A Good Excuse
For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers, and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, Romans 15:8-9 NASB
As it is written – It’s just before the beginning of the last full month of the summer (or winter if you live below the equator). A good time to take a break and use Paul’s standard introduction of a citation from the Tanakh as an excuse to think about other pithy writing. So, here’s my short list of things that I wish I had written.
“Only an existence that is not content with the mere fact of existence can have any value.”[1]
“I know nothing about death, but I do know that God is eternity; and I also know that God is my God.”[2]
“The problem with prayer is God.”[3]
“Jesus did not learn about God by going to church.”[4]
“Therefore, the belief that something is so insignificant that it can escape God’s attention is worse than blasphemy: it is nonsense.”[5]
“The Church ceases to be a spiritual society when it is on the look-out for this development of its own organization.”[6]
“My vision of God depends upon the state of my character. Character determines revelation.”[7]
“I have always thought that one of the great things about being an adult and getting older is that I finally realized I have a license, and even a duty, to think for myself. I also have the freedom to take all views into consideration without great fear or risk of ‘contaminating’ myself. I have a number of friends — who I affectionately call ‘the Bible police’ who seem to be appalled by some of the books I read, people I quote, and the movies I watch!” [8]
[1] Chaim Stern, ed., Gates of Forgiveness: The Union S’lichot Service, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1993, p. 12.
[2] Chaim Stern, ed., Gates of Forgiveness: The Union S’lichot Service, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1993, p. 13.
[3] Brad Young, The Parables, p. 42.
[4] Brad Young, The Parables, p. 28.
[5] Adin Steinsaltz, Simple Words, p. 92.
[6] Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, July 12
[7] Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, July 13
[8] Ron Ferguson in private correspondence
Skip, is this a popularity poll, are you trying to find out which topic interests us? 🙂
My personal response would be, 1 & 7 .
“For I say that Christ (personal preference is Messiah) has become a servant to the circumcision…”
Yahshua the Messiah, has become a servant TO the circumcised, FOR the truth of Elohim, to CONFIRM the promises of covenant made to the fathers, concerning the possession of the Land, the promised seed/son, concerning Gen 15:18; 17: 10, 14 of circumcision, of every male child, is an everlasting covenant; a sign of the covenant in the flesh.
An uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, his life shall be cut off from his people-he has broken My covenant.
Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written before were written for our LEARNING, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have the expectation (of entering into the Kingdom).
Rom 15:18 For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Messiah has worked out through me, in word and in deed.
Though circumcision of the heart is the main criteria, and a vital one for Gentiles coming into the Commonwealth of Israel, obedience to the commandment/s must follow, if one professes to be YHWH’s set-apart people.
Otherwise, as Shual wrote neither the circumcision of the heart nor of the foreskin is of value, IF these do not walk in His ways to be blessed.
Rom 2:25 For circumcision indeed profits if you practice Torah, but if you are a transgressor of Torah, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
My little pointers 🙂
Not a popularity poll..Just things to think about.
When I teach I use the talmude and many other resourses,my policy is to take out what goes against torah.Knowhow can come from strange places sometimes.Speaking of knowhow I have downloaded a lot of youre teaching but cant seem to get HEBREW VIEW OF PRAYER.
We will take a look and see what the problem is.
“The problem with prayer is God.”
This certainly resonates with me!
So many times prayer seems like an empty exercise. However…
As the ubiquitous commercial announcer always says, “But, wait! There’s more!”
All these pithy sayings are spot on in my mind. So often I have thoughts that rush and scream through my mind but I don’t have skill, reason, or whatever to capture and tame them. They seem like a herd of random things scurrying around my head. Then I read simple and terse and incisive statements like Skip highlighted above, and, BAM! I agree and acknowledge that that one statement has brought together many things I’ve thought about and yet failed to connect them in to a concise observation. Once read, they just resonate within my mind. Another delicacy to taste and move around the taste buds of my thoughts.
I am grateful for people that can do that and make heavy things so simple and easy to view.
Abraham Joshua Heschel’s writings are like that. Each sentence, usually, is so full and packed with meaning and complete thought that about all I can read of him is one or two sentences. After that I just have to stop and contemplate what I read. I’m beginning to think I’ll never get done with his books.
I wish I had said those things too.
“The problem with prayer is God.”[3]
“Jesus did not learn about God by going to church.”[4]
[3] Brad Young, The Parables, p. 49.
[4] Brad Young, The Parables, p. 28.
I found #4 on page 28, however, I found #3 on page 42, not 49.
FYI.
We must have a different edition.
You are correct. I will fix it.
