Psalm Meditation 1215 ¶World Communion Sunday ¶October 1, 2023 ¶Psalm 99 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+99&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶To have a nation run by a god, gods, or God is called a theocracy. The trouble with a theocracy is that it needs at least one person to be the intermediary between the divine on the one hand and humans on the other. It works best when the intermediary is a faithful interpreter of the divine will. And there’s the rub. We rarely relay information from source to recipient without throwing in our own point of view. When multiple people are asked to describe an event to which they were each witnesses, there will be as many versions of the event as there are witnesses. ¶When we do wish for a theocracy, we want the one that follows our own particular spin on the laws, by-laws, and rules. I want all the ‘others’ around me to pay a heftier price for their actions than I do, because, of course, I cling more closely to the divine rules as I have received them. If a dispute arises between your way and mine, my way is superior to yours; with the understanding that ‘my’ and ‘mine’ belong to the person currently reading. It is hard enough to follow God as an individual without having a whole nation follow God through one interpretation. ¶While a nation ruled by God is a laudable goal, it is not very practical. Even two people can find reason to argue over what it means to follow God as a faithful adherent to God’s word and will for us in the world. The best we can do is to follow God as closely as we can as individuals, while being open to teaching and correction from others. God loves justice, righteousness, and forgives us freely and wholeheartedly. Most important, God loves each one of us. ¶September 25, 2023 ¶LCM