49. Who is like God?


Micah raises the lid on God:
“Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; Who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, and will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins.” Micah, chapter 7, verses 18 to 19

In this opening passage from Micah, we discover that God is merciful. But Micah also tells us that God can “persist in anger”. These are the two aspects that we will pursue now. We know that God is merciful. But, can he be angry too? Absolutely not.

Let’s get the magnifying glass out of its holster and follow in God’s footsteps.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas

50. The Covenant


After the flood, God makes a Covenant with Noah and his family. God guarantees that he will always be present:
See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you: all the birds, and the various tames and wild animals that were with you and came out of the ark. Genesis, chapter 9, verses 9 to 10

God’s Covenant is eternal. God never breaks it. We can conclude that his Covenant with humanity was already defined, already established from the creation of the world, even before he formed the universe.
God reassures the people:
“I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” Genesis, chapter 9, verse 13

God’s Covenant is the Love he offers us without limit, all the time and in which he wants to keep us. God reminds Abraham of it:
“I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.” Genesis, chapter 17, verse 7

God is always in relation with the people, if the people want him. Him, he will never leave.

Are we, ourselves, in the Covenant of the caring Love of God?

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas

51. The Heart of the ship


Theologians have seen in Noah’s ark the salvation offered to us, the salvation that raises us above sin and death. God has consideration and he proposes a boat for his people, so that he may be saved from death.

The boat that is the Church is founded by Jesus on the Apostles. She teaches us his will. She administers his Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and the Word of Life for our salvation and fraternity among humans. The Church of Jesus offers us the means to move away from temptations and from evil.

God also entrusts Mary, Mother of Jesus, for to contemplate and to follow as an example of faith.

Christ is the Heart and he drives the ship, the ark. Jesus is the undeniable proof that God loves us forever. Peter understands it:
“For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the spirit.” 1 Peter, chapter 3, verse 18

Jesus offers himself to save us. He did not condemn us to death. God does not condemn. He takes our flesh that is dying, to arise it in eternal life. He wants us alive in his Covenant. Jesus came into our history, to bring us back to the dignity of being, to the dignity of being human.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas

52. Jesus fights temptations


Jesus, when tempted in the desert, teaches us how to fight evil.
Evil takes us away from the Eucharist and the Word of God. Evil brings us down to become lost kings and queens, far from the world and from our Church. We risk thinking that we are the only ones who can handle everything. Evil degrades us to the point of thinking that we own the goods and the people. Evil diminishes us, it pulls us away from others and from God.

In the midst of temptations:
“The Spirit drives Jesus out into the desert.” Mark, chapter 1, verse 12

The Spirit drives Jesus to the desert. Jesus goes freely because he is eager to fulfill his mission and to lead us on the road of life to Life everlasting. He shows us how to fight temptations:
“He remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.” Mark, chapter 1, verse 13

Jesus is tempted by evil, but not like us. He fights temptations for us; the temptation to move away from the Life and Love of God; the temptation of evil against God; the temptation of what distracts us from God and the temptation to possess what exists by repelling God.

The worst and most subtle temptation is to think that God is not Love.
Jesus doesn’t need to fight temptations for himself. Jesus is already victorious. He fights temptations for us and to show us how to be free. Every time we are tempted, Jesus fights with us, if we allow him to intervene in our life.

There are not many fruits growing in the desert, there is not much water. The desert certainly means death for a person. Let’s perceive that the desert contrasts with paradise, which was promised to us before the fall, before the original sin, the sin that only Baptism can wash out.

Jesus overcame the desert of temptations that leads to death and he turns it into a fertile land. Jesus comes to tell us not to fear because he has conquered death by leading us into his life. He invites us to walk behind him, to walk on the path of real life. It’s now the time of the great cleansing of our person, to empty it of all that is useless and to let it fill up with the Love of God.

May all the shady areas of our existence be purified in the Love of God. Let’s enjoy it! We will then avoid running into evil.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas

53. God cannot curse


Abraham has the impression that God says:
“I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.” Genesis chapter 12, verse 3
If one person despises another, will he be happy? Is it possible to be happy when he hurts a person? Let’s read it again: “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.” We know that God cannot reprove, condemn, curse: this is absolutely not in his nature. Yet it is written, some will say.

