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June 2, 2021

Deliverance Among Relations and Nations

Anthony Peterson   |   Read Psalm 138:1-8

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Lectionary Week
May 31–June 6, 2021
Scripture Overview

We sometimes struggle to believe in the power of a God we cannot see. The psalmist declares that God is greater than any earthly king and will preserve us in the face of our enemies. However, in the time of Samuel, the Israelites demanded a human king to lead them into battle. God was not enough for them. Paul admonishes the Corinthians not to repeat this mistake. We should not think that what we see is the ultimate reality. What we see is temporary; what cannot be seen is eternal. Perhaps Jesus is teaching a similar idea in this somewhat troubling passage in Mark. Jesus is not against family, but he is emphasizing that human families are temporary; spiritual family is eternal.

Questions and Suggestions for Reflection

Read 1 Samuel 8:4-20. How are you influenced by the culture around you? What helps you try to align your priorities with God’s?
Read Psalm 138. When you “walk in the midst of trouble,” how do you remember God’s presence with you?
Read 2 Corinthians 4:13–5:1. How do you find yourself being renewed today in spite of parts of your “outer nature” that may be “wasting away”?
Read Mark 3:20-35. Who is your spiritual family? Whom do you identify as your brothers, sisters, mother, and father?

Respond by posting a prayer .

Psalm 138:1-8

1 I give thanks to you with all my heart, LORD. I sing your praise before all other gods. 2 I bow toward your holy temple and thank your name for your loyal love and faithfulness because you have made your name and word greater than everything else. 3 On the day I cried out, you answered me. You encouraged me with inner strength. 4 Let all the earth’s rulers give thanks to you, LORD, when they hear what you say. 5 Let them sing about the LORD’s ways because the LORD’s glory is so great! 6 Even though the LORD is high, he can still see the lowly, but God keeps his distance from the arrogant. 7 Whenever I am in deep trouble, you make me live again; you send your power against my enemies’ wrath; you save me with your strong hand. 8 The LORD will do all this for my sake. Your faithful love lasts forever, LORD! Don’t let go of what your hands have made.

Unless otherwise indicated, scripture quotations are from the Common English Bible. Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible. Used by permission.

Warnings abound regarding hyper-partisanship globally. While many around the world work for peace, just when we think a new age is on the horizon, new hostilities break out somewhere. Those hostilities breed dissatisfaction and discord, government action and inaction, attacks and war. Some issues that we think should be inconsequential...

God of peace, I call on you to deliver me from adversity, and I commit to work for peace even in the midst of adversity. Amen.


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