Week 13 Judges
Yesterday I saw a verse in Psalm 18: as for God, His way is blameless.
It was a nice find since Judges – even though it’s in the bible – can grind on you with its pretty gruesome content.
As for God, His way is perfect helps me take stock. Knowing the Lord’s way is pristine doesn’t clear everything up. It’s more a reminder that wherever I go with the judges’ material my mental landing spot needs to include the idea that the Lord is perfect.
Sure, it’s a simpler thing to say the judges were a bunch of primitive and violent people. Simpler to say the Lord’s way with the judges isn’t perfect.
But if the Lord’s way is perfect I can’t choose the simpler thing. I’m reading these troubling stories, wondering what’s going on, seeing that the Lord is engaged in some way with what’s happening, trying to fit pieces together, and also knowing in advance that the puzzle doesn’t supply a piece that says as for God his way is imperfect.
One of my fundaments is that over time the bible is self-clarifying.
I can read something and be unsure or troubled or offended. Fair enough – as far as I know there’s no law against being unsure or offended.
And so I keep reading along with my hope – and my sometimes loosely-held expectation – that I’ll eventually find some clarity for my troubled-nesses.
Note: Psalm 18:30 is quoted from the NASB and the NLT versions.