Spring Semester finished!

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

Springtime sight: Dogwood blossoms against the new leaves on the Japanese Maple

 

Of the ten or so folks who started the Bible Study for Beginners class back in February, 3 were still there on the last class.  Which is about par for the course for these kinds of things.  It was a good first go at Wednesday nights studies...we were setting records for Wednesday night attendance...until we went to Daylight Savings Time and the days got warm, lol.   Plus, we had two weeks in which we didn't have classes...not back-to-back, but almost, due to other events on the church calendar.  It's funny how many folks didn't make it back after that breaky bit.

But I enjoyed the class; it's so refreshing to introduce folks to the scripture and see the lightbulbs go on as they realize that they CAN sit down with a Bible, a pen and a notebook and the right attitude and actually get a personal revelation.  I don't know how many times I've studied...even taught...the book we were using as the basis for the studies, Ephesians, and I still saw stuff in there I'd never noticed before.

God's word really IS living and active...and it WILL divide soul and spirit, if you give it the chance.

I have three Fridays left now before I head to Israel.  I'd like to do some preparation studying...maybe spend some more time in the Psalms...before I go.

I may or may not unearth/ make connections on anything blog-worthy...we'll see.

Meantime, I'm trying to figure out how light I can pack.  I have two sizes of suitcases...probably too small and way bigger than I need.  I really don't want to take the big one.
Decisions, decisions, lol...

Holy Week 2019: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! - Ps. 118

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

The last and longest Psalm of the Hallel is Psalm 118. If Psalm 117 is a sweet little praise chorus, Psalm 118 is the hymn with five verses squeezed in between the treble and the bass clef in the hymnal.
'His steadfast love endures forever' is repeated five times...4 of those in the first 4 verses.  And, notice we are repeating the pattern of Ps. 115 here..

Let Israel say,  'His steadfast love endures forever'
Let the house of Aaron say, 'His steadfast love endures forever'
Let those who fear the LORD say, ''His steadfast love endures forever' (v. 2 - 4)

The nation of Israel, the priests and...anyone else who fears the Lord.

Then, we have a revisit to the theme of  Ps. 116...the Lord delivers those who trust him.

And, one little bit that is often considered Messianic:

The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.  This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.  (vs. 22 & 23)
(Just for grins, look at Matthew 21:42 to see Jesus quote that very passage...and note that Paul writes in Eph. 2:20 that Jesus is the cornerstone of the household of God).

But it seems a fitting thing to conclude the Hallel...and enter into the Passover ritual:

The LORD is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us.  Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar!
You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you.  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!   - vs. 27 - 29

And it is unique this year in that Passover coincides with Good Friday.   As my Jewish friends were settling into their celebration of the Seder, we were commemorating the pronouncement of  'Tetelestai!'... 'It is finished!'

Holy Week 2019: Praise Ye the Lord! Ps. 117

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi.

I can honestly say...I have really not paid much attention to Ps. 117.  It is, after all, only two verses long.

I kinda think it must've been like, the favorite worship chorus that folks would sing.  Sort of like "I Love You, Lord" today...which, if I counted right, is actually 6 words longer than Ps. 117.

It's packed with praise. 

Praise the LORD, all nations!
Extol him, all peoples!
For great is his steadfast love toward us,
And the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.
Praise the LORD!

This actually puts me in mind of something that happened at work last week...our church building was, in years past, a large high school.  What was the cafeteria was kind of a sunken living room, if you will...down about 8 steps from ground level and big enough to put tables for a good chunk of the student body (which was nearly 3,000 kids in th '70's).  A picture is worth 1,000 words, right...

The wall on the left just cuts one corner of the triangle off -- there's a wide walkway that wraps around, with classrooms off of it.  This picture was taken about a month before we started having services there; we joked we could have an All-Skate there, but I digress...Anyway, we call that space 'The Commons', and it functions as the church fellowship hall.
We have a daycare for church employees and pastor's kids, and at some point in the afternoon they load the toddler class into the six-seater buggy and they take them a couple of laps around the Commons.  Last week, during one of those weeks, the kids just started singing, and little treble voices rang out at the top of their lungs, with no help from the teachers:

Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah!
Praise ye the Lord!

Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah!
Praise ye the Lord!
Praise ye the Lord! Hallelujah! 
Praise ye the Lord! Hallelujah!

Praise ye the Lord! Hallelujah! 
Praise ye the Lord!

It echoed all around the big empty space and into my office and was seriously the cutest thing.  

I think that was a good reminder...that sometimes, a little praise chorus is just what you need.
Kinda like Psalms 117.

Holy Week 2019: Praise God for Deliverance - Ps. 116

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

This Psalm is 19 verses long.

