5 November 2014

Psalm 72; Ecclus. 43:23-33; Rev. 16:1-11; Luke 13:10-17

In surveying all the heavens, the earth, the deeps, and the creatures that fill all those environments the writer sums it up in one verse, "We could say more but could never say enough; let the final word be: “He is the all.'"  If He is the all after considering all of creation then we can definitely never say enough.  There have been innumerable volumes written on the things within creation and He is greater than the sum of all of them.  We could indeed then never say enough.  Don't you just love these two verses, "Glorify the Lord and exalt him as much as you can, for he surpasses even that. When you exalt him, summon all your strength,
and do not grow weary, for you cannot praise him enough."  Why, then, do we glorify and exalt Him so little and concern ourselves with the small things of life that ultimately don't matter?  Why do we seek to limit His works by denying Him as creator?  All this is designed to force us into cramped small spaces rather than the spacious expanse of His creation.  We can see Him everywhere or we can see Him within limited activity.  It is our choice.

The leaders of the synagogue sought to limit Jesus' power and authority, to set limits for Him, but they failed.  It was the Sabbath and while He was perfectly in His rights to teach, He was not to be allowed to heal this woman.  It rings a bit hollow doesn't it when they say that she could come on any other day and be healed but not now, on Sabbath.  The passage begins by telling us that she was bent and couldn't stand upright for EIGHTEEN years.  Are they attempting to imply that she has simply failed to seek them out for healing during all those years and now if she will only endure this condition one more day they will set things right?  Can you imagine Jesus' facial reaction to that statement?  The law allowed a man to rescue his animals from danger or trouble on Sabbath and Jesus' argument is that this woman, created in the image of God, is infinitely more valuable than an ox.  Values and priorities need to be right.

Could this possibly happen?  Could people suffer from a series of plagues similar to Egypt but worse and curse the name of God?  Surely they would turn to Him.  You don't have to live long as a Christian to hear the question, "If God is good, how or why does He allow…"  They won't turn to Him, they will question Him and ultimately I certainly know people who have chosen to hate Him for the suffering in their lives.  The altar said, John says, " Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!"  The inhabitants of earth curse Him.  If we deny Him as creator, deny Him as righteous by questioning His goodness in the face of suffering and evil, we are in a position to curse His Name in exactly the way John describes.  We have limited Him to doing good as we see it and He won't be limited by us.