It is that time of year of colored lights, brightly wrapped packages, cookies and carols. It is also that time of year when social media and my email account is invaded by the Christmas question. I have had believers come to me and ask if it is okay to celebrate Christmas. They have friends, fellow believers, who see Christmas as somewhat appalling. Their friends explain that the roots of Christmas stem from paganism and its symbols are elements of pagan worship. They are concerned with Christmas trees, Christmas wreaths, Christmas lights, mistletoe, and those stockings hung by the chimney with care. These folks grew up with the celebration but their well meaning Christian friends present a good case to abandon, if not actively oppose, this "pagan based" festival. They do enjoy the holiday and focus on Christ but they want to be true to God's Word, thus the Christmas question.
The anti-Christmas scholars usually have three arguments to enlighten those who are trapped in this unbiblical tradition. First, unlike celebrations like Passover, there is no clear call by God in the Bible to set aside a day of celebration for Messiah's birth. Second, the festival was originally the celebration of the winter equinox, tied to the worship of Roman and Greek goddesses. And third, December 25 could not possibly be Christ's birthday. The arguments have a grain of truth, but is there more here than we might see at first glance?
I should make it clear that I have no objection to those who have an objection to the Christmas celebration. They are free to hold their opinion and to be obedient to their conscience and convictions. I do get concerned when they somehow feel that they have a better standing with God or that those who disagree are somehow immersed in some unbiblical celebration. That by celebrating the arrival of God's Son, Messiah, in December is an affront to God, if not an out and out sin. Let's take a look at each of these objections.
First, there is no call of God to have this Celebration. True, but does that make it wrong? There are required celebrations in God's Word. The three pilgrim festivals of Passover, The Feast of Tabernacles, and Pentecost. There is also the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kipper, Rosh Hashanah, among others. God also commanded an observation of the New Moon, (which, by the way has parallels among the pagans) and a weekly seventh day Sabbath observance. If these are commanded in Scripture shouldn't we observe these? It seems that, if no Biblical basis can be found for a Christmas celebration, we should eliminate such a celebration, then shouldn't finding a Biblical command for celebrations obligate us to those Biblical celebrations?
Speaking of celebrations, it seems reasonable to consider a well known Jewish holiday called Hanukkah. This tradition comes from Maccabees, writings that are recognized as valuable but not on the same level as Scripture. Also, the celebration of Purim comes from a decree signed by Queen Esther and Mordecai (See Esther 9). The Lord never commanded either of these celebrations, but God's people, the Jews, follow them faithfully. They are reminders of God's deliverance and His faithfulness. I could point out that Mary, Joseph, the angels, the shepherds and some Gentile Magi celebrated the birth of Messiah. If we choose to do so, it seems we are in good company. Many of those who find aspects of the Christmas traditions unpalatable tend to ignore the commanded celebrations and few would take off every new moon as a day of rest and reflection (Numbers 29). I am told, that the reason that these Biblical and traditional celebrations are not required, is that we are under grace, not the Law, so such legalities do not apply to believers today. So grace applies to celebrations we ignore but not to one, Christmas, we might choose to celebrate. I'm not sure I follow the logic in that argument.
Second, the festival was originally the celebration of the winter equinox tied to the worship of Roman and Greek goddesses. Actually this is not quite true. It is true that there was a long standing celebration in both Greek and Roman mythology of a goddess of fertility or love, or some such variant, who needed to fulfill her obligation to go to the god of the underworld at the time of the winter equinox. Her absence would bring cold and the apparent death of the earth. Come spring she returned and everything came back to life. The winter celebration was a sort of goodbye party filled with drinking and no small amount of debauchery. The Romans en masse enjoyed the celebration. Enter Constantine. Constantine credited his rise to power to an epiphany he experienced before a major battle. Constantine became a believer in God and His Son. He declared his empire to now be the Holy Roman Empire and required all Romans to believe. He was also no political novice. To retain favor he, along with the early church fathers, proclaimed a day of celebration for the birth of Christ to be held at the same time as the equinox celebration. The tradition of this Christmas celebration has been observed for the many centuries that have followed. Is there some element of a connection here? Well, yes and no. It was to appease the masses who wanted the equinox celebration to continue, but the celebration was not to honor the gods or goddesses of Greek or Roman mythology. It was to honor the birth of God's Son.
Third, December 25 could not possibly be Christ's birthday.This one is true and is backed up by scripture. Luke 2:8 informs us that the shepherds were in the fields keeping watch over their sheep. The only time of year this would be true would be the fall, around September, or the spring, around April. It would not have been true in the winter, in December. I lean toward the spring time due to the temple service of Zacharias and the timing of Elizabeth's and Mary's pregnancies. The reality is we do not know the precise date. It is also true that December 25 is not even close. Yet, the day was set up as a celebration of His birth, not necessarily His birthday. However, it is an event worth celebrating. By the way, you may have noticed the pagan goddess celebration pretty well died out. Few still honor her on the winter equinox. However, much of the world celebrates the birth of God's Son. I guess Constantine's idea won.
God's people, the Jews, determined that the events of God's deliverance in the days of Esther were worth remembering. They also decided that God's miraculous burning of the oil in the time of the deliverance in Maccabees was likewise worth celebrating, even if God did not command them. It seems the arrival of The Deliverer would be worthy of celebrating as well.
If you disagree, I am fine with that. I am actually a bit more miffed that we ignore the Jewish calendar for Passover, leading up to the resurrection of our Lord. Many call the day Easter, which is a variation of the name of that pagan goddess returning from the underworld she went to in December. But that is for another day. For now I wish you all a Merry Christmas, or not, I will leave that up to you.
Sunday, November 26, 2017
Monday, November 20, 2017
Is Thanksgiving Enough?
Have you ever thought about how vital thanksgiving is to the Lord God? As believers we may well toss the word around pretty freely. That is not a bad thing. We should be most grateful and thankful to the God of all creation. Everything we have, even the next breath you take, is a gift from Him. He is indeed worthy of our thanks and appreciation. God even included offerings of thanksgiving in Torah (see Leviticus 7:12). David records offering a thank offering in Psalm 116:17, "I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD." Hezekiah does the same in 2Ch 29:31. Thanksgiving and thank offerings were a part of the worship practices for the people of Israel. As those who now know Messiah, we are called to be thankful for ... well ... everything, "in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). In writing to the Romans the Apostle Paul gives an indictment against those who reject God. In the midst of the record of man's rejection and ungodliness Paul says, "because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened" (Romans 1:21). Those who refuse to give thanks to God are designated as fools and futile thinkers. Not a group many of us would want to be included in.
