Monday, June 23, 2014 Nativity of Saint John the Baptist Meditation on the Gospel Luke 1:57-66, 80 “The child grew and became strong in spirit.” (Luke 1:80) King Hoshea of Israel was caught between a rock and a hard place. He had become a vassal to the king of Assyria. But that alliance made him uneasy, so he hedged his bets. He sent envoys to Egypt, the hostile power on the other side of Israel, hoping for a rival alliance to shield him against Assyria. Getting wind of this was all the excuse Assyria needed to take Hoshea prisoner and decimate Israel. Summing it all up, the author of 2 Kings explains why Israel really failed: the people relied on human help instead of divine power. Does this assessment sound familiar? When we face a challenge, it’s not unusual to muster all our human resources to find a solution. Perhaps it lies in medicine, preferably a miracle drug. Maybe a new political leader will offer a fresh start. Maybe counseling can help us sort out our perplexity. Perhaps a new investment strategy will help secure our future. These are all good approaches—but they can take us only so far. They can help resolve individual challenges and problems, but none of them can offer us a vision for our lives that will sustain us and guide us no matter what comes our way. Only God can do that! Hoshea failed because instead of seeking guidance from the Lord through his prophets, he immediately chose a deceptive political strategy. Perhaps he was doomed to fail no matter what he did, but he never even gave the Lord a chance to help him out. That’s the tragedy. Hoshea’s story stands as a warning to us, so let’s heed it well. Let’s make it a point to turn to the Lord first rather than as the last resort. Let’s face every challenge with the proclamation, “My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:2). This is the foundational truth of our human situation, and it is the foundation for our life of faith. We depend on God from beginning to end. Prayer: “Lord, I am so glad you live in me. Your love is so strong that it makes me want to sing and dance in your presence. Jesus, I love you!” Readings: Isaiah 49:1-6; Psalm 139:1-3, 13-15; Acts 13:22-26 wau.org/meditations/current/
Posted on: Tue, 24 Jun 2014 10:35:09 +0000
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