Scriptures for September 18th : Exodus 16:2-15; Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45; Philippians 1:21-30; Matthew 20:1-16; Giving us what we deserve; song: UMH 130 – God will take care of you.
Exodus: Apparently, being set free and put into the promised land is not enough to free our souls. Now we have to survive from day to day, and we don’t know how to do that. Why would God free us, only to kill us by not taking care of us? we all have our moments when we are concerned and ask for God to take care of us. The Isrealites were able to exit Egypt. They saw the amazing salvation of God. But now they felt that they were in the middle of no where. They had no idea of what to do. God challenged them to open their minds and to think in a brand new way. To learn to trust in a brand new way. Eventually they were fed and taken care of even in the midst of their doubt.
Matthew: This scripture challenges our idea what it means to be fair. In a world that is fair, it is a world where we are unequal. If I work harder than you, then I should be given more than you. This is the story of workers who have been given a job. Some worked 8 hours, some worked an hour. All got paid exactly the same. That is what is fair in God’s world. That reminds us that God’s grace is not something that we can ever earn, it is something that is freely given. It is not in how hard we work, but in how much God cares for our needs. If God gives us grace, we are we to give to others?
Questions: When in your life have you followed God’s leading, yet questioned whether God would see you through? How long did you fear? When has God provided for your needs, when you could not care for yourself? If you had to use God’s measure of fairness and not your own, how would that change the way you treat people? Are we treated fairly in work? How do we address this injustice?
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