Thankfulness is an essential part in our relationship with God, but is it enough? Gratitude and a thankful heart are pleasing to the LORD. However, bringing God a thank offering, or an offering of thanksgiving is not all that is required. Thankfulness also acknowledges who God is. It reflects on what He has done and His very nature. Thus Samuel reminds us, “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams" (1 Samuel 15:22). An attitude of thanksgiving without an attitude of submissive obedience falls short of what God deserves. It falls short of what He requires.
Perhaps our culture gets in the way when we consider the things that we learn are required to be pleasing God. We tend to look at the list of what we think God requires and do a little personal evaluation. I am to be thankful, trustworthy, faithful, humble, obedient, generous, and joyful. Just a few of the things we could put on our "pleasing to God" list. There are certainly many more that could come to mind. We should probably tack on the rest of the nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit as they are of the Spirit. Then there are those negative things, like do not covet, do not be angry, do not judge. This could get cumbersome, maybe even intimidating or discouraging. We could opt out with the excuse/reason that we all fall short and apply the Jesus salve. You know, that soothing spiritual ointment that says all my sins are forgiven so the list doesn't really matter anyway. If this is so then we have a lot of irrelevant Scripture and unnecessary stories recorded in the Bible. It appears that all the stuff we could put on the list matters. So how do we prioritize? It seems obedience is better than sacrifice but thankfulness should be pretty high on the list as well.
The issue is not what is on the list or how to prioritize the list. The issue is the list itself. American/Western culture loves lists. We love to compartmentalize everything in life. God reveals Himself through a culture that is integrated. When Jesus said, "If you continually love Me it is imperative that you actively keep My commandments" (John 14:15). He was giving less of a rule and more of a statement. The natural outgrowth of honestly loving Him is obedience. Obedience is not a list of rules, it is the reality of a life that is integrated into the Person of God. All of those "do's" and "don'ts" listed above, and any other things you might add, are not to be a list but the substance of our relationship with God. In being thankful we are also loving and joyful and compassionate. Our gratitude is shown in our forgiving and generosity. Even what we choose not to do, like holding a grudge, gossiping, or coveting, is controlled by the attitude of gratitude that pervades our existence. Bringing a thank offering while being at odds with another reflects the truth that you are not really thankful. One who fully understands why they are thankful to a holy God would desire reconciliation before the offering.
Matthew 5:24 makes this pretty clear, “leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift." We are not being told to have a check list before we come to worship but to know that my relationship with my brother is related to, integrated with, my relationship with the Lord.
We might want to take a moment at this Thanksgiving Season and think about how all those things on our "how to be spiritual" list are connected. To consider the truth that the Lord has not called you to a list but invited you into a relationship where everything you do is integrated into Who He is. Go ahead and bask in the wonder that He really does care about every little aspect of your life. That the life He provided is to be lived abundantly, not chained to a list. Now go and have a Happy Thanksgiving.
Thankfulness is an essential part in our relationship with God, but is it enough? Gratitude and a thankful heart are pleasing to the LORD. However, bringing God a thank offering, or an offering of thanksgiving is not all that is required. Thankfulness also acknowledges who God is. It reflects on what He has done and His very nature. Thus Samuel reminds us, “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams" (1 Samuel 15:22). An attitude of thanksgiving without an attitude of submissive obedience falls short of what God deserves. It falls short of what He requires.
Perhaps our culture gets in the way when we consider the things that we learn are required to be pleasing God. We tend to look at the list of what we think God requires and do a little personal evaluation. I am to be thankful, trustworthy, faithful, humble, obedient, generous, and joyful. Just a few of the things we could put on our "pleasing to God" list. There are certainly many more that could come to mind. We should probably tack on the rest of the nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit as they are of the Spirit. Then there are those negative things, like do not covet, do not be angry, do not judge. This could get cumbersome, maybe even intimidating or discouraging. We could opt out with the excuse/reason that we all fall short and apply the Jesus salve. You know, that soothing spiritual ointment that says all my sins are forgiven so the list doesn't really matter anyway. If this is so then we have a lot of irrelevant Scripture and unnecessary stories recorded in the Bible. It appears that all the stuff we could put on the list matters. So how do we prioritize? It seems obedience is better than sacrifice but thankfulness should be pretty high on the list as well.
The issue is not what is on the list or how to prioritize the list. The issue is the list itself. American/Western culture loves lists. We love to compartmentalize everything in life. God reveals Himself through a culture that is integrated. When Jesus said, "If you continually love Me it is imperative that you actively keep My commandments" (John 14:15). He was giving less of a rule and more of a statement. The natural outgrowth of honestly loving Him is obedience. Obedience is not a list of rules, it is the reality of a life that is integrated into the Person of God. All of those "do's" and "don'ts" listed above, and any other things you might add, are not to be a list but the substance of our relationship with God. In being thankful we are also loving and joyful and compassionate. Our gratitude is shown in our forgiving and generosity. Even what we choose not to do, like holding a grudge, gossiping, or coveting, is controlled by the attitude of gratitude that pervades our existence. Bringing a thank offering while being at odds with another reflects the truth that you are not really thankful. One who fully understands why they are thankful to a holy God would desire reconciliation before the offering.
Matthew 5:24 makes this pretty clear, “leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift." We are not being told to have a check list before we come to worship but to know that my relationship with my brother is related to, integrated with, my relationship with the Lord.
We might want to take a moment at this Thanksgiving Season and think about how all those things on our "how to be spiritual" list are connected. To consider the truth that the Lord has not called you to a list but invited you into a relationship where everything you do is integrated into Who He is. Go ahead and bask in the wonder that He really does care about every little aspect of your life. That the life He provided is to be lived abundantly, not chained to a list. Now go and have a Happy Thanksgiving.
