July 19, 2020

Breaking Open the Scripture Scriptures for July 19th: Genesis 28:10-19, Psalm 139:1-12,23-24, Romans 8:12-25, Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43; Theme: fighting with life and winning Genesis: Jacob has been a real trouble maker in his family, and now he is running for his life. Never in his dreams did he expect to have an encounter with God on this journey, but that is exactly what happens. Jacob gets to a safe place for the night, falls asleep and God comes to him in a dream. All of us are on a journey and God will appear in the most unexpected places. In his encounter, Jacob fights with God. He is on this journey because he has been fighting with his family. He has been fighting for status, he has been fighting with his twin brother for an identity. And now he fights with God for meaning. After the dream he is so touched by the experience, he changes his name to one who wrestles with God. He goes forward from here as a changed man. Matthew: Jesus continues his third teaching to the crowd. He is trying to get them to understand what the Kingdom of heaven is like. He uses yet another parable about the farmer. This time he asks that all time question, what is the difference between a weed and a flower. In this case he is speaking of the wheat and the tare. He explains that they are different plants, but God loves them, more importantly it is not for us to try to judge the difference. We are told to love them and to let God separate them. There is a church sign where God tells us to love everybody and to let God separate them in heaven. The Kingdom of heaven is a lot like life here on earth. We are to nurture, to love, not to judge, and God makes both the weeds and the flowers to grow. Questions: When in life have you felt you were wrestling with God? How has the presence of God come to you in your situation? Are there people that you consider to be weeds? How do you tell the difference between them and the people you love?