Saturday, June 3, 2023

Today’s Scripture Reading
Deuteronomy 5:22–33

These words the Lord spoke with a loud voice to your whole assembly at the mountain, out of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, and he added no more. He wrote them on two stone tablets, and gave them to me.

When you heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you approached me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders; and you said, “Look, the Lord our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the fire. Today we have seen that God may speak to someone and the person may still live. So now why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any longer, we shall die. For who is there of all flesh that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of fire, as we have, and remained alive? Go near, you yourself, and hear all that the Lord our God will say. Then tell us everything that the Lord our God tells you, and we will listen and do it.” The Lord heard your words when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me: “I have heard the words of this people, which they have spoken to you; they are right in all that they have spoken. If only they had such a mind as this, to fear me and to keep all my commandments always, so that it might go well with them and with their children forever! Go say to them, ‘Return to your tents.’ But you, stand here by me, and I will tell you all the commandments, the statutes and the ordinances, that you shall teach them, so that they may do them in the land that I am giving them to possess.” You must therefore be careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn to the right or to the left. You must follow exactly the path that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you are to possess. (NRSV)

Reflection
After college, I spent a year volunteering in South Korea with the Young Adult Volunteer Program through the Presbyterian Church (USA). I had been told prior to going that most people there spoke English. But that was not accurate. I found it was similar to saying most people in the United States speak Spanish. Yes, I took Spanish in high school, but if you want to hold a conversation with me in Spanish, it better be about how I am doing and my asking where the bathroom is without understanding the response.

In my time in Korea, I relied heavily on translators. I remember one time going to the pharmacist hoping to get cold medicine and having the pharmacist and translator do a fascinating Eastern medicine diagnosis process to determine the right medication for my illness. The result was some very interesting medications that I was clueless about how to take. It was frustrating.

So I can only imagine the excitement for the heads of tribes and elders to actually hear the voice of God. Most of the time Moses acts as a mediator between God and the people. But here, the leaders hear God’s voice for themselves. Previously it was believed any encounter with God would result in death. They had been given God’s commandments on stone tablets from Moses and had to take his word that they were from God. But for the first time, they are able to hear God’s voice themselves.

Prayer
Please open my heart and ears to hear your guidance and wisdom. Whether it comes directly from you or through an intermediary. Amen.

Written by Katie Patterson, Youth Ministry Program Manager

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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