Lent – Day 27
Lent 2010: A Season for Listening
3/19/10 – Day 27
Listening to The Teachings of Jesus: Part 15
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Luke 12:32-34
If we wanted to trace our spiritual history back to its beginnings it would be a simple statement, “God heard the cries of his people in captivity and acted with an mighty hand to deliver them from the house of bondage.” Over and over throughout Scripture and human history this simple story is rehearsed and repeated. God hears the voices of God’s people and enters into the fray setting the oppressed free. It happened for Israel repeatedly, and it happens for us. This is the source of our patterns of behavior and the basis of our trust during this season of Lent.
But have you ever listened long enough to these stories to hear the full explanation as to why God would do such acts of power on behalf of such a miserable and ragtag bunch of folks? Moses told Pharaoh to let the Children of Israel go so that they might…SERVE THE LORD. The simple fact and beauty that we often miss is that we are not only saved from something terrible (slavery to sin and death) but we are also saved for something much better (freedom to choose to serve God and others). God forgives the past so that we might have the present as a new day complete with a fresh choice to serve God free from the baggage and sin that clings so tightly to us.
God not only wants to make us free, God wants to give us a new land of opportunity and prosperity. God wants to create a new people and create a fresh start. Only when we are free from fear can we truly choose to serve God and others.
Today Jesus tells us that God wants us to have the kingdom. God fully intends to give us the riches of eternal life that begins today and never ends. We do not have to worry about tomorrow and what worlds might await beyond this. We can place our trust in God for all these things. What we are then left with is today. Today we find ourselves freed of the shackles and liberated to do what is good and just and right. Knowing that we are heirs to the unimaginable and eternal wealth of God makes us free to share the things we now hold in trust with a generous and joyful spirits and thankful hearts! Do you trust in the promises of a Holy and Righteous God? Today is your chance to show it! Live as free children of the Living God. Today you have been set free! Thanks be to God! – Rev. John Mattox
Let us pray,
O Lord, our treasure
Help us not to be afraid of the
slings and arrows that are all about us.
Help us to put our trust only in you.
Amen.
-Rev. Katie Mattox
