Today’s Readings: Psalm 56; Jeremiah 26:1-16; Luke 12:57-13:5; Ephesians 1:16-2:3; Psalm 28
Featured Reading: Jeremiah 26:1-16
Some of us human beings (myself included!) have a knack for hearing only portions of things. Let me give you a couple examples. A parent can tell a child, “If you eat everything on your plate, you can have some ice cream.” And what does the child hear? “You can have some ice cream.” Or an employer can tell an employee, “After you complete your report and turn it in, you can leave early.” And what does the employee hear? “You can leave early.” In both instances, the second party can get cranky when the first party reminds them of the terms of the arrangement. The child will cry, for instance, when ice cream is withheld because the child didn’t finish the vegetables on his/her plate. Similarly, the employee might grouse when he has to stay later than expected until the requested report is turned in. This same dynamic is evidenced in today’s reading from the Jeremiah. In that passage, the prophet tells the people: “If you refuse to listen to me and live by my teaching that I’ve revealed so plainly to you… I’ll make this Temple a pile of ruins.” And what do the people hear? “I’ll make this Temple a pile of ruins.” As a result of their selective hearing process, they completely freaked out and missed the point. All of this reminds me of our tendency to do the same thing in our own spiritual lives: listen selectively and miss the point. Perhaps there is an area in your life with which you are struggling to discern God’s will, or perhaps struggling with the portions you have discerned to date. If so, I would encourage you to spend a little more time in prayer/meditation to see if you have truly opened yourself to experiencing the fullness of God’s spirit – and not just part of it. Til next time…
Featured Reading: Jeremiah 26:1-16
Some of us human beings (myself included!) have a knack for hearing only portions of things. Let me give you a couple examples. A parent can tell a child, “If you eat everything on your plate, you can have some ice cream.” And what does the child hear? “You can have some ice cream.” Or an employer can tell an employee, “After you complete your report and turn it in, you can leave early.” And what does the employee hear? “You can leave early.” In both instances, the second party can get cranky when the first party reminds them of the terms of the arrangement. The child will cry, for instance, when ice cream is withheld because the child didn’t finish the vegetables on his/her plate. Similarly, the employee might grouse when he has to stay later than expected until the requested report is turned in. This same dynamic is evidenced in today’s reading from the Jeremiah. In that passage, the prophet tells the people: “If you refuse to listen to me and live by my teaching that I’ve revealed so plainly to you… I’ll make this Temple a pile of ruins.” And what do the people hear? “I’ll make this Temple a pile of ruins.” As a result of their selective hearing process, they completely freaked out and missed the point. All of this reminds me of our tendency to do the same thing in our own spiritual lives: listen selectively and miss the point. Perhaps there is an area in your life with which you are struggling to discern God’s will, or perhaps struggling with the portions you have discerned to date. If so, I would encourage you to spend a little more time in prayer/meditation to see if you have truly opened yourself to experiencing the fullness of God’s spirit – and not just part of it. Til next time…
1 comment:
A call to prayer and meditation is one I need to heed.
These passages represent sticks and carrots. Jesus and Jeremiah threaten ruin and death, Paul says you are on the right track, keep going developing your faith. Most important to me are the Psalms - Individuals who remember the stories of their journeys to reinvigorate their relationship with God.
Post a Comment