Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent
If I had to break down today’s readings into three important quotes, this is what I would choose: “Listen to my voice,” “Harden not your hearts”, and “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”
In the first reading (Jeremiah 7:23-28), the prophet Jeremiah uses some beautiful language to speak the voice of God, “ Listen to my voice; then I will be your God and you shall be my people. Walk in all the ways that I command you, so that you may prosper.” This command comes right after the verse that says, “I gave them no command concerning burnt offering or sacrifice.” Rather, God is instructing, “listen to my voice.” The message here is that external practices and sacrifices have no value unless they are founded on a sincere devotion of the heart.
Speaking of the heart, further in the Jeremiah reading we hear that the people of Jerusalem have hardened their hearts and “stiffened their necks” and did not listen to God. God doesn’t want their burnt offerings or sacrifices; God wants them, and us, to listen to God’s voice. This seems so applicable to us today in this season of Lent. Are our Lenten sacrifices and practices coming from the heart?
The message is reiterated in today’s psalm (95), “If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.” I like what a friend of mine did with this psalm that she set to music: “If today, if today you hear the voice of God, open up your hearts, open up your hearts.” It’s the same message from a slightly different perspective. It brings to mind something my voice teacher once taught me. She was trying to help me sing more from my heart and be less concerned about just hitting the right notes and making a pretty sound. In doing so, she instructed me to focus on my heart, and try to “soften” it by relaxing the muscles around it and allowing myself to imagine my heart expanding with love. I was surprised to find that it really did make a difference! So, to think about hardening one’s heart to God, I think of being tense and my heart tightened and closed to God’s love and goodness. Not a desirable state of being.
The third quote comes from today’s gospel reading (Luke 11:14-23) in which Jesus has driven out a demon that was causing a person to be mute. Jesus’ adversaries are questioning him in a critical way, trying to test him. They are accusing him of using demonic power, not God’s power to drive out the demon. Jesus points out the absurdity of their charge and wisely questions whether their own people who perform Jewish exorcism are also to be charged in this way. He also points out that if it were true, then Satan would be destroying his own kingdom, which doesn’t make sense. Jesus goes on to tell a brief parable that refers to his power over Satan; Jesus is “one stronger than he” that attacks and overcomes the strong man (Satan). Lastly, this passage ends with Jesus warning that “whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” This was directed to the Pharisees, who oppose Jesus, who are guilty of scattering the lost sheep of Israel to whom Jesus is ministering. His point, however, is applicable to us today as well. Are we with Jesus or against him? If we’re not gathering people to him, are we causing them to scatter? Are our words or actions turning people away from Jesus, from Christianity? Some tough questions to ponder this lent.
May we open our ears and our hearts to God, and walk in God’s ways so that we are with Jesus, not against him. Take the time to listen. “If today you hear the voice of God, open up your heart, open up your heart.”
- Eileen Miller