickass harmonizing on Youtube and Spotify. It’s one of my favorites (though I should probably add that my favorites are more determined by which are the most fun to belt out at the top of one’s lungs at any time in the two months preceding Christmas -yes I am one of those people- than any musical merit they may or may not have).

…and here is an Einstein Ring in the snappily-named galaxy cluster SDSSJ0146-0929 from last year’s Hubble Advent Calendar in The Atlantic. Here’s the link to this year’s, by the way, if you’re interested in being up-to-date.

In the flesh, in our hearts, and in glory

December 1st, First Sunday of Advent

…He will proclaim peace to the nations.

Zechariah 9:10 (HCSB)

When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples, telling them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, you should say that the Lord needs them, and immediately he will send them.”

This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:

Tell Daughter Zion, “See, your King is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.”

The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt; then they laid their robes on them, and He sat on them. A very large crowd spread their robes on the roads; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. Then the crowds who went ahead of Him and those who followed kept shouting:

Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!

When He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds kept saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee!”

Matthew 21:1-10 (HCSB)

Here is the King’s Singers’ Veni, Veni Emmanuel on Youtube and Spotify. Because Latin, is cool. There’s also Josh Wilson’s O Come Emmanuel, for those of you that don’t think Latin is cool.

…and here is a photo of the Lagoon Nebula from last year’s Hubble Advent Calendar in The Atlantic. I’m sure there’s one this year, but I want to be able to post it on the right day. (I love Advent calendars, because, deep down, I’m actually just a really verbose five year old, and like to put things in their proper cubbyholes. Bonus points if they’re shiny.)

The nature of sin

November 14th

For these are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the LORD’s instruction… This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.

Isaiah 30:9,15 (NIV)

Sin is red-handed anarchy against God. Not one in a thousand understands sin; we understand only about sins on the physical line, which are external weaknesses. In the common-sense domain sin does not amount to much; sin belongs to the real domain. The sin the Bible refers to is a terrific and powerful thing, a deliberate and emphatic independence of God and His claim to me, self-realisation. Anarchy is the very nature of sin as the Bible reveals it. Other religions deal with sins; the Bible alone deals with sin.

The first thing Jesus Christ faced in men was this heredity of sin, and it is because we have ignored it in our presentation of the Gospel that the message of the Gospel has lost its sting, its blasting power; we have drivelled it into insurance tickets for heaven, and made it deal only with the wastrel element of mankind. The average preaching of Redemption deals mainly with the “scenic” cases. The message of Jesus Christ is different; He went straight to the disposition, and always said, “IF—you need not unless you like, but—IF any man will follow Me, let him give up his right to himself.”

The Christian religion founds everything on the radical, positive nature of sin. Sin is self-realisation, self-sufficiency, entire and complete mastership of myself—gain that, and you lose control of everything over which God intended you to have dominion. Sin is not an act, but an hereditary disposition. Sin must be cleansed, and the revelation of Redemption is that God through Jesus Christ has power to cleanse us from the heredity of sin. The curious thing is that we are blind to the fact of sin, and deal only with the effects of sin.

from Oswald Chambers’ Shadow of an Agony,
Humanity and Holiness

Working for the fruit that lasts

November 11th

…And this will be a sign to you, O Hezekiah: This year you will eat what grows on its own, and in the second year what springs from the same. But in the third year you will sow and reap; you will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. And the surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root below and bear fruit above. For a remnant will go forth from Jerusalem, and survivors from Mount Zion. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.

2 Kings 19:29-31 (BSB)

Do you not now see the fruits of your labors, O all you servants of the Lord that have suffered for his truth, and have been faithful witnesses of the same, and the little handful amongst the rest, the least amongst the thousands of Israel? You have not only had a seed time, but many of you have seen the joyful harvest; should you not then rejoice, yes, and again rejoice and say Hallelujah, salvation and glory, and honor, and power, be to the Lord our God; for true and righteous are his judgments.

When by the travel* and diligence of some godly and zealous preachers, and God’s blessing on their labors… many became enlightened by the word of God, and had their ignorance and sins revealed to them, and began by his grace to reform their lives.

from Bradford’s History of Plymouth Plantation (Ch. 1)

* I honestly have no idea whether ‘travell’ was supposed to be read as ‘travel’ or ‘travail’ so I just picked the one I liked best, even if it’s probably wrong.

The chapter this comes from is an explanation of how the Pilgrims left England for the Low Countries, (this is before they somehow decided that Massachusetts was a good idea), and there’s a lot about how hard life was if you weren’t part of the official church. We also skipped most of the complaining about ‘papists’ here. To be fair though, almost everyone was pretty rotten to each other, and dealing with the religio-political complex of the time had to have been deeply unfun, so I’m going to give them a pass on all the grandiose, post-exilic rhetoric they had going on there. (I wanted to subtitle this post ‘God working through crappy political scenarios and other pointless, frustrating situations caused by human self-will and selfishness,’ but apparently I have some sense of proportion left and it won’t let me.)

Anyway, Happy… Mayflower Compact-Signing Day? (Actually though, I think it was November 11th in the Julian calendar, so we’re ten days early. Oh well, no takebacks.)

Truth makes for eloquence

October 25th

When men speak of what they know and from the depths of their souls testify to what they have seen, they speak with what we call, eloquence, for true eloquence is speaking from the soul. Thus David spoke of what he knew—what he had verified all his life—and this rendered him truly eloquent. As “truth is stranger than fiction,” so the truth that David spoke is more sweet than even fancy could have imagined. And it has more beauty than even the dream of the enthusiast could have pictured.

Charles Spurgeon in The Good Shepherd

But Moses replied to the Lord [after the burning bush… and being given a whole speech to give to the leaders of Israel… and the snake/staff thing… and the temporary leprosy thing] “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent —either in the past or recently or since You have been speaking to Your servant— because I am slow and hesitant in speech.”

The Lord said to him, “Who made the human mouth? Who makes him mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will help you speak and I will teach you what to say.”

Exodus 4:10-12 (HCSB)

…and then Moses said “Please, Lord, send someone else,” (which was pretty stupid, but then he was rather new to all this). Upon which the Lord got really angry and essentially established the priesthood, which I feel is sort of a disproportionate response, given everything that came after, but he’s the boss.

The original problem

October 19th

The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

Genesis 4:4-8 (NIV)

Modern masters of science are much impressed with the need of beginning all inquiry with a fact. The ancient masters of religion were quite equally impressed with that necessity. They began with the fact of sin—a fact as practical as potatoes. Whether or no man could be washed in miraculous waters, there was no doubt at any rate that he wanted washing. But certain religious leaders, not mere materialists, have begun not to deny the highly disputable water, but to deny the indisputable dirt. Certain new theologians dispute original sin, which is the only part of Christian theology which can really be proved. Some… in their almost too fastidious spirituality, admit divine sinlessness, which they cannot see even in their dreams. But they essentially deny human sin, which they can see in the street. The strongest saints and the strongest sceptics alike took positive evil as the starting-point of their argument. If it be true (as it certainly is) that a man can feel exquisite happiness in skinning a cat, then the religious philosopher can only draw one of two deductions. He must either deny the existence of God, as all atheists do; or he must deny the present union between God and man, as all Christians do. The new theologians seem to think it a highly rationalistic solution to deny the cat.

from G. K. Chesterton’s Orthodoxy (Ch. 2)

There are some other options, but they’re mostly… yuck, and Chesterton’s right in spirit at least.