Shade Tree Wisdom 1/19/09

Well, it’s warmer this week than last. But then, today Michigan struggles with 20 and snow, so who are we to complain?

But complain we do, constantly. The Scripture reading from the Old Testament for last Sunday was from 1 Samuel, 3, l – 10. It speaks of young Samuel in the temple. But the days were bad, the priest in charge, Eli, was going blind, and his sons were misusing their position and paid no attention to Eli’s admonishment.

And the line that stands out was this one, “and the Word of the Lord was rare in those days, there was no frequent vision”. Indeed, it reports that “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” That speaks of the line in Psalm 12,11, “The wicked freely strut about when that which is vile is honored among men”.

So?

The Word of the Lord surely is not rare among us, is it? More Bibles are printed and sold each year than any other book. There is no contest. Bibles are freely available nearly everywhere. Millions of homes have at least one copy, and many have several. Motel and Hotel rooms, hospital bedside drawers, offer them. Churches dot the landscape, and there is no end of Bible colleges and such offerings.

And, the Book of Hebrews tells us that “The Word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge both the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and are laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Heb. 4,12.13.

Those words surely are plain enough, are they not? The Bible is so clear that we can know what it teaches. Our problems seems to be with our hearing. How else explain, for instance, “gay rights” people picketing the church of the pastor who was asked to give the invocation at the Inauguration tomorrow. Why? He said what the Bible says so plainly about such a style of life – it is a sin, and abhorrent to God.

In their Book, In Search of Excellence, the authors stressed need “for brilliance on the basics, and basic simplicity in a complex world.” And that is what the Bible is. Brilliant in cutting through the ‘garbage’ in our lives. The fog, the lame excuses. It punctures and penetrates, and shows us quite simply what God says.

Our Lord once asked, “Why do you call me Lord, and do not do what I say.” And God Himself said of Him, “This is My Beloved Son, listen to Him”.

Pray the Lord will give us a listening ear, and willing heart to do. May He bless us so.

GPD 1/19/09