Deuteronomy 30:1-20
In this passage there are a number of promises God makes that are clearly for the future beyond the immediate experience of the people of Israel waiting to enter the promised land after their release from Egypt.
There is the promise that when they fail to walk in the ways of God and they experience the consequences of their actions there will always be hope of return. Exile is not permanent, but a temporary consequence of neglecting to live as God's people.
There is also the promise that God will 'circumcise the heart' both of that generation and future generations. This follows on from the ideas this morning and alludes to the work of the Spirit within, changing desires that walking in God's ways become the chosen controlling direction of God's people.
The LORD presents a clear choice - life or death, blessing or curse, prosperity or adversity. Why would we chose anything but the former?
Acts 3:1-16
Here is a beautiful event. A man is healed beyond his wildest expectations - not be his own faith or by any one's act but Jesus. The apostles act with such humility and faith - they are confident to expect Jesus to act, they are not surprised when he does, they are humble and avoid any credit for the act and they see that God is at work and take the opportunity to teach about Jesus in to the hearts opened by the miraculous event.
They will end up in prison for this, for behaving perfectly. But even through this God will bless them and bring others to understand who Jesus Christ of Nazareth really is.
Thoughts
The first reading explains how clearly the choice to follow God really is. To choose Gd and to walk in His ways is to hold on to His promise that we will be blessed if we do. The consequence honouring God is that we are honoured in return. This does not mean that we are protected from all the dangers of life, but we will be blessed.
In the reading in Acts we see the working out of this faith at a new level in the apostles. They have seen to many marvellous things, the miracles death, resurrection and ascent ion of Jesus, to have any doubt. And they have lost their fear which kept them in hiding and have embraced their part.
For us, it is a constant challenge to trust God in all things - to embrace with confidence the choice he presents before us, and quietly and humbly walk in it trusting that the injustice and unfairness that may well follow as we fail to take on the world on its terms, will lead to blessings and be turned to good.
In this passage there are a number of promises God makes that are clearly for the future beyond the immediate experience of the people of Israel waiting to enter the promised land after their release from Egypt.
There is the promise that when they fail to walk in the ways of God and they experience the consequences of their actions there will always be hope of return. Exile is not permanent, but a temporary consequence of neglecting to live as God's people.
There is also the promise that God will 'circumcise the heart' both of that generation and future generations. This follows on from the ideas this morning and alludes to the work of the Spirit within, changing desires that walking in God's ways become the chosen controlling direction of God's people.
The LORD presents a clear choice - life or death, blessing or curse, prosperity or adversity. Why would we chose anything but the former?
Acts 3:1-16
Here is a beautiful event. A man is healed beyond his wildest expectations - not be his own faith or by any one's act but Jesus. The apostles act with such humility and faith - they are confident to expect Jesus to act, they are not surprised when he does, they are humble and avoid any credit for the act and they see that God is at work and take the opportunity to teach about Jesus in to the hearts opened by the miraculous event.
They will end up in prison for this, for behaving perfectly. But even through this God will bless them and bring others to understand who Jesus Christ of Nazareth really is.
Thoughts
The first reading explains how clearly the choice to follow God really is. To choose Gd and to walk in His ways is to hold on to His promise that we will be blessed if we do. The consequence honouring God is that we are honoured in return. This does not mean that we are protected from all the dangers of life, but we will be blessed.
In the reading in Acts we see the working out of this faith at a new level in the apostles. They have seen to many marvellous things, the miracles death, resurrection and ascent ion of Jesus, to have any doubt. And they have lost their fear which kept them in hiding and have embraced their part.
For us, it is a constant challenge to trust God in all things - to embrace with confidence the choice he presents before us, and quietly and humbly walk in it trusting that the injustice and unfairness that may well follow as we fail to take on the world on its terms, will lead to blessings and be turned to good.
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