Deuteronomy speaks of
restoration, of the people’s return to God and to the land. Over and
over again we read that God will prosper those who follow God’s laws.
Members of my household are preparing for a journey that will involve both regular and light backpacks. Regular hiking backpacks are made to hold a vast amount of gear—you strap them on when you go to the woods for a week or more.
When a lawyer asks Jesus about eternal life, Jesus turns the question back to the lawyer, and the lawyer answers, citing scripture (Deuteronomy and Leviticus). The lawyer circles around one more time, this time asking a question with a history of interpretation: who is one’s neighbor? Jesus responds by telling the story of the Good Samaritan.
Gordon Lathrop evokes Gerard Manley Hopkins when he speaks of
the “gear, tackle and trim of pastoral ministry.” Luke’s account of the
sending of the 70 describes just that: our gear.
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