How We Know You Are God--July 28, 2019

[From July 24, 2011 archive, adapted from my July 25, 1999 journal]

How shall we know you are God?

Perhaps by being still before you,

realizing how the mighty have fallen,

their weapons of war perished with them;

or by associating with the lowly, who

do not claim to be wiser than they are;

and above all by caring for the stranger

and the prisoner and the naked and the sick.

Then perhaps we will understand

why your name is exalted in the earth.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 67; 150; 46; 93

2 Sam. 1:17-27

Rom. 12:9-21

Matt. 25:31-46

Selected Verses

Ps. 46:10

“Be still, and know that I am God!
          I am exalted among the nations,
          I am exalted in the earth.”

2 Sam. 1:27

How the mighty have fallen,
          and the weapons of war perished!

Rom. 12:16

Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are.

Matt. 25:38

“…‘And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing?  And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’…"  [The righteous question the king, in Jesus' parable on the judgment of the nations]