A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings
Leading people is never easy especially when the leader is leading by faith and the people are not loyal. Leading by faith not only demands that we trust God to provide the right solution at the right time but it also calls us to be patient when people moan and groan about our leadership abilities. After crossing the Red Sea, Moses led the Israelites on a journey for three days but in that time there was not a drop of water to drink. The people were parched and yearning for something to drink. Unfortunately, when they arrived at a place called Marah, they soon realized that the water there was too bitter to drink. This was the straw that broke the camel's back. The Israelites began complaining against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" The problem was obvious - the solution not so much. What was Moses supposed to do as a leader? His approval rating had taken a huge hit. Moses had the best intentions but his leadership skills were being called into question. All Moses could do was trust God to provide, and remain patient in the face of the peoples’ complaints. This was a very hard situation for Moses to be in. The Bible tells us that this struggle even brought Moses to tears. Moses cried out to the Lord; and the Lord showed him a piece of wood; he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. In this miracle at Marah, we are all reminded that as long as we listen to God and obey his commandments God will provide for our needs. As the story unfolds we come to learn that God brought the Israelites to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. Imagine that! From having nothing to drink to having plenty to drink, God led Moses and the Israelites in this journey of faith. Unfortunately, the loyalty of the Israelites was short lived as they began complaining about the lack of food. The Israelites said to Mosea and Aaron - "If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger." It is interesting to note that in the times of trial and tribulation, we often feel tempted to give up and return to our old way of life - even if it means that we continue being victims of injustice and oppression. However, true leadership does not live in the past. Rather, it moves the community forward into a future filled with hope. True leadership inspires people to leave their comfort zone even when they are hesitant to do so. When we journey by faith, turning back is not an option. Instead, we journey full speed ahead in faith. As the Israelites would soon find out, God would rain bread and quail down from heaven for the Israelites to eat. Moses’ leadership ability would be commended for generations to come. The very wilderness that had once been a symbol of despair had now become a symbol of God’s glorious provision.
What kind of personality do we think we have? What kind of personality do others think we have? The Bible exhorts us to rid ourselves of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander. Our personality must be one that sees the glass half full and not half empty. Have we tasted God and experienced for ourselves that the Lord Jesus Christ is good? Those who see through the eyes of faith will understand this truth but those who are blind will feel compelled to cast Christ to the side as a fictional story. Do not worry about having to defend the truth of Christ for we know that whoever believes in Christ will not be put to shame. Regardless of our opinion on the matter, the truth is that Christ is not only the living stone but Christ is also the chief cornerstone.
This passage describes the loving relationship between Christ and the church as similar to the relationship between a vine and its branches. In this loving relationship, there is both a deep sense of intimacy and a clear understanding of boundaries. The intimacy is rooted in an experience of abiding in one another. It is relational in nature. Jesus is the true vine, and we are the branches. There is a mutual and edifying give and take between the vine and branches. The boundary in this loving relationship is results driven. It is transactional in nature. Jesus literally removes every branch that does not bear fruit, and painstakingly prunes every branch that does bear fruit so that it might bear more fruit. What does love look like to us? In what ways are we intimately involved with others? Describe the boundaries that you have established within the various relationships in your? Based on the results, which relationships need to be cut off and which ones need to be pruned?
To God be the glory now and forever. Amen.
Fr. Thomas+
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