July 04, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 28, 54, 99
Numbers 22:21-38
Romans 7:1-12
Matthew 21:23-32

II. Selections
Psalm 54:4
But surely, God is my helper;
the Lord is the upholder of my life.

Numbers 22:22a
God's anger was kindled because [ Balaam] was going, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the road as his adversary.

Romans 7:6
But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we are slaves not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit.

Matthew 21:23
When [ Jesus] entered the Temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"

III. Meditation: Adversary or helper?

Surely you are our helper,
the upholder of our lives;
then why do you sometimes act as our adversary?

We have trouble with authority,
even with your authority over us.
"Who gave you this authority?" we demand to know.

We forget-now we are dead to that which held us captive;
we are slaves only to the new life in the Spirit,
which is no slavery at all, but freedom.