In the world of college basketball, we are now deep into the season of "March Madness." For many, this is a time of much prophecy and prognostication. As brackets are filled out, predictions are made about who will rise and who will fall, and who will ultimately stand victorious in the end (Go Gators!). We love choosing our kings, even when we are dead wrong.
Along the way, a lot of words will be spoken on the subject, from the professional sportscasters to the amateur discussions around the office water cooler. Amazingly, 99% of these predictions prove incorrect as brackets are routinely busted by the unexpected underdog. But we were so sure of ourselves! Still, we are undaunted, as rationales are given as to which bandwagon we might join next and why we'll get it right this time. We are a fickle people. With all these wasted words, it is hard to know which voice is worth listening to and which is to be ignored.
Hold not your tongue, O God of our praise: for the air is full of empty words.
The ongoing conversation between Moses and Pharaoh is a great signpost toward the development of a more discerning ear. With each new episode, the writer begins, "then the Lord said..." In other words, you've heard from the others, everyone else has weighed in with their opinion (for what its worth), but now I want you to listen to ME. As is often the case, however, there were those "who didn't take the Lord's words to heart" and were left vulnerable to disaster "out in the open" (9:21, CEB).
As Jeremy expounded yesterday, the temptation to casually ignore the word of the Lord is ever before us. Jesus presses the matter even further, stating that some will be ashamed of his words, even THE Word, altogether (Mk. 8:38).
This should not be so.
In this holy season, let us reconsider to whom we give our crown. Many words will be spoken, with many promises made, but there is One who stands ready to back it up with covenantal faithfulness.
With the psalmist, let us praise Him in the midst of the multitude.
In Service to the Word,
Darren
Welcome to the conversation! For as long as our own discipline will allow, I hope to use this resource as a forum for prayer and reflection for the community of Perdido Bay United Methodist Church. We'll be working through Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals as our daily devotional guide. Since we're beginning the journey on Ash Wednesday, the hope is that this will be an additional venue for us to pray together throughout this holy season.
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