Someone once commented to me that they were surprised that we don’t see more one eyed, one armed Christians hobbling along on peg legs. I looked at them puzzingly to which they then quoted today’s instruction by Jesus: If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell.
Fortunately this is one of those texts that we do not take literally but look at what teaching lies behind Jesus’ metaphor. What Jesus is wanting us to discover in our lives is what it is that affects our faith in God and to remove it. So it’s not about plucking out our eyes so we don’t watch or read inappropriate things. Or cutting of our hands to stop us from stealing. Or cutting off our foot so we don’t attend places that we shouldn’t. Because this won’t change our heart. They just change our ability to do the things our heart wants us to do. But it does recognise that sometimes in our lives that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak and it’s about removing the things in our lives that lead us into sin – those places where the flesh is weak.
It’s simply applying the same principles that parents often apply to their children. If they believe a certain friend is a bad influence on their child they will say that you’re not allowed to play with them. If they’re spending too much time on their computer playing games or watching TV instead of studying for a test they might limit their screen times. But the parent won’t stop there – they will teach their child why they are doing these things – otherwise the child will just sneak behind their back and keep doing it in secret.
So what we need to do is identify those things in our lives that are affecting our relationship with God and they might not be that much different to when we were children – the people we associate with – how we spend our spare time on our computers or phones – the shows we watch, the music we listen to. But we must also seek to change our lives – spend time with God in prayer, worship and our bibles. That’s what we call repentance. When we turn around and turn to God. Both are important.
But even as Christians we know that there will be times where we slip back into our old ways. So God has given us a way out – a way forward with God that comes through confession of sins and seeking God’s grace and mercy. Otherwise we will simply be on a merry go round. We will do something wrong – feel bad about it – vow never to do it again – and then we do it again.
In our Old Testament reading we see how Israel, were on a merry go round when they came into strife. They struggled to move forward and simply wanted to go back to where their bellies were filled: Back to what they were used to rather than facing the unknown challenges ahead. The rabble among them had a strong craving; and the Israelites wept and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”
Two problems strike us in this scenario. Firstly, “the rabble” forgot how Egypt had mistreated them. The fish they used to eat was not “for nothing” but was for back breaking slavery. The hard slavery and punishment when they failed to meet their daily quota. But secondly, they rejected God’s blessings and complained about “this manna” – forgetting that this manna was God’s gift to them. “This manna” was God’s love and grace to them.
As we go through life we know that we are going to face difficulties. We are going to face times of suffering. But we need to understand that like a loving parent God wants us to keep moving forward with him and growing in our faith. God was leading Israel to the Promised Land, away from the 400 years of slavery in Egypt. Was it an easy path forward? No. They faced enemies – they faced famine – they faced drought – they faced all the challenges of living in a fallen world. But God was leading them forward.
Likewise, God is leading us forward to our home in heaven. Is it an easy way forward? No. Do we know what’s around the corner? No. Is God with us? YES – you bet he is. And so God has given us the way forward with him as St James reveals:
Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. The problem is that when we face those difficulties we want to go back. Back to the way things were. Back to the good old days.
I miss the freedoms we had – our gathered worship – time with friends and family – walking without a mask – and I’m sure there are things you miss – going to school – playing with friends – going to work. But let’s not give up hope in God. Let’s keep praying. Let’s keep supporting one another. Let’s keep trusting in God. We are all in this together. And if you’re in a position to help someone, anyone, let me encourage you to do so? If you wake in the middle of the night thinking of someone – that may be the Holy Spirit speaking to you. If someone is on your heart – that may be the Holy Spirit speaking to you. And if someone offers to help you don’t be ashamed because it is very likely that God has put in on their heart to help you even if you think you don’t need help. There is no shame in accepting a gift, especially in these times. There might be someone who needs it more – but God has put it on their heart to help you.
Jesus himself encouraged both the giving and receiving of gifts to help grow our giving hearts. This is what he was trying to teach his disciples. “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us. For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.
Sometimes, one of the things we need to cut out of our life is pride. That we can do this on our own. I’m too proud to receive a gift – I’m not a charity case. I don’t want to appear weak. But what we might not realise is that God has moved that person’s heart to give – for whatever reason. Jesus closes his teaching by saying we are being salted by God. We know that salt can sting when it is put on an open wound. But that sting is actually a sign of the salt healing. Yes it stings – but that sting is leading to healing. At present life is really stinging for so many people but let us keep praying to God – and each time we pray we actually become stronger in our prayer life.
I have to admit that 19 months ago life was pretty easy. And when life is easy we sometimes don’t pray that much. As we get to the end of this pandemic – which will happen – let us not forget what got us through. Our prayers – our faith – our time with God in his word. And let us not pack them away until next time. Life with God is in good times and in difficult times as James points out: Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise.
Let us keep up that discipline with God in our life and move forward even further during the good times and know that God is ever leading us on to our promised land where there will be no more suffering and death for the old order of things will have ended.
