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Home Sections The Daily B.R.E.A.D. June 2, 2009 - Tuesday Meditation (Quiet Trust...)
June 2, 2009 - Tuesday Meditation (Quiet Trust...) PDF Print E-mail
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Sections - The Daily B.R.E.A.D.
Written by Bobot Apit   
Monday, 01 June 2009 03:03
"My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" But the God he loved and served so obediently never answered his painful question.  Why? It's the question we all long to know the answer to. It's the one question God is not obligated to answer.

Faith grows through trusting God. When you can't find the answers, move ahead with quiet trust and God will turn your hurts into halos.


Tobit 2:9-14
Psalm 112:1-2, 7-8, 9

M ark 12:13-17  And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Hero'dians, to entrap him in his talk. (14) And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are true, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? (15) Should we pay them, or should we not?" But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a coin, and let me look at it." (16) And they brought one. And he said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to him, "Caesar's." (17) Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were amazed at him.

    

* Meditation by George Butterfield
 
T he Book of Tobit has been called a “Hebrew romance” but the few verses of this reading do not seem very romantic. Tobit does good works. After temporarily losing his eyesight, his wife has to get a job to make ends meet. One day she received a bonus in the form of a goat. Tobit questioned her about where she got it and insisted that she take it back. Although the text is somewhat obscure, her response to him seems to be that it was for naught that he did good works and that he is angry because God was punishing him in spite of them. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary states that the message of Tobit “is that God is indeed both just and free. Suffering is not a punishment but a test. God does, in the long run, reward the just and punish the wicked. The believer is called upon to trust God and to mirror in daily life the justice, mercy, and freedom of God.”

The psalmist could have been thinking of Tobit when he states that the man is blessed who “lavishly” gives to the poor. Good works do not disappear. Generosity endures forever. God does not forget what Jesus would later describe as that which is done to the smallest, the least. For our part, we fear the Lord, delight in his commands, and trust God. God promises to bless, grant posterity to, and exalt the just one.

Have you ever been in a situation where you were sure that people were out to get you? Jesus certainly had days like that. The gospels are filled with incidents where someone wants to kill him, trap him, trick him, or, as in the case of today’s reading, “ensnare him in his speech.” So, what type of snare do they come up with this time? First, they heap praise on him, none of which they actually believe. “You are a truthful man, you aren’t concerned about peoples’ opinions, you don’t care about a person’s status, but you teach God’s truthful way.” Where I come from, this would cause you to start looking around to see who is holding the knife.

The double-edged knife came, alright, in the form of a question that cut you no matter how you answered it. “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” If Jesus says, “No,” then he is guilty of treason. If he says, “Yes,” then he is looked upon as a collaborator with the occupation forces, one who won’t stand up for God and God’s people. How do you answer hypocrites who pretend to praise you but are really trying to get you in trouble? Jesus changed the focus of the discussion. The point they use to snare him is that deciding to pay the tax or not determines your loyalty to God. Jesus rejects this starting point. Asking for a coin, he says, “Whose image and inscription is this?” “Caesar’s,” they answer. Well, then, if his image is on it, it belongs to him, so pay it back to him. On the other hand, what has God’s image on it? Men and women: we have been made in the image of God. Then pay that back to God, Jesus says. The image of Caesar belongs to Caesar. The image of God belongs to God. Pay the rightful owner whatever belongs to them.

The people were amazed at Jesus. I, too, am amazed. I was amazed on April 15th (“tax day” in the U.S.) when I managed to pay Caesar. Now, if I can just pay God . . .




Supplementary Reading
Hurts into Halos

Blessed are those who persevere under trial, because when they have stood the test, they will receive the crown of life  that God has promised to those who love him. – James 1:12



A bandonment is one hurt I have never experienced. But my best friend did—his name is Jesus.

He was born a Jew, brought up in a good family, and lived the faith. His life was unstained by selfishness or sin. He experienced the hurt of rejection, grief, humiliation, injustice, and was left to slowly bleed to death on a shameful cross between two criminals. He experienced hell's torment when his Father abandoned him: "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" But the God he loved and served so obediently never answered his painful question.

Why? It's the question we all long to know the answer to. It's the one question God is not obligated to answer.

Faith grows through trusting God. When you can't find the answers, move ahead with quiet trust and God will turn your hurts into halos.



* * *

Quiet trust…not understanding the why's of life, but still accepting them. How do you need to exercise quiet trust in your life right now?

* * *
    

Note:  This excerpt was taken from the "Power for Life Daily Devotional"


GOD BLESS US ALL!

PRAY as if everything depended on HIM. ACT as if everything depended on YOU.





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