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Does God actually deceive us? Is he a trickster who lures people into a life they would not choose? This week, the Prophet Jeremiah seems to accuse the Lord of doing just this, tricking him into a career as a prophet that only brings him suffering, a vocation fraught with difficulty.

In the Kingdom of God during Old Testament times, the second highest office was that of the master of the palace, sometimes called the prime minister or royal steward. The man in this role personally represented the Davidic King, like a US Ambassador today who personally represents the President of the United States. As a sign of his authority, the master of the palace was given the key to the palace, the key to the Kingdom. In the absence of the king, this man was in charge.

After the Resurrection, the foreigners were fully grafted into the covenant family of God. The way was paved for you and me to be brought in and not simply to be kept at arm’s length. We have been brought so close to the presence of God that Isaiah describes it in specifically priestly terms. He says that we foreigners will minister to the Lord, becoming his servants (as in serving the Lord at the altar), and will offer sacrifices acceptable on the altar.

Silence. We do not get enough of it. We are so unfamiliar with silence and stillness that it can be a bit unsettling for us. Yet the Lord most often speaks in silence, and we must learn to hear him there.

Silence. We do not get enough of it. We are so unfamiliar with silence and stillness that it can be a bit unsettling for us. Yet the Lord most often speaks in silence, and we must learn to hear him there.