Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain.
When you make his life an offering for sin,
he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days;
through him the will of the Lord shall prosper.”
NL Daily Devotion for Friday, November 22, 2024
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
So much nope. I do not believe for one moment that God inflicts suffering on anyone. Not even Jesus. Maybe especially not Jesus. I know that the doctrine of the atonement is a central one in the Christian faith and for centuries has come down hard on the idea that Jesus took on our all since, like a goat (or lamb) and was made to endure all the suffering—at God’s hands—that we deserved for being such miserable creatures. And I reject it out of hand. (Luckily there are several alternative interpretations to ponder).
That being said, sacrifice is central to practicing the Christian faith. Not that we seek out pain and suffering, but that we are willing to give up our dependence on worldly things in order to focus on being of love and service to our neighbors. We’re not supposed to be miserable. God created us in God’s image within the scope of an incomprehensibly beautiful creation that we might enjoy it to the fullest! But we are also not supposed to focus solely on the pursuit of our own comfort and security at the expense of our fellow creatures. There are times when we have to give up what we want for the benefit of others. And in these times, we need to remember that when we give up what we want, it doesn’t mean we are giving up what we need, or what is best for us. We can trust that God wants us to be joyful and free, even in the midst of challenges and even suffering.
When has a sacrifice I made turned out to be the greatest gift to me?
