Pastor’s Corner

Trivia:

Yesterday I asked you to respond to a chain restaurant that began opening its doors as "Chicken on the Run". Well though I had no idea who this present day chain restaurant was, it was Popeye's. This chain was formed in New Orleans & Louisiana it is presently based in Florida, Miami to be exact. They presently have 3,705 restaurants.

If someone lives in Missouri what are they called? Missourieneese; Missourian; Missourier; or Missourer, make your guess.

Challenge:

Psalm 72:6-11 "May the king's rule be refreshing like spring rain on freshly cut grass, like the showers that water the earth. 7 May all the godly flourish during his reign. May there be abundant prosperity until the moon is no more. 8 May he reign from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. 9 Desert nomads will bow before him; his enemies will fall before him in the dust. 10 The western kings of Tarshish and other distant lands will bring him tribute. The eastern kings of Sheba and Seba will bow before him, and all nations will serve him. 11 All kings will bow before him, and nations will serve him."

In order for us to understand these verses it is important for us to go back to the beginning verses and the reason for the honor that was offered to this king.

Verse 1 lays out the standards by which this king dealt with all of these leaders surrounding Israel. "He loved justice ... and righteousness". In other words he wasn't only just, and committed to doing right but he upheld these right dealings with all peoples on the earth.

Verse 2 also treated those who were poor and weaker with a constancy to equal justice, in other words, he was determined to treat all surrounding people fairly.

Now with that background, we gain a full understanding why this just king was a refreshing relationship. He wasn't attempting to bring harm to weaker, less developed nations, but rather to treat them fairly and in a beneficial manner.

Verse 7 affirms the outcome of his dealings with those who desire to live peaceably (godly) and his intent was to bring prosperity to all people that he has dealings with.

Verse 8, states that whether these nations were near or great distances away his intent was to bring benefit and blessing to these neighbors.

Verse 9 tells of the trust that even those nations which have little protection (nomads), These tribes were a people who were usually sustained by trading goods and services to their surrounding tribes, therefore they had no walled cities to protect them from warring nations. But due to this kings treatment of all tribes, they would inform him of any nearby enemies who may attempt to bring harm to his people.

Verse 10 tells us of the fact that even far away tribes would honor any pacts that they had made with the kings because he was always honorable in his dealings with them. In verse 11 we see that all of the kings would visually express honor, and fair relationships because of his just and right conduct toward them.

This conduct was not generally seen among the various nations, for they were for the most part a warring people's, so for them to be peaceable was not common conduct. In this context you can see the fair and courteous conduct that was shared by the people of Israel with their surrounding people. (1 Kings 4:21; 10:1, 23, 24; Isaiah 60:4-7; Jeremiah 6:20)

In the coming verse we will see the many other benefits of anyone who strives to love (uphold) just dealings and striving to live favorably to those that we live among.

SO GO WITH GOD and He will guide you just how to live out these principles to our neighboring community. Kindness, concern, consideration, fairness, are all the fruits of following after God's ways. They also bring blessings, and refreshing outcomes to the surface of our relationships with others. When we respond in the loving ways of God, then we will find refreshment flowing from all those who we faithfully pour out on their lives.