15 July 2005

Today we end the week by adding onto yesterday's piece from 1Corinthians 10.

I don't not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness. (1 Cor. 10:1-5) Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not become idolaters as some of them did; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play." We must indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some did, and were destroyed by the destroyer... God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it. (1 Cor. 10:6-10, 13b)

Paulo's journey back to the days when Israel was in the wilderness seems to carry with it the message that you better stay in line and act right...or else. Well, that is one way to teach a youngster how to live in the world and both the Israel out in the wilderness and this Corinthian community were like youngsters who need guidance and direction. But we must also see that we are always being pulled back to remember the Christ or the "Lord" who gathers us in with a promise. It is too easy to run away from a promise and be satisfied with what we are able to do for ourselves. When we take that road, we usually turn ourselves into the lord of life and seek to gratify only ourselves. What may sound like threatening words are really words meant to help the people remember what is at the very base of who they are - people of promise. That promise is the power for new life and we need not doubt it and try to establish another way. Trust the promise...trust the gift...trust even after we have doubted and fallen away. God is faithful!

Connection. Maybe it is good to be short at the end of the week. What do we need to remember as we head out the door to continue along the journey of our lives. God is faithful!!!

As we turn away from you again and again, we pray that by the power of the Holy Spirit, Liberating Lord, you will remind us of the fresh start we have as we live within your promises alone. Amen.