Christians are people of the book. The book of the Chronicles and the book of Zephaniah, and the other 64 as well. But we are selective hearers. We like what sounds good to the ears, and we don’t like the unknown. We are uncomfortable at times with irregularities of rhythms in the Psalter, and we are certainly uncomfortable with that whole dashing skulls against the wall business in Psalm 137. We like our Bible served comfortably with a God that is comfortably numb.
God gives us imprecations as gifts. If we use them all the time, it loses their power and authority. But if there is a special day to utter the uncomfortable words, it is the Lord’s Day. Today, we enter into the holy of holies by invitation only. The father invites us to be in his presence and to taste his truth. He further invites us to say hard things, to bring liberty to the captives, and to espouse a theology of courage.
You may be here half-heartedly, you may be here in quarter pieces, but you are here! So, Christ welcomes you into his life and his world. And in this life and world, there are curses to the wicked, uncomfortable sayings of the prophets, rebukes to the disciples, and lessons learned again, and again, and again.
Come and welcome to the uncomfortable message of redemption, but which to us is our only comfort in life and in death!
