Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of the First Week of Lent: Year 1
Morning, Psalm 45; Evening, Psalms 47 and 48;
Deuteronomy 9:4-12; Hebrews 3:1-11; John 2:13-22:
“Know, then, that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land to occupy because of your righteousness; for you are a stubborn people. (Deuteronomy 9:6)
I find it very interesting that God replaces a people of wickedness with a stubborn people. The people who previously occupied the land that God was giving to the Israelites were a wicked people that displeased God. “When the Lord your God thrusts them out before you, do not say to yourself, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me in to occupy this land’; it is rather because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is dispossessing them before you;”( Deuteronomy 9:4).
Stubbornness can work to God’s purposes if we are “righteously” stubborn. In the Conversion of Saul to Paul, Saul was more stubborn than wicked, he thought he was doing what the Lord wanted. But his stubbornness was made useful by meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus; (Acts 9).
What drive do we have that leads us to do what we do? Is such a drive evil or good? To be forceful about pursuing God’s plan for us being righteously stubborn. But it means insisting on loving God and loving our neighbors, no matter what. Such an attitude about being stubborn in this way moves God to make a way for us. it means that with our righteously stubbornness, we might replace those who show themselves to be wicked in the world. It is in this way that God’s kingdom comes, on earth, as it is in heaven.
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray:
O Lord God, you know that we can be a stiff-necked people, determined to travel a path not pleasing to You. Be with us Dear Lord, lead us and guide us in all our travels in order that with our God-given determination and stubbornness, we may walk the paths pleasing in your sight with fervency and zeal. Amen.
onewhoponders 