Deep Deep?

Every sunday I walk through double glass doors and slouch in line for a donut. It's usually a twistee, accompanied by a friendly conversation. I launch my bible in the middle of a large sections of seats; it really doesn't matter who I sit next to. This is the sunday routine.

A regular part of church service is announcements. The token well-suited Seminary student slips a few jokes, and proceeds to dish out the weekly dosage of events and info. The phone numbers and times are ho-hum, but if the announcement concerns a missionary, preaching, or a church service a whole different attitude blooms. Vibrant eyes, lots of teeth in a smile, a proud timbre, a slight tilt of the head, with increased blinking; it's like he just ate a 100 dollar meal.

He just really believes in what Mr.Visiting Speaker, or Special church service; no big deal right? Well, one encouragement is great. But as in many things, if all the announcements have the same enthusiam, then no announcement really stands over another. If everything is important, then nothing is important. Important is a class of priority over another, which means something has to be disposable, or neglectable in order for another thing to be essential, to have prominence.

Is it regular to display the same vigor for the lord week by week? I assumed it was fececiousness? There was something about the lips or the eyes; I didn't believe the authenticity.

Perhaps this is subtle part of maturity of Christ. Christ is eternal; he is divine. Why should desires dissipate? Why should affection falter? The object does not tarnish nor change. Some would call this boring, but remember, Christ is perfect. Interest should be due to him. So why does our emotions fly through perpetual mountains and valleys? Probably because our desires are too weak. Well spoken was C.S. Lewis when he diagnosed the human condition. A large part of maturity in God is continued affection for our lord. Not a large vault of information. We are not theological servers to hold information. We are hands, hearts, legs, and bodys for the fruit of the lord. We are as mature as our fruit. Fruit is action. Galatians, 2 peter, all list these things. Maturity is affection!

Poor Jeremiah

Vulnerable to imminent danger, Israel searched for a response. The remnant in Judah ears and minds echoed with the murmurs of the strong Chaldeans; their conquest possibly consuming their city. Very aware of their weakness in military power, two solutions remained. The simplest solution gambled on cat and mouse; Israel would lock in and hope to go unnoticed or bypassed. The second possibility moved the people of Israel under the Protection in Egypt.

Stomaching uncertainty, the leaders sought God's wisdom on the issue. By request, Jeremiah prayed to the Lord for 3 days. At the end he got an answer, and guess what?

The people didn't like the answer.

If you will remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I relent of the disaster that I did to you.

Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: If you set your faces to enter Egypt and go to live there, 16 then the sword that you fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine of which you are afraid shall follow close after you to Egypt, and there you shall die.

And Amazingly enough the people answered:

You are telling a lie. The Lord our God did not send you to say, Do not go to Egypt to live there, 3 but Baruch the son of Neriah has set you against us, to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they may kill us or take us into exile in Babylon.

How many times do I find myself in similar situations? Zero. I have no clue what Chaldeans are, or how they look. Chaldeans could be a skunk people with an aversion to humans that shower with excessive amounts of dove lotion. But this is not the point, do I listen and obey God?

Consider the story. Israel ASKED for what God's opinion and then bypassed it. Were they actually looking for instruction? Perhaps they were looking for a divine affirmation to the plans that they already had in mind. Many times Ill have an opinion in mind. I will consult other people, but this "consulting" hides a secret search for affirmation. If I present my opinion to someone that disagrees, I will continue "consulting" until I find someone that agrees. So how humble was I really? Half a rice kernel's worth, I'd say.

A vile part of me has contempt for Israel. They knew it was the word of God! Obey! Duh! It's always easier to fuss from the skybox. Try griping on playing field. For all the people knew, Jeremiah was the forgotten crazy uncle. He wasn't married; he would stand in random places and just start talking. How were they to know? The strategy Jeremiah recommended bunkered the remnant in a spot that offered less protection. Egypt was a long standing nation and military power, who wouldn't want to sit in their lap for a few generations? So, if judgment and frustration comes to mind, pause to think a bit, and a little compassion please. Figuring out the voice of God was not so obvious.

The nights are quiet, and my prayers rarely possess me to beginning conversations with "Thus sayth the lord". I don't hear the voice of God. No writing burns on my bedroom walls. No donkey comes to my window to rebuke me. So in some sense i don't have the same tension as Israel. Though I don't have the enlightenment to the word of God, I do have his word. His word says simple things like sin not, believe, have mercy, search for the lord. What of economics? What about schooling? What about life choices? How can I get this setup or situation in life? These questions are not resolved in the bible. Will i believe simply or make somethign complex about the whole thing? That is my call. The word has spoken well, and thoroughly that I should live simply. Will I do that much? Will i resist formulation for Joy, strategies convenience, or even wisdom for ministry?

"the foolishness of God is stronger than the wisdom of men"