Monday, November 13, 2017
The Disaster of Freedom
Wouldn't it nice to be really free? No one telling you what to do or where to go. Being free to express yourself and to follow your dreams unhindered. The opportunity to pursue study and educational prowess without boundaries or restrictions? There was a time when this was true for God's people. After generations of forced labor and captivity in Egypt they have been set free. God has brought them out of the land of bondage and into the land of promise. A land flowing with milk and honey and freedom. The Lord God Almighty has given them victory after victory and they now possess the land promised to their fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Israel's twelve sons have become twelve tribes composing a nation of millions. They are a force to be reckoned with, lead by a God Who is above all gods. What more could you want? What better time could one want to live in?
Israel was free to make their own decisions. No taskmaster looking over their shoulders, no sound of a cracking whip to keep them in line. They now were their own people, their own nation. In addition the Mighty and Benevolent God who delivered them had given them clear instructions and directions as how to best live. Instructions on relationships, worship and how to live together in harmony. A moral standard to give reasonable boundaries in the midst of the freedom they now enjoyed. A moral standard that came from God Himself. With this came an opportunity to choose. No lightning bolts from heaven if you crossed the line into disobedience. The instructions from the Lord God gave measured consequences when that line was crossed. The priests and Levites held the responsibility to teach and instruct God's people so these things would be so. No all powerful king to hamper your freedom or confiscate what you earned and developed. No monarch to compel your sons into service or take your daughters for their harem. You simply had the obligation to come to your brothers defense should an enemy encroach. Life was good. Every man could rest under his fig tree and grapevine. We read of this Israelite utopia in the Book of Judges.
However, if you are familiar with the account found there, it is not a pretty picture. It is a record of the disaster of freedom. For the people of God determined that the instructions and directions from the Lord were too confining and limited their investigation and participation with the people and cultures they were to remove. If they adopted the worship of other gods it would make them culturally relevant and make trade agreements and their pursuit of wealth and acceptance far easier. Marriage unions with the nations would help keep peace and cooperation with their neighbors. God couldn't be that narrow minded and judgemental when compromise was so beneficial and enhanced their quest for freedom and free expression. Life could still be good even if they modified the rules and directions just a little. It was logical and reasonable to give a little for the sake of tolerance and peace.
Standards should be flexible. As society evolved it should be acceptable to let those archaic restrictions be placed in a museum so we know where we came from on our journey to enlightenment. No one could really be expected to walk in obedience to all those rules. Freedom demanded that they be seen as more like guidelines than actual instructions. "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). No one putting restrictions on anyone else. We can all just happily coexist. No absolutes and the freedom to pick and choose what is true and what is not. By the end of the Book of Judges it is no longer safe to sleep in the city square. You needed to be inside a locked door to feel secure and even then danger is just outside. Rape and murder is the new freedom. Justice is not to be found. Violent retaliation almost exterminates an entire tribe. The communities are not safe and people are afraid.
The answer is not a return to the directions and instructions the Lord God gave them. No, the answer is to demand a strong centralized government to rule over all twelve tribes. A government free to take their land, their sons, their daughters, and to impose taxes upon them. A new nation where freedom is now carefully distributed by the government. In time the worship of the very God Who gave them this land and freedom will become dismissed and eventually illegal. Child sacrifice and human trafficking is just a part of the business and accepted norm of culture. Marriage is optional and divorce rampant. It is only a matter of time before the once great and promising nation is overrun by their enemies and freedom is fully lost in the service of a series new tyrants.
The danger we face in freedom is our failure to learn from those who abused the privilege before us. Freedom with a disregard for the God who actually grants it is a road to destruction. Soon you will find yourself where unborn babies are sacrificed out of convenience. Determining to practice ones faith in accord with the instructions and directions the Lord God gave could be seen as intolerance and your freedoms removed. Your beliefs could become labeled "hate" speech and you will no longer be able to proclaim what you understand to be true. God's standards might be considered abrasive and abusive or too religious so they would no longer be able to be taught in the government controlled school systems and universities. It will be understood that everyone has the freedom to do what is right in their own eyes. Communities could become unsafe and people would live behind locked doors, afraid to walk the streets at night. But not to worry, the government will have armed police to keep the peace. Unless those doing what is right in their own eyes disregard the authority of the officers and pelt them with rocks or simply shoot them. It has happened before.
However, I am sure we, being intelligent students of history, would see the danger of freedom without God as the road to destruction and turn back to him. Understanding that doing what is right in God's eyes actually has far greater freedom that doing what is right in our own. Wouldn't we?
Israel was free to make their own decisions. No taskmaster looking over their shoulders, no sound of a cracking whip to keep them in line. They now were their own people, their own nation. In addition the Mighty and Benevolent God who delivered them had given them clear instructions and directions as how to best live. Instructions on relationships, worship and how to live together in harmony. A moral standard to give reasonable boundaries in the midst of the freedom they now enjoyed. A moral standard that came from God Himself. With this came an opportunity to choose. No lightning bolts from heaven if you crossed the line into disobedience. The instructions from the Lord God gave measured consequences when that line was crossed. The priests and Levites held the responsibility to teach and instruct God's people so these things would be so. No all powerful king to hamper your freedom or confiscate what you earned and developed. No monarch to compel your sons into service or take your daughters for their harem. You simply had the obligation to come to your brothers defense should an enemy encroach. Life was good. Every man could rest under his fig tree and grapevine. We read of this Israelite utopia in the Book of Judges.
However, if you are familiar with the account found there, it is not a pretty picture. It is a record of the disaster of freedom. For the people of God determined that the instructions and directions from the Lord were too confining and limited their investigation and participation with the people and cultures they were to remove. If they adopted the worship of other gods it would make them culturally relevant and make trade agreements and their pursuit of wealth and acceptance far easier. Marriage unions with the nations would help keep peace and cooperation with their neighbors. God couldn't be that narrow minded and judgemental when compromise was so beneficial and enhanced their quest for freedom and free expression. Life could still be good even if they modified the rules and directions just a little. It was logical and reasonable to give a little for the sake of tolerance and peace.
Standards should be flexible. As society evolved it should be acceptable to let those archaic restrictions be placed in a museum so we know where we came from on our journey to enlightenment. No one could really be expected to walk in obedience to all those rules. Freedom demanded that they be seen as more like guidelines than actual instructions. "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). No one putting restrictions on anyone else. We can all just happily coexist. No absolutes and the freedom to pick and choose what is true and what is not. By the end of the Book of Judges it is no longer safe to sleep in the city square. You needed to be inside a locked door to feel secure and even then danger is just outside. Rape and murder is the new freedom. Justice is not to be found. Violent retaliation almost exterminates an entire tribe. The communities are not safe and people are afraid.
