NO OTHER GOD

Exodus 34:14

(for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord God, a jealous name, is a jealous God),

Personal Challenge

In the day that this was written there were many gods that were worshipped by people. The sun, the moon, the stars, parts of nature, you name it, these were gods in the eyes of many. Today, the gods being worshipped are much different. They are wealth, power, self, and many permutations of these things. God desires that we worship Him and through that act of worship love our neighbor. By doing this we turn our backs on wealth, power, and self, and turn towards the people in our lives and how we can bless them. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

OBEY AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENT

Exodus 19:5-6

“‘Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you shall be a special people to Me above all nations; for all the earth is Mine. You shall be to Me a royal priesthood and a holy nation.’ These are the words you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

Personal Challenge

One thing about God is that He is consistent. He never changes nor is he affected by events or people in this world. He is a covenantal God. He always keeps His end of the contract. Jesus fulfilled the covenants of the Old testament and ushered in a new one. It is based on love and not law. Our responsibility under this new covenant is to love God and our neighbor. We are not to do this in word only but in our deeds. If our actions do not align with His expectations then we may be surprised at the result of using words only. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Saint of the Week

St. Maria of Paris

MY HELPER AND MY SALVATION

Exodus 15:2

The Lord became my helper and the shield of my salvation;
He is my God, and I will glorify Him;
My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

Encouraging Words

God is God and I am not. He holds all of creation in the palm of His hand, and yet, He is willing to be my helper and the shield of my salvation. He chooses to cover His children with His protection. Why would I not glorify Him? Thanks be to Him that I am His loved
child.

HARDENING OF THE HEART

Exodus 8:11

But when Pharaoh saw there was relief, his heart was hardened; and he did not heed them, as the Lord said.

Personal Challenge

In the Old Testament story of Moses attempting to get Pharoah to free the Israelite slaves and let them go, we see multiple accounts of Pharoah hardening his heart after observing God’s power and deciding not to let the people go. God is not hardening Pharoah’s heart but, in His providence, knows that is what Pharoah is going to do. The message here is that we all need to keep a watch over our heart so that we do not harden it toward God or our neighbor. It is always our choice. We know that you can die from hardening of the arteries but hardening of the heart could have eternal consequences. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!. Lord, have mercy!

HOLY GROUND

Exodus 3:5

So He said, “Do not come any closer. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.”

Personal Challenge

Throughout the scriptures we see account after account of people falling on their faces when they encounter God. Here we have Moses being told to take his sandals off because he we was standing on holy ground in the presence of God. We have replaced that sense of reverence for God with a sense of familiarity that ends up with us just treating Him like any other person. We approach the eucharistic meal without awe and respect. We enter our places of worship flippantly and without seeking God. Is this not part of the reason that the world around us has lost it’s perspective on God. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have merey on me, the sinner and forgive me for taking you for granted and not revering you as I should.

GOD MAKES IT GOOD

Genesis 50:19-20

So Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for I belong to God. But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.”

Personal Challenge

There are so many things in our lives that can end up going so many different ways. Sometimes things can go really sideways. Our attitude, our belief system, is the most effective tool that we have to deal with these situations. We can turn hostile and nasty, which will always make things worse or we can hold outo our faith in our God and look for His hand in the situation. God will always provide a path through every situation that ends up good for all involved. It is up to us to look for that path and to follow it. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

ALL FOR GOOD

Genesis 45:4-8

But Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. Now therefore, do not be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to save life. For this is the second year of famine in the land, and five years still remain in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. For God sent me before you to preserve you as a remnant on the earth, and to sustain you as a great remnant. So now, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.”

Personal Challenge

As a follower of Christ. part of my ongoing challenge is to watch for God’s hand (will) at work in my life. Because of His commitment to free will, I can make choices that result in either positive or negative consequences. So can everyone else in the world that I end up interacting with. My challenge, or more realistically, my opportunity, is to see where God is showing up in these consequences and pursue Him. Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. Joseph kept his eyes and heart focused on God and many years later ended up in a position to save his brothers and the entire Israelite nation from starvation and death. He saw this as God showing up in the consequences of his brothers’ choice. We can do the same. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

FREE WILL

Genesis 24:8

“And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there.”

Encouraging Words

God created all humans with the ability to choose. He gave us free will. Even though His unending desire is to be in fellowship with us, He will not force us to do anything. This verse is in the midst of the story of Abraham sending his servant to a neighboring land to find a wife for His son, Lot. The servant takes an oath to do this. Abraham gives him a way out of the oath. If he finds the potential bride but she refuses to return with him, the oath is cancelled. She, as well as the servant, has the ability to exercise their free will. This is an image of God’s love for us. Glory be to God!

Saint of the Week

St. John Chrysostom