What Now? Going Forwrd.

 How do you feel about the past months? There are few places where the events of CoVid19 has not had an impact and if you are in the USA you can add the joy of a national election. Much of life has been disrupted. The question for all of us, and especially believers, is, "What now?" How do we move forward from where we are to where we need to be. For some it is a time of great distress. It seems the powers of darkness have gained more than a foothold and the future is uncertain in the midst of a growing darkness. Should the USA, indeed, be guided by a new administration things are likely to change. 

For some it is a time of rejoicing with the potential removal of an arrogant and un-presidential tyrant. Then there is the promise of free healthcare, free education, forgiven student loans, a guaranteed income with the government taking care of them. The government only wants what is best for us. We just need to be compliant. 

For others it will be the codification of the "right" to kill babies and to progressively move toward the elimination of those who lack the quality of life that would prove to be a drain on society. They see an expansion of government control that tells us religious practice is "nonessential" and religious conviction is disallowed as "hate speech". The pandemic has been an effective tool to limit worship meetings and penalize people of faith. Numerous governors has become lush with new powers that control the lives of the masses. All in the name of keeping us safe. The proposed plan is to regulate what you drive, where you live, how much energy you can use and how to protect yourself and your family. A false security with the price tag being your freedom and liberty. Either view leaves you wondering what to do from here.

It occurred to me that we, as followers of Messiah Jesus, have been given a plan, a guideline, to follow from the Word of God. That should not be unexpected. However, the truth that most of us have already memorized the directions might come as a surprise. In this, and a followup post or two, I want to give a possible answer that God impressed upon my heart in the quiet of the night while I recovered from some mild food poisoning. Yes, sometimes the LORD has to put me on the recliner looking up to see what He has for me. This is not a vision wrought from indigestion but just some thoughts that rolled over me when the silence outweighed the usual conflagration of my overactive midnight brain. Matthew and Luke give variations of the direction from the Lord. It is a simple answer given by the Lord as a response to a simple "How" question brought by His disciples. We will use Matthew's account but either gives us an answer to give us hope and remind us that. perhaps, nothing has really changed.

Mathew gives us this message in Matthew 6:9-13. I invite you to give voice to these familiar verses with me, "Our Father, Who art in heaven, holy is Your name, Your kingdom come Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen" (a slightly modified version of the NKJV). These verses can serve both as a reminder and a map to follow as we continue our journey with the God of all creation and His Son, Messiah Jesus, empowered by His Holy Spirit. It helps keep my mind straight and it helps that I learned this through simple repetition as a child never thinking, "Oh, this comes from Matthew 6". Childhood memories to the rescue.

"Our Father, Who art in heaven". Turning our attention to our heavenly Father in times of foggy reality is never a bad place to begin. He is the personal God and Father Who invites us to call Him, Abba. The intimate name from a child to their daddy. He is the Father Who hears and understands. He is the Father that has a heavenly perspective. One Who sees beyond our limited existence and experience. He has worked in the past, through every difficulty we can imagine. He is not unaware of our situation or the thoughts that may bring unrest and discomfort to our thoughts and emotions. He is not bound by politics or elections. He was not absent through four hundred years of slavery or the forty years of wilderness wanderings. He did not forsake David as he cowered in the caves or Daniel as he stood, in faith, among the lions. He was not absent at the cross nor did He abandon the women at the empty tomb. I can trust my Heavenly Father to be with me today. Perhaps, I just need to hear His words to David and "Be still and know He is God" (Psalm 46:10). Like Elijah, I wait for the mighty wind, or earthquake, or roaring fire, and miss the "still small voice" (1 Kings 19). No matter what the day brings I can rest in Him.

"Holy is Your name". The name above all names. The unspoken name among His Hebrew children as they show deference and respect to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He is our loving Father. He is also the awesome God of all creation. He is not to be taken lightly or for granted. He name is separated from every other name. Our God shares this nobility with His Son, "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth" (Philippians 2:9-10). Ephesians 1:21 offers a similar truth, That His Son Messiah is "far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come." No matter how the enemy works to turn God's name or the name of His Son into a meaningless profanity it does not change the reality of the holiness of His name. In time all of mankind will recognize that truth and bow before Him. We should not allow the turmoil of this present age to overshadow the wonder of His name or the power of His presence.

We have a more to consider from this familiar prayer given to us by the Lord Himself. Those will find their way to Torah Paranoia in the weeks to come. However, perhaps this will give you a few things to reflect upon and ponder. Perhaps it is a prayer you can revive as you enter each day and maybe, just maybe this prayer was given to us for such a time as this.   

