Today is the commemoration of Boniface of Mainz, eighth century missionary to the Germans.
Today's readings are Psalm 81.10-16, Numbers 14.1-25, and Luke 18.18-34.
I don't know if it's just me or if I'm really seeing a common theme of moving out into strange territory in today's readings. It may be just me, as my family and I are working on packing our things for a move in the near future. But I think there's something about moving and change in our readings today as well.
The Israelites are in territory they don't know. They are unsure of themselves. They wonder whether they will find everything they need. The people they are facing are big and scary. Yet God has promised to care for his people. The hesitation his people show is tantamount to a distrust in his promise. What is God's proclamation? Because Israel will not trust in him they will be allowed to live with their distrust in the situation they currently have until they die.
In our Gospel reading today we realize that the rich ruler is also allowed to remain in his own situation rather than trusting in Jesus. Jesus will not make his people receive his blessing. Maybe receiving the blessing of God is scary. Yet we cannot reject God's provision and receive it at the same time. Our Lord has met all our needs. He has given us his promises. He has given us his forgiveness. Yet he leaves it to us whether we will walk in that forgiveness or stay bound by our own lack of belief in him.
Do the journeys the Lord takes us on scare us? They should. Yet we know he himself has walked through every kind of trial that we will ever face. We can trust that our Lord will bring us safely to the end of the journey.
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