Reading: Matthew 18:1-14, Acts 25:1-12, Psalm 40, Leviticus 8-10

Recall:
Doom to the world for giving these God-believing children a hard time! Hard times are inevitable, but you don’t have to make it worse—and it’s doomsday to you if you do. Matthew 18:7

Blessed are you who give yourselves over to GOD,
turn your backs on the world’s “sure thing,”
ignore what the world worships; Psalm 40:4 (The Message)

And me? I’m a mess. I’m nothing and have nothing:
make something of me.
You can do it; you’ve got what it takes—
but God, don’t put it off. Psalm 40:11 (The Message)
 
Reflect:
In the Message, Peterson goes back and forth between actual children and "simple believers" that are not children. The NRSV stays with children throughout. But I like this verse, an acknowledgment that stuff happens, "hard times are inevitable." We often can't relieve people of their hard times--although we probably could more often than we'd like to admit--but we absolutely must not add to their problems.

I love this Psalm--I don't know if I have read it before, certainly not Peterson's paraphrase. I'm a mess, but God can do it!
Respond:
God, I continue the long process of giving myself over to you, but I am nothing and I have nothing: make something of me! You can do it! Don't put it off!