Read today’s texts first: Deuteronomy 7-9; Mark 15
Turning our heads around and lifting our heads up
regularly will prevent a spiritual stiff neck!
I have often been bothered by a stiff neck, in more ways than one. One of the perks in helping my kids with their careers was the free massages. A local massage college offered last minute bookings free to struggling actors, like my son who does occasional “extra” work (and me, his “agent” of sorts). These massage therapy students taught me how to free up my neck muscles through regular neck rotations and I’ve never felt better.
In the Bible the physical problem is a metaphor for a spiritual one (9:6,13). The Jews understood the term “stiff-necked”- they used it in reference to oxen that refused to turn their necks and change direction when prodded by the ox goad. God called His people stiff-necked when they would not respond to His prodding. The solution for a spiritual stiff-neck is much the same as the physical – regular neck rotations. Sometimes we get so focused on the present and the future, staring straight ahead, that we forget where we came from and how we got here. That’s why Moses is reminding God’s people, and that includes us, to “remember” (7:18; 8:2,18; 9:7), “don’t forget” (8:11,14,19; 9:7).
We need to turn our heads once in a while, look back, and remember that we didn’t get here through our own efforts. God brought us here – it had nothing to do with our power or strength (8:17,18) or our righteousness (9:6), but by God’s grace. When we stop looking around at what God has done for us (9:29) or looking up to thank Him every day for His provision (8:10), our spiritual necks will stiffen up. By the way, is saying grace before every meal a lost discipline, because if so, we need to find it again and fast. Turning our heads around and lifting our heads up regularly will prevent a spiritual stiff neck!
“Lord, remembering what You did (Mark 15) once a month during church communion is not enough exercise. Help me to keep my neck loose by looking back every day at what You did for me in the past and looking up with a heart of thanks for all that You’ve provided for me right now!”
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