I am the God Almighty. Walk in my presence and be blameless.
My wife, Anna, tells the story of two of her four children. Both boys were 5 or younger. Anna had made homemade chocolate chip cookies. Boys were excited and of course the rule was there was no cookie could be eaten without mama’s okay before meals. However, the temptation was to great.
My wife walks into the kitchen and finds the faces of two young boys covered in chocolate. Being caught in the act, each boy points to the other and says something like, ” He made me do it!” They knew they were in trouble.
In the meantime Anna is doubling over in laughter at the scene of the two boys pointing blame at the other. She couldn’t show her amusement to the boys. However, the family story lives onto today.
Our readings today show two things in common. Abraham and the leper were of one mind. Both men walked with God. Both men needed miracles. Both men tried to be blameless in their relationship with God.
Honestly, just like my two sons, I don’t consider myself blameless. However, I do try to walk with the Lord. This I believe is the point of our readings today. We walk with the Lord, we fail and we get up again and walk more.
God knows we are not perfect. He made us. We will fail, but the road to walking again is paved with repentance. We know immediately when we steal the cookie, but because we have that relationship with God we get up again and walk. That is the point of our relationship.
Another thing that stood out in today’s readings was the willingness of God to help us. We say yes but God says yes back and showers us with graces and blessings that are unexpected and overwhelming.
Myself, I have been spending more time today stoking the fire of my personal relationship to God. I have noticed that I can find extra time for God. He also is taking extra time with me.
Thank you Lord. I needed that.
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
Picture Credit: “Women Walking the Beach, Barefoot Strollers, San Diego, Califoria” by moonjazz is marked with CC PDM 1.0
