“In the future your children will ask you, “What is the meaning of these stipulations, laws, and regulations that the Lord our God has given us?” Then you must tell them, “We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with amazing power. Before our eyes the Lord did miraculous signs and wonders, dealing terrifying blows against Egypt and Pharaoh and all his people. He brought us out of Egypt so he could give us this land he had solemnly promised to give our ancestors. And the Lord our God commanded us to obey all these laws and to fear him for our own prosperity and well-being, as is now the case. For we are righteous when we obey all the commands the Lord our God has given us.”
(Deuteronomy 6:20-25 )
Today, gentle reader, my starting point was the portion of the article from the confession of faith on salvation; “From the beginning, God has acted with grace and mercy to bring about salvation–through signs and wonders, by delivering God’s people, and by making a covenant with Israel .” It, however, took me to an unusual contemplative direction.
It must have been a long day today (as if I would not have known otherwise) because all my thinking brain can come up with is “It’s not delivery, it’s DiGiorno!” But, there is something in my “quirky” association that bears examination.
Throughout history God has sought to define “the chosen people” and to call them back to faithful living. We may think of the “chosen people” as the Jews but actually the Hebrews/Israelites/Jews were to be a light and example, and the starting point for all people to be called to God. Jesus was not “deliver” just the Jews, but all who believed in Jesus and the God who sent him.
So that is the “delivered” part. As for the “DiGiorno” part, consider this. The idea behind the slogan is that one does not need outside/external assistance to achieve one’s pizza goals. But while that may be true for pizza, it is not within our power to absolve ourselves of sin and achieve the perfection that God demands. We can not manufacture salvation and redemption. Our “ingredients” are flawed, and our “recipe” doomed. We need Jesus’ grace and mercy, and God’s forgiveness.
God delivered the Lord’s people from the Egyptians, and again from other nations and kingdoms that conquered them and took them as captives. Through Jesus, God sought to deliver all people from the grip of sin. But many people have turned their back on God and God’s grace. They have said, “I can do it myself. I am a good person and should be able to keep from sinning.” But it is not as easy as pizza pie. We cannot “buy” it, nor actually can any one fallible and human deliver it. There is only way to achieve salvation, and our Lord God holds the correct “recipe”.
May you gentle reader not take your chances on “easy” fixes, but call on our Lord God to deliver you from all things that would you from salvation. Selah!
