Saturday, July 29, 2023
Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus
(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
Come forth!
At the Danville prison I officiated a wedding of two people who had been waiting five years for this moment. I drove from Austin, she flew from California, and the three of us made a very happy trio on Wednesday morning.
In the meantime Marc and his friend were camping at Turkey Run, hoping to spend significant amounts of time in the water on tubes, because it’s been hot!
All that the Lord has said, we will heed and do. Then Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people.
In church tomorrow, or tonight, priests will sprinkle incense over the Book, and over the People while they proceed up the aisle to the altar.
Moses sprinkled the blood, as the priests do now with the incense, representing the blood of sacrifice.
This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words of his.
Jesus’ blood replaced the blood Moses used. Sprinkled incense represents the blood of the covenant. But one covenant, that of the words of the Lord on Mt. Sinai represented by the Ten Commandments, has been overtaken and replaced by Jesus’ blood and God’s new covenant with his people, through Jesus.
Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.
I have to say I mostly fail to pick up the ball God has thrown to me. All he wants is 100% of our praise. 100% of our sacrifice of praise. 100% of me, and you – US. Not that this is a bad thing. It’s the only right, eternal, ordered thing in our lives. Even so, fallen David doesn’t pick up the ball.
Call upon me in time of distress; I will rescue you and you shall glorify me.
It’s true, in distress I don’t just send a signal; I fall down on my knees in desperation. Rescue me, O God. Doing this when things are going right is more difficult. I forget. I forget that all the “rightness” of things rests in the lap of God. I’ve hopped off and am investigating a remarkable sight here or there, and God’s protection catches me and envelopes me in grace. How often does this happen? Like … all the time. A thousand times a day. I am working on changing my paradigm to this truth. It’s the only way to live.
Martha needed to catch this wave. When her brother Lazarus died, she and Mary were stricken with grief. They were desperate for the words and touch and perhaps the miracles of Jesus. When he finally arrived, they didn’t really know what to say. Jesus found Martha with the words which preceded the raising of Lazarus.
I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?
And he found Mary with his tears. Sitting with her, Jesus also wept. But then his spirit, deeply moved, asked the simple question.
Where have you laid him?
Come and see, Lord.
Roll away the stone.
But Lord, he stinketh!
You know what happens next. With a deep voice Jesus called.
Lazarus, come forth! He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.
 (Exodus 24, Psalm 50, John 8, John 11)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
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