Would it be better said that the person who despises the other could go so far as to curse himself? It’s possible. So, if someone curses someone, he commits to cursing himself.

Because the evil that he ventures on the other is the evil with which he’s contaminated. God doesn’t curse. He doesn’t need God to condemn and condemn himself. He curses and then he curses himself. He’s able to condemn himself alone.

This text is, therefore, in itself an affirmation that can put God at wrongdoing. The “I will curse” placed in the mouth of God is very possibly the understanding of the writer, in his living time, about God. To reprove, to exclude a person from his face for eternity is absolutely not in the way of God’s action, it isn’t in God’s plan.

For the author of Genesis, by this biblical passage, God seems to be responsible for both good and evil in the world. The author had not yet learned to distinguish between evil that doesn’t concern God and good that represents God.

The final answer would be more likely: “The person who will curse, he will condemn himself. He risks being excluded from eternity if he curses others; even worse, if he curses God.” The boomerang effect.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas

54. God does not harden the heart


However, the people of Israel, with Moses as guide, managed to flee Pharaoh and Egypt. God seems to say, by Moses:
“Thus will I make Pharaoh so obstinate that he will pursue them.” Exodus, chapter 14, verse 4

God cannot harden the heart of anyone, even Pharaoh’s, and lead him to persevere, so that he catches fugitives and takes them back into captivity. It’s not realistic to portray God this way.

This passage is an example of people at the time who do not know God. God is not complicit in “Pharaoh’s stubbornness”, so to “harden Pharaoh’s heart”. It’s Pharaoh who persists and hardens his heart.

It’s the human being who hardens the heart and becomes inhuman through gestures and words against humanity.

We need discernment from the wisdom of God. God can only be Love. Let’s remember that in the Love of God are included the following manifestations: peace, joy, prayer, wisdom, life, liberty, mercy, etc. The remains, especially the negative words about God, are nothing but a wrong and incorrect way of perceiving him.

God’s Heart is filled with Love and he cannot encourage people to harden their hearts, to become obstinate. We ourselves do not encourage it, since the person would become dangerous for himself and his environment.

So, we appreciate God by placing all the writings of the Bible under the magnifying glass of his infinite and luminous Love. God saves his people, but he’s no friend of the evil caused by Pharaoh.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas

55. Rebuke against God


The people of Israel still rebuke against Moses:
“Why did you ever make us leave Egypt? Was it just to have us die here of thirst with our children and our livestock?” Exodus, chapter 17, verse 3

It’s classic. When we do not have what we want, we often accuse others, the government, and then recriminate directly or indirectly against God. Why does God seem to cover us with misfortune?

As for families in Israel, we are used to living in an environment that can lead us to maximum security, to habits that are no longer to be dismantled. And we go around in circles, instead of bouncing our way back to God.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas

56.Too heavy


After an interesting internal journey, surprisingly, Moses becomes free and lucid enough to ask God for help:
Was it I who conceived all this people? Or was it I who gave them birth, that you tell me to carry them at my bosom, like a foster father carrying an infant, to the land you have promised under oath to their fathers?

Where can I get meat to give to all this people? For they are crying to me, ‘Give us meat for our food.’

I cannot carry all this people by myself, for they are too heavy for me. Numbers, chapter 11, verses 12 to 14

What Moses understands is invaluable: “Was it I who conceived all this people?” He understands that the people of Israel are the people of God: “I cannot carry all this people by myself, for they are too heavy for me.”

Yes, Moses is a wanted guide of God for his people … and his mission is to lead him to God. Moses recognizes God as the one who leads his people. He hands the people over to God, since he is responsible for this people.

We cannot do anything without God. Let’s give him back all people and all groups.

Despite the weight of the moment, Moses clings to his relationship with God. He has always worked with God. But there are people who are never happy, never satisfied. They will demonstrate to Moses that they do not want freedom. Nevertheless, Moses wishes to take them out of their bad experience lived in Egypt and bring them back to freedom, in God.

