Lent

March 4, 2022

Scripture Reading:
Romans 10:8b-13

But what does it say?
‘The word is near you,
   on your lips and in your heart’
(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

I despise the divide and conquer world in which we live. Evil pits people against one another to evil’s benefit. We are seeing that being played in real time via news videos broadcasts from Ukraine. Young Russian soldiers most likely have no idea why they are blowing up apartments where people just like them live. Paul reminds us in the scripture above that the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. Like Russia today, Rome had a small group of very wealthy people that ruled their world.

Strong’s Concordance explains Paul’s use of the word translated generous by referencing Revelation 3, which highlighted the problems in the church at Laodicea. The Laodiceans had success in banking, trade, and commerce – but their spiritual lives paid low spiritual dividends (yields)! The Laodiceans were too highly motivated (conscientious) about earthly matters and lacked real spiritual commitment for wise prioritizing*. Greed feeds on the resources of all.

The Lord’s generosity assures the spiritual wellbeing of all people that results in the provision of enough of the material needs of the people but more importantly brings people together to share in the bounty of God’s love and thus love one another.

Prayer: Lord, we pray for the people of Ukraine and Russia. Teach us all to love one another as you have loved us. Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/greek/4147.htm

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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.