You Want Me To Do What?
The Fifth Sunday in Lent - What is it that God Desires of Us?
We are just seven days away from Holy Week, the beginning of a time that reflects on God’s love for us through his Son’s passion, death and resurrection. So we enter the final days of Lent, a season where we choose to orient our hearts towards God versus self saying: “Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire…” *
What is it that God desires of us?
It’s not unusual to wonder what God wants from faithful followers: Does He want sacrifice? Maybe He wants us to follow & keep strict codes of behavior? Possibly He wants blind obedience? People in the past and people today have all sorts of opinions about how the faithful should act.
In the Hebrew Scriptures, in the Pentateuch, we read: “And now, Israel, what is the Eternal your God asking of you? Only that you fear Him, live as He wants you to, and love Him; serve Him with every part of you, heart and soul;…” Deut 10:12
The Prophet Micah speaks out for the fourth time in his book saying: “What else does the Eternal ask of you but to live justly and to love kindness and to walk with your True God in all humility?” Micah 6:8 Walk, an action, in right relation with the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, and do so humbly. Simple, yet so difficult at times.
In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus similarly says people are to worship only one God; to love that God with all their heart, mind, body, and soul; and to love their neighbors as themselves. Again, this sounds so easy, yet how difficult is it for many of us in today’s American social and political climate? But like it or not, this is what will please the Lord - this is what God desires of us…love Him, walk humbly, love others.
Pray with me: Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy. Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the our unruly wills. Grant your people grace to love as you loved; give us peace in our chaos — Amen #Pkes
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* Book of Common Prayer, Lent Week 5