Moses is in a listening attitude with God:
To the people, however, you shall say: Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, when you shall have meat to eat. For in the hearing of the Lord you have cried, “Would that we had meat for food! Oh, how well off we were in Egypt!” Therefore the Lord will give you meat for food, and you will eat it. Numbers, chapter 11, verses 18 to 19

God is always listening. As soon as Moses is released from the complaint of the people, he gets his answer.

May the leaders of a people, a nation, a country, a church remain in God, like Moses. May they continue, in spite of everything and even in what seems impossible to comprehend, to return to God.

Moses relies on God. Let’s trust Jesus. Let’s receive what we need and the needs for others. It’s never necessary to complain, since God is there and he hears us very well. Although, to complain is often the reaction which precedes a serious reflection.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas

58. God doesn’t fight anyone


God is present from generation to generation. He is now with Joshua. Joshua thinks God is fighting the people of the Amorites:
“They fought against you, but I delivered them into your power. You took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you.” Joshua, chapter 24, verse 8

Joshua assumes that God is fighting in war with them. But he does not fight Joshua’s war enemies.

God has never been in their wars. God has never destroyed anyone. He has no weapons. It was the people of that time who believed that God was in their battles and gave to them victories against humans.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas

59. A curse from God, impossible


Another false image of God:
“The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, but the dwelling of the just he blesses.” Proverbs, chapter 3, verse 33

This gives the impression that God can cause a person’s curse. Impossible. We now know that it is the person who is causing the curse. By moving away from God, from his Love, the person turns outward toward the evil’s side. He causes his evil, being away and rejecting God.

On the other hand, when a person lets himself be loved by God, he becomes more righteous, more adjusted to Love. And the justice of God becomes his discipline and his balance of life. The justice of God is to receive what we need, life, love, mercy, etc. Let’s offer what we receive from God.

It’s simple to understand; we are approaching or moving away from God. Becoming charitable or becoming selfish. Become a follower of Jesus, give thanks to Jesus or place the pride of popularity on us.

We are free to choose. God offers us good and we are free to choose evil.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas

60. John, the beloved


John, Jesus’s Apostle and evangelist lives a relationship close to perfection with Jesus.

He’s not perfect, but John seems to have found the way to surrender to the Heart of God. He reveals to us the truth. John is the only one who sums up the Heart of God and the core message of the Bible, in three words:
“God is Love.” 1 John, chapter 4, verse 16b

And John wrote just before:
“We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us.” 1 John, chapter 4, verse 16a

John speaks to “us” in this last statement, but is he aware of what this implies: “We have come to know and to believe in the Love God has for us.” However, to have written it, John must have experienced the Love of God in the depths of his being.

John is near God. It is therefore possible to believe in God and to know his Love. But are we aware of it? How do we determine that we know his Love?
Some texts in the Bible give the impression that God isn’t Love. How many of our contemporaries like to rebel against God and say that with all that is happening in our world, God cannot be Love? It just keeps on going.

Let’s add this excerpt:
“Whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.” 1 John, Chapter 4, verse 16b

John’s powerful words remind us to remain in Love to know God.
So why do we deny God’s truth? What are the reasons for being opposed to John’s words? Consciously or unconsciously, in many ways and words we assume that God isn’t Love. Why does attraction to evil lead us so far?

It’s crucial to update our database. “God is Love” and God can only be Love. Maybe we underestimate the Love of God, but we can never overestimate the Love of God.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas

61. Jesus respects the people


Jesus is very respectful of people. He cannot reach us if we don’t want to welcome him. Yet he could force us to receive his Love, but patiently he prefers to wait on us.

Jesus says to them:

“A prophet is not without honour except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. He went around to the villages in the vicinity teaching. Mark, chapter 6, verses 4 to 6

Jesus leaves, he goes to the neighbouring villages. In fact, it is us, we are leaving and keeping Jesus away. It’s us who reject him because we’re not interested in his message. Jesus is always with us, but we are not always with him. Jesus goes so far as to be surprised at the lack of faith.

Jesus saves us, he heals us from evil, he shows us the only way to be joyful and to embark with him if we want.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas

62. Conscious refusal

The extent of a fulfilling life is to receive the Love of God and cling to him. The opposite of hosting and living God’s Love is to let oneself fall into evil.