The answer is not a return to the directions and instructions the Lord God gave them. No, the answer is to demand a strong centralized government to rule over all twelve tribes. A government free to take their land, their sons, their daughters, and to impose taxes upon them. A new nation where freedom is now carefully distributed by the government. In time the worship of the very God Who gave them this land and freedom will become dismissed and eventually illegal. Child sacrifice and human trafficking is just a part of the business and accepted norm of culture. Marriage is optional and divorce rampant. It is only a matter of time before the once great and promising nation is overrun by their enemies and freedom is fully lost in the service of a series new tyrants.
The danger we face in freedom is our failure to learn from those who abused the privilege before us. Freedom with a disregard for the God who actually grants it is a road to destruction. Soon you will find yourself where unborn babies are sacrificed out of convenience. Determining to practice ones faith in accord with the instructions and directions the Lord God gave could be seen as intolerance and your freedoms removed. Your beliefs could become labeled "hate" speech and you will no longer be able to proclaim what you understand to be true. God's standards might be considered abrasive and abusive or too religious so they would no longer be able to be taught in the government controlled school systems and universities. It will be understood that everyone has the freedom to do what is right in their own eyes. Communities could become unsafe and people would live behind locked doors, afraid to walk the streets at night. But not to worry, the government will have armed police to keep the peace. Unless those doing what is right in their own eyes disregard the authority of the officers and pelt them with rocks or simply shoot them. It has happened before.
However, I am sure we, being intelligent students of history, would see the danger of freedom without God as the road to destruction and turn back to him. Understanding that doing what is right in God's eyes actually has far greater freedom that doing what is right in our own. Wouldn't we?
Monday, November 6, 2017
Eliminating the Past
Do you ever struggle with past failures? Do you wish you could suck those spoken words back into your mouth? Are there memories that seem to haunt you when you try to move forward? This is probably true for most of us. Paul had a number of past actions he wanted to keep in the past. In his letter to the Philippians he writes, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14). When you look at the context Paul includes a lot of things that have nothing to do with failure. They are things about his ancestry, his family line, a Pharisee, as to pursuing keeping the Law, blameless. They are about his education and accomplishments, the only sin mentioned is his persecution of the Messianic assemblies. Not that Paul's failures did not weigh on his mind from time to time. He does not refer to himself as, "the Chief of sinners", in 1 Timothy 1:15, for no reason at all.
God does not want us to live in the past. Old things are to pass away and all things are become new, (2 Corinthians 5:17). If we live in our accomplishments we can become proud, arrogant, and not strive to move forward in our relationship with Christ. If we live in our short comings then life is constricted by guilt and failure and we feel worthless and unworthy to serve the Lord. Either way we are crippled and ineffective with caring for the responsibilities God places in our hands. So the Apostle Paul says, let it go and keep pressing on toward that upward call in Christ Jesus. Onward and upward with the Lord.
This is all certainly true and should be applied to our lives so we have the opportunity to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord. However, I do not think that Paul, or the Lord, is calling us to historic amnesia. God designed everything to flow in a cycle. Days, seasons, planting and harvest, as well as life itself, follows more of a reoccurring cycle than a linear progression of unrelated events. We realize true repentance, the turning away from a sinful behavior, only when a similar opportunity to sin returns and we have victory. History and our past is not to be eliminated but rather, learned from. If Paul's intent was that God wanted us to fully forget the past we would have a very abbreviated Bible. If we removed every failure and every success from the Scriptures we would be left with a rule book with no examples as how to put them into practice. God determined to reveal Himself through relationships with people and peoples relationships with one another. This gives us examples, instruction, and hope knowing God has been using imperfect failures to advance His Kingdom for generations.
Abraham believed God, was willing to offer Isaac, and lied about Sarah being his wife. Issac preferred the son who was not of the promised line while Jacob wrestled with God and prevailed but deceived his father, with the help of his mother. Moses is a friend of God, leads god's people out of bondage, kills the Egyptian, refuses to speak to Pharaoh, and strikes the rock. David defeats Goliath and commit adultery and murder. Solomon asks for wisdom and introduces idolatry to God's people. Peter denies and then becomes a foundation stone for the Messianic community. James mocks Jesus when the Lord has His earthly ministry and then becomes the head of the church in Jerusalem. Not to leave the women out, Rahab was a prostitute who believes God and ends up in the line of Messiah. Ruth a Moabite, a non Jew, who cares for her Jewish mother in law, is David's great grandmother. Mary of Magdala was possessed by demons but came to be the Lord's treasured servant. The entire history of God's people is one of failure and redemption. Virtually every book in the Bible deals with people not getting along. Even tiny books like 2nd and 3rd John deal with relational issues. If we are honest, the record God gives us is not very pretty. However, it is remarkably helpful.
There is a movement within the American culture to remove and eliminate reminders of past failures and the record of men and women who were flawed. We find something distasteful about their character and conclude that who they were and what they accomplished should not be remembered. History of any people is not a record of pure and blameless people. It is a record of flawed men and women who lived and worked to build a nation. Their examples are there to learn from, not to worship or emulate in every aspect. After giving us a historic list of remarkable, yet broken, people from the historic past, the writer of Hebrews begins Chapter 12 with, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." In other words, let us learn from their lives, avoid the sin they fought with, and run with endurance, for the road is long and fret with dangers. They bear witness to the power and grace of a God Who uses broken stones to build His Kingdom.
Our history, likewise, surrounds us with a great cloud of witnesses who built a nation and learned as they went. Not unlike England or France or China, or South Africa. Every nation has its damaged heroes and grievances that should not be repeated or perpetuated. Reliving the past is no way to live going forward. Ignoring the past or burying it along with those who lived it will invite us to perpetuate the same errors and acts of intolerance. If we fail to learn or determine to hide the truth, as ugly as it may be or as uncomfortable as it might make us feel, will simply give us the opportunity to relive it once again until we learn the lessons God has for us.
God does not want us to live in the past. Old things are to pass away and all things are become new, (2 Corinthians 5:17). If we live in our accomplishments we can become proud, arrogant, and not strive to move forward in our relationship with Christ. If we live in our short comings then life is constricted by guilt and failure and we feel worthless and unworthy to serve the Lord. Either way we are crippled and ineffective with caring for the responsibilities God places in our hands. So the Apostle Paul says, let it go and keep pressing on toward that upward call in Christ Jesus. Onward and upward with the Lord.
