double-edged sword – The Noontimes

Psalm 36: God’s Love is Mercy and Justice

Monday, August 10, 2020

God’s Love is Mercy and Justice

We have recently pondered God’s love as a two-edged sword that grants both mercy and justice. We have reminded ourselves that God’s love is ample and healing. God’s love sets aright all that has hindered us. God’s love nourishes us on our journey. God’s love guides and teaches us. God’s love is ever-present, even when we believe that we are alone. Today we continue to reflect on the double edge of God’s love as we linger for a time with Psalm 36.

Sin directs the heart of the wicked; their eyes are closed to the fear of God.

Jesus gives us a new understanding of “fearing the Lord”. The Old Testament writer stands in awe of God’s power and love for we have witnessed how this love is both compassionate and just.

The wicked live with the delusion their guilt will; not be known and hated.

Jesus reminds us that there is no secret place we can hide that we are not seen by God. He tells us that all will be revealed and he encourages us to share our worries and woes with him so that he might heal us and lift the load that weighs us down.

Lord, your love reaches to the heaven; your fidelity, to the clouds. Your justice is like the mountains; your judgments, like the mighty deep; all living creatures you sustain, Lord.

God’s love is faithful; it reaches to the clouds. God’s love is justice; it is as firm as the highest peaks. God’s love is deep; it pervades the universe.

How precious is your love, O God! We take refuge in the shadow of your wings. We feast on the rich food of your house; from your delightful stream you give us drink.

God’s love is outweighed by nothing and no one. There is no better place to take shelter from the tempest of life. There is no better food to nourish us. There is no better water than the Living Water of God.

For with you is the fountain of life, and in your light we see light.

Jesus comes to fill the darkness with the light of God’s love. Jesus tells us that he is The Word, the two-edged sword of God that cleaves and which we are to render to him. Jesus also tells us that he comes to set the world afire with God’s call to love even our enemies.

Keep on loving those who know you, doing justice for upright hearts. Let the foot of the proud not crush me nor the hand of the wicked cast me out.

God’s love is the two-edged sword: it grants both mercy and justice. It divides marrow from bone and renders holy God’s faithful. t pries pride from the darkest of places and heals cold hearts with its cauterizing heat.

See how the evil-doers fall; flung down, they never rise.

God’s love calls us to intercede for our enemies so that we might enter into the healing power of forgiveness.

The prophet Micah instructs us: Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. (Micah 6:8) We can have no better reminder than this Psalm that God’s love is both merciful and just.

Let us take this time today to reflect on the healing, nourishing, guiding, two-edged sword of God’s Word.

A re-post from August 17, 2013.

Image from: http://thevoiceconference.org/staff-blog/2017/02/04/act-love-walk/

August 10, 2020

double-edged sword, God’s justice and mercy, Living Water of God, Micah 6:8

Hebrews 4:12-13: Rendering

Sunday, August 9, 2020

Hebrews 4:12-13

Rendering

Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. No creature is concealed from God, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of God to whom we must render an account.

The writer of Hebrews gives us here an understanding of the nature of God’s word. It is more than comforting and healing. It ignites a fire within that renders us to God. It gives understanding and wisdom. And it calls each of us to an accounting of our actions.

God says: I created each of you to share my happiness and goodness with me forever. I created the world around you so that you might have resources and companions to accompany you on your pilgrimage to me. I come to you through my creation and I instruct you through my word. I send Jesus to you each day as my Living Word. I know that it is difficult for you to follow his example of forgiving enemies and praying for our persecutors but still . . . I ask that you do this. For this is what I do. I pray continually for those who shut me out of their lives or worse . . . those who slander me and say that I do not exist. I send you my Spirit to console, to heal, to encourage, to enlighten, to counsel and to teach. These teachings are sometimes hard . . . but this is the nature of my Word. It comes to light a fire in your soul, to soften stiff necks and to melt cold hearts. It also comes to nurture, to restore and to rescue all from any enticement that draws you away from me. When I ask for accounting of you this is what I ask: do you enact my Word with justice and mercy; do you love me before all others; and do you forgive those who visit calamity upon you?