The abyss of evil is the conscious total refusal to receive God’s Love.
The prophet trumpets:
“Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; Indeed, she has received from the hand of the Lord double for all her sins.” Isaiah, chapter 40, verses 1 to 2

The guilt of skipping away from Love is forgiven by God. But it’s always tempting to move away from him, to lurk into evil, from which emerge the denials, the fears, the crimes.

The double punishment is to get away from the Love of God and slip toward evil. It is a double fault, a double distress, a double distance. That’s why in the text, the person receives double from God, accepting Love after having turned away from evil.

As a person seeks to identify the name of his illness to better be treated and heal, let’s dare to observe the evil that causes sin.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas

63. Whoever believes


It is written in the Gospel:
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.” John, chapter 3, verse 36

The key phrase is: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.” We receive eternal life by believing in Jesus. Jesus enlightens the journey to the Kingdom of Heaven as soon as we allow him to.

This is more troubling: “Whoever disobeys the Son will not see life.” It’s honest: “Whoever disobeys (refuses to believe)”. Not the one who does not believe, but the one who refuses, who will not believe.

A person may not seem to believe and walk with Jesus without noticing it. But the person who refuses to believe in Jesus sets out. He goes on without him.

The last part of the sentence is difficult to read: “Whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.”

From a dehumanized point of view, God may seem angry, vengeful (wrath) but from God’s point of view, he is Love. What seems to be God’s anger is rather our lack of love and our rejection of Love.

To refuse God intentionally is to place ourselves before evil and let it make fun of who we are. Then, we think wrongly that God is the reflection of this evil.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas

64. Far from God


Jesus comes to ease our struggles, to heal from disease:
“Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness.” Matthew, chapter 9, verse 35

There are people looking for the doctor. They fight their illness, they adapt to their disability day after day. But the most destructive disease of which God wishes to heal is unquestionably the closing of our heart, of wanting to keep God’s Love locked in. To imprison Love, to want to deny it and to do everything not to recognize it is the primary cause of our misfortune.

The person who is truly sick, the ultimate illness, is to shy away from the Love of God. Yet lacking his Love is impossible. Love is. Love remains.

Some people refuse love and they can give the impression that God’s Love doesn’t exist. But evil is always provoked either by us or by other people.

It becomes very sensitive when we experience the prolonged absence of people who care for us. We may have the impression that there’s no love and that it’s only for others. We think we are worthless, especially when we’ve been alone for too long.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas

65. Being with others


We may not go and meet with others. We live with the “what will they say,” “what will others say about us” and we feel that if we approach them, we will disturb them. We come to think we’re a burden.

It’s a shame to think that way, since loving is never a burden. Even though we are not always perfect, we can learn to be with others. Let’s take steps and learn to trust others, carefully. It’s all about being ourselves and being peaceful.

Paul has a deep wish:
If I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing as I observe your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. So, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted in him and built upon him and established in the faith as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. Colossians, chapter 2, verses 5 to 7

Paul offers a good example of faith. Although he knows he’s far from his friends, he wants to reassure them that he is with them wholeheartedly. He reminds us that no one is alone. We think of others and they think of us in a special way through prayer.

Let’s give thanks to God who’s 100% with us. We are united by the will of Love. Jesus gives us the courage to meet people. When we are united with Jesus, then we are fully with others. May we let Jesus totally fill us with his presence.

Jesus surrounded himself with twelve Apostles so as not to be alone. And Jesus wants everyone, without exception, around him to console and bring us to happiness.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas

66. We do not listen to God


Here’s a confession of the people:
We did not heed the voice of the Lord, our God, in all the words of the prophets whom he sent us, but each one of us went off after the devices of our own wicked hearts, served other gods, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, our God. Baruch, chapter 1, verses 21 to 22

It’s automatic, whenever people shy away from God’s will, the danger is real to get lost and seek compensation elsewhere.