Verse 3 describes a crisis in the psalmists' life:

The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of  Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish.

But in verse 4, he does the only thing he can do:

Then I called on the name of the LORD; "O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!"

The rest of the psalm...17 verses... is praise for that deliverance.

I dug out the lexicons and found that 'deliver my soul' is the primary translation, although 'save my life' (which is how the NASB translates it) is also valid, based on other shades of meanings.

'Deliver my soul' just seems so...deep.

Because what threatens a soul is so much more elusive and destructive.  Life can be, to all appearances, just the bee's knees, going well, and then...boom, Something in the individual breaks in spite of all the success and comfort, leaving folks wondering what happened.

O, LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!

Mental, spiritual, emotional anguish that doesn't show...or that is tamped down and hidden until it can't be any more.

People look to lots of solutions for that kind of torment.  Few truly trust it to God.

The LORD preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me.  Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.  (vs 6-7)

Look at what God did: delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.   (vs 8  - 9)

I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.  (v. 14 and v. 18).

And the summation is in the first two verses, before he even begins:

I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.  Because he inclined his ear to me,  therefore I will call upon him as long as I live.

 I think I am going to be pondering one line, though, from this psalm... 'Return, o my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.'

That is a good thing to ponder in the evening.

Holy Week 2019: Trust in the LORD! - Ps. 115

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

I am late with this post today...but I think I can squeak it in....


This Psalm points out something that I feel often...God, act, for your name's sake!  Bring glory to your name!  Don't let the heathen look at those who call your name and scoff, 'Where is your God?'

I look at situations and see SO MANY opportunities for God to show his might, his power.

But you know, the psalmist reminds us...God is in the heavens, and he does everything that pleases him.

Look at those folks who are scoffing, he says.  Their gods are wood and metal, made by men.  They can't do anything...and neither can the folks who put their trust in them.

But not so for those who put their trust in God.

Oh, Israel, trust in the LORD!  He is their help and their shield.  O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield. You who fear the LORD,  trust in the LORD!  He is their help and their shield.

The LORD has remembered us; he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron; he will bless those who fear the LORD, both the small and the great.  (vs. 9 - 13)

 
See what he did there?  The parallel thoughts?  Israel-house of Aaron- those who fear the Lord?  That emphasis will show up again.  The pagans don't have that kind of assurance.

We will bless the LORD from this time forth and forevermore.  Praise the LORD!

Holy Week 2019: Let the Earth Tremble - Ps. 114

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

Let's see...what DID happen when Israel left Egypt?

Just off the top of my  head...

The Pillar of fire protected them from Pharaoh's  army
The wind blew all night and dried off the sea floor between walls of water
Bitter, undrinkable water was turned sweet and fresh
Manna appeared on the ground every morning
Water gushed from a rock
Quail dropped from the sky
The Mountain shook and thundered
The ground opened up and swallowed a bunch of rebels
A stick that had been dead and used for a walking staff suddenly flowered and produced almonds
The Jordan ceased flowing and dried up at flood stage

...I'm sure there's more that I'm not recollecting.

Nature itself came alongside the Hebrews as they journeyed from slavery, from 'a people of  a strange language' to the promise.

'Why?' the Psalmist asked.

Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob. - vs 7.

And [the Lord] said, 'My presence will go with you...' -- Ex. 33:14a

How could the earth itself not react to the very presence of the Creator who was accompanying His people?  Such a thing has not happened at any other time...not before or since.  God moving with and through and around and for His people, visible in the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud.

Yes, let the earth tremble.

Holy Week 2019: Hallelujah! - Ps.113

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

Just out of curiosity, I googled 'The Hallel' and came across this recording:

ETA: HM.  The Youtube video icon was there when I hit post...dunno why it went away.  Here's the LINK

Very interesting! Listen and follow along in your favorite translation. This is the full text of the song sang at the opening of the Passover meal. There are several renditions recorded here, read by different readers.


I thought I'd take one Psalm each day of Holy Week and have a little look at it.  Just, you know, for focus.

So the first one up is Ps. 113.


It's just pure praise. 'Praise the LORD!' (in the recording, it's 'Hallelu Jah!')

Vs 1 - Who is to praise him...servants of the Lord

Vs 2 - 3  - When he is to be praised... from this moment throughout eternity...from sunrise to sunset

Vs 4 - 6  - Why he is to be praised ...He's above all nations, his glory is above the heavens; he is 
                 seated on high and looks down on the heavens and the earth; who else does that?

Vs. 7 - 9    What he has done that is praiseworthy...He raises the poor, lifts the needy, gives the barren
                woman her home and the joy of motherhood

Praise the Lord!