Daily Lectionary Readings for September 28, 2010
Psalm 106:1-27
Hosea 2:16-23
Acts 21:1-14
Luke 5:12-26
Psalm 106:1-27
Early on in this Psalm we find the following verses:
"Remember me, O Lord when you show favor to your people;
help me when you deliver them;
that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
that I may glory in your heritage."(vs.4 and 5)
Herein lies the problem with the idea of the prosperity gospel. Too often a passage like these two verses is lifted out and used to exhort the faithful to seek God's favor so that we may see God cause us - the chosen ones - to prosper. Size of house, make of car, appropriate presence of brand names is not a measure of faithfulness. It's just not.
On the other hand too many folks seem willing to toss the word prosperity out the window for fear of being confused with the prosperity gospel folks. Like evangelism and the Holy Spirit, prosperity is one of those words that some just resist using because of what they might bring to mind. Let us not give up on prosperity and on God's favor. Let us place these ideas in context as the Psalmist does. God makes awesome provision for the people, the people are at times appreciative and at times callously indifferent. Time and again God shows favor on God's people and time and again the people are fickle in a big way. Prosperity and favor are not determined by how much material stuff God lands in our lap. Prosperity, favor, the life abundant is found in grasping on to God's way and hanging on for dear life and trying very hard to appreciate it along the way even when it's hard and challenging and difficult.
"Remember me O Lord when you show favor to your people...."
Hosea 2:16-23
Just wonderful prose about God's ardor for God's creation. The hope for tomorrow doesn't get much more beautifully stated then it is here. God will renew us, make us clean, grant us peace, hold us close forever. Great passage.
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