Yesterday evening I watched the Belmont Stakes. All eyes were on Exaggerator, a sleek, chocolate brown horse who won the Preakness three weeks ago. He was the "favorite for much of the pre-race buildup" (Brady, 2016). Little attention was paid to Creator, a white and grey speckled racing horse in the last post. Based only on the opening of the race, one might argue, "With good reason." Creator started out in 12th position and didn't really move from the bottom half of the pack until three-quarters of the race. After the final turn, Creator's legs stretched and lengthened. In moments, he was second, and then suddenly he was crossing Belmont's finish line a nose ahead of another grey horse name Destin. Exaggerator finished 11th out of 13.
For sure, this race made for an exciting two minutes and fifty seconds. However, what astonished me more was the weather during the trophy presentation. Immediately following the race, the clouds unlocked their bounty, and it started to pour. The announcers were drenched as they presented the Belmont award, and then, within moments of the trophy hand-off, the sun breached through the clouds, and a vivid rainbow graced the race track.
Creator won. It rained. The sun surfaced. A rainbow appeared.
I am not a fan of hyperreligiosity. I know it is unwise to constantly read into events, experiences, etc. more than is truly present. That being said, I know it is also foolish to disregard one's sense of wonder and awe, and I was simply stirred by the conclusion of the Belmont.
This week's readings were admittedly disheartening, not inspiring like the Belmont. Numbers 11 describes how the Lord's people complained about their misfortunes. Even though God saved them from brutal slavery and provides for them daily with manna, they bemoan the absence of meat and melons. Instead of being thankful or even humbly requesting diet variety, the people grumble about the current "misfortune" of daily cake, left for them each morning after the evening dew. Then, in Jeremiah 23, we are told of reckless prophets - leaders of God's people - who misrepresent God, "stealing" his words and "using their tongues" to lead the people astray. Revelation, with its apocalyptic imagery, shows no improvement. Instead of turning away from the repulsive, the earth is fascinated by the perverted. The "beast," who employs haughty and blasphemous words, and the "dragon," who marks all with its name and intimidates with death threats, are favored, while God in Revelation 16, whose angels employ bodily ailments (sores) in an attempt to get people's attention, is cursed. In the beginning, middle, and end of the Bible, God is basically told "You are NOT what we want." Instead, we want Egyptian slaveholders, we want liars who tells us what we want to hear, we want the serfdom of beasts and dragons.
I don't know about you, but the times I have been told I'm unwanted (which thankfully isn't nearly as often as God has been told he isn't wanted) have scarred me. When I have been unfairly complained to, unjustly misrepresented, and viciously sworn at, I understandably experience the kind of indignation that God expresses in Jeremiah 23:39, "... therefore, behold, I will surely lift you up and cast you away from my presence, you and the city that I gave to you and your fathers." It reminds me of the furiously determined wife in the George Strait song who says, "Just give it away." Why would God want anything to do with us if we are so determined to have nothing to do with him??
Hope, thankfully, remains. Psalm 94:9 (ESV) says, "He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see?" Our Creator, the one who makes covenants with colorful bows, pays attention to those who do want him. Psalm 95:7b-8a states, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts [...]". It is important to note that, even though God does rightfully push away a people who has ignored and cursed him, he still provides opportunities for restoration. And it is my sincerest prayer that I don't harden my heart like these people in the books of Numbers, Jeremiah and Revelation.
Work Cited
Brady, J. (2016, June 11). Belmont Stakes results 2016: Full finishing order. SBNation. Retrieved June 11, 2016, from http://www.sbnation.com/2016/6/11/11910478/belmont-stakes-2016-results-finishing-order
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