This is all certainly true and should be applied to our lives so we have the opportunity to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord. However, I do not think that Paul, or the Lord, is calling us to historic amnesia. God designed everything to flow in a cycle. Days, seasons, planting and harvest, as well as life itself, follows more of a reoccurring cycle than a linear progression of unrelated events. We realize true repentance, the turning away from a sinful behavior, only when a similar opportunity to sin returns and we have victory. History and our past is not to be eliminated but rather, learned from. If Paul's intent was that God wanted us to fully forget the past we would have a very abbreviated Bible. If we removed every failure and every success from the Scriptures we would be left with a rule book with no examples as how to put them into practice. God determined to reveal Himself through relationships with people and peoples relationships with one another. This gives us examples, instruction, and hope knowing God has been using imperfect failures to advance His Kingdom for generations.
Abraham believed God, was willing to offer Isaac, and lied about Sarah being his wife. Issac preferred the son who was not of the promised line while Jacob wrestled with God and prevailed but deceived his father, with the help of his mother. Moses is a friend of God, leads god's people out of bondage, kills the Egyptian, refuses to speak to Pharaoh, and strikes the rock. David defeats Goliath and commit adultery and murder. Solomon asks for wisdom and introduces idolatry to God's people. Peter denies and then becomes a foundation stone for the Messianic community. James mocks Jesus when the Lord has His earthly ministry and then becomes the head of the church in Jerusalem. Not to leave the women out, Rahab was a prostitute who believes God and ends up in the line of Messiah. Ruth a Moabite, a non Jew, who cares for her Jewish mother in law, is David's great grandmother. Mary of Magdala was possessed by demons but came to be the Lord's treasured servant. The entire history of God's people is one of failure and redemption. Virtually every book in the Bible deals with people not getting along. Even tiny books like 2nd and 3rd John deal with relational issues. If we are honest, the record God gives us is not very pretty. However, it is remarkably helpful.
There is a movement within the American culture to remove and eliminate reminders of past failures and the record of men and women who were flawed. We find something distasteful about their character and conclude that who they were and what they accomplished should not be remembered. History of any people is not a record of pure and blameless people. It is a record of flawed men and women who lived and worked to build a nation. Their examples are there to learn from, not to worship or emulate in every aspect. After giving us a historic list of remarkable, yet broken, people from the historic past, the writer of Hebrews begins Chapter 12 with, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." In other words, let us learn from their lives, avoid the sin they fought with, and run with endurance, for the road is long and fret with dangers. They bear witness to the power and grace of a God Who uses broken stones to build His Kingdom.
Our history, likewise, surrounds us with a great cloud of witnesses who built a nation and learned as they went. Not unlike England or France or China, or South Africa. Every nation has its damaged heroes and grievances that should not be repeated or perpetuated. Reliving the past is no way to live going forward. Ignoring the past or burying it along with those who lived it will invite us to perpetuate the same errors and acts of intolerance. If we fail to learn or determine to hide the truth, as ugly as it may be or as uncomfortable as it might make us feel, will simply give us the opportunity to relive it once again until we learn the lessons God has for us.
Monday, October 30, 2017
Is There a Bird in Your Bed?
Do you ever wonder where those interesting colloquial sayings come from? Some are a bit dated and some are new enough that I have no clue what is being referred to. When I was growing up I learned that there is, "More than one way to skin a cat". I am sure this is true, however, I have never tried and have no desire to test the theory that cat skinning holds a variety of methodologies. I did see the truth in "not looking a gift horse in the mouth", just be happy you got a free horse and do not worry about it's dental hygiene. I also like the newer phrases, such as "A few fries short of a Happy Meal". Which is an upgrade from "A few bricks shy of a full load" seeing as, these days, Happy Meals are more common than loads of bricks. Hebrew and Greek had these back in the days of Christ. "Putting a camel through the eye of a needle" is one that has generated a lot of theological conjecture while it seems to be nothing more than a colloquialism in Jesus' day. I wonder if exegetical work will be done on Happy Meals some time in the future?
The phrase that has captured my interest is, "A little birdie told me so". If you are not immediately familiar it was a sort of cute way of not revealing your sources. The question, "Where did you hear that?" could be bypassed by explaining that "A little birdie told me so" and thus keep the perpetrator of the rumor or your source of information anonymous. Though I was familiar with the phrase I was not aware that it was Biblical. It is drawn from Scripture. Ecclesiastes 10:20 reads, "Do not curse the king, even in your thought; do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; for a bird of the air may carry your voice, and a bird in flight may tell the matter." Apparently little birds have been eavesdropping for quite some time.
Two things come to mind when I came across this verse in Ecclesiastes. First, that colloquial phrases have found their way from Scripture into the common English language. This tells me that there was a time when Scripture so permeated society that phrases like these became acceptable and common. For history buffs the battle for Dunkirk might come to mind. The British forces were on the verge of annihilation when they sent this phrase to London: "But if not." I wonder if this would have any meaning today. Back during World War II people immediately recognized this to be from Daniel 3 when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego resolved that they would not bow to the golden idol but face the fiery furnace knowing that God could save them, "but if not" they would still not bow. Word spread of the pinned troops and every available fishing boat, yacht, and pleasure cruiser, headed into the Channel. The Germans hesitated in their advance, for no apparent reason, while the armada of little boats evacuated more than 338,000 soldiers. "But if not" became a colloquial phrase for standing firm, though it has pretty much died out today. We do toss around phrases like, "first remove the speck from your own eye" from Matthew 7:3 and "Don't put your light under a basket" from Luke 11. However, we might be hard pressed to come up with the reference. My point is simply that the influence of God's Word in Western society has certainly lost ground over the years. Which means the clear teaching of the Scriptures has waned as well.
The greater point is Solomon's warning. A warning a Jewish Rabbi named Jacob provided to the assemblies of believers back in the first century. We refer to his writings as a letter from James. In 3:6 he writes, "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell." Pretty strong words. James knows of the destructive power words can have. They are a gift from God that we can use to encourage and share the good news of Christ's offer of life and salvation. However, they are dangerous as well. Bringing reputations to ruin, damaging relationships, destroying ministries and families. Proverbs regularly warns of the use of the tongue. Reminding us that the Lord hates lies and deception.
