Aug 3, 2020
(Jer.30:1-2,12-15,18-22; Ps.102:16-23,29; Mt.15:1-2,10-14)
“Every planting not put down by my heavenly Father
will be uprooted.”
Is it not these Pharisees of whom Jeremiah speaks when he prophesies, “Incurable is your wound, grievous your bruise”? Truly there is “no remedy for [their] running sore, no healing for [them].” Blind shall they ever be, for they do but harden their hearts when their sin is brought up before their eyes.
And so, though Jesus comes to “restore the tents of Jacob,” “when the Lord has rebuilt Zion and appeared in His glory,” where shall they be? Where are they now as He brings this to pass in their very presence? Is it not so that they cannot see? And so, as “the peoples gather together, and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord,” they can only remain outside His house knocking so vainly...
“It is not what goes into a man’s mouth that makes him impure; it is what comes out of his mouth.” With this simple declaration the Lord turns the eyes of all ancient religions – set so much on the letter of the law, witnessed in the washing of hands and the preparation of food for the body (which shall but die one day) – in upon themselves. With this essential challenge all are forced to examine their faith and discover upon what it rests. Is it truly upon the Almighty God, who is “heavenly,” who is Spirit? Or is it upon their own belly? It is a hard look that must be taken if one is to be drawn into the renewed covenant and anointed by its blood. (How else shall one stand in the overwhelming light of His glory?)
It shall be so that “all your lovers have forgotten you”: anything upon which you set your heart that is short of the Almighty God shall indeed but rot, shall be exposed for all its vanity. And though it seems at this time that the Lord has “struck you as an enemy would strike,” that He has “punished you cruelly,” know that it is “because of your great guilt, your numerous sins, [He has] done this to you,” that He might uproot these from your midst – that you might not be uprooted from His presence.
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O LORD, keep us from the pit;
forgive our sins
and let our house be rebuilt from its ruins.
YHWH, you open the eyes of the blind and save those who have strayed so far from your love. You desire to rebuild the ruins of Zion, and so you send your Son to teach us of your presence within. Help us to set our hearts on your kingdom that we might be as your temple, as your own kin.
It is through Jesus your compassion comes to us, LORD. We were destined for death, sitting in a land of darkness and gloom, overwhelmed by our sins; but you enabled us to approach your throne and find healing for our souls through the grace and mercy of your only Son. Remember us, that we might praise you through all generations.
How sick we were, LORD, indeed at the point of death, headed for an empty pit. But you turn our eyes from our running sore to look upon your majesty. In your pity you heard the groaning of these prisoners and raised us from the mire. O may we stand firm on your holy mountain, planted securely in your love.