Psalm 92 and God’s Providence (and a Needed Break)

I’ve oft marveled at how God knows what you are going to read or hear from the Bible, and he knows what you are going through, and he knows how to bring the two together to speak to you very personally. (I have to give a hat tip to Tommy Nelson of Denton Bible Church from whom I first heard this taught.  But I’ve experienced it virtually my whole life as a Christian.)

I experienced this again last night.  I was very angry off and on during the day due to the impeachment.  But during Ember Wednesday Evening Prayer at my church, the Psalm was Psalm 92.  It was the perfect scripture for me to hear. (Yes, God can use the Lectionary, too!) It reminded me that part of God’s infinite goodness is his justice even in the midst of great injustice. And his justice will prevail.  Yes, I read the imprecatory parts with some extra vigor. And it calmed me.  I needed that.

Still my anger during the day was unhealthy to say the least.  So early in the evening I decided to add to my Advent discipline that I am pulling back from politics until after Christmas Day.  That includes no politics on this blog at least until then.

I do apologize ahead of time that I think I must later blog on politics relevant to us Anglicans for reasons stated before.  But for now I need a break, and I suspect many of you all do, too.

May you have a blessed last week of Advent and a happy Christmas.

The Lectionary, God’s Providence, and Harvey

Back in my very non-Anglican days, I heard my favorite Bible teacher, whom I’m still a fan of, Tommy Nelson of Denton Bible Church note that God knows where you are going to read in the Bible, and he knows what you are going through in life.  And he can bring the two together to speak right to you.

Well, I have seen the Lord do that with the Lectionary.  This past Sunday, the 10^th Sunday after Trinity, I intended to teach a group from 1 Corinthians 12.  Some of the group goes to my REC parish, so I usually check what the readings at church are to see if they go with something I will teach.  And I saw that Epistle for Holy Communion was from . . . 1 Corinthians 12.  I guess I wasn’t the only one who wanted 1 Corinthians 12 taught!

Today, I woke up early and ill at ease due the overnight ominous forecast changes concerning now Hurricane Harvey.  I decided to do my Morning Prayer early.  With it being St. Bartholomew’s Day the assigned Psalm was 91.  And that turned out to be the perfect Psalm for me to read.  I would practically have to quote the whole psalm to tell how it comforted me and encouraged me.  God in his good providence definitely used the lectionary in a gracious way this morning.

By the way, do pray for us near the Texas coast.  I intend to pray the Litany in the morning myself.

A Balanced Response to a Bomb Threat

This week, my last and still much beloved non-Anglican church, Denton Bible Church, received a bomb threat against their Christmas Eve service.

The response of the pastor, Tommy Nelson, is exceedingly well balanced and a good example to follow.  Therefore, I reprint it in full here.

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Take a knee...

Y’all,

Take a knee.

You’ve probably heard by this time if you watch the news that we have had our first gen-u-ine bomb threat. It came in the mail Monday afternoon from a gen-u-ine super villian. Wouldn’t you know, it came 24 hours after I had boasted of our fair city’s apathy versus Dallas’s tirades.

Anyway, though this letter was not from Lex Luthor, The Joker or even The Penguin, we still must take all threats seriously and we shall. We shall have Christmas Eve as always but you will notice more folks at the entrances with more eyes. People write such threats for two reasons. A hatred toward what you stand for and a desire to disrupt through “terror” (hence the moniker), and also for the delight of their 15 minutes. Someone is no doubt up early this morning watching Fox 4 and chortling over their “beautiful wickedness” (c.f. Wicked Witch of the West).

We don’t yield to fear. We are Christians. We rejoice to be counted “worthy to suffer for His name’s sake.” Death and evil are conquered for us and our God sits supremely on the throne. If it breathes we do not fear it. But like Nehemiah in Nehemiah 4 we will build with a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other, with others on the watch. We shall be vigilant until evil loses heart. But stop the work? Who do men think we are? “Should a man such as I flee?!”

So, nothing changes. Come on if you planned to do so. But, make things simple by not bringing a backpack, a package, or some big bulky anything, lest a choir member frisk you or strip search you. Nothing kills the Christmas spirit quicker.

Be praying that God be glorified. See ya.

Tommy