August 7 ▪ Day 219

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 20:28
Deuteronomy 25–26
I Peter 4–5
Psalms 35

Verse Focus (Proverbs 20:28)

Love and faithfulness keep a king safe;
     through love his throne is made secure.

Meditation

Our verse focus today, Proverbs 20:28, says, in the ESV, “Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king, and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.” Since most of us no longer live in the era of kings, how does this verse relate to us today? What do we learn, and how is this relevant?

Well, obviously, we learn that those who rule will find stability and longevity through love and faithfulness. The NIV says, “Through love his throne is made secure.” We may not have kings, but we do have council members, governors, representatives, senators, presidents, business leaders, church leaders, board members, trustees, and more. And in all these different realms, “love and faithfulness” will ensure the long-term success of the leader.

But whose love and faithfulness? Is it the leader’s? Or does it belong to those he or she is leading? Or is the love and faithfulness from God? I think the answer has to be “all of the above.” If a ruler is genuinely concerned for the welfare of the people for whom he or she is responsible, and if decisions are guided by love and faithfulness (as opposed to profit and self-interest), that will earn the trust and respect of all people. The love and faithfulness cannot help but be reciprocated by those the leader is governing. And if you are relying on God — the true source of steadfast love and the author of faithfulness — then there is no stronger guarantee of the safety and security of your reign.

Of course, this is not to say that God intends your reign (as a business leader, church elder, or political representative) to last as long as you want it to — but there will be more impact and more good done if you are partnering with God in decisions made in love and faithfulness.

I also think this proverb applies to families, too — although one would hope that love and faithfulness is foundational for all marriages, and all parents, and all families. But perhaps this proverb is a good reminder to lean on God as we check our decisions against the yardstick of love and faithfulness.

Father God, help us to have love and faithfulness as the touchstones of our lives. May we always choose things that promote the best for those we govern. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

In Deuteronomy 25 and 26, Moses wraps up his retelling of the law with some final miscellaneous commandments, as well as the instructions about offering firstfruits and tithes. Corporal punishment is limited to 40 lashes (25:3). Verses 25:13-16 speak about having fair weights and measures — Proverbs frequently exhorts the wisdom of having fair weights and measures, but here we learn that it is actually commanded in the law. Verse 16 clearly specifies, “All who act dishonestly are an abomination to the LORD your God.”

The practice of Levirate marriage is commanded as a means to ensure inheritance and lineage for a man who dies young. His widow is not to be married off “to a stranger (25:5),” but the husband’s brother shall marry the widow. The first son will perpetuate the name of the dead husband, while future children will belong to the line of the second husband. Brothers who refuse this responsibility will be disgraced in front of the city elders; they will be known as the house of the unsandaled.

Verse 25:4 says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain.” This is the verse that Paul quotes in 1 Corinthians 9:7-12, where he explains that the law speaks of more than simple kindness to animals. It is actually a principle that those who work for something should share in the rewards that are produced by that labor.

In Deuteronomy 26, Moses describes a ceremony that is to take place when the Israelites reap their first harvest in the Promised Land. It is a ceremony that will repeat each and every year, when they gather the firstfruits of their harvests. They will take those firstfruits to the place that God chooses for His name, and they will offer them up to God. They will recount their history, beginning with “A wandering Aramean was my father (v. 6),” and continuing with the story of their sojourn in Egypt, their rescue from slavery and exodus out of Egypt by signs and wonders, and ending with God’s deliverance of them into the Promised Land. After offering these firstfruits, Moses commands the Israelites in verse 11, “And you shall rejoice in all the good that the LORD your God has given to you and to your house.”

There are also ritual words and a prayer that the Israelites will say when they gather in the tithe for the Levites, sojourners, widows, and orphans in the third year.

Moses concludes this recitation of the law with the reminder in verse 16, “This day the LORD your God commands you to do these statutes and rules. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul.” He reiterates the terms of the covenant — the Israelites will obey God and His commands and in return they will become His “treasured possession… a people holy to the LORD (v. 18-19).”

As we conclude our reading of 1 Peter today with chapters 4 and 5, I note the verses that have spoken to me in the past. Peter says in verse 1, “Whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.” I continue to ponder the meaning of this phrase. Likewise, verses 10 and 11 continue to encourage me. We all need to use the gifts God has given us to build up the church body. As I write, I am mindful that God allows me to speak on His behalf. In all things, God is to be glorified through Jesus Christ. We are not to think of suffering as “strange,” but we should entrust our “souls to a faithful Creator while doing good (4:19).” The gems in chapter 5, verses 7 through 10, continue to sparkle. I rely on the promise that God Himself will restore me, and make me “strong, firm, and steadfast.”

However, there are a few new verses that spark my interest today. Verse 4:7 says, “The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.” It is that last phrase that gets me. For the sake of your prayers. All last year my Bible Study group studied the topic of prayer. Having more prayer in my life has been my heart’s desire, and a focus of my own prayers for a while now. Here, with this verse, Peter tells me that I need self-control to pray well. I need to be alert. I need clarity of mind and purpose. But even more important is the recognition of end times. Whether Jesus returns within my lifetime or not, time is running out for the human race. And those living now have only these present moments to choose our Savior. With the understanding of both the precious and limited time that we all have, I must pray with discipline and focus.

Verse 4:8 is also significant. “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” This is the guiding principle that Jesus left us with — love one another. If I must rank what I do, if I must prioritize, this should be at the top of my list. This is foundational to Christian living.

In 1 Peter 5, Peter discusses the need for elders to shepherd God’s flock, the church. In verse 2, Peter exhorts these leaders to act “not under compulsion, but willingly.” And it strikes me, that this is how God wants all of us to serve Him. He is not looking for slaves, but children. Yes, God could force us to do His will. He chooses not to, however.

But sometimes we force ourselves into service or obedience. Sometimes that’s just a bit of necessary discipline — a taming of the flesh. But if we continue to feel compelled against our own desires, then something’s wrong. This is a call for serious prayer — for God to grant us the willingness if this is really what He wants from us; or clarity should we be attempting to do something that God has not really called us to do. It is not the compulsion in itself that is wrong. Sometimes we can feel compelled to do something, but all our heart wants to answer this call. That’s the willingness that God is looking for.

Psalm 35 is David’s prayer for help from his pursuers. Why these people have turned against David, we do not know — but there is a sense of betrayal in this psalm. He used to support and encourage these people, but now they fight against him. I see glimpses of the Messiah in this psalm: verse 7 speaks of how these enemies seek to trap him “without cause,” while verse 11 speaks of malicious witnesses.

The psalm makes clear that God is the one who rescues us, and God is the one who vindicates us. He has a special concern for the poor who are attacked or robbed by those who are stronger (v. 10).

Verse 6 resonates with me. David prays against those hunting him, saying, “Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!” When I think about who God is, I usually think about how He is to those He loves and protects. But He also tangles the path of those who are wicked. He frustrates their plans, and makes everything go wrong for them. By “coincidence” and subtle circumstances, He is able to save His people from those who wish them harm. Not that He can’t be loud and obvious if He wishes — but He usually works in delicate and elusive ways. Until He decides to cut off the wicked, that is. And then they are suddenly and simply gone.

Father God, thank you that your favor protects us. Thank you for saving us. Thank you also for frustrating the plans of the wicked, making them slip and fall. Help us to always recognize the nearness of your return, and to pray with diligence and clarity. Let us love one another earnestly. Help us, by your Spirit, to obey the things of your law — not as a rulebook, but by giving us hearts of integrity and justice. Thank you that you are good, and that you will give us very good things in this life and even better things in the life to come. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.