Friday, March 6
Ezekiel 18:21-28: You say, “God’s way is not fair!” Hear now, house of Israel: Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?
| It might come as
a surprise that scripture is filled with images of God that are meant to make us
uncomfortable. In fact, scripture often portrays a God that has no interest in
OUR SENSE OF FAIRNESS. Consider the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) who,
after squandering his father’s (and older brother’s) inheritance, is welcomed home
with a ring, the best robe, and a big party. And then there is the story of the
Laborers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16). Remember how those who work only one
hour are paid the same wage as those who work for a full day in the “scorching heat?”
What are we to make of these images of God? Ezekiel calls the people to embrace a new understanding of God that won’t be held hostage by human limitations of what God can and can’t do. For Ezekiel’s people, this required a radical shift in understanding the nature of God. The same continues to be true for us. We have become skilled at making God in OUR image and likeness, but this god of our own making cannot challenge our ideas of right and wrong, fair and unfair. This Lent, may each of us accept the challenge to let God out of the confines of our human boxes, and open ourselves to the freedom of the God of radical grace, a God that gives without counting the cost. - Vicki Clark, Manager, Edgewood College Bookstore |