Where We Are

In the Torah Reading this week, I just found myself embracing the 30th chapter of Deuteronomy in such hope, and I also found myself cringing in sorrow at the choices I've made in the past and the ones this nation continues to make.  I realize this passage was given to the children of Israel before they entered the Promised Land, and I do not advocate replacement theology, but the Apostle Paul, said believers were grafted in, therefore; if we want the promises, we need to read the Instructions!

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:  That thou may love YHWH thy G-d, and that thou may obey His voice, and that thou may cleave unto Him: for He is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou may dwell in the land which YHWH sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.        Deuteronomy 30:19, 20

A lengthy conversation today, only confirms exactly where the problem of our nation lies.  Many have the audacity to want our Creator to accommodate our wish list for life, as we've defined it.  I have heard some twisted logic to make justifications, but our society has truly made the the most frightening "leap of faith" I can imagine.  We have people using Scripture to justify abomination, big name preachers claiming to preach truth, and of course, thousands of denominations all with the answer that "comforts them!"  We've taken the Holy Word of YHWH and put it into our own context!

We all know what being taken out of context feels like.  Parents all remember when our preschooler or early elementary aged child first attempted "out of context!"  It sounds so innocuous, at first; in that you remember the statement verbatim, but somehow that wasn't what you meant . . . and then you scramble to recollect the context of what they are saying and what you meant, or at least what you didn't mean.  You don't dare let them know you're scrambling for the scenario that has produced this recognizable statement.  Of course, they get better at it with time, but sadly both parent and child realize, it's just one more thing to keep a parent mindful of their words, and at least the adolescents will pay attention to capitalize on any opportunity to feed you back your very own words.

Sadly, many choose to do this, with our Heavenly Father's Word, as well.  Word of Warning. HE is not a distracted human and He was smart enough to get His Word, put in writing.  As a minister, I've heard people justify all sorts of truly outrageous behavior and self-serving lavish spending, while judging others less indulgent.  Many television preachers are, literally, a mockery to anything remotely holy and manage to justify an almost exemplary scofflaw lifestyle under the guise of blessing and 501c3 ministry.  I won't even attempt to sort through the various denominational debates over Scripture.

My point is this.  Taking the Word of YHWH out of context is not choosing life.  I'm going to be honest, here.  The nation cannot return to a place it never was.  This nation was never founded on the Instruction or Word of YHWH, but life was created on the Word of YHWH.   We can, therefore; as individuals come to Him in the context of His Word, take Him at His Word, and honor Him in obedience to His Word, which is to choose life.