Day 4: Genesis 9-11; Matthew 4
Genesis 9:20-23 has both fascinated and perplexed me at the same time, every time I read it. Last year I attended the dedication of a new church building for a ministry that deals with people in their most broken condition...usually addiction. As it turned out, a fitting passage. The preacher, I don't remember his name, made an interesting application I had not before considered. Ham saw his father in his shame and failure, did nothing to restore his dignity (help him), turned his back on his dad and walked away, went out of his presence and talked about him to others. Shem and Japheth did not engage in gossip...would not talk about his failure to others before engaging him with respect. In the biblical account they said nothing. They would not disrespect their father in his shame and failure, rather without focusing on that, they covered him, restoring his dignity. Ham was cursed. His brothers were blessed, and Shem became the father (ancestor) of Abraham, who became our 'father in the faith.'
That message was one that I listened to and said, "Ouch!" This year I want to be present to the broken in their failure, respecting their dignity (made in the image of God), covering their brokenness with grace, and helping restore them to Jesus, in Jesus. I don't want to see, turn my back, gossip and do nothing...which ultimately tears a person down, shames them and may drive them away from grace.
"Lord, help me be like You! You looked on a broken world, wept over their lostness and offered them grace, a gift they did not deserve that cost You Your life, that they may be restored to dignity, to belonging. Help me never to use someone's failure and shame to promote my own spiritual superiority, for but by the grace of God, there go I. I need You! I need Your Holy Spirit. Help me to be like You. In Your Name I ask this. Amen"
That message was one that I listened to and said, "Ouch!" This year I want to be present to the broken in their failure, respecting their dignity (made in the image of God), covering their brokenness with grace, and helping restore them to Jesus, in Jesus. I don't want to see, turn my back, gossip and do nothing...which ultimately tears a person down, shames them and may drive them away from grace.
"Lord, help me be like You! You looked on a broken world, wept over their lostness and offered them grace, a gift they did not deserve that cost You Your life, that they may be restored to dignity, to belonging. Help me never to use someone's failure and shame to promote my own spiritual superiority, for but by the grace of God, there go I. I need You! I need Your Holy Spirit. Help me to be like You. In Your Name I ask this. Amen"
Posted for Pastor Jonathan while we work through the upgrade transition.
Photo by Maja Petric on Unsplash.
Photo by Maja Petric on Unsplash.
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Archive
2023
January
Day 1: Genesis1-2; Matthew 1Day 2: Genesis 3-5; Matthew 2Day 3: Genesis 6-8; Matthew 3Day 4: Genesis 9-11; Matthew 4Day 5: Genesis 12-14; Matthew 5-6Day 6: Genesis 15-17; Matthew 7Day 7: Genesis 18-22Day 8: Matthew 8Day 9: Genesis 23-24; Matthew 9Day 10: Genesis 25-26; Matthew 10:1-25Day 11: Genesis 27-28; Matthew 10:26-42Day 12: Genesis 29-30; Matthew 11Day 13: Genesis 31-32; Matthew 12:1-21Day 14: Genesis 33-37Day 15: Matthew 12:22-13:23Day 16: Genesis 38-40; Matthew 13:24-58Day 17: Genesis 41; Matthew 14:1-21Day 18: Genesis 42-43; Matthew 14:22-36Day 19: Genesis 44-45; Matthew 15:1-20Day 20: Genesis 46-48; Matthew 15:21-39Day 21: Genesis 49-Exodus 4; Matthew 16Day 22: Genesis 49-Exodus 4; Matthew 16Day 23: Exodus 5-6; Matthew 17Day 24: Exodus 7-10; Matthew 18:1-20Day 25: Exodus 11-12; Matthew 18:21-35Day 26: Exodus 13-15; Matthew 19:1-15Day 27: Exodus 16-18; Matthew 19:16-30Day 28: Exodus 19-22; Matthew 20:1-16Day 29: Exodus 19-22; Matthew 20:1-16Day 30: Exodus 23-25; Matthew 20:17-34Day 31: Exodus 26-28; Matthew 21
February
Day 32: Exodus 29-30; Matthew 22:1-22Day 33: Exodus 31-33; Matthew 22:23-46-Day 34: Exodus 34-36; Matthew 23:1-22Day 35: Exodus 37 - Leviticus 1; Matthew 23:23-39Day 36: Exodus 37 - Leviticus 1; Matthew 23:23-39Day 37: Leviticus 2-3; Matthew 24Day 38: Leviticus 4-6; Matthew 25:1-30Day 39: Leviticus 7-9; Matthew 25:31-46
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3 Comments
I have done my share of gossiping. This is something I need to focus on. Prayerfully.
Thank you for that vantage point of this passage Walt. Sometimes when things or things about others bother or upset us we can go to others and talk, which can end up being gossiping. Talking out of our frustrations and our own failures in these times/situations. I am guilty. Help me Lord to own my part of things and grow to be able to help others in their trying times, I pray.
That post is all Pastor Jonathan, Kim. I was copying and pasting while we worked through the transition and some sign in issues. In my quickness I missed the extra lines for author and photo credit. I’ll fix that oversight!
In terms of the post content, I agree! It can be so easy to choose the Ham path in these situations. I pray that this insight about this passage sticks with us and convicts us in those moments.