John 7:1-2,10,25-30

In this account John wants us to remember during their time in the wilderness the people frequently questioned whether God was with them or not, because Moses, who spoke for God, seemed so ordinary. Yet at other times, God’s presence was so obvious that they described it as a shining cloud in their midst or a raging fire on the mountaintop. If we look at those stories, we see that when God is doing what they want, they are certain he is there, and when God is not doing what they want, they accuse him of being absent. The people want a Messiah who will do things their way – so they reject Jesus. Will we wander in the wilderness of our doubts and our demands on God, or will we use these forty days of Lent to listen to God speak to us and lead us into God’s own plan for us?