God is good! (Even when I am not)

By Nick Kohlmann

One of the greatest challenges that I have found in my time at Divinity School is reading the

Bible as the Bible. This may seem confusing, especially to my friends who assume my

classmates and I just sit in a circle and read Bible stories all day long. What I mean by this, is

that I have found it a challenge at times to remember that when I am reading and studying the Bible, I am reading the story of God’s plan for all creation unfolding across, time and that this book is holy. I am not just reading a history book or a great novel and critiquing its use of language or scoffing at its characters. I make this note as I have spent the entirety of a class so far this semester considering the story of Abraham, some of which we read this past Sunday. I have looked at words in different languages, read commentaries, and explored how Rabbinic scholars interpret this story. All good, all worthwhile, but also at times making it easy to lose the simple truths that are present in the story of Abraham. I certainly hope I do not scoff hard at Abraham, not only because I am a descendant of him, but because I share his imperfect faith that can only be made right by the Triune God.

This idea sparked my mind as I read Palm 105, particularly its first fifteen verses assigned for today. This text is rich with comfort and promise. It aptly falls as a Morning Prayer Psalm in our BCP as it would do us well to remember these words at the start of each new day. Can we not remember the marvels that God has done? Do we forget what God did for Abraham even when Abraham laughed at him? Consider the stars in the night sky, and how Abraham was told that his descendants would be as vast as they. Isn’t it wonderful and terrifying to think that God was talking about you and me?

Abraham was not perfect. I am certainly not perfect. Thankfully, the LORD is perfect and is

faithful to us even when we stray from the light. As we march toward the cross of Good Friday, let us remember that we serve a God who loves us to death. Literally.