Wednesday, March 15, 2006
From AscensionNYC
Wednesday in the Second Week of Lent
Psalm 119:73-96
Genesis 42:18-28
1 Corinthians 5:9 - 6:8
Mark 4:1-20
In Genesis, Joseph is in Egypt and his brothers come begging food to save their people from famine. Joseph does not judge them, but shows them mercy, forgives them, and testifies that God has worked through their evil actions: "It was not you who sent me here but God...to preserve life."
The Psalmist also testifies that God has sent afflictions for God's purposes. He asks for mercy to live in the midst of affliction, wickedness, and persecution. He leaves the fate of the wicked to God's judgment. He prays for understanding, for mercy, for God's love to comfort him. "As for me, I will meditate on thy precepts." He rejoices, praises, loves, and hopes.
Paul also urges us not to judge: Do not judge the immoral, greedy, robbers, idolaters of the world. Of course they are in the world. "God judges those." "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?"
In Mark, when Jesus explains the parable of the sower of seeds to his disciples, he also accepts that there are those who will hear his teachings and immediately fall into evil ways; those who will hear superficially and forget; those who will hear but be seduced by the riches, cares and enchantments of the world. Jesus does not spend time bemoaning and judging these people. He rather reminds his disciples that they have been given the secret of the kingdom of God and should focus on the fact that they are chosen to hear, accept and bear fruit.
When we experience affliction, greed, idolatry, wickedness -- let our Lenten prayers be that we remember these teachings:
See God working in the afflictions and sufferings of our lives.
Leave the judgment of others to God.
Pray that God's love and mercy be manifest in our lives and in the world.
Be faith-filled, and meditate on the precepts of God.
Hear!
Rejoice!
Praise!
Love!
Hope!
Genesis 42:18-28
1 Corinthians 5:9 - 6:8
Mark 4:1-20
In Genesis, Joseph is in Egypt and his brothers come begging food to save their people from famine. Joseph does not judge them, but shows them mercy, forgives them, and testifies that God has worked through their evil actions: "It was not you who sent me here but God...to preserve life."
The Psalmist also testifies that God has sent afflictions for God's purposes. He asks for mercy to live in the midst of affliction, wickedness, and persecution. He leaves the fate of the wicked to God's judgment. He prays for understanding, for mercy, for God's love to comfort him. "As for me, I will meditate on thy precepts." He rejoices, praises, loves, and hopes.
Paul also urges us not to judge: Do not judge the immoral, greedy, robbers, idolaters of the world. Of course they are in the world. "God judges those." "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?"
In Mark, when Jesus explains the parable of the sower of seeds to his disciples, he also accepts that there are those who will hear his teachings and immediately fall into evil ways; those who will hear superficially and forget; those who will hear but be seduced by the riches, cares and enchantments of the world. Jesus does not spend time bemoaning and judging these people. He rather reminds his disciples that they have been given the secret of the kingdom of God and should focus on the fact that they are chosen to hear, accept and bear fruit.
When we experience affliction, greed, idolatry, wickedness -- let our Lenten prayers be that we remember these teachings:
See God working in the afflictions and sufferings of our lives.
Leave the judgment of others to God.
Pray that God's love and mercy be manifest in our lives and in the world.
Be faith-filled, and meditate on the precepts of God.
Hear!
Rejoice!
Praise!
Love!
Hope!
Connie Heginbotham
