Eastertide
May 28, 2014

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 31:1-13 

Then Moses wrote down this law, and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel. Moses commanded them: ‘Every seventh year, in the scheduled year of remission, during the festival of booths, when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing.— Deuteronomy 31:9-11 

We do not read outdated, dry and wasted words from the scripture. We study the very living Word of God brought forth on this earth as Jesus. By teaching and by example Jesus demonstrated the vitality of the words passed down to us through the centuries from Moses to today. Through Jesus’ resurrection as the Christ, we are welcomed as members of the Body of Christ called also to live as the Word made flesh in the One Body of Christ. It is easy to state the call but much more challenging to respond. So we study the ancient texts and we study the history of God’s people and we study the message and methods of Jesus the Christ, searching for life guidance in a complex and diverse world.

Moses’ admonition to read the scriptures every seven years and hear them again is a good one. The liturgies, which many churches follow, attempt to provide a review of most of the Bible in three year stages. We need to study as individuals and as groups to gain insight from others. We also need to study to discern how the meat from ancient words applies to our contemporary world, not just wholesale transfer what was addressed to the ancients and proclaim it reality for today. In many instances that lets us off too easily.

Hebrews 4.12 says, Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 

It never ceases to amaze me how relevant these ancient scriptures are today, if we are willing to see ourselves in the story.

Prayer: Rabbani, Teacher, open our hearts and our mines to what you want us to take in from the scriptures for our time and place. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.