Thursday, August 5, 2010

August 5, 2010

Get on the Good Side of How Life Works
Deuteronomy 31:9-13 (MSG)

”Moses wrote out this Revelation and gave it to the priests, . . . And he gave these orders:

'At the end of every seven years . . . , during the pilgrim Festival of Booths . . . . read out this Revelation (the Book of Deuteronomy) to all Israel, with everyone listening.

12 Gather the people together—men, women, children, and the foreigners living among you—so they can listen well, so they may learn to live in holy awe before GOD, your God . . . . .' " Deuteronomy 31:9-13 (MSG)

Pastor’s Blog

Is your life one of paddling upstream or downstream?

I hate to read instructions. In fact I read them only as a last resort. Actually I start with the pictures. People who are hired to draw pictures of how to put things together ought to be replaced with better artists. The written instructions are even worse, probably written by English majors who chose the wrong major and didn’t finish school, or maybe they are unemployed doctors, lawyers, engineers or pastors.

But this terrible attitude I have toward instructions is exactly why the dresser in my son’s room was assembled with the shelves backwards. It was not only harder to do than it needed to be, but the end product looks bad and doesn’t work right.

That’s my life when I don’t read and follow the instructions. It’s hard work to read instructions, especially when they use words and concepts I don’t get. But not taking the time to read and learn them is worse, far worse. Read them and follow them. Read them and follow. Time consuming, difficult, effort consuming, but in the end the results are good.

Verse 12 says “listen well”. Listen to what? The Instructions.

Summary: figure out a way to read your Bible, understand it, reflect on it, and do what it teaches you to do. Find any way that works for you and then go for it.


(to post your thoughts, anonymously if you wish, simply click on “comments” below)

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for that freedom in reading, learning the Bible. I love gid's Word and have such a deep desire to know more, know deeper. I felt guilty because I didn't have my concordance pulled out every time I sit to read. (so yes it is great to hear you use the Greek/Hebrew words in Sunday messages!) I feel set free from that mindset! Not to say I won't ever use the concordance again. Thank you so much! That guilt no doubt occupied a place the Lord desires to occupy. And now He can and will.

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