Through the Bible - Deuteronomy 8-13, Mark 13:-14:9
Good morning,
For this weekend's verse we'll turn to Psalm 136, one that should be familiar because it carries the refrain "for His mercy endures forever" at the end of every verse.
This year I've been reading The Message and I was surprised by how Eugene Peterson enterpreted "His mercy endures for ever" as "His love never quits". It made me look at it a little differently, with an impact I hadn't felt before.
Through thick and thin, looking back in life I realized "His love never quits". If you are able to stand through trying times it's because His love never quits. If you need to be picked up off the floor after a blow, He picks you up because "His love never quits". (Picture Mickey standing over Rocky Balboa telling him "get up you bum", sometimes that's what we need.
Today's verses close this wonderful chapter.
Ps 136:23God remembered us when we were down,
His love never quits.
Rescued us from the trampling boot,
His love never quits.
Takes care of everyone in time of need.
His love never quits.
Thank God, who did it all!
His love never quits! THE MESSAGE
I had read this chapter earlier in the week. I was then brought back to it when reading the biography of Athanaius in John Piper's book "Contending for Our All" in which he tells of Athanasius' battle over the deity of Christ during the Arian controversy which lead to the famous Council of Nicea out of which came the Nicene Crede.
Over the following years Athanasius was forced into exile several times for his stand. A stand that he was able to make because "God's love never quits."
John Piper writes of Athanasius' third exile:
On Thursday night, Feb. 8 [356], Athanasius was presiding at a crowded service of preparation for a Communion on the following morning . . . in the Church of Theonas . . . the largest in the city. Suddenly the church was surrounded and the doors broken in, and just after midnight Syrianus . . . “entered with an infinite force of soldiers.” Athanasius . . . calmly took his seat upon the throne (in the recess of the apse), and ordered the deacon to begin the 136th psalm, the people responding at each verse “for His mercy endureth for ever.” Meanwhile the soldiers crowded up to the chancel, and in spite of entreaties the bishop refused to escape until the congregation were in safety. He ordered the prayers to proceed, and only at the last moment a crowd of monks and clergy seized the Archbishop and managed to convey him in the confusion out of the church in a half-fainting state . . . but thankful that he had been able to secure the escape of his people before his own (p. 264). From that moment Athanasius was lost to public view for “six years and fourteen days.”26
What does this mean for us, what impact did Athanasius have?
What was at stake was everything. Oh, how thankful we should be that Athanasius saw things so clearly. The incarnation has to do with the gospel. It has to do with salvation. It has to do with whether there is any hope or life. The creed that Athanasius helped craft, and that he embraced and spent his life defending and explaining, says this plainly:
We believe . . . in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father . . . very God of very God, . . . being of one substance with the Father . . . who for us men, and for our salvation, came down and was incarnate and was made man; he suffered, and the third day he rose again . . .
In other words, the deity of the incarnate Son of God is essential because the gospel of our salvation is essential. There is no salvation if Jesus Christ was not God.
It was about God sending His Son, the second person of the Trinity, very God of very God, Jesus, because God never quits.
This biography is available online at http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TopicIndex/42_Christian_Biography/1532_Contending_for_Our_All/
Praise God this weekend that His love never quits. Perhaps you can sing the song "Crede" written by Rich Mullins and recorded by several artists including Third Day.
In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com/
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace NIV
Ps 136
136 Thank God! He deserves your thanks.His love never quits. Thank the God of all gods,His love never quits. Thank the Lord of all lords.His love never quits.
Thank the miracle-working God,His love never quits. The God whose skill formed the cosmos,His love never quits. The God who laid out earth on ocean foundations,His love never quits. The God who filled the skies with light,His love never quits. The sun to watch over the day,His love never quits. Moon and stars as guardians of the night,His love never quits. The God who struck down the Egyptian firstborn,His love never quits. And rescued Israel from Egypt's oppression,His love never quits. Took Israel in hand with his powerful hand,His love never quits. Split the Red Sea right in half,His love never quits. Led Israel right through the middle,His love never quits. Dumped Pharaoh and his army in the sea,His love never quits. The God who marched his people through the desert,His love never quits. Smashed huge kingdoms right and left,His love never quits. Struck down the famous kings,His love never quits. Struck Sihon the Amorite king,His love never quits. Struck Og the Bashanite king,His love never quits. Then distributed their land as booty,His love never quits. Handed the land over to Israel.His love never quits.
God remembered us when we were down,His love never quits. Rescued us from the trampling boot,His love never quits. Takes care of everyone in time of need.His love never quits. Thank God, who did it all!His love never quits!
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