Tuesday 8 April 2025 - God's merciful rescue

Tuesday 8 April 2025

Today is Tuesday the 8th of April in the 5th week of Lent. Bifrost Arts sings, ‘O God, Will You Restore Us?' O God, will You restore us And grant us Your salvation? O God, will You restore us And grant us Your salvation? I will hear what God proclaims The Lord our God proclaims peace Kindness and truth shall meet Justice and peace shall kiss O God, will You restore us And grant us Your salvation? Here is the fast that I choose To loosen the bonds of the oppressed and break their chains Let righteousness and justice go out before you Then You will call out and I will hear O God, will You restore us And grant us Your salvation? Near indeed is His salvation to those who call on Him He will incline His ear and hear their prayers Truth shall spring out of the earth And justice will rain down from heaven O God, will You restore us And grant us Your salvation? The Lord will guide you on a righteous path His vindication will shine down forth as the dawn Your people will be called repairers of broken walls Making straight the path to proclaim His reign O God, will You restore us And grant us Your salvation? O God, will You restore us? Please grant us Your salvation Today’s reading is from the Book of Numbers. Numbers 21:4-9 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.’ Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, ‘We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.’ So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.’ So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live. How good are you at complaining? In today’s passage, we can almost hear an air of frustrated children, with an “are-we–nearly-there-yet?” attitude! We’re essentially the same, deeply flawed people and God is the same God… Would we be any different in their shoes? How would you describe God’s response as a parent to the people’s attitude of complaint in this passage? Reflect on God’s new covenant, the move from the old to the new, God’s merciful rescue plan in the coming of Jesus. In your own words, how would you explain the reason for the coming of Jesus? In your heart, how does that rescue feel? As you hear the passage again, allow God to share with you how God feels about us all. Numbers 21:4-9 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.’ Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, ‘We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.’ So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.’ So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live. In these closing moments, and as Holy Week approaches, you might want to speak those profoundly simple words: “God have mercy on me, a sinner.” You might like to repeat them, and, more importantly, leave space for God’s merciful response. You have given all to me To you, Lord, I return it Everything is Yours Do with it what You will Give me only Your love and Your grace That is enough for me Amen