“God’s speech is compared with a sword that can pierce the innermost depths of the human person (v.12). That piercing has a discerning or judgmental function and the note of judgment is reemphasized as the imagery shifts (v. 13). Before God’s word noting is hidden, but all is ‘naked and laid bare’.” (Mays 1153) here is no point in keeping secrets from God as God knows and sees all. Yesterday we reflected on how we might cleave to God – separate ourselves or unite ourselves. Today let us spend time thinking about how and what we render to God. Do we withhold a tiny, small and secret part of ourselves? Or do we render our whole self – body, soul and spirit?

To render: 1) to melt down, to extract by melting, to purify; 2) to transmit to another, to deliver, to give up or yield, to hand over for consideration or hand down as a legal judgment, to agree and report on as in a verdict; 3) to give in return or retribution, to give back or restore, to do a service for another; 4) to cause or to become; 5) to administer; 6) to give recompense.

What and how do we render ourselves to God?

Mays, James L., ed. HARPERCOLLINS BIBLE COMMENTARY. New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1988. 1153. Print.

Image from: https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-fire-made-of-607313

Definition from Merriam-Webster Online: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/render

August 9, 2020

double-edged sword, fire, gifts of the Holy Spirit, secrets

Revelation 1:16: Cleaving God’s Word

Saturday, August 8, 2020

Revelation 1:16

Cleaving God’s Word

In his right hand [the son of man] held seven stars. A sharp, two-edged sword came out of his mouth, and his face shone like the sun at its brightest.

Commentary tells us that the seven stars represent the pagan authority over the world in which the writer, John of Patmos, lived. The sword refers to the Word of God. The shining face represents the divine mystery of Christ. (Senior cf. 401)

God says: Like the vineyard owner who sends his son to gather the rent, I have sent my own son among you for your acceptance of rejection. This son is My Word to you. His actions are mine. His love is mine. All that he is and all that he does speak My Word and in this he is constant and faithful. Sometimes he brings you fire. Sometimes he brings you tranquility. Always he brings you justice tempered with mercy, mercy enacted through justice yet it is not always easy to hear this word. My son always brings you healing. Always brings you transformation. Always brings prudence and persistence. This double edge may be difficult for some to understand yet it describes my son’s nature and thus my nature. t both divides and unites. It harvests where it can. Live by the word brought to you on this double edge. Imitate this two-edged sword as best you can for it is in this fusion of two worlds that you find me. It is in the inversion of your world that you best feel my presence.

In Ephesians 6:17 Paul writes of this sword of the spirit, the word of God, that sings as it completes the armor of the steadfast servant. As we arm ourselves today and all days to go into the world, let us remember that God’s word cleaves the faithful – it both divides and unites. Let us spend time with God today to determine how we react to the fire and restoration brought to us by the two-edged sword of God’s Word.

Senior, Donald, ed. THE CATHOLIC STUDY BIBLE. New York, Oxford University Press, 1990. 401. Print.

The Parable of the Tenants: Matthew 21:33-46

Image from: https://www.bing.com

August 8, 2020

division and union, double-edged sword, Ephesians 6:17, God’s Word, inversion, Matthew 21:33-46

Proverbs 5:4: Bitterness

Friday, August 7, 2020

Proverbs 5:4

Wormwood Growing in the Wild — *Wormwood growing in the wild*

Bitterness

In the end [the adulteress] is as bitter as wormwood, as sharp as a two-edged sword.

Although we humans tend to focus on the physical violation of the commitment we avow to a life partner, there are many ways to commit adultery. Straying from solid principles that support the authentic life, allowing ourselves to be lured into a way of life we know is false, and turning our backs on all that we know to be just and merciful. These are all pathways that lead to the destruction of ourselves and possibly others.

