April 29, 2011

4-29-11 Friday, 4:09 am Springfield, 44 degrees, clear and calm

I awoke with a start this morning around 3:00, hearing something that sounded like a low laughter. All of us in Springfield are a little jumpy following the double homicide a few days ago of an elderly, Godly couple by an apparent home invader with a knife. My adrenaline kicked in and I laid there awake, thinking about evil, the murders, and also the royal wedding of prince William and Katherine Middleton which is happening right now in London. So, I am up and at um. No sign of home invaders, and the wedding is still about an hour away. Also today is the launch of the next-to-last mission of the Space Shuttle program, which began while I was in seminary in the early 1980s.

Judges 9:22 – 10:18

Continuing from yesterday’s reading, Abimelech is opposed by Gaal and fighting erupts. The result is that Abimelech defeats Gaal and the people of Shechem he is leading. Shechem is destroyed and the ground covered with salt. Abimelech is killed while attacking the tower in Thebez, as a woman dropped a millstone off the roof. He was mortally wounded, and had his young armor bearer kill him with his sword so that he would not die at the hands of a woman.

Tola “is the next person to rescue Israel” (10:1) He serves for 23 years, and then Jair judges Israel for 22 years. Then the people of Israel “abandoned the Lord and no longer served him at all” (10:6) Much trouble followed for the people of Israel.

It is clear that to abandon the Lord is to bring trouble. And, the gods of this world are always so attractive. As the royal wedding is currently taking place in Westminster Abbey, I am pondering the godlessness of that society, with all the images of Christianity, but the lack of evidence in lives surrendered to the Lordship of Christ. The language used in the wedding will be Biblical, historical and traditional. It will be interesting to see how the lives of this young couple reflect the love and the life of Christ.

Lord, may my life today in Springfield bring you glory, laud and honor, to thee redeemer king! I am yours, take my thoughts, my actions, and use them in your divine service. Guard me from the allure of the gods of this world. Thank you for the birds that are beginning to sing, and all the eggs in nests that will hatch with new life in the days to come.