Let Me Not Wander

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: (ESV) The introduction to the short book of Jude. He identifies himself as James' brother. Most likely the James who was a disciple. He also identifies himself as a servant of Jesus Christ, something that we all should do. Maybe we should begin signing our letters that way. He then addresses this letter to "those who are called" to "those who are beloved in God the Father" and to those "kept for Jesus Christ". Of course, he piles these three ideas together into one group, but look at them separately. You have been called. Therefore, you have a calling, a purpose for which God has chosen you. You are beloved by God the Father. That is an amazing statement if you try to wrap your mind around it and soak it in. You are kept for Jesus Christ. Your continuance is founded in the person of Jesus Christ. Keep these things ...

Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. (ESV) Lets not stop with a few arrows, lets fill our quiver. Anyone who would say that it isn't good to have lots of children can be quickly silenced by this passage. Let me end this chapter's commentary by saying this: Children are good. In fact they are great! They are a blessing to any family. That blessing isn't figurative, they will bless you in ways that will make your family better and stronger.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. (ESV) Ok. Imagine a warrior (an archer, more specifically). Imagine this archer all geared up and ready for battle. Now, imaging that this archer has no arrows. He has the quiver. He has the bow. Everything else is ready to go, but no arrows. Now, imagine that same archer, except that there are arrows in his hand. How does that change the picture? Children do change the picture, and according to the psalmist, in a similar way that arrows change the picture. Sure, you can still be a warrior without the arrows, but with the arrows (and a bow) you have added potential in a battle. You are no longer just a foot soldier. You can begin fighting long before the enemy makes its way to you. Children do a similar thing. They are part of a well-formed family and add to the families potential.

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. (ESV) The first time I read this Psalm, the first two verses seemed totally disconnected with the remaining verses. This whole passage, though, is about the building of a " house ", and what " house " is really complete without children. I could be wrong in this interpretation, but I believe that the majority of the verses in this chapter have to do with children because they are truly the greatest blessing of house building . In this verse we see that they are a reward and that they are a heritage ... and that they come from the Lord. The word that is translated heritage has to do with possession. They belong in God's kind of house. The word reward is many times translated as wages or fare or fee. They are the result of God's kind of house building. There are some who do not have the benefit of children, because of physical issues. There is ultimately nothing that can be do...

It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. (ESV) Remember, in the first verse it starts off, "Unless the Lord build the house..." That idea has carried over into this verse. We are still talking about house building. Anxious toil is that worrisome sort of work. It is that work that is based in your own worries. Doing extra things to try to calm that rumbling fear. Getting up early and going to bed late, hoping that you will cover all of your bases, that all of your ducks will be in a row... To his beloved, God gives rest. There is peace in the houses that He builds.

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. (ESV) There are some houses that are built that do not have the Lord as the chief architect. He is not the one building it... but it gets built. There are watchmen who stay awake all night and the city remains safe. To understand this verse, first understand the word vain. It means empty. Why? Why is the labor in vain? Why is the watching in vain? because it is pointless. The only one who can build eternal things is God himself. When He builds a house, it lasts forever, when he watches a city, it is an eternal city, take up your citizenship there.

because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! (NIV) To jump right to the point... (like James likes to do) If you show judgment without mercy, there is a high probability that you have not yet understood the mercy of God or have never recognized your encounters with God's mercy. To put it bluntly, if you don't show mercy, then maybe you aren't even saved. This is a perfect lead-in to the next set of verses .