lundi 15 septembre 2014

The manna and the quails from Exodus and Numbers



Sometimes, God gives us more than we expect. In a time of projects and move-aways, He sent us some testimonies of trust we cannot describe. Some confidence, some trust, some work also. In a word, like a providential Manna.
I read the Numbers, chapter 11, and the Exodus, chapter 16. People are crossing the desert, they eventually believe no more. They are hungry, the only want to survive. And then God gives a nice answer : ‘of course I shall not let my people die in the desert’. You’ll receive what you’ll need[1]. Such a strange thing indeed : like coriander, with some whity jelly (Ex 16,30). People didn’t even know what it was. They were saying, in Hebrew : What’s that ? Man’ouh ? So it had been called ‘Manna’.

But the story is not finished. Men and women ate. But it was not enough. Walking through the desert, eating each day the same thing, they began complaining about the Lord (Numbers 11,4). And He said to Moses people will receive meat (Numbers 11,18).  How could this be possible ? asked Moses. And the Lord sent quails (Numbers 11,31). But the people ate too much, and the Lord killed many of them.
I think the lesson He gave me is the following :

God’s gifts are grace. And we cannot make profitable tools from free gifts.   
And for the quails, we are raising them since a couple of years now !


[1] Quite the same story exists in Exodus 16,12. People are murmuring, and God send both the manna and the quails.

mardi 5 août 2014

A common mistake : Amish and Quakers

Some friend (with a little 'f' ) sent us a very nice video made by English Quakers about differences between them and Amish. This little video shows us there's no organic connection between our two ways. But I must say we're sharing some guidelines that are common to both :
- Quakers and Amish are attached to live a plainly life, with sober behaviors, moderated expenses and speeches. Both we are children of the christian plain churches.
- Both we are searching for Truth, on a way made of integrity, fidelity, reliability, modesty.
- Reconciliation and peace are prior matters for us
- We believe both that silence can allow God to speak to us...

But of course we are not from the same background, and don't share the same theology.

Here is the video, from QuakerSpeak.
You will find on their site the total transcript of what Max shares with us.


vendredi 4 avril 2014

Le peuple du lait...

Le lait est essentiel à la vie. Un nombre incroyable d’espèces, parmi lesquelles l’humain,  puisent dans la lait maternel de quoi vivre et grandir, et continuent de recourir au lait pour les nombreux bienfaits de ses produits dérivés : beurre, yaourt, fromage, etc. L’Ecriture elle-même parle du lait, celui des vaches et des brebis (Dt 32, 13-14), et même des chamelles (Gn 32, 15-16) ! En Exode (3,8-17), le lait est constitutif de la félicité que nous serons tous appelés à connaître lorsque nous aurons rejoint la terre que Dieu promet.
Ce Royaume à venir nous rappelle que nous sommes et restons un peuple pastoral, un peuple qui s’occupe de ses proches et moins proches, un peuple aux multiples identités amené à cheminer et à vivre la constance même dans l’exil. En 1Co 3,2, Saint Paul compare son enseignement à celui du lait donné aux enfants,  un élément élémentaire, primordial, vital.

Un peu de maïs, un peu de vanille, un peu de lait : d’une simple trinité alimentaire est né le pudding…


Il les a installés dans la région des collines
et les a nourris des produits des champs ;
pour eux, il a fait couler le miel parmi les rochers
et pousser les oliviers sur des sols rocailleux. Les vaches et les brebis leur donnaient du lait, les agneaux, les béliers bien gras et les boucs
leur fournissaient de la viande ;
ils mangeaient le meilleur froment
et buvaient le vin de leurs vignobles.


Dt 32, 13-14