3rd Sunday of Lent
Scripture: Exodus
17:1-7
The first three Sundays of Lent this year focus on
historical events that show the context of salvation. The first week recalls
the Fall into Sin and the first promise of a Savior. The second week retells
the calling of Abram and the promise to make him a great nation and to bless
all the families of the world through him reminding us that the Savior, Jesus,
came through his family line. This week we find the Israelites rebelling
against God, and God displaying his mercy in the midst of their sin. These
readings show the brokenness of humanity – our brokenness – and God’s grace and
patient mercy to rescue them – us.
Teaching
It seems counterintuitive that people who experienced God’s
power in the Plagues of Egypt to save them, who walked through the dry ground
in the Red Sea, and who ate divinely provided manna and quail, would grumble
against him instead of trusting that God would provide them as he had so often.
Yet this is exactly what happened, and it continues to happen as people
complain about God instead of trusting his promises to protect and provide.
Paul wrote of this event saying, “For I do not want you to
be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed
through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink.
For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was
Christ.” (1 Cor. 10:1-4) So when we read this account we recognize God’s plan
of salvation at work.
Life
It is easy to look back at the Israelites and be offended by
their obstinate attitude. How could they be so ungrateful? So disobedient? So
oblivious to God’s protection and provision? It would be better for us,
however, to see ourselves in Israel. Consider all that God has done for you.
Remember all he gave to save you from your sin; his own Son! His suffering and
death! Do we ever grumble and feel that we don’t have sufficient blessings in
our lives?
Here is the good news. Just as God was merciful with Israel
in the wilderness, God continues to be merciful with us. And his answer is the
same – Christ, the Rock who was struck for our salvation. We live in that
forgiveness and are comforted by his continual presence with us. Remember that
in your Baptism God came to you in the water and the Word to wash all your sins
away. He still works through Baptism in your life to draw you to repentance and
assure you of his forgiveness.
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