Bethel

He called that place Bethel.

 - From Genesis 28

Occasionally I will depart from my normal pattern in this blog, and not be so preachy. Today I'm struck by Jacob's experience in a dream he once had. He had placed a rock under his head, for a pillow.

Now, first, I have to comment on this thing from the Old Testament. Everybody's always using rocks for pillows, and that doesn't make any sense. Maybe they used a rock to lift their heads a little, but still covered the rock with garments, straw, or something soft, so that their head isn't resting directly on a hard rock.

Here it was, that Jacob dreamed of seeing a ladder that reached to Heaven. It's where the phrase "Jacob's ladder" comes from. He saw angels going up and down the ladder. It creates an image of God's high level of activity on earth. Angels, or messengers, are coming and going, constantly. At first, you picture it in your mind, and they seem to be processing quite orderly, staying out of each other's way. But what if it's all  chaotic? What if the angels coming and going look like a hill of ants, bumping into each other, in urgent movement?

Angels are God's messengers. Their role is to communicate with people on earth. Perhaps they are "guardian angels" but I don't know about any scriptural support for that.

Jacob comes to believe that he has found "the gateway to Heaven." He calls the place "Bethel," which I believe places it in the vicinity of Bethlehem, if not the exact some location. This makes the birthplace of Jesus at the gate to Heaven, which makes lots of sense. The symbolism of Jacob's dream, could not be more striking.

It is a major breakthrough for God's plan on earth. Humans are meant to dwell on earth. We are very "place" focused. We like owning a plot of land. In fact, control of real estate is everything . . . if you own a piece of property, you get to dictate what can and can't happen on the property. It's why out of one side of their mouths, rioters can insist their should be no borders, but out of the other, if they ever take control of property, they can't establish boundaries fast enough.

A place is now identified. The place where humanity encounters God, physically, where He abides. The place is Bethlehem. And from now on, in history, humanity will contend with itself, for control of that spot.

Sow

 . . . an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat . . . 

 - From Matthew 13

Time to eat all your words
Swallow your pride
Open your eyes

The familiar lines from the 1990 anthem by Tears for Fears, "Sowing the Seeds of Love" was a call to bring everything all together, to complete the forward social movement that had begun in the 1960s. With an upbeat tempo and smile-inducing feel, it was the perfect launch-pad to the 1990s. The decade almost closed the deal. But by the time 2000 came around, we had lost our focus and the descent into division and despair (still underway) began.

It had the wonderful imagery of "sowing seeds." I've done my share of gardening, and my favorite way to plant seed, is to sow it. In this way, you scatter it about. It requires very good, loose, healthy soil, as everything gets cast to the surface, and you need it to take root soon, without a lot of help. When you sow, it's like "casting your fate to the wind." It's a great act of faith. Your two tasks are to start a thing, and then wait.

There are two sayings: "You reap what you sow," and "He that sows to the wind will reap a whirlwind." They both are referring to The Law of Unintended Consequences. It is good to sow something like seed, which will grow into something good, like food. Sowing implies a multiplier effect. When you sow gossip, you are starting a process that will grow exponentially, as each succeeding wave of repeating the gossip gets exaggerated. If word gets around that you started the gossip, you could have very serious troubles, indeed! In fact, perhaps the most pernicious aspect of evil, is it's highly viral propensity to spread, and grow. The 2020 riots may be said to have been started by a couple people in Minneapolis, wearing goofy costumes, going around with hammers, breaking windows of retailers. Of course there were other seeds that were starting points: The George Floyd murder. The arson of a police precinct. Single, separate acts grew to a maelstrom that engulfed the continent.

But unintended consequences have come into play. Thousands of people hopped on board this movement typified by reckless, random violence. Destruction is fun, if you can get away with it. But it yields the ruining of lives of innocent people. We are, most of all, charged with making a safe world for our children and elders. But in our pursuit of social justice, we've introduced fear and dread into the lives of people that deserve to feel safe and secure. We let things get out of control. We have reaped the whirlwind.