God created us (creates), our body, our soul and our spirit. But if our judgment is not in conformity with his, our existence doesn’t always demonstrate what is of God. Even though we have received everything from God, all too often we are not conscious about it. We are then influenced by many ways and many discordant voices that have nothing similar to the will of God.
We are told:
“We have been disobedient to the Lord, our God, and only too ready to disregard his voice.” Baruch, chapter 1, verse 19

We turn easily from the goal and we risk a lot by not planting our roots in God. Let’s go back to our roots, back to the Heart of Jesus.
In order to discern, let’s listen to the voice of the Lord.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas

67. Our actions


God’s invitation:
“Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil.” Isaiah, chapter 1, verse 16

The central message of the Bible is to stop doing evil and learn to radiate goodness. There are natural foundations for life and we are invited to discover them. Conversion, a return to the Love of God, is to take the narrow path and live the only journey that leads to God’s Heart.

Even if past sins are heavy [with meaning], with God’s forgiveness, we will gradually feel the lightness of the feather. The more feathers we have, the more we can fly to the Kingdom of God.

It’s difficult to watch the snow when it reflects the sun. The same phenomenon occurs when the dry sand of the beach receives and reflects the sun’s rays. Our eyes do not support it.

God’s light is even more powerful than the sun’s glow on snow and sand, but infinitely softer and observable. The light will be bright, but progressive and very respectful for the person who receives and enters into it.

The more we follow Jesus’s recommendations, the more we will decide to follow him, the more we’ll become confident disciples. We will want to gradually enter God’s Heart and follow his will. Let’s pray for all humans to be taught by Jesus.

This light is Jesus’s testimony to all. What we need to do is to recognize that we are servants and allow Jesus to be the master of our lives. May his light spread over all humans and into them.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas

68. God is here


“Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.” Ezekiel, chapter 18, verse 31

Let’s ask Jesus to clean our heart and free it from all the little undesirable teachings we collect. May Jesus become the only Master of our heart, our thoughts and of our life.

“You, Lord, give light to my lamp; my God brightens the darkness about me.” Psalm 18, verse 29

Yes:
“Lord, hear my prayer; let my cry come to you. Do not hide your face from me now that I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly.” Psalm 102, verses 2 to 3

When we are in deep distress, we often feel that there is no one who can help. We also feel our helplessness. Sometimes we meet someone and he question in this way, “How are you?” and we become more anxious. We seem confronted over and over again by the same question. And we say to ourselves: “Yet people should see it or know that we are not doing well!”

Here, in the passage of the Psalm that we have brought up, the feeling is quite the same. We believe that God is not aware of what we’re going through. By saying, “Lord, hear my prayer,” we hope he will hear. But the Lord hears very well. He knows. Even if the people don’t see or feel our distress, God knows and he sees it. He understands and supports us already.

It’s normal to seek God in times of unease. That’s what we do, of course. It would be better to learn to trust God more, before discomfort occurs. Let’s reserve time every day, when we are healthy and when we are sick too. We will have greater certainty that he is present with us and we will feel his consolation. We will know that he is with us.

Just thinking about God is already a wise move. Let’s give him a few minutes. Then, for God to tame us, let’s come back often to meet with him.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas

69. To manipulate


The difficulty for people in authority who are afraid of losing their place, mostly their ideal, is to manipulate their surroundings. They will find the means to be the “ones”. To remain at the top, they will provoke and bring down the person who seems to contradict them. This is happening with Jesus and also with Jeremiah. God asks Jeremiah to speak on his behalf to the crowd:
They have forsaken me and alienated this place by burning in it incense to strange gods which neither they nor their fathers knew; and the kings of Judah have filled this place with the blood of the innocent. Jeremiah, chapter 19, verse 4

After Jeremiah describes the people’s attitude, he hears the murmur that threatens him:
“‘Terror on every side! Denounce! let us denounce him!’ All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. ‘Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him.’” Jeremiah, chapter 20, verse 10

Jeremiah understands and feels that his remarks shock people. They are not listening. They do not seek to understand the urgency included in his message. Jeremiah listens to the Lord and does everything to help the people, but they do not listen to the Lord. They are withdrawing from God.

These people have lost their judgment because they try to subject God to their ideas. They lack charity toward Jeremiah. They are not at peace and they think they are right to be that way. They want to trap him who seems to be disturbing.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Refusing sin, Normand Thomas