In a previous blog response of mine I mentioned I was trying to figure out why God invented red bugs (or chiggers, as we call them in the South.)
Maybe it is connected to one of Skip’s pithy sayings:
“Therefore, the belief that something is so insignificant that it can escape God’s attention is worse than blasphemy: it is nonsense.”[5]
[5] Adin Steinsaltz, Simple Words, p. 92.
Could it be that I think of red bugs, creatures that seem so insignificant, as useless, without meaning, nonsense? Red Bugs could be one of those creatures designed so small in relation to our ability to see in a casual way in order to teach me to look deeply in to the details of life? Are they reminders that God is in the details of His created order and that I need to expend a bit more energy in their study and character?
Could they be one of the many other ‘oddities’ in my viewpoint to act as a lesson and further reminder that HaShem is vitally connected, invested and committed to use as many items as necessary to give us a view of the vastness of his being? I take so many things for granted in my ‘make things as easy as possible’ way of life that I allow myself a blindness to so many important and significant things.
There is one lesson I can certainly see from my Red Bug episode. Michael, if you don’t pay attention to the smallest details, one day it will rear up and bite you in the butt! That IS exactly what happened to me! One of the TINIEST of creatures impacted my left buttocks that for almost two weeks now has effected my whole life in a BIG way. I itch, I scratch, I rub on lotions, I shower three times as much as normal, I’m uncomfortable, I’m irritable, I get very little sleep, I’m tired, and on and on.
Here I am all comfy and cozy in my sheltered life. Not paying attention to the things HaShem wants me to. He’s given me ample opportunity to do so, yet I just postpone it or avoid it.
Queue the Red Bugs. Michael will be in the park soon, he just HAS to ride, ya know. Gotta get his mind off the tough stuff. Never mind that I WANT him in the middle of the tough stuff. I have some details in the tough stuff I want him to learn from, but NOOOOOOO, he’s got to go ride. Ok. Queue up the Red Bugs then. Didn’t want to go this route, but…
Red Bugs ready? Here comes Michael, get ready to pounce. Left butt cheek is the target…Go! Chomp!
That ought to do it for a couple of weeks, at least. Let’s see if he’ll pay a little more attention. Hope so.
I have so much to teach him, but he just won’t sit still long enough. Red Bugs will give him a sure opportunity.
If not, lets see, what else is on the agenda I can use…?
I don’t want to use a heart attack, but I will if I have too. I love him that much!
Red Bugs, giving glory to God, helping to get Michael’s attention because of God’s love…when other thing fail to wake Michael up.
“Therefore, the belief that something is so insignificant that it can escape God’s attention is worse than blasphemy: it is nonsense.”
I believe more better now. 🙂
To understand Paul, I tend to translate him in my head
PAUL For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers, and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, Romans 15:8-9 NASB
MIKE Jesus obeyed God’s command of circumcision to confirm the promises given to the fathers and so gentiles could glorify God for his mercy
PAUL Only an existence that is not content with the mere fact of existence can have any value.
MIKE Only an existence that can find value with the mere fact of God’s existence can be content
PAUL I know nothing about death, but I do know that God is eternity; and I also know that God is my God.”
MIKE I do know that I will die and that my God is eternity
PAUL The problem with prayer is God.
MIKE The problem with God comes when I do not pray
PAUL Jesus did not learn about God by going to church
MIKE Until Jesus died there was no church
PAUL Therefore, the belief that something is so insignificant that it can escape God’s attention is worse than blasphemy: it is nonsense.
MIKE Nonsense is not a sin, but blasphemy is a serious sin (Paul is “overstating” his point for emphasis)
PAUL The Church ceases to be a spiritual society when it is on the look-out for this development of its own organization.
MIKE OK
PAUL My vision of God depends upon the state of my character. Character determines revelation.
MIKE OK
Sorry you’re dealing with the itch and aggravation Michael, but you tell a great story and brought a smile to my face today, (and I suspect to many others.)
And you’re so right. It’s so easy to get absorbed in solving our daily problems and only give God a “token” inclusion. I know He wants more…total and continual reliance on him, praise, trust, expectation…all of it, from all of us…even with the seemingly insignificant issues. Thanks for the reminder.
May your Red Bug saga be “behind” you real soon.
Thx Judi.
I’m much better after the antibiotics and steroid regiment. I had forgotten what ‘normal’ felt like.
The itching has subsided greatly and I actually slept last night for the first time in quite a while. I’m feeling whole again. It’s wonderful.
To see Jesus, I like to read Mark:
Mark 2:3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them.
4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves,
7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things?
9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?
10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . .” He said to the paralytic,
11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”
12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”