Stiff-neck.... anyone?

This post is not a study of the medical problem stiff-neck nor a bible study of the term stiff-necked people just my lenten reflection...

In my recent attempts to read the bible, book by book i was doing exodus and still reading... in many places this stiff-necked people repeats itself ("Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance." Exodus 34.9 ) grabbing my attention, as i'm am prune to muscle stiffness in the neck, courtesy bike riding on bad road conditions and looking at the laptop. Now the pain is excruciating, besides you go totally paralysed. You cannot lie down on your own or get up from the bed. Even lying straight is not possible you can only lie on your sides. Sitting up to have food is also very difficult. Shaking your head left to right, IMPOSSIBLE. You need help for everything! This i ve experienced not once but several times in the past 7-8 yrs.

Then why is God calling the Isralities a stiff-necked people? "I have seen these people," the LORD said to Moses, "and they are a stiff-necked people. Exodus 32:9. These people behaved like they had stiff-neck and refused to look at what is God doing...come on He sends plague after plague, not one but ten and then when the Egyptians were in pursuit He waged a war for them and finally opened a sea for them to walk dry shod to the other side. He gave food (manna), he gave them water from a rock, Then they complained against no non-veg to eat.. Then He sends Quails in the night. He guards them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, gave them healing when they were bitten by snakes. But still failed to look at what God is doing for them. They still make idols of gold to worship.  

Whenever the bible passage is read in church or at home and when the word Israel features I put myself there, simply because Israel is a chosen people. And this same Israel is called stiff-necked and so am I, when I refuse to understand that God has a better way of doing things and its the best for me and to give thanks to all the goodness shown to me. So my prayer will be to turn my neck and head and  ''Keep your eyes on the Lord and view everyone else through His eyes''- Terry Modica

 

P.S. This post was started two years ago, since neck pain and bike riding and laptop viewing and not fully read the bible till date still holds good im posting it.