Numbers 1:1 - 3: “Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then the fire from the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the Lord and the fire died down. So that place was called Taberah because the fire from the Lord had burned among them."
The story of the Hebrews in the dessert traveling with Moses to the Promised Land is a picture of God that I find troubling. He is so harsh and angry consuming people with fire and opening the ground and swallowing them.
I relate much more to the merciful God that takes my sins and throws them into the sea of forgetfulness. Nature does have consequences for bad choices and governments do have laws that punish wrong doing. It is necessary to keep order and peace. But I wonder how to incorporate this angry God image into my life. Should I?
For me, God has been my strength and shield. I relate to him as a child to a father. I feel that I experience his lovingkindness. I have heard people talk about dispensations to explain that God was one way in the Old Testament times and different in New Testament times. The Bible also states that God never changes. I like the idea that God never changes. I like the way Jesus in the New Testament writings introduces the father image of God to us when he teaches the prayer we call "The Lord's Prayer."
I don't want to pick and choose which parts of the Bible I believe or don't believe, but have over the years begun to see the Bible more like a friend and a trusted counselor than a magical book of immutable laws. The Bible comforts me and graces me with the stories of God and people and as miraculous as it is that we have these wonderful writings, I keep in mind that they were written from the human side of the relationship. I wonder how God's personally written book of all these times would read? And I consider that Jesus, the human image of God to be a window into God's perspective. I look at Jesus and read the words which are attributed to him in the Bible to get a fuller picture of God.
The living Bible, and I don't mean the printed translation, is written in the interactions that each of us has with God in our daily lives. The Bible didn't stop on the last page of the book, but continues each day as we walk hand in hand with Him.
John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (Words of Jesus)
Psa 103:12 "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us."
Micah 7:18-19 "Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea."
Thursday, February 16, 2012
“Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that’s charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that."
"I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You’ll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we’re at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind."
"Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.”
Attributed to Jesus of Nazareth as he spoke the Sermon on the Mount. The Message Bible translation.
I wonder what would happen in the world if international diplomacy were governed by this thought? And what would happen in every city if each individual strove to walk this way? And what would happen to me if I would live this each day?
"I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You’ll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we’re at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind."
"Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.”
Attributed to Jesus of Nazareth as he spoke the Sermon on the Mount. The Message Bible translation.
I wonder what would happen in the world if international diplomacy were governed by this thought? And what would happen in every city if each individual strove to walk this way? And what would happen to me if I would live this each day?
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