22 October 2010
Psalm 31; Ecclus. 11:2-20; Rev. 9:13-21; Luke 10:38-42

“Good things and bad, life and death, poverty and wealth, come from the Lord.” This is true and yet we judge people based on outward appearances and material blessings. Have you ever known anyone who did all the right things and yet couldn’t get ahead? Have you ever known “good” people who seemed to have the proverbial dark cloud over their heads and all the bad things happened to them? These verses today have the ring of Ecclesiastes to them in some places and in others we clearly see some of Jesus’ teachings (vv 18-19 in particular). Job understood the truth of that verse I quoted at the beginning, saying of his losses in chapter 1, “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away” and then to his wife in chapter 2, Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" How do we develop an attitude towards all things that we are able to be thankful for blessings and yet hold them lightly?

In that first passage we are enjoined against doing too many things and here Jesus repeats that warning to Martha. Today we wear the ability to multi-task as a badge of honor. We live in a world that values the ability to do many things at once and yet Jesus says that we need to give our full attention to one thing at a time. We need to determine what is most important in life and then attend to that thing. It doesn’t mean that all that Martha was doing was unimportant, it simply means that Mary had her priorities right, she recognized Jesus for who He was and dropped everything else to attend to Him and receive from Him. We can only receive from Him all that He has to offer if we give Him our full attention.

Although a third of humankind is destroyed by the plagues in this judgment, the remainder do not repent and turn to the Lord. Think of Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mt Carmel after years of drought predicted by Elijah and then the miracle of fire from heaven to light the fire in the contest and yet the Baal prophets do not repent. After all Pharaoh had seen and experienced in the plagues, how could he not acknowledge the power of the Lord over all things? While it seems incredible to think that the plagues here described would not get the attention of the people, we know that it is within human nature to reject God-based revelation. After all Jesus had done, He died on a cross.

You are indeed my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,
take me out of the net that is hidden for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hand I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.