It sounds fairly straightforward. Obey and live or don’t and
die. For a while it was as simple as that. But then the wise and discerning people
figured out that going through the motions worked just as well so that much later God speaking through
the prophet Isaiah will lament, “these people honor me with their lips but their
hearts are far from me.” (29:13) Maybe it was the do or die that confused them.
That’s not the best basis for a relationship. Oh, of course there are consequences
and rewards in any relationship but what God earnestly desired were people whose hearts were close because they wanted to be close; because they remembered
they were slaves in Egypt and God heard their cry; because they remembered God led them through
the waste land and did not abandon them though they continually complained; because they remembered the first sight of the land flowing with milk and honey. It turns
out the burden God bears is the not so wise and discerning forgetful people God loves. And so
God continually reworks what the relationship is supposed to look like –
dumbing it down if you will. Like the prophet Micah speaking for God - how
about if all you do is act justly; love mercy, and walk humbly with me. Would that
work for you? (6:8) Jesus reduces the
whole of scripture and the 613 mosaic laws to two - love God and love neighbor.
Now if we could do that we’d really be wise
and discerning and I bet folks would notice. So take care and watch yourselves in
such a way that you remember to love the God you cannot see as best you can and maybe the
neighbor you can see, even a little better.
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