2 Samuel 5-6; Psalm 109; Romans 12

 June 9: From God’s “breach” on Uzzah, to the imprecations against Judas the false apostle, to the ideal of thorough surrender, from the inside out, today’s passages remind me of Matthew 3:12: "Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."


2 Samuel 5-6: Is it significant that the Ark was at the threshing floor when Uzzah was smitten? The threshing floor figures prominently in the stories of Ruth and of Gideon, and later after David numbers the people, it’s at the threshing floor of Araunah. Such a place is where the wheat is divided from the chaff. Uzzah’s presumption is certainly a warning to us all, but is it an indication that he was not what he seemed to be?

Psalm 109:1-19: It’s hard to read this Psalm, knowing that we’re to love those who hate us and pray for those who despitefully use us. (Matthew 5:44) How is such a request for vengeance, even that satan should stand at his right hand and his children suffer, in harmony with the Lord’s teachings? In Acts 1:20, Peter perceived that this Psalm was about Judas himself.

Romans 12: As Romans 12 concludes, it urges peace with all men. Is this the dynamic of the passage? An inward surrender that works its way steadily outward? First among the people of God and finally as a witness to society, even to enemies? The modern church, myself included, desperately needs this kind of radical surrender at the heart of our personal faith.

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