You realize, how much your father matters to you. For he not only feeds and cares for all material needs, but most of all it bestows love, kindness, understanding. So you receive a just rebuke from a good father, and even just punishment, You know, that he wants your welfare and prepares you for your future life tasks.
Person, which contributed to this, that you would grow up to be an educated man, there is a teacher. He teaches you. Thanks to it, you gain more and more knowledge about the world and about life. You submit to his leadership and accept his comments, because you know, that it prepares you for your future tasks in society, in which you live. You belong to the new People of God, which is to fulfill its task towards other people. Who prepares you and guides you to fulfill these tasks ?
God reveals, that he is Lord and Father of his people
St.. tells, how God saved his people in the desert from hunger, when he was no longer trusting in him.
“The whole assembly of the sons of Israel came to the desert of Sin… And in the wilderness all the assembly of the sons of Israel began to murmur against Moses and against Aaron. The sons of Israel spoke : “May we die in the land of Egypt by the hand of God… You led us into this desert, to starve this whole crowd…»And God spoke to Moses with these words : «I heard the murmuring of the sons of Israel. Tell them yes : You will eat meat at dusk, and in the morning you will be satisfied with bread. You will know then, that I, Jahwe, I am your God ». In fact, in the evening, quails came and covered the camp, and the next morning a layer of dew lay around the camp. When the dew layer lifted up, then something small lay in the desert, grainy, like frost on the ground. When the sons of Israel saw this, they questioned one another : " What is this ? »- because they did not know, what was that. Then Moses said to them : «This is bread, which God gives you to eat… »The sons of Israel ate the manna forty years, until they came to a inhabited land. They ate the manna, until they came to the border of the land of Canaan " (Wj 16, 1-3. 11-15. 35).
In the Bible story about the miraculous food in the desert, God teaches, that he looks after his people, how his father raises and guides him. He is also its Lord. For he chose him from among the other nations. He delivered the sons of Israel from Egypt. He gave them the Promised Land. He reminded them often : ,,For I am Yahweh, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that I may be your God " (Lt. 11, 45).
He ruled his people through leaders like Moses and kings like David. When the Israelites fought, God was giving them victory : "Do not be afraid !… God will fight for you, and you will be calm " (Wj 14, 13-14).
The Israelites often forgot their Lord and did not obey his law. Then God rebuked them through the prophets : "Why are you transgressing God's commandments ? Therefore, you will not be lucky ! Because you have forsaken God and He has forsaken you " (2 Krn 24, 20).
God also showed his people anger, e.g.. then, when he sent him captive and allowed Jerusalem to be destroyed. In the sixth century BC, the king of Babylon, Nabuchodonozor, entered the country with the army. He ravaged him. He demolished the capital, Jerusalem, and led thousands of Israelites into captivity in Babylon.
God allowed it to happen, that the nation would come to its senses and convert. This, who stayed alive and improved, After many years of captivity, God allowed him to return to his homeland. Although God had to punish his nation more than once, but he was always a Father to him. When the Israelites asked Him for forgiveness, he listened to them and showed his mercy, that they can fulfill their assigned task.
God is Lord and Father of all people
God chose Israel for the benefit of all people. He revealed himself in the history of this nation as Lord and Father, to be believed, that He is the Lord and Father of all people. This is also what the Scriptures say. : “The heavens belong to your God, the highest heavens, earth and everything, what's on it… He does justice to the orphans and widows, loves a foreigner, giving him bread and clothing " (Pwt 10, 14. 18).
We believe, that God guides the lives of all nations and people. He takes care of them and leads them to himself. He also looks after our Polish nation. He joined us to his chosen people, church. He leads us towards himself.
It does not spare us suffering, difficulties or failures. How his chosen people experienced, the Church sometimes experiences the same today in a similar way.
In the same way, God guides each individual person towards Himself. He is also Father and Lord to him, although it is sometimes difficult to see and understand. Often God works through other people. Parents, superiors, Friends, colleagues - they can all be God's "instruments" in our lives.
How will I answer God ?
On the eighteenth Sunday in ordinary time (year B) we listen to God's word about God's protection over the Israelites, who wandered through the desert. God is calling me then, that I would always trust in Him as in Lord and Father. Can I see God's protection?, when something difficult and unpleasant happens to me ? Do I remember that, that God works through other people ? Can I understand it ? How do I relate to them ? Do I thank God for all the good, which he gives me through other people ? I can express my trust in God with my actions, thoughts and words. I can do it with my own words or with the words of a psalm :
,,Towards you, Lord, I raise my soul, my
God,
I trust in you…
Because you are God, my savior,
and in you I always hope”
(Ps 24, 1-2 i 5).
■ Think:
1. How God Cared for His Chosen People ?
2. Why God Tried the Israelites ?
3. Whose Lord and Father is Yahweh, God of the Israelites ?
4. How in my life I can see, that God is my Father and Lord ?
■ Remember:
52. Who was God for the Israelites and who he remains for us ?
God was to the Israelites and is Lord and Father to all people.
■ Task :
1. Idea, what God has done for you through other people ?
2. What prayers do you know, songs, that say about it, that God is our Father and Lord ?