Daily Lectionary Readings for October 16, 2010
Psalm 119:970-120
Hosea 14:1-9
Acts 28:17-31
Luke 9:37-50
Hosea 14:1-9
"O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols?
It is I who answer and look after you.
I am like an evergreen cypress; your faithfulness comes from me."(v.8)
I love when a familiar thought gets turned a bit and provides a different view. That's happening here. Idols are not good things. They get in the way of our relationship with God and we find ourselves drawn to them for whatever they seem to promise. We get that theme a lot and, of course, it's right. The turn here is that God's question moves past the why do you chase after idols question to make the point that chasing after idols is an eternally flawed and forever disappointing endeavor. It's not just a violation of our relationship with God it flies in the face of our experience. As is pointed out, it is God who answers us and looks after us. Idols, being idols, do not do either.
Acts 28:17-31
"Go to this people and say,
You will indeed listen , but never understand,
and you will indeed look, but never perceive.
For this people's heart has grown dull,
and their ears are hard of hearing,
so that they might not look with their eyes,
and listen with their ears,
and understand with their heart and turn -
and would heal them"(vs.26-27)
Paul's words to those who fail to receive his teachings fall somewhere on the spectrum with the thoughts on the Hosea passage. What causes us to continue to think we will find answers somewhere other than God - or why do we continue to turn a deaf ear to God's voice calling to us? Perhaps because our hearts can grow dull. Tomorrow is Sunday and with Sunday comes the opportunity to gather with the body of Christ and worship. In doing this we offer praise to God and we practice a discipline that helps us to keep our heart committed to God.
No comments:
Post a Comment