Saturday July 10 Pentecost 6
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Psalm 110
This psalm is written as if God is speaking to King David, the first great king of Israel, assuring David of God’s absolute support in battle.
The violence in the final two verses can be understood as expressing God’s absolute commitment to removing oppression and injustice from the world.
Psalm 116
God rescued me when I was at the point of death, and I give thanks!
Psalm 117
A delightful short two-verse psalm of praise.
1 Samuel 17: 31-49 What’s Samuel about?
King Saul hears that David has said he can kill the giant, so Saul commands David to come to him. Saul sees he is only a boy, and doesn’t think David can help, thus not trusting in the God who raises up the weak and powerless. But David insists that he can kill the Philistine, but first takes off the armour that Saul had given him. That act is highly significant—the king trusts in military power, David trusts in God’s power.
We, too, can feel powerless in face of international or personal conflicts which threaten to destroy our world. If like David we cultivate trust in God’s strength to work through us, we can accomplish more than anyone would have thought possible.
Mark 1: 14-28 What’s Mark about?
John is arrested and about to be executed for his defiance of the Roman empire. Jesus takes up his proclamation, but changes it from the future (God is about to destroy Rome), to the present (God’s kingdom is emerging right now). He calls his first four disciples who will remain central in the gospels, and then heals unclean spirits. People are amazed. God’s kingdom is already breaking in!
This is Mark’s central interpretation of Jesus: God is victoriously breaking into life in the present, not waiting for the future. What a difference this would make if we believed that!
This week’s collect:
Almighty God,
your Son Jesus Christ has taught us
that what we do for the least of your children
we do also for him.
Give us the will to serve others
as he was the servant of all,
who gave up his life and died for us,
but lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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