Notes from my Bible Study for March 12, 2010

Today's Reading: Psalm 71, Exodus 17, Ezra 7, Romans 8:1‐17

Psalm 71 -As I read Psalm 71, I see the faithfulness of God written all over it. David was once again clearly spent. He had been faithful to God, and had seen God's faithfulness demonstrated to him, but he was desperately waiting for God to show it once again. I love the faith and the worship that David offers in this psalm. He is in despair, but not without hope. He is under siege, so he sends a prayer siege God's way. I love verses 5-6 of this psalm:

5 For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. 6 Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother's womb.
My praise is continually of you.

Exodus 17 - The Children of Israel had been gone from Egypt for a little while when they began to face opposition. The first opposition was wondering where food would come from. God provided the food for them (for a period of 40 years), then they worried about water and God provided water from a rock. Then they had a real test. An enemy army rose up against Israel, and Moses, who by this time had seen God work miracle after miracle through him, held the staff of the Lord above his head as Moses stood at the top of the mountain observing the battle. Every time Moses held his arms up, Israel prevailed. Every time his hands fell by his side, the enemy army prevailed. Eventually Moses' arms grew tired. It's in that moment that we see a beautiful example of a people who have caught a Godly vision. Aaron and Hur held Moses' arms up for him, and Israel prevailed; wiping out their enemy for good.

We need godly people to come alongside of us when we are weak. Aaron and Hur did the godly thing. They helped a brother in need, and God blessed a nation through it.

Ezra 7 - When I read Ezra 7, I just want to say, "Wow!" King Artaxerxes of Persia was the mightiest king of his time. He was not particularly known for being a godly man. But, kings who disregard God are nothing in the hand of Almighty God. The Lord worked on the heart of Artaxerxes to allow Ezra to not only go to Judah, but to bring the brightest and godliest men in the kingdom back to Judah with him. Then he told Ezra that the Mosaic law should be observed by the Jewish people. A pagan king wanted the worship of Jehovah reinstated in Judah! Now, that is a God thing!

Romans 8:1-17 - 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

I am a child of God! If you are a Christian, you are God's child. You have been made a joint heir with Christ. What wonderful news! Romans 8 spells out for us the life that we are to live because of the Holy Spirit's work within us. Following Christ is not always easy this side of heaven. Romans 8:17 indicates that it is the normative experience of the Christian to experience suffering this side of heaven. May we not forget that! But, as we live for Christ, may we remember that there is an inheritance in Christ that makes it all worth it.