Go To Them, (but it's their problem)

 I am not inspired to write today, but nearly every person who teaches about writing says that if you are going to be a better writer that you have to write, even when you don't feel inspired. This is where I am today. I have lit my candle, a subtle reminder to myself that I need to focus on writing and here I am. I am going to look through my notes on possible subjects for humorous/ironic Bible thoughts and we will see where it goes...

As I write this I am preparing a message for Sunday about the root cause for murder. It is our attitudes and what is in our hearts. In Matthew 5:21-26, Jesus talks about how our words and deeds will get us in trouble with the courts but it's what's in our hearts that gets us in trouble with God. 

In the middle of this discussion on murder and attitudes, Jesus says if "Your brother has something against you...go and be reconciled to your brother." What stands out to me here is that it doesn't say if you have done something wrong, which is actually covered in verses 25-26, but if the other person is offended. This puts the responsibility on us when the person with the attitude problem is someone else. This just doesn't seem fair. It's their problem after all, right? Not according to Jesus.

If someone has something against us even when we are innocent, we have a responsibility. God doesn't want just us to be right with him but others also. We are our brother's keeper. The selfish motive is if you resolve the issue the chances of being murdered are reduced, even if it's just killing our reputation. 

I will mention here there are people in our lives that if we go to them it will make everything worse, then I believe God would not want us to go. This is where I agree with AA's step 9, "Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others."  There are people who if we go to them will actually make them even angrier, so going to them would cause them to sin more, therefore we shouldn't do something which would cause them to sin.

Yes, it would be easy to say, that's their problem, but it's not that way in the kingdom of God. I think this is ironic and a little funny especially if you think about it this way: You want not to be murdered? then try and have a good relationship with those around you. Yes it seems obvious, but we don't always do it, which is ironic. 

If you love her, die.

She's the Queen.

 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. Ephesians 5:25-27

The verses before this are often argued over, misused, and misinterpreted. However, I don't want to focus on women's submission but the radical thing Paul is saying to husbands. Paul says husbands need to do one thing for their wives, die. Oh yes, lots of guys say they are willing to die for their wives to protect them but they won't die to themselves and help change the diapers or listen to her talk. Men often want to talk about being willing to die but are they really willing to die like Jesus? Remember all that Jesus gave up. He left heaven, he worked with some really hard-headed people and those were the disciples, and he took abuse that was not deserved without retaliating, I hope you get the picture. I have said this before in other posts, but if men are going to claim the wife submit they had better first be dying (sacrificing) to make the woman all she can be. This means helping her be the greatest mother, teacher, CEO, congresswoman, president, author, etc that she can be, not the greatest thing you want her to be. You, husbands, are the servant, not her. Servants don't hit their masters. They don't yell at them and they certainly don't expect to be served hand and foot after a hard day's work.

Oh, for those who think Paul hated women? Read your Bible without bias and you will find God through Paul had a real sense of humor. Paul first tells men that their wives are to submit to their own husbands (not someone else's) in the Lord (doing what is right). But then, tells the men, "Oh, by the way, you're really the servant here."  

I'm sure this really went over well in the Roman patriarchy. 

It's kind of funny when you think about it. She, the wife, is really the queen. You husbands aren't the king. 

After Weeping...

 Last week I talked about how unfair things are. However, as much as I hate, and I really do hate and fear the anxiety that comes with these unexpected and unwelcome panic attacks.

However, we live in a fallen world and as much as I yell unfair, I really don't want fair. I want part of someone else's good life and none of someone else's bad life. When I yell unfair what I really yell is I want more. Because if I really wanted fairness, I could give up a lot of the security and even what little (in American terms) money I have so I could make my life more equal with the rest of the world. But that's not what I want when I yell out "Unfair." I want someone else to give up.

I want someone else to give up money, security, or fame.

I want God to give me, what I want.

Now to be honest, I believe we can make the world a better place and we should strive to do so. The first step as a Christian is after we have had our moments of grief, fear, anger, and yes, panic. to go back to God and just continue to follow Him. 

There is coming a better world where we will understand and where things will be made right, but until then let's just follow.

OKAY, next week I'll try and get back to finding funny or ironic things in the Bible. 

Go ahead and weep

 “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”

Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you?” Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” 

Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”  John 21:18-22 NTL

What is that to you?

I have noticed that Jesus never promised that he would be fair by our definitions of fairness. Actually, God is pretty unfair, by our definitions (the same to everyone) throughout the Bible. We see this as we read Hebrews 11 where at the beginning it lists miracles and blessings and then the writer of Hebrews lists others who weren't saved, provided for, and who died horribly. They weren't even named. This seems so unfair, not only did they not receive a miracle but their names seemed forgotten or unimportant enough to even list. 

Of course, they aren't forgotten and though they didn't get the miracle in this world they do get something better in heaven according to the Scriptures but for now... It stinks.

Perhaps this is why God, inspired so many complaints in the Psalms. He knew how we would feel and God's okay with that. I'm working through this struggle as I write this. It's hard. I want to cry, Correction, I have cried out to God this morning after a morning dream triggered a panic attack in me. 

THIS ISN'T FAIR...WHY?

God listens and He's okay with where I am.

Next week I will continue this thought but for now, I want to stop and say to you. It's okay to ask God why but no matter the answer and especially when there is none, keep following. It's okay to feel disappointed for a time and I'm giving it to you now. 

Go ahead and weep. 

Don't Take A Sabbath...

NOT!

Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. Mark 2:27 NTL

I have often said that God gave us the sabbath because we needed it. I still believe this but recently I have been concluding that this is only part and a small part of sabbath. It is far bigger than us taking a day off. 

First, before I go any further, I want to say that I'm not saying we need to institute the blue laws again as a cure to our problems. The problems in the world require changed hearts not changed laws. Nor am I arguing which day of the week should be the sabbath. This according to Paul (Romans 14) is not worth arguing over and is actually a stumbling block. Sabbath at the end of the day should bring freedom, not bondage.   

The sabbath as I see it was given to help. The problem I think many have today is thinking that the sabbath is taking a day off to rest for ourselves. I have said and have heard others say, “I took a sabbath.” The problem here is that if we really look at the commands the sabbath is something we don't take, we give. 

So, who are we to give the sabbath to?

1. The Lord God (Exodus 31:15)

2. Family (Exodus 20:10)

3. Servants/employees (Exodus 20:10)

4. Foreigners (Exodus 20:10)

5. Livestock/land (Exodus 20:10)

6. Ourselves (Exodus 20:10)

Sabbath means far more than taking a day off. It means giving others a day off and of course doing it to honor God. 

I could go into depth here but giving an honest sabbath is a sacrifice in today's world. If instituted honestly in the lives of Christians, it would mean we would need less from others and nature. This would be a good thing.  

I recently read a book called Subversive Sabbath and though I don't agree fully with some of the concepts the author puts forth, it helped me cement a concept, I hate to admit, I fall very short in, giving an honest sabbath to God, others, and myself. 

Side Note: There are more scriptures than the ones I listed I was just listing one of many.