Ordinary Time: Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Old Testament Lesson

Nehemiah 9:26-38

We see the continued story of the Israelites in this passage. The one thing we notice right off the bat is that they weren't perfect. They never did just as God wanted them to do. They wandered away. They followed false idols. They did the things that they just were not supposed to do.

Yet, God still loved them. God's love for them was based upon who He is, not upon who they are. They were imperfect, He is perfect. They were not true, He is true. He loved them simply because they were His, no matter what they did.

The same is true for us. god's love for us is based upon who He is, not upon who we aer. He loves us because He is love. Rest in that love today.

New Testament Lesson

Revelation 18:9-20

In Revelation, Babylon is the great power that is oppressing the church. It looks like ti will never be defeated. However, we see in this passage that Babylon is defeated and the people of God triumph over this thing that looked to great to ever be conquered. Remember, there is nothing is impossible for God. Even the greatest problem or hardest hurt. Nothing is impossible for God.

Gospel Lesson

Matthew 15:21-28

This is one of those passages that lots of books have been written about. Why did Jesus speak to this woman so harshly? There are lots of theories which I won't go into in this space, but look simply at her response. She didn't give up. She kept on. When she didn't get the answer she wanted, she kept on pushing for the goal of seeing her daughter healed.

Sometimes things don't go our way. What will we do then? May we have the grace to be like this woman and to never give up until we achieve the goal that God has for us.