Covid19 has us stuck at home preparing for Easter… but we can mark each day with devotion. Click here if you missed a past day’s reading.
With two gallons of milk in the backseat, I headed back into Price Chopper for more (Covid-19, so the limit is two). Today was our breakfast food delivery, but I had not asked for milk originally1 – pushed for poptarts – because milk isn’t on my breakfast radar. I eat my cereal dry… now you are wondering how you allowed someone so warped to be your pastor… with dry cereal I hadn’t considered others would need milk.
1 I did get around to asking for milk, but by then Clay County had locked down non essentials.
The mission of Jesus comes into focus in these last days. He is upending the old and bringing something new.
When Jesus was asked what was the greatest command, Jesus gave the expected answer. Love God. Deuteronomy 6:4-5, the Shema, it was memorized and prayed twice a day.
Then Jesus gave an additional greatest command. This rule was more obscure, Leviticus 19:18. As a law it was important, but one of many. But in the movement of Jesus, loving our neighbor is essential.
When I realized the breakfast wasn’t for me, milk became essential. Each home got two paper bags of food and a gallon of milk. We know the kids in the homes, but not many of the parents. At one door a toddler held onto the leg of her grandma. There were babies in the back and older kids. She specifically thanked us for the milk.
Jesus overturned the Temple, So I wouldn’t be stuck inside. He called our attention to the widow, So I would realized ritual has been replaced with actions of love.
I needed to remember the milk. I needed to think of them. They are why Jesus came…
Deeper: This section (11-12) begins with the Temple’s money changers (“robbers”) and ends with the widow offering her coins. It is a movement from power over others toward faith in God.
PLUNGE47 