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Credo ut Intelligam

~ I believe so that I may understand

Credo ut Intelligam

Monthly Archives: October 2016

The Company You Follow

27 Thursday Oct 2016

Posted by Joshua Steely in Meditations

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Cultural Engagement, Psalms

Psalm 1 begins “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked…”  As I was thinking about this, my first inclination was that it was a caution about the company you keep.  If you want to be happy and blessed by God, don’t hang around with the wrong crowd.

But that’s not really what the passage says, is it?  After all, our Lord kept dubious company–a fact the teachers of the law did not hesitate to point out.  But Jesus’ reply, that sick people need a doctor, cut to the heart of the matter: it’s not who you’re with, per se, it’s the question of who’s influencing who.

We warn people about the company they keep because hangin’ with the wrong crowd can send you down the wrong road.  But on another level the Christian is supposed to keep company with sinners–how else will they hear the gospel?

But who’s influencing who?  Believers must guard themselves.  Keep company with the wicked, but don’t walk in their counsel.  Be a light shining forth the gospel in dark places–but have nothing to do with the deeds of darkness.  Sometimes that will mean not even keeping company with the wicked in certain places and certain activities.

Watch the company you follow.  Blessed are those who don’t walk according to the ways of the people of the world.

Loving God’s People

24 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by Joshua Steely in Meditations

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Confession, Love

Daniel 9 includes a beautiful prayer the prophet offers in reflection on the end of Israel’s exile in Babylon.  He extols the greatness of God and contrasts the faithlessness of the people.  He reflects on the justice of God’s judgment.  He pleads for mercy and restoration.

One thing that struck me as I was reading was how Daniel identified himself with God’s people.  Of course, Daniel was one of God’s people, so why not?  Practically his whole life had been lived out in exile.  But in Daniel we see one of the most obedient followers of God in Scripture, a man of whom no failing is recorded–and Scripture does not shy from recalling the failures of even the greatest heroes of the faith.  If anyone shows obedience to God’s covenant and steadfast devotion to Him, it’s Daniel.

But the prophet prays, “We have been wicked and have rebelled” (5) “we have not obeyed the LORD our God” (10) “we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth” (13) “we have sinned, we have done wrong” (15), etc.  This is the heart of a man who loves the Lord: he loves God’s people and identifies with them.

We may call out wickedness in the church; that, too, is part of the prophet’s role.  But I hope we can learn to have a prophetic grief, rather than simply anger, and such a love for God’s people that we would be moved not only to conviction but to corporate confession.

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