Apr 29th

Numbers 6     Song of Solomon 4     Psalms 40-41     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Psalm 40-41

As is often the case, these two Psalms provide us much comfort but also a challenge. How many of us can honestly say that in all aspects of our lives we ‘waited patiently for the Lord’. How many of us truly ‘care for the weak?’ Waiting patiently for God and caring for his flock are calls on our lives as Christians, I’m sure I’m not alone in not always managing this. Sometimes it is too tempting to want things in our own time, and not wait for God. One of the first Sermons I remember Paul preaching at Christ Church was about Abraham, and Hagar. Abraham didn’t wait patiently on the Lord so took things into his own hands. Paul asked the question and I ask it of you again, in what ways are you sleeping with hagar?

Many of you will recognize verses 1 to 3 as an expression of your own spiritual experience. Verses 6 to 8 however clearly speak of Christ (Hebrews 10:5-9). The apparent contradiction is resolved when we recognize that this is one of David’s psalms, springing from his own experience and yet looking forward to one who would fulfill it in a way he could not hope to. After all, we know that through the grace and predestinating choice of God that verses 6 to 8 are, in measure, true of us also.

My favorite verse in these two psalms is 41:11 “I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me.” Ultimately this is what we must remember, ultimately the Lamb Wins.

Reflections this week are written by a lay member for the staff team

Apr 28th

Numbers 5     Song of Solomon 3     Psalms 39     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

On first reading Numbers 5 might seem rather shocking. But note how the judgement is left to God – He will judge the guilt or innocence of the wife. The husband is not to take things into his own hands, but to leave that responsibility with God. There is no presumption of guilt, but there is the inevitability of God’s perfect judgement. Numbers 5 tells us that an innocent wife has nothing to fear from the elaborate process described here (in fact she will receive a very public affirmation of her innocence), but a guilty wife must bear the consequences of her sin.

One day each of us will face a similar judgement: have we been faithful to God? In some ways God will be like the wronged husband: let down by somebody who has been unfaithful to Him. We may not have been publicly ‘caught in the act’ of our unfaithfulness to God but He will know the truth. And yet, through the redeeming power of the cross, we will be forgiven – it will be as if we were like a guilty Israelite wife who is taken through the process of judgement and yet amazingly it will end up as if we were innocent all along: no taint or suggestion of sin will remain. Amazing grace indeed!

(homegroup leader)