The words of Messiah Jesus are even more convicting. Matthew 12:36, "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they give account of it in the day of judgment." We will give an account for every idle word? That should take a chunk out of eternity. The Lord's point here is to be careful what you say. Solomon tells us in Proverbs 17:28, "Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive." A variation of our own colloquial phrase, "that it is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." The use of God's gift of language is not to be taken lightly.
The reason goes back to Solomon's words about the bird. What we say and do cannot be hidden forever. Speaking to the tribes from the east of the Jordan River, Moses tells them they are to help their brothers conquer the land to the west. If they do not Moses gives this warning, "But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23). Your sin will find you out. Achan found this to be true in Joshua 7 as did Ananias and his wife, Sapphira in Acts 5. Sinful words like sinful actions will find their way out into the open. A little bird will make it known and you may well pay the price, if not now, when you give the Lord an account of what words you have spoken. If a little bird can hear what is said, we better believe the Spirit of God has taken note.
I conclude with the Apostle Paul's encouragement to the Colossians, "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one"(Colossians 4:6). It is good advice, a little birdie told me so.
The phrase that has captured my interest is, "A little birdie told me so". If you are not immediately familiar it was a sort of cute way of not revealing your sources. The question, "Where did you hear that?" could be bypassed by explaining that "A little birdie told me so" and thus keep the perpetrator of the rumor or your source of information anonymous. Though I was familiar with the phrase I was not aware that it was Biblical. It is drawn from Scripture. Ecclesiastes 10:20 reads, "Do not curse the king, even in your thought; do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; for a bird of the air may carry your voice, and a bird in flight may tell the matter." Apparently little birds have been eavesdropping for quite some time.
Two things come to mind when I came across this verse in Ecclesiastes. First, that colloquial phrases have found their way from Scripture into the common English language. This tells me that there was a time when Scripture so permeated society that phrases like these became acceptable and common. For history buffs the battle for Dunkirk might come to mind. The British forces were on the verge of annihilation when they sent this phrase to London: "But if not." I wonder if this would have any meaning today. Back during World War II people immediately recognized this to be from Daniel 3 when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego resolved that they would not bow to the golden idol but face the fiery furnace knowing that God could save them, "but if not" they would still not bow. Word spread of the pinned troops and every available fishing boat, yacht, and pleasure cruiser, headed into the Channel. The Germans hesitated in their advance, for no apparent reason, while the armada of little boats evacuated more than 338,000 soldiers. "But if not" became a colloquial phrase for standing firm, though it has pretty much died out today. We do toss around phrases like, "first remove the speck from your own eye" from Matthew 7:3 and "Don't put your light under a basket" from Luke 11. However, we might be hard pressed to come up with the reference. My point is simply that the influence of God's Word in Western society has certainly lost ground over the years. Which means the clear teaching of the Scriptures has waned as well.
The greater point is Solomon's warning. A warning a Jewish Rabbi named Jacob provided to the assemblies of believers back in the first century. We refer to his writings as a letter from James. In 3:6 he writes, "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell." Pretty strong words. James knows of the destructive power words can have. They are a gift from God that we can use to encourage and share the good news of Christ's offer of life and salvation. However, they are dangerous as well. Bringing reputations to ruin, damaging relationships, destroying ministries and families. Proverbs regularly warns of the use of the tongue. Reminding us that the Lord hates lies and deception.
The words of Messiah Jesus are even more convicting. Matthew 12:36, "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they give account of it in the day of judgment." We will give an account for every idle word? That should take a chunk out of eternity. The Lord's point here is to be careful what you say. Solomon tells us in Proverbs 17:28, "Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive." A variation of our own colloquial phrase, "that it is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." The use of God's gift of language is not to be taken lightly.
The reason goes back to Solomon's words about the bird. What we say and do cannot be hidden forever. Speaking to the tribes from the east of the Jordan River, Moses tells them they are to help their brothers conquer the land to the west. If they do not Moses gives this warning, "But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23). Your sin will find you out. Achan found this to be true in Joshua 7 as did Ananias and his wife, Sapphira in Acts 5. Sinful words like sinful actions will find their way out into the open. A little bird will make it known and you may well pay the price, if not now, when you give the Lord an account of what words you have spoken. If a little bird can hear what is said, we better believe the Spirit of God has taken note.
I conclude with the Apostle Paul's encouragement to the Colossians, "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one"(Colossians 4:6). It is good advice, a little birdie told me so.
Monday, October 23, 2017
Trust In Car Alone
We have a variety of vehicles in our driveway. A Chevy Astro, Kia Sedona, Honda Civic, Nissan Rogue, and even a vintage 1988 AMC Eagle. My sons drive a Toyota and a Suzuki. Include my daughters and we add a Hyundai, a Dodge, and a Ford. We are fairly well covered in the automotive spectrum. All are road worthy, though some may question the Eagle. They are a pretty dependable means of transportation. We also occasionally use trains, planes, and buses to get where we might need to go, but cars are the transport of choice. Being privileged to live in the United States of America, owning a car, and having readily available transportation is pretty much a given. When living outside of a metropolitan area having a car is almost essential to survival. I have possessed a variety in my life time. Ranging from the 60's muscle cars (1964 Mustang, 1966 Barracuda, 1969 Camaro) to the family Ford wagon and Chevy minivan. When looking at these, or whatever your mode of transportation might be, I see a challenging parallel with my spiritual life.
We are to be people of faith. Trusting the LORD God with our future and our day to day existence. If you are aware of who God is, this should be a bit of a no-brainer. He is awesome in power and yet intimately concerned with my well being. Solomon explains that if we want to have clarity in where we want to go in life, trust is essential. He spells it out for us in Proverbs 3:5-6, " Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He shall direct your paths." If we trust, if we believe, He will direct our paths. We do not need to understand, just trust, for there are times when things are simply beyond our understanding. No need for anxiety here, just relax and trust in the Lord.
However, this is not always my experience. I am the reason Paul wrote Philippians 4:6, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." Anxiety is a result of a lack of trust. If we truly trusted we would be at peace and not be touched with worry or concern. We would treat God like we treat our cars. I drive a lot. I honestly enjoy being behind the wheel. I love road trips. Making a twelve hour straight drive to the Outer Banks is not an issue. It is actually pretty relaxing. So I put a lot of miles on my vehicles. I am not filled with anxiety wondering if my breaks work. In the hundreds of thousands of miles I have driven my brakes have failed once. They are dependable so I never stress over whether or not they will come through for me. I do maintain a relationship with them, checking the pads and fluid levels, occasionally replacing rotors and calipers. As long as I keep this proper relationship with them I am confident they will not fail me.
