Devotion for July 08, 2011 – Revelation
Photo: Swamibu (Creative Commons license)
Today's Scripture Reading
Matthew 11:16-19
16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,
17 “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”
Matthew 11:25-30
Come to Me, and I Will Give You Rest
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Today's Devotion
This powerful reading is truly Good News for ALL people. Jesus shows his frustration to an entire generation of people who are living in his midst. Living with Wisdom herself! And yet they still do not get it, they don’t know who Jesus is, even when he is right in front of them. The people think John the Baptist is crazy and Jesus is lazy. I can name a few instances where I too have made an assumption about someone that has proven to be completely inaccurate, can you? It’s embarrassing to me when I do this because it is all about my own failure to discern and nothing about the actual person before me. Am I open to other interpretations, to getting to know who a person truly is, to not taking the predominant view of culture and society and opening myself to find out the image of God in a person? It can require a great deal of discipline to take a different view, to make oneself vulnerable to what God has to say about a person or situation.
John the Baptist prophesied that one was coming who was the Messiah and the revelation. Jesus, the revelation of God came and lived among us and we still choose not to see or acknowledge what is before our very eyes. It does not take a great intellect, a special degree, or the experience of old age to know God, even a child is capable. I could argue that a child is more open to the revelation, because they are more open to life and creation in general. This message is for ALL. Jesus is among us and God is alive and well and wants a relationship with each and every one of us. I can taste the freedom of laying down my burdens and giving them to Jesus and resting in the presence of God’s almighty Love and Peace, can you?
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