Lent 3A - Exodus 17:1-7 - by Don Neuendorf
If we followed the Hebrew tradition, I might give names to the rooms in my house. The living room I might call "Resting" or "Singing." The family room I could call "Laughing" or "Playing." And the kitchen and dining room I would call "Whining and Dining."
Although it happens elsewhere too, it seems that the dinner table is the place where issues get raised. As I think back, I can remember so many arguments about so many trivial things...
How big should the childrens' allowances be? How late should they be allowed to stay up? What are the rules about dating? About sharing the car? How much are mom and dad to contribute to college? Who should have to do the dishes - or any number of other hotly contested chores?
The most tiresome part of all these debates is that they occurred after my wife and I had both worked so hard and sacrificed so much for our children that we were in no frame of mind to listen to tales of woe about how bad they had it. (I'm painting a dark picture here, because those times were very painful. But we had lots of joyful family meals as well.)
How much more must God be frustrated with our lack of appreciation for his gifts? What would he name your place of work? Would he call it "Gratitude"? Or would he call it "Greed"?
What would God call your marriage bed? "Tenderness"? Or would he call it "Self-Serving"?
What could God name your church? Would it be called "Our Place to Serve"? Or would it be named "Entertain Me"?
Moses named the place where God blessed the Israelites with water "Testing" and "Quarreling." And those names stuck. But even though God might have unflattering names for our places of unfaithfulness, we get to rename them each day. By his grace we are able to name them "Cleansed" and "Renewed."