Pavlov's America

 It seems one cannot fully escape one's past. Our minds have the uncanny ability to drag up things we did not know we could remember. Forty-four years have come and gone from my college graduation day. Yet, random things I was required to read find their way to the frontal lobes and pierce my thoughts and cause me to ponder. My studies were multi-faceted, with equal credits in psychology, sociology and Bible and a collection more in history and speech. An interest and further pursuit in cultural anthropology has been the unintended consequence. It has led to a, perhaps, unusual approach to my study of God's Word and my presentation of the Scriptures each Sunday morning. Keeping in mind the Jewish culture, idioms, history of the time and the background of the speaker or writer, as well as the audience, consumes a portion of my preparation. Knowing that Paul was a practicing Jewish Rabbi and a pharisee writing to his disciple, Timotheos, who was likewise a practicing Jew, both faithful to Torah and Jewish tradition, may well place Paul's correspondence in a different light. Our tendency to look at Scripture as if it was written to Americans with no thought to the original culture and history may rob us of the richness of the text. We may even create difficulties in interpretation that can be resolved if the context of the culture and history are considered. However, this is a unintended rabbit trail. My real point goes back to the psychology thing.

In my college days I was treated, exposed and, perhaps, mildly infected with the works of such psychologists as Pavlov, Skinner, Harlow and others whose investigations into behavioral psychology were a hot topic back in the 70's. They were interesting and required reads at the time. The question of nurture and environment verses a growing interest in the genetic links to behavior stirred controversy within the academic community. These became woven into cultural anthropology as one sought to understand how societies functioned and passed on traditions and variations of cultural norms. The concept of "stimulus and response" became a tool to evaluate how and why people did what they did. Pavlov's accidental discovery of salivating dogs became his claim to fame, as it were, and it has been copied and used as a foundation for a significant part of behavioral psychology. If you are not familiar, Pavlov noticed that when he fed his test subject dogs they began to salivate at the presence of his lab assistants even before the bowl of meat powder arrived. The very sight of the lab assistants generated a response. The lab assistants were replaced with a bell or a flashing light, creating the same response. The dogs associated the bell or light with food and began to drool before the food got there. 

The experiment was rehashed in a number of variations. Each time, without any intent by the subject, a response was triggered by stimulus. Positive reinforcement could encourage or alter a behavior. We have been borrowing this for years. "Make your bed and you get a quarter". The child will begin to make their bed automatically, at least as long as the quarters keep coming. The positive behavior will eventually become a response in the expectation of the reward; even if the reward discontinues the behavior will persist. This may wane if the reward is withheld for a period of time. Negative reinforcement was found to be more powerful. A light comes on and voltage passes through the floor of the rat's cage. He jumps on the wooden shelf to avoid the shock. After short amount of time the light comes on and the rat is on the shelf. You can discontinue the shock treatment, however, the rat will be on the shelf every time the light comes on. It will take a long time before the rat will test the floor to see if the shock still occurs. I am not suggesting you tag your child with a cattle prod every time their bed is not made; however, hanging the cattle  prod just outside their bedroom door will likely result in a made bed for quite some time to come. The simple reality is, you can control people's behavior with either a positive or negative reinforcement.

Pavlov's findings have taken on an experiment on a grand scale. A national, perhaps even international, scale. My point is not to promote one opinion or another, but, perhaps we need to think about the bigger picture. "Masks probably do not help", "Masks might be helpful", "Wear a mask to flatten the curve", "Wear a mask to help protect yourself if you are vulnerable", "Wear a mask or you will die",  "Wear a mask or you will kill others", "Wear a mask or you cannot shop". "Wear a mask or get arrested and fined". So we wear a mask. For some it is an inconvenience. For some it is assumed this will pass. For some it is life threatening due to anxiety, PTSD, or respiratory problems. However, for many, it is now a necessity. A matter of life or death. The message to provide the negative stimulus has taken hold. When the light comes on, the threat of the upcoming shock has them grab their mask. The desired result of controlling the subject has been realized. The negatively reinforced message has been ingrained and the poor little mouse will jump on the mask shelf in fear and never be able to know if it is safe again. The experiment to see if control can be achieved through fear has been a success. Now we can introduce new control factors. "The vaccine is there if you want it", "The vaccine is there for the vulnerable", "The vaccine will keep you safe" "If you refuse the vaccine you will kill others", "The vaccine is required by law", "You cannot shop without proof of the vaccine", "It matters not if you have recovered from covid19, the vaccine is required". "We can provide your children with a curriculum", ""We require that your children use this curriculum", "Your children will not be able to go to college or get a job unless they complete this curriculum", "If you do not comply, we will take your children." 

Far fetched? Just check out the history of so many countries that responded to the government's "provision" and "protection". Social utopia has a cost. Just your freedom and your rights. Government knows best. Hear their bell? Put on the mask. Pavlov would be so proud.         

