VI.
In C. S. Lewis’s The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, what is it that Mr. Beaver tells Susan when she asks if Aslan is “safe”?
“Safe?” … “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
With that in mind, as you read this week’s focus Scripture, what do you hear about the God Nahum speaks of and speaks for?
VII.
Nahum 1:1-3, 6-8, 12-13, 15
An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh.
A jealous and avenging God is the Lord,
the Lord is avenging and wrathful;
the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries
and rages against his enemies.The Lord is slow to anger but great in power,
and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty.
His way is in whirlwind and storm,
and the clouds are the dust of his feet.Who can stand before his indignation?
Who can endure the heat of his anger?
His wrath is poured out like fire,
and by him the rocks are broken in pieces.The Lord is good,
a stronghold in a day of trouble;
he protects those who take refuge in him,
even in a rushing flood.He will make a full end of his adversaries,
and will pursue his enemies into darkness.Thus says the Lord,
“Though they are at full strength and many,
they will be cut off and pass away.
Though I have afflicted you,
I will afflict you no more.
And now I will break off his yoke from you
and snap the bonds that bind you.”
Look! On the mountains the feet of one
who brings good tidings,
who proclaims peace!Celebrate your festivals, O Judah,
fulfill your vows,
for never again shall the wicked invade you;
they are utterly cut off.
VII.
I guess we could “edit” our readings of Scripture (and life) to only read, hear and see only the “nice” and easy to deal with things about the way God is spoken of. And for that matter how we encounter Jesus in the Gospels.
But it seems that is not the way of Scripture.
Nahum proclaims,
Look! On the mountains the feet of one
who brings good tidings,
who proclaims peace!
Celebrate your festivals, O Judah,
fulfill your vows,
for never again shall the wicked invade you;
they are utterly cut off.
What “good tidings”, what “peace” do you find in Nahum’s words?
Who brings those “good tidings” and “peace” within your reach?
Now that you have heard, will you “celebrate”? Will you fulfill your “vows”? For that matter, what might be the “vows” you are asked to fulfill?
In this complicated world we exist in, is it possible to trust that –
never again shall the wicked invade you;
they are utterly cut off.
Recall and give thanks for those moments you realized your “refuge” was with God.
charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}