I AM WHO I AM!
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Readings for Today - Go to www.biblegateway.com to access online for full readings
Psalm 30:6-12 (NIV)
6 When I felt secure, I said,
“I will never be shaken.”
7 LORD, when you favored me,
you made my royal mountain stand firm;
but when you hid your face,
I was dismayed.
8 To you, LORD, I called;
to the Lord I cried for mercy:
9 “What is gained if I am silenced,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
10 Hear, LORD, and be merciful to me;
LORD, be my help.”
11 You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
LORD my God, I will praise you forever.
Exodus 2:11-3:22
Moses and the Burning Bush
1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” 4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” 5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. 7 The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”12 And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”
Matthew 19:1-12
Divorce
1 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”7 “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” 10 The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”
As we continue the story of salvation today through Covenant and Kingdom, we see the call of Moses to be a deliverer of God’s people. In chapter 2, he sees a fellow Hebrew slave being mistreated and kills the Egyptian who is doing it, and then tries to cover up what he has done. But a fellow Hebrew calls him on it, and words gets back to the Pharaoh, who tries to take Moses’ life. We see God’s covenant continue, as Moses flees to Midian, where he helps out the daughters of Reuel, also known as Jethro.
Jethro takes him into his household, and Moses tends his flock, which leads him to the desert. Here he encounters the Lord in the burning bush, and God calls him to help Him deliver the Egyptians, as he has heard their cry and suffering. Moses has tried to deliver his fellow Hebrews once before using violence, but now he will learn how to do it God’s way. God’s kingdom will come powerfully through Moses, but only as he has learned the hard lessons of the desert life.
Moses has such an intimate encounter with the Lord, that God also reveals His name, “I AM”, where we get the word Yahweh. This personal intimate encounter will shape Moses for years to come, but he will still struggle to claim his identity as a deliverer of His people. Most importantly, the Lord assures him that He will be with him, and be his helper as well as calling another alongside of him.
Then, in our Gospel lesson, Jesus teaches on marriage. The Pharisees try and trip him up again on the issue of divorce. Since the Old Testament made provisions for divorce based on unfaithfulness, they try to trap Jesus on the issue. Jesus affirms that marriage is the relationship that most typifies God’s covenant love with us. In the same way we have become one with God through Jesus, so a man and woman are joined together in God’s eyes and before their community. Because of this intricate knitting in a marriage, Jesus affirms how sexual infidelity is a breaking of covenant faithfulness and a possible ground for divorce. Yet we can see for Jesus this is the last possible option. Just as God forgave His covenant partner Israel when they were unfaithful, there is certainly room for forgiveness in marital relationships when this occurs.
This teaching shows Jesus’ strong views on marriage, and is a good correction to the casual nature of some of the marriages we see in our culture. When we truly understand how marriage is a mirroring of the covenant love of God, we can see why divorce breaks God’s heart and should break ours. Though there is forgiveness and restoration for those who have been divorced, it should always be viewed as the last possible option because of the nature of it in God’s eyes and being rooted in His own covenant love.
O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you. Psalm 63:1
Christ says, "Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33
Most holy Lord and God, to you we give all honor and praise. Help us always to seek first your kingdom and its righteousness as instructed by our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Readings for Today - Go to www.biblegateway.com to access online for full readings
Psalm 30:6-12 (NIV)
6 When I felt secure, I said,
“I will never be shaken.”
7 LORD, when you favored me,
you made my royal mountain stand firm;
but when you hid your face,
I was dismayed.
8 To you, LORD, I called;
to the Lord I cried for mercy:
9 “What is gained if I am silenced,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
10 Hear, LORD, and be merciful to me;
LORD, be my help.”
11 You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
LORD my God, I will praise you forever.
Exodus 2:11-3:22
Moses and the Burning Bush
1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” 4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” 5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. 7 The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”12 And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”
Matthew 19:1-12
Divorce
1 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”7 “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” 10 The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”
As we continue the story of salvation today through Covenant and Kingdom, we see the call of Moses to be a deliverer of God’s people. In chapter 2, he sees a fellow Hebrew slave being mistreated and kills the Egyptian who is doing it, and then tries to cover up what he has done. But a fellow Hebrew calls him on it, and words gets back to the Pharaoh, who tries to take Moses’ life. We see God’s covenant continue, as Moses flees to Midian, where he helps out the daughters of Reuel, also known as Jethro.
Jethro takes him into his household, and Moses tends his flock, which leads him to the desert. Here he encounters the Lord in the burning bush, and God calls him to help Him deliver the Egyptians, as he has heard their cry and suffering. Moses has tried to deliver his fellow Hebrews once before using violence, but now he will learn how to do it God’s way. God’s kingdom will come powerfully through Moses, but only as he has learned the hard lessons of the desert life.
Moses has such an intimate encounter with the Lord, that God also reveals His name, “I AM”, where we get the word Yahweh. This personal intimate encounter will shape Moses for years to come, but he will still struggle to claim his identity as a deliverer of His people. Most importantly, the Lord assures him that He will be with him, and be his helper as well as calling another alongside of him.
Then, in our Gospel lesson, Jesus teaches on marriage. The Pharisees try and trip him up again on the issue of divorce. Since the Old Testament made provisions for divorce based on unfaithfulness, they try to trap Jesus on the issue. Jesus affirms that marriage is the relationship that most typifies God’s covenant love with us. In the same way we have become one with God through Jesus, so a man and woman are joined together in God’s eyes and before their community. Because of this intricate knitting in a marriage, Jesus affirms how sexual infidelity is a breaking of covenant faithfulness and a possible ground for divorce. Yet we can see for Jesus this is the last possible option. Just as God forgave His covenant partner Israel when they were unfaithful, there is certainly room for forgiveness in marital relationships when this occurs.
This teaching shows Jesus’ strong views on marriage, and is a good correction to the casual nature of some of the marriages we see in our culture. When we truly understand how marriage is a mirroring of the covenant love of God, we can see why divorce breaks God’s heart and should break ours. Though there is forgiveness and restoration for those who have been divorced, it should always be viewed as the last possible option because of the nature of it in God’s eyes and being rooted in His own covenant love.
O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you. Psalm 63:1
Christ says, "Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33
Most holy Lord and God, to you we give all honor and praise. Help us always to seek first your kingdom and its righteousness as instructed by our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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