It's amazing to think -- this very year, thousands of years later, the Jewish community will gather and celebrate the same meal, giving thanks for the same act, worshiping the same God. They remember the same way that God protected the Israelites in Egypt. Tradition is powerful -- I love to be part of the church because we're part of something so much bigger than ourselves. We're truly anchored -- so many things come and go and society shifts over time, but in the church, we stand on a foundation that has existed for millennia. In a world where things change, we can give thanks for the stability of the church.
At the end of this passage, the simplicity is beautiful. Moses tells the people to do this thing... and they do it. Of course, they were properly motivated -- they'd heard that death was coming to all who didn't comply. That will light a fire. So often, in their 40-year journey through the wilderness, they spend all their time grumbling rather than complying. Granted, I could take a lesson here -- I don't always embrace my commitment to God whole-heartedly. I often long for something easier, something clearer, and so I grumble.
It's good for me to remember how high the stakes are. In Christ, we have life, and he paid a high price to redeem us back from the dead. May the thought of Christ, the sacrificial lamb, going to the cross willingly out of love -- may that thought bring us gratitude and peace to our souls, and may we follow God with joyous hearts with the hope of God's kingdom in our minds.
No comments:
Post a Comment