My oldest son is not doing so hot in eighth grade math right now. Don't get me wrong, in seventh grade he went to Vanderbilt to be honored as one of the smartest seventh graders in Tennessee. English, Social Studies, Science...he's the man! Math, not so much. We had to have a "heart to heart" this evening and I was giving him a pep talk for the remainder of the school year. I said, "Just focus on the next two months and Kick some...." And out of his mouth came, "Ass". Ummmm, not quite what I was looking for. This is not the word a good Dad like me should want to hear....but it is exactly what brought a smile on my face. "Yeah, let's kick math's Ass"! It was the wrong word...ohhhhhh but it was so right.
I was reading my Bible plan for the year and came across a disturbing scripture. By the way, most scripture is disturbing. If you think about it, the Word of God at one time and still is the "Voice of God". I wonder, if we re-titled the Bible as the "Voice of God" would it change our thinking into hearing...interesting.
I digress.
The scripture is found in 2 Chronicles 25:2
He did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart.
Right here we find a scripture about King Amaziah. I won't go into all the details but what if this was pronounced over you? Is this something you would be proud of? Is it possible to do right...but be so wrong? All questions that seem to disturbingly whisper to me. I don't know about you, but I like Quantitative Christianity. Did I do this right? Is this ok? Can I get a rating on this deed, a thumbs up, 4 stars, a smiley face, or for us religious fans...an amen? My self esteem seems to go up or down based on this rating...but my love can flat-line.
Then we come to another King;
Acts 13:20-22 "Up to the time of Samuel the prophet, God provided judges to lead them. But then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, out of the tribe of Benjamin. After Saul had ruled forty years, God removed him from office and put King David in his place, with this commendation: 'I've searched the land and found this David, son of Jesse. He's a man whose heart beats to my heart, a man who will do what I tell him.
Wow! Maybe the progression of our hearing needs to be first in tune with a heart beat, then a voice to follow. David loved God. He didn't always do what was right, but man did he love God. I don't think we have to get into the whole "shall we sin that grace may abound" thing, I think we need to focus on the fact that David was madly in love with God because he heard His heart beat way before he heard His voice. Passion preludes pronouncement and poetry...and that is why we love David so much. There is hope in the air when we read the life of the New Covenant, Old Testament King. There lies hope in the life of David.
So when it comes to religion and rule living, let's kick it's....I'll let you have the last word!
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