In the parable, a reference is made to private property. Gardeners have great faith. Not only do they trust that their seed will take root, but they leave their work right out there in the open. Any passerby can step off the road, and commit damage to a field of grain, or a garden, quite easily. And the damage affects the well-being of people for months. One crop is good for one year. But a year is a long time. We plant so that we can get through the winter. Gardens are precious.

The evil person in the parable was bad enough. He just sowed some weed into the good crops. That's all. He left the good stuff alone. The rioters of 2020 did far more than that. They destroyed the good, and left bad in their wake. There's a thread in today's lesson, about leaving alone what doesn't belong to you.

There's a rippling effect. You reap what you sow. Harm someone else - count on harm coming back to you.

Law

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 

 - From Romans 8

I made a new friend yesterday. She is an attorney whose specialty is insurance law. She does not litigate, but instead conducts analysis for pending cases. Insurance cases are more like reviewing the terms of a contract, and ensuring they are followed faithfully. A lot of these cases do not make it into trial - they are settled via a mediator. The analysis phase is critical to a successful outcome for the client. Good lawyers seek favorable outcomes for their clients. Outstanding lawyers go for win-win.

The topic of law, therefore, was very much on my mind as I read today's passage, which deals in the Old Testament law and  how Christ made it null and void by paying the ultimate price for human sin.

God had sentenced humanity to the death sentence. He could not have willful beings that practice such hate towards each other, living forever. But a single, finite life would give them a taste of freedom and of life itself. If they enjoyed life enough, they would be motivated to do what it takes to attain eternal life.

There would be a final judgment (it is still to come), which would render the final judgment and sentencing for anyone that ever lived. Except that God had a bizarre approach: After serving as prosecutor, policeman, and jailer of humanity, He would appoint His Son as the lead defense attorney, thus ensuring a legal victory for humanity, forever.

Christ's defense team was superlative. Jesus researched the case by living among humans for 33 years. There were some mysterious years between his boyhood and adulthood, where perhaps He read, studied, and conducted experiments. Perhaps He took field trips throughout the universe, and to all ends of the earth. But when the time came to reveal Himself as humanity's Advocate, He was more than ready.

We think of "The Law" as being completely null and void, once Christ's life had ended. That is true, regarding the Old Testament, Mosaic law. But it had never occurred to me, that there still is a law in effect: the law of the Spirit of life in Christ.

We are in a point in history, where the idea of law itself, is coming under attack. The pushback, in American streets today, is a natural resistance to harsh law - the police-centered, prison and justice orientation of any orderly society. Nobody likes being pulled over for a traffic violation. Who doesn't cringe when a cop car files in behind them, on a highway? We are willful humans and don't like being controlled, or monitored. We can all relate to the Law of Moses. Judgments, corrections, penalties. These are not warm concepts.

Protests against the legal system means that there is such a thing as a legal system that makes us all comfortable. Is that even possible? We want people to act as we want them to. And we have no problem penalizing others, that violate our own standards. But that is not a win-win.

Christ is that law that makes us all comfortable. The law of the Spirit, is a system where people evaluate themselves. They analyze their own behavior. They judge themselves. They check their behavior. They change. And they ensure that all others are okay, as well.

It's hard to accomplish that without the Spirit . . . without Christ.

Blot

Our sins are stronger than we are, but you will blot them out.

 - From Psalm 65

I was in a rock and country band in the early 2000s. We were led by an outstanding guitarist that wrote most of our original music. He was very gifted in his songwriting. Our bass player was a veteran of garage bands going back to the 1960s. There was me on keyboards and some vocals, and we had a female vocalist that would sing some leads and background. And then we had a drummer.

The drummer was very good. He tended to use the ride cymbal too much. But his backbeat and sense of tempo were outstanding. We never gave him any drum solos, however. Occasionally a song would call for a little drum break . . . but he would just stay in the pocket and not do anything different, or awe-inspiring.