God, however, occasionally allows things to enter into my life that I am either not prepared for or simply do not like. Sickness, unexpected expenses, loss of people I love, and a variety of other things that make my existence uncomfortable. So when this happens I fret a little. I also complain about the circumstances and remind God that this is not what I want. Oh, I do pray, and I do get around to the trust thing. But I also have had sleepless nights, long walks in the rain, and an extra hour on the elliptical machine to burn off some frustrations. Why is it that I do not always go to the trust and relax mode? Why does it seem I have more confidence in my car getting me where I need to go and stopping when I hit the break peddle that I do with the Creator of the universe? Shouldn't I have the same, if not more, confidence in the LORD God Almighty? He certainly has proven that He is able to care for me. His love could not be more obvious through the gift of His Son. But, I still question just what He allows.
I marvel at the account of Peter in Acts 12. Herod had arrested James, John's brother, and had him executed. Seeing that it pleased the Jews he arrested Peter and intended to execute him as well. Peter is in the inner prison under guard. Acts 12:6, "And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison." Did you catch that? Peter's friend, business partner, fellow disciple and one of the inner circle with Messiah has been arrested and killed. Now he, Peter, awaits the same fate and he is asleep. Really asleep, check out verse 7, "Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, 'Arise quickly!' And his chains fell off his hands." The angel has to poke Peter to wake him up. The brilliant light was not enough. I would not be asleep. Praying, maybe. Having a few anxiety issues, perhaps. Wondering what God was doing? I am pretty sure that would be on my sleepless agenda. I guess I still have a ways to go with that trust issue.
Somehow, I hope to find the balance between trust and taking God for granted. To have the same quiet confidence that I have in my car's brakes. To know He is present at the moment those anxious events occur. To simply trust Him all the time. To escape my attempt at my own understanding and acknowledge Him as He directs my path.
So how goes the trust factor going in your life? Your car or your God. Who provides that quiet confidence that keeps you from doubt? Just something to think about.
We are to be people of faith. Trusting the LORD God with our future and our day to day existence. If you are aware of who God is, this should be a bit of a no-brainer. He is awesome in power and yet intimately concerned with my well being. Solomon explains that if we want to have clarity in where we want to go in life, trust is essential. He spells it out for us in Proverbs 3:5-6, " Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He shall direct your paths." If we trust, if we believe, He will direct our paths. We do not need to understand, just trust, for there are times when things are simply beyond our understanding. No need for anxiety here, just relax and trust in the Lord.
However, this is not always my experience. I am the reason Paul wrote Philippians 4:6, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." Anxiety is a result of a lack of trust. If we truly trusted we would be at peace and not be touched with worry or concern. We would treat God like we treat our cars. I drive a lot. I honestly enjoy being behind the wheel. I love road trips. Making a twelve hour straight drive to the Outer Banks is not an issue. It is actually pretty relaxing. So I put a lot of miles on my vehicles. I am not filled with anxiety wondering if my breaks work. In the hundreds of thousands of miles I have driven my brakes have failed once. They are dependable so I never stress over whether or not they will come through for me. I do maintain a relationship with them, checking the pads and fluid levels, occasionally replacing rotors and calipers. As long as I keep this proper relationship with them I am confident they will not fail me.
God, however, occasionally allows things to enter into my life that I am either not prepared for or simply do not like. Sickness, unexpected expenses, loss of people I love, and a variety of other things that make my existence uncomfortable. So when this happens I fret a little. I also complain about the circumstances and remind God that this is not what I want. Oh, I do pray, and I do get around to the trust thing. But I also have had sleepless nights, long walks in the rain, and an extra hour on the elliptical machine to burn off some frustrations. Why is it that I do not always go to the trust and relax mode? Why does it seem I have more confidence in my car getting me where I need to go and stopping when I hit the break peddle that I do with the Creator of the universe? Shouldn't I have the same, if not more, confidence in the LORD God Almighty? He certainly has proven that He is able to care for me. His love could not be more obvious through the gift of His Son. But, I still question just what He allows.
I marvel at the account of Peter in Acts 12. Herod had arrested James, John's brother, and had him executed. Seeing that it pleased the Jews he arrested Peter and intended to execute him as well. Peter is in the inner prison under guard. Acts 12:6, "And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison." Did you catch that? Peter's friend, business partner, fellow disciple and one of the inner circle with Messiah has been arrested and killed. Now he, Peter, awaits the same fate and he is asleep. Really asleep, check out verse 7, "Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, 'Arise quickly!' And his chains fell off his hands." The angel has to poke Peter to wake him up. The brilliant light was not enough. I would not be asleep. Praying, maybe. Having a few anxiety issues, perhaps. Wondering what God was doing? I am pretty sure that would be on my sleepless agenda. I guess I still have a ways to go with that trust issue.
Somehow, I hope to find the balance between trust and taking God for granted. To have the same quiet confidence that I have in my car's brakes. To know He is present at the moment those anxious events occur. To simply trust Him all the time. To escape my attempt at my own understanding and acknowledge Him as He directs my path.
So how goes the trust factor going in your life? Your car or your God. Who provides that quiet confidence that keeps you from doubt? Just something to think about.
Monday, October 16, 2017
On the Edge
I live in rural New York. It is not uncommon to be greeted by a variety of wild life as you drive down most any road or highway. I have waited while a black bear ambled across the road, dodged a few possums and a number of raccoons. I have encountered a fox and coyote making a dash across my headlights. I have found myself beeping at an entire flock of turkeys in the middle of the road and more woodchucks than I can count. They are agile and seem to want to avoid any real contact with this human being. However, there are other creatures that seem to be intent on contact. They are the indigenous white tail deer. They seem to have some peculiar desire to look in my living room window and munch the flowers next to my front door. They hang out in my back yard and when we had a pool they would stop by for a drink and to checkout the floating pool toys. In truth they are pretty impressive creatures. Slender legs that can bound over a fence from a stand still. They are a bit of a nuisance as they pass on the lush green clover in the neighboring field so they can devour my shrubbery and flowers. It is just a part of sharing the environment with God's creatures.
