Above: The Crossing of the Red Sea, by Nicolas Poussin
Image in the Public Domain
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Collect:
Almighty God, you give us the joy of celebrating our Lord’s resurrection.
Give us also the joys of life in your service,
and bring us at last to the full joy of life eternal,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
–Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 32
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Assigned Readings:
Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 (2nd Day)
Exodus 15:1-18 (3rd Day)
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 (Both Days)
Colossians 3:5-11 (2nd Day)
Colossians 3:12-17 (3rd Day)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Some Related Posts:
Exodus 14:
http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/01/03/week-of-proper-11-monday-year-1/
http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/01/04/week-of-proper-11-tuesday-year-1/
http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/03/20/proper-19-year-a/
Exodus 15:
http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/01/03/week-of-proper-11-monday-year-1/
http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/01/04/week-of-proper-11-tuesday-year-1/
http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/03/20/proper-19-year-a/
Colossians 3:
http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/03/15/week-of-proper-18-wednesday-year-1/
http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/week-of-proper-18-thursday-year-1/
http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2012/10/13/proper-13-year-c/
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I will give thanks to you, for you answered me
and have become my salvation.
The same stone which the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the LORD’s doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
On this day the LORD has acted;
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
–Psalm 118:21-24, Book of Common Worship (1993)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
God had acted dramatically to convince the Pharaoh to free the Hebrews. Yet many of them complained in fear before the Exodus. This indicated a lack of confidence in God–particularly in divine promises. God remained reliable, of course. And human faithfulness and fear, evident in murmuring, grumbling, and other forms of complaining, persisted, unfortunately.
Agent K was correct in Men in Black (1997); people are panicky creatures. Often we are slaves to our unhealthy mentalities, which vary widely. Frequently we seek firm answers in places where they do not exist while ignoring them where they do exist–in God. So, if we do not find, this fact might be due to where we are looking, not that we are not seeking.
I was probably the world’s worst Cub Scout. Yet I did take some positive lessons from that brief time. There was a skit I learned over thirty years ago. The plot, for lack of a better term, was that a boy was looking for some object on the floor and enlisting others to help him find it. Unfortunately, he had lost it somewhere else. The reason he was looking for it where he was seeking it is that the light shone there.
In the light and in the darkness we can always trust the promises of God, who freed the Hebrews from Egypt and raised Jesus from the dead. These promises contain both judgment and mercy. The latter commands that we respond mercifully to others and build up communities. So may we follow this excellent advice:
Let the gospel of Christ dwell among you in all its richness; teach and instruct one another with all the wisdom it gives you. With psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, sing from the heart in gratitude to God. Let every word and action, everything you do, be in the name of the Lord Jesus, and give thanks through him to God the Father.
–Colossians 3:16-17, The Revised English Bible (1989)
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 2, 2013 COMMON ERA
THE SECOND DAY OF ADVENT, YEAR A
THE FEAST OF SAINT BRIOC, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT; AND OF SAINT TUDWAL, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT AND BISHOP
THE FEAST OF CHANNING MOORE WILLIAMS, EPISCOPAL BISHOP IN CHINA AND JAPAN
THE FEAST OF JOHN BROWN, ABOLITIONIST
THE FEAST OF SAINT OSMUND OF SALISBURY, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Adapted from this post:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
BLOGA THEOLOGICA 
Pingback: Devotion for the Second and Third Days of Easter, Year A (ELCA Daily Lectionary) | LENTEN AND EASTER DEVOTIONS