Sinners in the hands of a gracious God
And on THIS mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, the web that is woven over all nations; he will destroy death forever … The hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain. – from Isaiah 25
The problem with nations is … other nations. They get in each other’s way, and then what? Not good stuff.
This “veil” mentioned by Isaiah ruins the 20-20 vision God makes us to have. We are all one people, we are all sisters and brothers, we are not from Mars and not from Venus, we are all children of one God. We each deserve each other, and together God invites us to live on the mountain where his hand rests.
What kind of rationing must there be for everyone to live on this mountain? Read the story: Jesus fed thousands with just a few loaves and fish. On God’s mountain the problem is never supply. Lately (for the last few thousand years), our problem has been demand.
I want more than my share, and so I take from yours. And I form a nation of others like me, and eventually we think we have the inalienable right to more. We serve and protect … each other. This has never been OK with God. He didn’t make us this way, and always there is a reckoning.
Today’s psalm (Psalm 23) honors God’s desire to restore order in his people: The Lord is my shepherd, he makes me lie down, he leads me, he guides me with his rod and staff.
Because I welcome this direction, he spreads a table for me, anoints my head with oil, and settles me in his house for the rest of my life.
We are all myopic, but God restores our vision. We are all blinded by veils of fear and pride, but God removes the veil. And as he does, we see that all our lives, re-created day by day, are very very good.
Let me live one day at a time, Lord, enjoy one moment at a time. Let me accept hardship as a pathway to peace and take, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it. Show me how to trust that you will make all things right as I surrender to your will, so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with you forever in the next. Amen. (Serenity prayer written by Reinhold Neibuhr)
http://www.davesandel.net/category/advent-and-christmas-devotions-2017/
http://www.christiancounselingservice.com/archived_devotions.php?article_id=1620