There is one thing that I do not understand when it comes to deer. The area we live in is pretty open. There are fields, farmland, and lots of wooded areas. There should be plenty of room for us to coexist. That being said, why to they graze on the side of the road instead of out in the field? What compels them to try to pay "chicken" with oncoming cars? It is not like there is nowhere else to go. Is the grass really that much better in the median between east and west bound major highways? Do they actually think they will win when they step in front of my seventy mile an hour van? Go hang out in the woods or the fields. Eat the daisies and wild flowers and get away from the edge of the highway. These deer seem compelled to live on the edge of the roads or even on the roads. Are they oblivious to the unfortunate carcasses of possible family members who have become vulture dinners left crumpled on the side of the road? Do they have some sort of bazaar death wish? How stupid can these creatures be to hang out on the edge of death and personal destruction?
Fortunately we, as human beings, as those created in God's image, are far wiser than deer. We would never dabble on the edge of destructive behaviors. We know better than to place ourselves at risk, positioning ourselves in the path of temptation. We are more prudent than to put ourselves on a path that leads us into an area of moral weakness. We are indwelt by the Spirit of God, so the idea of wandering willfully into areas that we know are places we should not go is foreign to us. Maybe not so much. We do live in a fallen world that is at odds with, if not aggressively challenging, everything we believe to be true. Every form of media is calling us to compromise our integrity. If not openly, to at least drag our thoughts to areas we really do know are not pleasing to the Lord.
This is why the Apostle Paul gave instruction to young Timothy, "Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart" (2 Timothy 2:22). 1 Corinthians 15:33 warns us, "Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.'" Simply put, if you want to live a Godly life you need to avoid the situations that can draw you into sin. Do not just think about it, Paul says to flee. Get out of there. Be like Joseph, drop your coat and run! (see Genesis 39 for the full account). We need to follow the counsel of the writer of Hebrews when it comes to living on the edge of temptation: "Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1). As believers, it seems that we are susceptible to adopting the behavior of the New York white tail deer. We graze at the edge of the road called temptation and wonder what happened when a truckload of sin slams into us and sends us spiraling toward disaster. How much better to keep a little distance between us and what can cause us to fall.
We do live in a world that is filled with things to distract us and thus we must be vigilant. It seems obvious that our Lord's prayer in John 17:15 has been answered, at least in part, “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one." We have certainly been left in the world. However, we bear some responsibility for keeping from the evil one. Most of us know our weaknesses, be it wanting nice things, admiring an attractive person, or enjoying a good meal. Yet some of us know that, for us, this can lead to coveting, lust, or gluttony. Not for everyone. But, as I said, we know our weakness. We are experts in rationalization so we can feel comfortable standing on the edge of the highway called temptation somehow sure we will not step in front of the oncoming bus of moral failure. 1 Corinthians 10:12 was written for a reason, "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."
God knows us well. He also knows that being on the edge of the highway of temptation is no place for His children to live. He is kind enough to tell us to flee. Be aware of the highway. Stay out in the meadows of grace. Keep your distance from those other deer that say the grass is tastier on the edge of the road to destruction. However, the choice is still ours. Just keep in mind the vultures are circling for a reason.
There is one thing that I do not understand when it comes to deer. The area we live in is pretty open. There are fields, farmland, and lots of wooded areas. There should be plenty of room for us to coexist. That being said, why to they graze on the side of the road instead of out in the field? What compels them to try to pay "chicken" with oncoming cars? It is not like there is nowhere else to go. Is the grass really that much better in the median between east and west bound major highways? Do they actually think they will win when they step in front of my seventy mile an hour van? Go hang out in the woods or the fields. Eat the daisies and wild flowers and get away from the edge of the highway. These deer seem compelled to live on the edge of the roads or even on the roads. Are they oblivious to the unfortunate carcasses of possible family members who have become vulture dinners left crumpled on the side of the road? Do they have some sort of bazaar death wish? How stupid can these creatures be to hang out on the edge of death and personal destruction?
Fortunately we, as human beings, as those created in God's image, are far wiser than deer. We would never dabble on the edge of destructive behaviors. We know better than to place ourselves at risk, positioning ourselves in the path of temptation. We are more prudent than to put ourselves on a path that leads us into an area of moral weakness. We are indwelt by the Spirit of God, so the idea of wandering willfully into areas that we know are places we should not go is foreign to us. Maybe not so much. We do live in a fallen world that is at odds with, if not aggressively challenging, everything we believe to be true. Every form of media is calling us to compromise our integrity. If not openly, to at least drag our thoughts to areas we really do know are not pleasing to the Lord.
This is why the Apostle Paul gave instruction to young Timothy, "Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart" (2 Timothy 2:22). 1 Corinthians 15:33 warns us, "Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.'" Simply put, if you want to live a Godly life you need to avoid the situations that can draw you into sin. Do not just think about it, Paul says to flee. Get out of there. Be like Joseph, drop your coat and run! (see Genesis 39 for the full account). We need to follow the counsel of the writer of Hebrews when it comes to living on the edge of temptation: "Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1). As believers, it seems that we are susceptible to adopting the behavior of the New York white tail deer. We graze at the edge of the road called temptation and wonder what happened when a truckload of sin slams into us and sends us spiraling toward disaster. How much better to keep a little distance between us and what can cause us to fall.
We do live in a world that is filled with things to distract us and thus we must be vigilant. It seems obvious that our Lord's prayer in John 17:15 has been answered, at least in part, “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one." We have certainly been left in the world. However, we bear some responsibility for keeping from the evil one. Most of us know our weaknesses, be it wanting nice things, admiring an attractive person, or enjoying a good meal. Yet some of us know that, for us, this can lead to coveting, lust, or gluttony. Not for everyone. But, as I said, we know our weakness. We are experts in rationalization so we can feel comfortable standing on the edge of the highway called temptation somehow sure we will not step in front of the oncoming bus of moral failure. 1 Corinthians 10:12 was written for a reason, "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."
God knows us well. He also knows that being on the edge of the highway of temptation is no place for His children to live. He is kind enough to tell us to flee. Be aware of the highway. Stay out in the meadows of grace. Keep your distance from those other deer that say the grass is tastier on the edge of the road to destruction. However, the choice is still ours. Just keep in mind the vultures are circling for a reason.
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