Sing and shout and bang and blow—make all sorts of joy-filled noises as the moon fills in once again, and the wild celebrations of rescue from bondage and of life together are rung out into the heavens. It’s this Mighty One that has done it again—continued to listen to our pleas of distress and taken away our burdens of slavery. His righteous contract is rolled out and his people are set free, just as in the freedom from a thirsty death brought about by the miraculous spring of water gurgling from a rock in the wilderness.
We get sassy and complacent, thinking we’re home free (or not even thinking or remembering at all), going off with our own thing. Clogging up our ears with junk–that’s our specialty, failing to listen to the One who demands an ongoing relationship, one which requires the ear of his people. “Hear, oh Israel,” is the simple plea that comes to us all—listen to what your Lord has said in the past and the words that He is speaking now. “Listen,” He says. How critical (life threatening, even) this is, lest the voices of other gods fill up the void. So quickly it all happens, this displacing of the Holy One for feeble and powerless gods that lead us down the road of stubbornness and further callousness.
Still, He calls again for a listen, offering another chance and advising of the advantages He brings to the table, like defense against those enemies. Something like a spurned lover who reaches out a hand once again, this merciful Lord offers fine food and honey, an upgrade from that water from the rock. After all, without Him we are surely doomed once again to the wilderness amongst the rocks. Hear his voice?
