Hi everyone,
It’s been another week, that’s for sure. Another week with things that happened that I don’t really want to talk about. Why don’t I want to talk about them? Because it’s like there are so many opinions out there that throwing one more in the mix only seems to stir that pot even more, and drive that wedge deeper.
Because with so many opinions and viewpoints and assumptions and misleading intentions out there, who is to say what is true? How can we sift through all the muck to figure out how we should act, what we should believe, and where to draw the line between right and wrong? How do we hear God’s voice in it all?
It isn’t an easy thing, to be sure. But through my experience, at least, God’s voice is always one that sides with the marginalized and oppressed and away from the rich and powerful. It is a voice that sheds light on ourselves and our sheer reliance on God’s salvation. It is a voice that is authoritative but compassionate, convicting but gracious, harsh but forgiving. It is a voice that comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable.
Above all, it is a voice that will always promote love.
Here are the readings for next week:
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16
Romans 10:8b-13
Luke 4:1-13
And here is a video of me reading those readings:
We are familiar with this story of Jesus being tested out in the wilderness. We often equate it to our own temptations and how we are to react to them. The problem is with that interpretation though, is that we aren’t Jesus.
And so if we were to equate ourselves with someone in the story… there really is only one character left.
Now, I’m not saying that we’re evil incarnate or anything, but I do think that we’d fare well to heed to Jesus’ responses: don’t rely on material wealth, be careful of the allure of power, and God isn’t a pawn for our own gain. Those, in a nutshell, is what Jesus clings to as the world tells him to do otherwise.
We also try to get God to do otherwise.
In that, we often like to convince God that we are right. We plead with God to give us more power. We negotiate with God to try and get what we think is best, what we think is right, what we simply want.
And the test to see what our motivations are. Of course we would never think we would be self-serving, but are we aiding others? Are we lifting up the least of us? Are we acting in ways that are gracious, kind, and loving?
While that might not be exhaustive, I think it’s a good place to start. Because as I look at what is going on in the world now, I admit that I’m not up to speed with all of history, all politics, and all laws that were put in place in every country. But I can recognise hate when I see it. And I can recognise love. And there is no doubt in my mind that one is being displayed a whole lot more than the other.
Let’s do better. Be better. Love better.
Lord, have mercy.