|
June 22, 2008 - 6th Sunday after Pentecost
Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his
flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of
the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was
blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, "I must turn aside and look at this
great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up." When the LORD saw that he had turned
aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."
Then he said, "Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which
you are standing is holy ground." He said further, "I am the God of your father, the God
of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was
afraid to look at God.
Then the LORD said, "I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have
heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and
I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land
to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey... The cry of the Israelites
has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send
you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt." But Moses said to God,
"Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" He said,
"I will be with you."
-- Exodus 3:1-12a
We do not live in a perfect world. Every day we observe and/or experience pain and
suffering which can cloud our perception of life. In this imperfect world it can become
easy for us to be cynical and complaining, only seeing what is wrong with the world (at
least from our perspective).
In a dramatic fashion, God called Moses to be part of the solution of the suffering of
God's people. God may have called Moses through fire, but God calls you through the waters
of your baptism to be part of the solution of the world's suffering. It's easy to have
opinions and complain, but such things only tear down. God calls you to help build up your
neighbor, your congregation, your community, your world.
What did you complain about today? Is there any way you can be part of a solution, and
not only have an opinion about the problem? God will be with you as you help build up and
not tear down!
We pray: Teach us, good Lord God, to serve you as you deserve, to give and
not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for
rest, to labor and not to ask for reward, except that of knowing that we do your will,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen
Lessons for the 6th Sunday after Pentecost - Moses and the Exodus:
- Exodus 3:1-12
- Exodus 6:1-11
- Exodus 12:29-32
- Exodus 13:21-22
- Exodus 14:10-14, 21-31
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible,
copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
|
|
|
