Daily Office Readings for Thursday of the 5th Week of Lent: Year 2
Morning, Psalm 131, 132; Evening, Psalm 140, 142
Exodus 7:25 to 8:19; 2nd Corinthians 3:7 to 18; Mark 10:17 to 31:
“The magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, but they could not. There were gnats on both humans and animals.” (Exodus 8:18)
The magicians of Pharaoh were able to replicate the “staff – to- snake” action even though Moses’ snake destroyed those of Pharaoh’s magicians; and they could also produce the frogs as God did. But when God raised up the finer creatures of creation, the gnats, the magicians were lacking. All of creation comes from God. No exception. The gnats remind me of the small and insignificant status of human beings in the great expanse of the universe except that God in Christ Jesus elevated our status by being one of us.
To my knowledge, no other creature on earth has been reasoned with by God, only human beings. Through Moses, God has tried to reason with Pharaoh several times to release human beings, but he would not. So God showed Pharaoh that the God of Moses is indeed the God of all beings, human and non-human alike. And all humanity, regardless of where we live, are connected to God our Creator through Christ Jesus our Savior.
While we are geographically disconnected from one another, we are prayerfully connected with one another and God. Moses spoke with God for the relief of his people even though it was not something he wanted to do from the beginning. I ponder that it may not have been just Pharaoh whom Moses feared; he may have feared having a continued close relationship with God whom he just met and who was pushing him way out of his comfort zone. We know deep down in our hearts that a continued prayerful relationship with God will push us past our comfort zone. Unlike our Lord Jesus, we have never been physically connected with God although God intercedes on our physical behalf as is often requested by us in our prayers for ourselves and others. And, this kind of praying we should be doing now for the relief and peace of Ukraine. God loves all people.
Our God is not a God of convenience. God is not “use now and forget.” We are in this prayer relationship with God forever and we should show God our thanks for even being alive. My preaching is not so much a job. It is a calling from my own spiritual burning bush. What I am called to say is not always pleasant to ponder but none the less, needs to be said. The Spirit of God is eternal and moves among us always. This is the Spirit we should listen to and heed its Divine direction. Please advocate for Ukraine in prayer to God showing that Gods’ power is greater than that of those who torment and harm them, as Moses did in the presence of Pharaoh.
As we listen to what the Spirit is saying to us, let us live to love, to serve, and to teach, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 