Life's Path is Not Always Easy

 Psalm 10              Ephesians 6         Numbers 1-2

Like every genre of song, the Psalms are a variety of songs that express the emotions of the writer. Psalm 10 is one of those that recognize that we face tough times in life, and they bring us down to lament our life. Sometimes we feel overwhelmed and, in our weariness, we don’t even know how to pray. We must remember that God wove us together to be who we are and there is nothing hidden from him. God gave us the life we live, sin, our own and others, often cause us pain, and often we feel abandoned but God we are the clay that God is shaping throughout our live and we continued to be formed into his image until death returns us to dust, while the soul lives on in the presence of our Lord.

In the last chapter of Ephesians Paul continues to remind us the importance of our relationships, especially with those closest to us. The lifetime relationship between parents and children is found outlined in those commandments God gave to Moses when the journey to the promised land was about to begin. Workers are challenged not to work for their master’s pleasure but as if we are presenting all we do to the Lord. Leaders are to treat those that work for them in the same way as if they were the Lord instructing them.

Ultimately, we are called to put our faith in the Lord and trust him to provide the strength we need. Our struggle is not against our bodies, but evil rulers, the power, forces of darkness and wickedness. Paul challenges us to put on the armor of God, so that we will be prepared for anything. We are to put on truthfulness, the ways of God, the Good News of peace but putting on faith so that we can overcome the evil in the world. Believing in the salvation of God as found in that powerful sword, the Word of God, we can do amazing things for the Kingdom.

Paul reminds us to pray for those that serve Jesus and be on the alert for every opportunity to support them. Our prayers will even cover those that have been imprisoned when we speak boldly on their behalf.

In the first two chapters of Numbers God has Moses take a census of all the men old enough and able to go to war. The Levites are set apart to care for the tabernacle as they travel. They are responsible for the place God will meet with Moses and the leaders. God makes sure Moses understands that because the tabernacle is holy, set apart, the laymen, are not even to touch it. Next, God instructs Moses on how the tribes are to be placed in order to be most effective for what lies ahead.

Throughout today’s readings there is a clear picture that following God’s path set out before us will almost always include places of great difficulty and we have to trust we are not alone. God goes before us and not only prepares the way but has prepared us for what we need for where he takes us. At times that might mean we struggle enough to cry out to the Lord in lament. That is okay in that God understands the depth of our feelings and wants an honest expression of our feelings. We are stull called to trust God to care for us even with our life.