God says: I am aware of the many sirens that call you away from me; I understand the strength of the pull the world has on your heart and mind. It is for this reason that I am so joyful when even just one of you remains with me. I am pleased when you put aside all that would make you bitter as you recover from stress and trauma. I understand how difficult it is to forgive, how hard it is to pray from those who do you harm; yet this is what I ask of you. This what I hope for you. For this I have created you: to celebrate with me despite the sorrow and the grief. All that I ask is that you give me your burden so that I might heal the injuries brought on by life and make you whole. The double-edged sword has the power to wound just as it has the authority to save. I dwell in you so that your double edge might lead to me and not to the darkness. I dwell in you so that you with mercy and justice so that you might witness to my goodness. I dwell in you so that you might rejoice in peace rather than sink in bitterness. Come to me always . . . no matter your injuries.

Adultery is more than the physical breaking of the union of two who are committed to one another. Adultery damages ourselves and many others. Adultery is the first step on the trail that leads to annihilation. Adultery has the power to pull us into the darkness but it also has the power to transform us . . . when we bring our broken-ness to God.

Enter the name Gomer into the blog search bar to further explore the concept of adultery and God’s saving hand.

For more information on the wormwood plant and its properties, click on the image above or go to: http://www.absinthebuyersguide.com/wormwood.html or http://herbs-treatandtaste.blogspot.com/2011/06/wormwood-herb-health-benefits-and-uses.html

August 7, 2020

authenticity, destruction, double-edged sword, God’s justice and mercy, Gomer

Hebrews 4:12: Sabbath Reward

Wednesday, August 5, 2020

Hebrews 4:12

Sabbath Reward

The word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.

We hear this Word read out to us and parsed for us; we celebrate and sing the Word in liturgy. This word tells us how to struggle, how to live, how to celebrate and how to die. Do we need to hear anything more to understand how we are to live and how we are measured? Nothing is hidden. All is revealed. God is within us even to the tiny spaces between bone and marrow, even in the invisible place of soul and spirit. So what do we do to nurture and sustain this presence? When do come together to declare that . . . this is good?

God says: Can you imagine the glorious sounds I hear when you gather to celebrate and worship in liturgy? Do you understand how important it is for you to come together to focus your minds on my Word and to bring me your petitions, your sorrows and your joys? Are you willing to put aside small squabbles so that you might join your voices, minds and hearts in communion for me? I rested after bringing forth creation. I ask that you rest on the Sabbath and celebrate with others as you come to me. The rewards for you will be greater than you can imagine.

We are creatures created by God to worship and yet we turn so often to what we see and hear around us. What do our eyes see most? What do our ears hear most? What does our soul take up most from the resources we make available to it? It takes an effort to move away from the typical and close-to-hand objects of worship – clothes, house, lawn, garden, food, car, vacation, career, success, wealth – to turn to what truly sustains – love in and of God as we find God in ourselves and in one another, alone and in communion with others.

We believe that when we die, we will be united in Christ in a new way. What do we do to prepare ourselves for this communion? How do we train our spirit to recognize and to participate in the greatest Sabbath rest of all . . . the eternal rest of our soul in God? We will want to make time for our instruction and nourishment by the Word today. And when we participate in this Sabbath Rest, let us take a moment to observe God’s work, to declare that it is all good . . . for the joy that arrives with this knowing will be our Sabbath Reward.

Tomorrow, the word as a two-edged sword.

Image from: http://www.girlsgonewise.com/topics/spiritual-life/inspiration/

August 5, 2020

double-edged sword, liturgy, worship

Tag: double-edged sword

Psalm 36: God’s Love is Mercy and Justice

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Hebrews 4:12-13: Rendering

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Revelation 1:16: Cleaving God’s Word

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Proverbs 5:4: Bitterness

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Hebrews 4:12: Sabbath Reward

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