From the Belly of Sheol--Oct. 29, 2018

Our world seems to pass from one woe to another;

having survived one evil, we are confronted

by a different one even more terrible.

We may see the same pattern in our personal lives--

we have ups and downs; things going well,

then our steps slip, our feet stumble,

and we find ourselves in deep distress, crying out

from the belly of Sheol, "God, save me!"

O God, do you hear our voice?

I believe you do.  My flesh and my heart

may fail, but you are the strength

of my heart, my portion

forever.  

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 62; 145; 73; 9

Jonah 1:17-2:10

Rev. 11:1-14

Luke 11:14-26

Selected Verses

Ps. 73:2, 26

But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;
          my steps had nearly slipped. …

My flesh and my heart may fail,
          but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Jonah 2:1-2

Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the belly of the fish, saying,
"I called to the LORD out of my distress,
     and he answered me;
out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
     and you heard my voice.  …"

Rev. 11:14

The second woe has passed.  The third woe is coming very soon.

Luke 11:26

"…Then [the unclean spirit] goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first."  [Jesus, to the crowds]