Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Have you not just now called to me,
‘My Father, you are the friend of my youth—
will he be angry for ever,
will he be indignant to the end?’
This is how you have spoken,
but you have done all the evil that you could.”
NL Daily Devotion for Wednesday, December 1, 2021
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
We judge ourselves by our intentions, but the world judges us by our actions. That’s a cool concept I’ve learned in recovery circles. And it’s spot on here as Jeremiah rails against Israel for being hypocrites. They call God father and friend and put forth songs of lament on one hand, but on the other hand, they are acting as if God doesn’t exist.
While Jeremiah’s harsh words make it seem as though Israel is deliberately being straight-up evil, and while some people, particularly those in authority, might have been doing just that, I have a feeling the everyday Jew really did have good intentions. But it’s super easy to slip into complacency about your everyday decisions. I know I do things every day simply by virtue of the culture and economy that I live in that harm other people. For example, while I try to shop sustainably and equitably, there are times it’s just easier to buy what’s cheap online without any thought about the lives I might be harming in the process.
God loves us anyway, of course, and thank goodness, because my intentions are often a far cry from my actions. But perhaps it would be fruitful to look honestly at my actions, and ask God’s help in moving them toward God’s justice in the world.
Do I see a disconnect between my intentions and my actions?
![1 Kings 17:1-16 [17-24], God’s Care for the Widow](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56b39b61ab48de92d991a40a/bf37035e-33d5-439f-a0d6-a68b02d0f1bc/24-11-03.jpg)
