Tuesday Reading and Reflection

Tuesday Reflection by Rev. Jerry Eve

 

Tuesday, March 31, 2020: Psalm 143; 2 Kings 4:18-37; Ephesians 2:1-10

 

I remember seeing a short film on television a few years ago by someone who had become somewhat obsessed, it seemed, with the number 143. It was quite charming and engaging as he went in search of that number, and whenever he saw it, he would take a photograph. So, why 143? Well, it’s because – for a number of people – it has become code for the phrase ‘I LOVE YOU’. Which makes it a perfect number for a psalm, I think.

 

Scholars tending to divide Psalm 143 into two halves. It’s called a psalm of David, but a majority of them think that only the first six verses would have been by him; and that verses 7-12 were added afterwards, taken from a variety of other psalms as a sort of commentary on what David himself had written.

 

He’s obviously in some sort of pickle. It may be that he’s hiding out in his war with Saul in the Cave of Adullam or that he’s fled beyond the River Jordan in the dispute he had with his son, Absalom – he did get himself into all sorts of scrapes! But isn’t it good that when this happens, his response (as ours should be as well) is to pray? And it’s interesting to note that, for David, prayer wasn’t a matter of sitting, or kneeling, but of holding his hands in the air; try doing that for any length of time, and you begin to know about it.

 

So, what should we pray for? Well, just as our Old Testament story from yesterday was of a resurrection (by Elijah) so too is today’s (by Elijah’s successor, Elisha). And sorry if this seems to lack faith, but I actually prefer to think of these two stories we have – it helps me more – not as of people raised from death, but rather of healings.

 

And that’s because I like to think of these two prophets as old-time doctors of medicine. Elisha is mentioned only once in the New Testament – at Luke 4 – and when he is, it’s in connection with his healing of Naaman the Syrian of leprosy. In 1 Kings there are accounts of 8 miracles by Elijah who, when he passes on his mantle to Elisha giving him a double portion of his power, Elisha then performs 16 miracles in 2 Kings. As well as healings, included among these are ones of feeding and the purification of water.

 

Both men, I suspect, had a pretty good grasp of what constitutes health, and it’s precisely their heirs (heirs also of Hippocrates) who we have so much to be thankful for, and especially at this time.

 

Let us pray:

 

From Thee all skill and science flow,
All pity, care and love,
All calm and courage, faith and hope;
O pour them from above.

 

And part them, Lord, to each and all,
As each and all shall need,
To rise, like incense, each to Thee,
In noble thought and deed.

 

And hasten, Lord, that perfect day
When pain and death shall cease;
And Thy just rule shall fill the earth
With health, and light, and peace.

 

When ever blue the sky shall gleam,
And ever green the sod;
And man’s rude work deface no more
The paradise of God. Amen.

 

(words written by Charles Kings­ley in 1871 when asked to com­pose a hymn that would be sung by a thou­sand-voice choir at a cer­e­mo­ny to lay the cor­ner­stone for a new hospital block)

 

 

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