Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the people of Judah are his pleasant planting; he expected justice, but saw bloodshed; righteousness, but heard a cry!”
NL Daily Devotion for Thursday, March 7, 2024
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
I can understand God’s frustration. God did create us, give us everything, teach us, equip us. And stubbornly we have, as a society, almost always chosen the way of fear of scarcity and death and the resulting violence toward others who we fear will take our resources, and the oppression of others in order to enrich and prolong our own lives. It seems to be our default.
On the other hand, I don’t understand God’s frustration. After all, God created us and knows us intimately and completely. How can God be surprised at our frailties and the misguided ways we act on them?
On the other other hand, since God created and knows us, God also knows we can do better. Throughout human history, we have proven this. Individuals and groups and communities and sometimes even societies have chosen a different way—have chosen peace, compassion, the sharing of resources, and healthy interdependence. No matter how challenging any situation, we have clung to the hope that change is possible.
These days, I think God is frustrated not because we keep failing, but because God knows we can succeed. God’s heart hurts for us when we are hurt and when we hurt each other. No matter what, God continues to tend and nurture the vineyard that is humanity because now and then we do bear good fruit, and God sees our potential for a bountiful yield.
How can I “do better” in my communal life on a daily basis?