I said to the lead guitarist, "We've got to encourage (the drummer) to do more with those solo opportunities!"

He replied with a question that has stuck with me, for over fifteen years:

What if he can't?

Wow! I had never considered that. Our entire culture is being wrecked by people getting triggered over what offends them, and expecting everybody else to read their minds. The wrong tone, the wrong words, the wrong appearance, the wrong background . . . all of these things can get you into big trouble today! You can lose your job!

Those traits are also things that people, for the most part, can't help.

My heart goes out to my daughter. I had gotten frustrated with her tone during her teen years. It became hard to talk to her. She always sounded so defensive and hostile. But then others would share with me, how much they enjoy her acerbic wit, which made me realize that I have been complimented for the same thing.

I broached the topic with her. She expressed some hurt, in people assuming she means ill toward others, when she's just conversing, her way. She said something like "Dad, that's just the way I talk. I can't help my voice."

This conversation with her, forever, will impact how I approach all people.

People don't act as we want them to. What if they can't?

This is what the Psalmist means by our sins being stronger than us. We just can't help it. That's the problem. What a weight off our shoulders!! Maybe you just can't help it!

God blots them out. Think about the act of "blotting." Our Heavenly Father will dab a little here, a little there. He'll start with the edges and dry them out, wiping away the stain of guilt, anger, and even hate.

That's a whole lot better than the world's approach, which wants to intimidate us into shape.

Memorial

... and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial ...

 - From Isaiah 55

A little handful of people today, in the US and other westernized parts of the world, have been committing violence against people and property, now for over a month. Every day. 

It is said that they are trying to tear down western culture, capitalism, the nuclear family, faith, historic concepts of honor and dignity. 

One of the first goals of revolutionaries is to remove icons of the old ways. Topple the heroes. Turn the good into evil. Make things topsy-turvy.

Take George Washington. Among his many virtues, was his famous principle not to seek power, but to accept it only as a last resort. After two terms in office he retired, although he could have continued as President for life, had he chosen. He set in place a golden precedent that lasted for 150 years: two terms and out. This trait is so rare today, that we would consider something to be wrong with the ambitious politician that practices it. But since he participated in an institution that was common in the 18th Century, and had been since the dawn of time, he is being toppled today, both figuratively and in reality. If Washington was bad, then political ambition must be good. 

Remove our monuments and memorials, and perhaps our memories, too, will be removed, of the values represented in the memorial. Future generations are asked to remember something about the honored person. What? And why? When we see an image of President Washington, we should be aware of the positive things that he represented.

They even want to remove representations of Christianity. 

But Isaiah recorded that nature itself is God's monument. The water cycle of nature: the rain comes down, waters the earth, gives growth to plant life, and then returns into the heavens in the form of clouds, where it begins all over again. 

God's plan, likewise rains down. His Word goes forth. Justice, peace, and plenty come forth. God's plan returns to Him in perfect fulfillment. There's a continuous spiritual cycle that spreads His love and His plan around like seeds, which are planted in good soil and nourished. The full growth comes forth finally, in the eternal Kingdom of God. Nature has it's storms, as does human society - but storms too are part of the process that thins the earth's produce and ensures the full spread of water and the strengthening of life. We are in such a storm today. 

When you look about and see beautiful tree-covered vistas, you are looking at God's monuments. Nobody will ever tear it down, permanently. There will always be more plant life bursting forth. There is no end to the reminders of God, all about us. 

Read "My Prelude to 2020" here. 

Remembered

I will make your name to be remembered from one generation to another . . . 

 - From Psalm 45

There's a curious and cruel aspect to human sin: the erasing of the memory of another human. 

We are a fallen race. We know we're sinful. We see the inevitable ending - death - that awaits every single one of us. The ultimate fate of our bodies is corruption. And, a corruptible thing must be, by default, corrupt. 

