The Conquered AND The Conquerors

October 8, 2019

DAILY READINGS

Psalm 137
Lamentations 2:13-22
1 John 5:1-5, 13-21
This weekend’s scripture:Proverbs 29:17

FIELD NOTES

A co-worker was sharing about her friend who used to check in with her by asking: who are you in scripture right now?  Lost like Hagar in the desert? Successful like David over Goliath?  Frustrated like Elijah after Mt Carmel?  Full of praise like Mary pregnant with Jesus?  Our bible is full of stories we can relate to, no matter where we find ourselves.  And our reading today highlights this.

In the year 587 BC, the capital city of Jerusalem was conquered and the Lord’s Temple was destroyed by the Babylonian military might.  And we see from our first two readings, Psalm 137 and Lamentations 2, that corporate grief arose among the people.  It’s a story of fear and anger and disillusionment and loss.  It’s a story about when your world falls totally apart. 

But in our third reading, from 1 John 5, takes us to the complete other side.  Here we are not the conquered but conquerors.  Here, just 600 years later, due to the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, we have overcome the world.

I am so thankful that God’s word is large enough to include the full spectrum of human experience.

QUESTION FOR THE FIELD

• Who are you in scripture right now?

FAMILY FIELD TALK

• Is there a Bible character you relate to right now?