READING FOR MAY 13, 2025: 1 CHRONICLES 16, 2 CORINTHIANS 12, PSALM 41:1-4                   1 CHRONICLES 16 This chapter records one of the most significant celebrations in the Bible: the arrival of the ark of the covenant at Jerusalem, the new capital of Israel. Remember that the likely chronicler of this history was Ezra, who led the post-exilic restoration of the temple and sacrificial system of the Mosaic law.  So, the retelling of the ark’s arrival, symbolizing God’s presence, had many overtones with the return of God’s people to Jerusalem after the years of exile in Babylon.  David served as master of ceremonies for burnt and peace offerings to God, blessings on all the people attending, a three-course meal for all men and women, and a large, long, and loud instrumental symphony of praise by specially selected musical artists. 

In honor of this day, David composed a mighty psalm of thanksgiving, which was later reused as material for three different individual chapters in the book of Psalms.                                   Verses 8-22 (also found in Psalm 105:1-15).  In this section, David directs the people to thank God in such a way that other countries, seemly unbelievers, become aware of God’s wonderous deeds. Isn’t this what Jesus told us to do? “You shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth” (Act 1:8).  Then he tells the people to remember all that God has done for them. Let’s do the same: “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him” (Rom. 5:8-9).                      Verses 23-33 (also found in Psalm 96:1b-13a).  Then David says to share the Good News, which for us is the Gospel, to all the world. The whole world needs to know that “God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Any other worldview, belief system, or religion is not the truth.“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me”(John 14:6).                Verses 34-36 (also found in Psalm 106:1, 47–48). David concludes the psalm by praising God for His attributes: faithfulness, goodness, eternality, holiness, and salvific nature. Following the  celebration, David installed Asaph and his relatives to minister continually before the ark and installed others as gatekeepers. He sent Zadoc the priest and some musicians to minister at Gibeon, where the tabernacle still resided. Everyone else returned to their homes.

2 CORINTHIANS 12 Paul returns to validating his apostleship and seeking a fruitful relationship with the Corinthians. If this were the situation between a pastor and a modern-day church, probably the pastor would leave, or all the congregants would leave. Paul chooses to keep working through these difficulties. Maybe we give up too quickly these days when there are so many choices available.

READING FOR MAY 13, 2025 CONTINUED: 2 CORINTHIANS 12, PSALM 41:1-4  This next section is perhaps intentionally indirect. Paul talks about a believer who experienced the third heaven, possibly above the sun (first) and the stars (second). He said it was so incredible that the words spoken there were unable to be uttered on earth. Also, he was not sure if this believer was there in person or experienced a vision of heaven. Then in verse 7 he said because he, Paul, experienced such an extraordinary vision, he was given a thorn in the flesh to keep him from getting conceited. At this point, it seems that Paul was the person who had the vision of heaven.

Notice some similarity with Job’s story. Satan’s messenger provided the torment, but it was with God’s permission for an ultimately godly purpose. Paul, as did Job, prayed for relief. In this case the answer was the sufficiency of God’s grace to withstand the pain and knowledge that God’s power was perfected in Paul’s weakness. Might this ever be the case in our lives? It is not the result we usually desire, but Paul says he can honestly delight in weakness on behalf of God. Perhaps we should consider this as a possibility when we are in distress.

Paul gives helpful information about discerning an apostle’s identity: those who consistently perform signs, wonders and miracles in our presence. In certain circles many people claim this role today. Check them against this rubric. Paul, again somewhat sarcastically, then defends his ministry by saying, even though it is proper, he has not been and will not be a financial burden to them. It seems to him that, the more he loved them and gave of himself, the less he is loved by them. Yet, he stresses he is not concerned about this. His main worry is that they not descend into the kind of sinful lifestyle they practiced before. Let’s not disappoint our Lord by practicing the kind of lifestyle described by Paul in verses 20-21.

PSALM 41:1-4 In these first verses David states the general principle that those who consider the helpless are blessed. He implies that the considerate person will also experience days of trouble, illness, and opposition like all of us, but that the Lord will sustain and restore this person, who will be called blessed. Think back to Matthew 25:38-40: “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You as a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me.’”