We're corrupt and we know it. We have been alone with our own thoughts, the things that we never share publicly, and we know the wickedness, the selfishness, the emotional turmoil and decadence. For that reason, it is impossible for one human ever to be completely open and candid with another. 

Only God knows what goes on between our ears, and thank God He never reveals it to others. 

To address this sin within us, we try a myriad of remedies: work, hobbies, relationships, physical fitness, busy-ness. We create religious systems and rituals. We join up in causes that only "good people" would appreciate. We get bumper stickers and signs. We join marches. We do whatever we can, to at least build a facade that says "I am good."

But our thoughts, and deepest motivations, our fears, our hates and our emotions, remain our master.

In the past few weeks, society has advanced a new way to distract us from our own personal sin: the removal of memorials of people that went before; the toppling of monuments; the canceling of anything that makes us uncomfortable. 

Frailties, and faults of others, especially famous people, are reminders of our own failings. We choose heroes and craft them into mirrors of ourselves. 

Cal Ripken is my hero. Therefore, I am like him, for I want to be like him. 

Problem solved?

No. Because one day, Cal Ripken will be shown to be human, and fallible. At that point, we must topple his monument. We must forget him. We may even need to erase him. 

And find a new hero. 

One of my life missions, is to promote the memories of extended family members from my family tree - those that never married, nor had any children. I create narratives about them. I put life into the dry records left behind by them. They were loved by their nieces, nephews, cousins, siblings, parents, and must not be forgotten. 

It is cruel, and profane, to erase the memories of those that went before. 

Be not surprised when they are found to be fallible. That's the whole point. It's easy to remember only what makes us feel good. But everybody, everywhere and anywhere, eventually, does or says something to make us feel bad. There will be awkward memories. But as my cousin, Mary Louise Miner once said "I don't care. They're family and I love them."

We're supposed to focus on the positive, right? It's unhealthy to drill down on a person's frailties. 

Right?

Let's do it, then. Keep the good stuff. And remember. 

Hold Fast

You shall fear the Lord your God; him alone you shall worship; to him you shall hold fast . . . 

 - From Deuteronomy 10

There are a lot of words, phrases, and idioms, that we use all the time, without knowing their actual meaning. We may even use them inaccurately, while intending to sound intelligent or creative. For instance, when you are signing a credit card bill, and the retailer says "Put your John Henry right here." Of course the person's way off . . . the correct formulation is "John Hancock." The meaning is lost . . . in fact there is no meaning. We understand what they meant, but the wording is wrong. Or likewise, in the same scenario, when they say "Now sign your autograph on this line," when they should be saying "signature."

We like these cool-sounding phrases. We want to sound hip. We like the way it feels and it makes us accessible to the people around us. It's all okay. 

What about the phrase "hold fast"? This one gets tossed around a lot. It's a great pair of words, and we all know how to accurately insert it into our conversation. We know that it means "Hold on tight." But that doesn't tell us the literal meaning, the historic rendering of the phrase. When we know where it comes from, we might be more careful how we use it in the future. 

"Hold fast" is actually referring to the way that a parasite clings to its host. Or, it also describes the mechanism by which a plant's roots cling deep into the soil. 

So it's not just "Hold on tight." It actually means "Hold on in this way, because your life depends on it." And I would go a bit further. It's not even describing, for instance, a safety belt in an amusement park ride. They do hold you in, but they are an external force placed upon you. They might even be fastened by someone other than yourself. Holding fast means clinging to something in your own strength, voluntarily. It may even be that, while so attached to another entity, you are able to feel the life-force flowing into you. An unborn baby holds fast to his or her mother. 

That's our healthy relationship to God. 

It's Independence Week in the U.S. Deuteronomy 10 describes the relationship that any godly nation should have with the Lord. It talks about the ethical purity of God. His impartiality. We are commanded to care for widows and orphans, as well as immigrants. It has challenges for both the modern Left and Right (each of which has its own emphases that they do not execute well). 

The call to America is as it always has been: 

Hold on to God . . . for dear life.

See "My Prelude to 2020" here.