September 28th - Reflection

Hosea 10:9-15 (NRSV)
Reaping injustice

Since the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel;
there they have continued.
Shall not war overtake them in Gibeah?
I will come against the wayward people to punish them;
and nations shall be gathered against them
when they are punished for their double iniquity.

Ephraim was a trained heifer
that loved to thresh,
and I spared her fair neck;
but I will make Ephraim break the ground;
Judah must plow;
Jacob must harrow for himself.
Sow for yourselves righteousness;
reap steadfast love;
break up your fallow ground;
for it is time to seek the Lord,
that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

You have plowed wickedness,
you have reaped injustice,
you have eaten the fruit of lies.
Because you have trusted in your power
and in the multitude of your warriors,
therefore the tumult of war shall rise against your people,
and all your fortresses shall be destroyed,
as Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle
when mothers were dashed in pieces with their children.
Thus it shall be done to you, O Bethel,
because of your great wickedness.
At dawn the king of Israel
shall be utterly cut off.

Reflection
All power comes from God. It makes perfect sense to me with my background. Power is the source of energy done per unit of time. Or even in math power is multiplying a number by itself so many times. God to the infinite power.  Energy, force or momentum. So it makes sense to me that God is where all power comes from. We are only God's vessels that demonstrate his power.

When we become deceived, we believe that the power came from ourselves. It looks like maybe it did. So we think we can do whatever we want. Then God steps in to show us the source of power lies within God.

When we trust in the power we see coming through ourselves, we will meet with another human power that can defeat our deceptive power. Just look at the history of how humans have trusted in weapons to defeat one another. If you have the newest and biggest, most destructive powerful weapon, you rule the world for a while...until something bigger and better comes along.

But the real power to trust in is the power of God. In the power of God there is mercy and love. God's power produces steadfast love and righteousness rains upon us. God's power doesn't come freely. We must work at the trust. We must till the ground of faith. We must work at compassion. We must be humble disciples of Christ.

Jesus Christ showed power in action. Real power that went beyond any power of this world and crossed into the spiritual realm, leading all who believe in him to eternal life. That's power. That's power that came straight from God to you and to me. Trust in the power of God. That's power! Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, forgive me when I plow the field of my selfish, arrogant self to reap my own power in this world. Lead me to leave that power behind and trust in the power that you have displayed through Jesus Christ. --- Amen