Don't Let the Devil Win

God's church has done pretty well in the midst of challenging circumstances. Historically we usually do.  Satan had a great opportunity to deliver a blow to God's mission. Most of us have been unable to meet together. For the first time Resurrection Sunday services were canceled world wide. Our greatest celebration set to the side. The isolation has continued for longer than any of us had hoped or expected. However, families reconnected. We have made phone calls and checked up on our senior members. We left meals and groceries on doorsteps. We found ways to place worship, devotionals, Bible studies and messages out there on the web. Some of us "Zoom" together while others "Duo", "Face time" or video chat.The message of the gospel and the opportunity to learn about the Lord has multiplied in ways we could not have imagined. What was meant for evil has been turned to good. It has been an amazing thing to behold and a time to give glory to the Lord God for the opportunities we have had. It is also a time to pray that all this spiritual social media will have a dramatic effect and that there would be a great harvest for God's kingdom. We have more than survived the pandemic, we have been conquerors in Christ Jesus. Working through the trial is something we have demonstrated we can do successfully. It is coming out of the trauma where we often do not fair so well. 

This time will not last forever. We are seeing the isolation begin to draw to a close. In the USA different states are giving various degrees of freedom for churches to gather together once again. Churches are putting together strategies and programs to reopen. It is not an easy task and the variables depending upon your location or restrictions make the challenges even greater. On top of that all of the churches that assemble across our lands are full of people. I do not mean the building, I mean the assemblies of living breathing people. You know, all those sheep with various gifts, personalities and experiences just trying to get along. I have been involved in pastoral ministry for over forty years now, and I have seen the Body of Christ splinter in the best of times over the most trivial things. We are often our own worst enemy. In times of struggle we put divisive things aside and look out for one another. That is how it should be. And that is what we have seen. Again, it has been a glorious and God honoring thing to behold. We need to be fervently praying that this would continue.

In the process of keeping up with folks I have spent a bit more time on the phone. Emails and texting are useful, however, talking to people on the phone has many advantages and offers a little better communication. What I have found is that there are a great divergence of opinions as to Covid 19, where it came from, how dangerous it is and what to do. Opinions vary from, "This is no beg deal, I've seen worse cases of flu and colds" to "This is the clear sign of the apocalypse in Revelation". There are conspiracy theories that suggest China is the cause, the "Illuminati" is setting up a one world government, the Democrats are forcing socialism on us, or the Republicans and big business set this up to thin out the elderly, non productive, populations and force us all to buy vaccines. Some are said with a bit of humor and some with real intensity as they hope to convert me to their cause. Thus, we should be meeting together like we always have, no need for masks or precautions this was all an overreaction, we will be fine. We should not be meeting at all. We should meet in cars in the parking lot. We should meet outside. We should put speakers in the church windows so people can meet inside or outside depending on how they feel. We should meet but all wear masks and stay six feet apart. We need hand sanitizer at every door and free masks. We should not pass an offering plate or communion tray for they may have germs. Just wait until the government says it is okay. The government has overstepped its bounds, we should ignore them and just meet anyway. 

Ahh, the joy of Christian unity. The one commonality we find in every book of the Bible is the question of unity and God;s people trying to get along. Think about it, can you think of any book in the Bible that does not have some kind of human conflict in it? It seems to be the devil's most effective tool. Churches divide, families split, fellowships are ripped apart, friendships destroyed. It happens all the time. The potential for this destruction is waiting on our doorstep. How will you respond to believers with varying view on this pandemic and how to move forward? Will you feel a bit judgmental toward those with a different point of view? Satan will flood our minds with thoughts of how naive some people are. How easily some are manipulated or duped by the press. Or how arrogant and unfeeling some people are who have not suffered loss. We will be tempted to think less of others, get irritated with their boldness or lack of caution. The unity in crises could be shattered as the crises comes to a close. 

We have to move forward. We will have to begin to meet together as we all long to do. Yet, we will need remarkable forbearance and patience with one another as we do. We are likely to not get it all right all the time. Be in prayer for your pastors and church leaders who will need to make decisions as to how your church fellowship will proceed. They will not be perfect, however, my guess is that they really do care for you and will do the best they can. If you can not wait to get together, that is fine. If you are cautious and need more time, that is okay as well. We really will be put to the test as to how well we will love and respect one another in this time. The world has been watching. They will continue to watch as we proceed. What will they see? Loving people dealing with one another with patience and gentleness or a divided church struggling with division and chaos. I agree with David's thoughts in Psalm 133:1, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" I also know the other side from Jesus' words in John 10:10,“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." I know which one the Lord wants and which on the devil hopes for. I say, don't let the devil win. How about you?