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HOW COULD THEY FORGET!?!
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Whenever I would read through Scripture and would come to the story of the nation of Israel, I would always ask how they could get into the repetitious cycle of forgetting the LORD. Having gone what they went through, how could they get a couple of years removed from the situation and all of sudden not be able to remember all they had just gone through?! Tonight it, I had what can only be described as an epiphany.
Once a month for our annual Guys Group meeting, a bring a different male within our community to add to the discussion we are having about being a man within the 21st Century. Last month, we were pleased to have Jim Batten share about mutual respect and dedication amongst men. This month, Milt came and shared with us. Milt is 83. Milt gives me knuckle every Wednesday night before I have dinner in our fellowship hall. Milt has shared with me books. Milt has shared stories. Milt is a thug (I've used pimp and hustla too but all of these somehow don't seem to fit an 83 yr old man from Saint Louis. Can take a lion out of the forest right?).
Milt began to share of his life and where he came from. Incredibly poor and he knew it. WWII vet and he lived it. Father to a drug addict. He has lived some life. There was an interesting moment as Milt began to speak of WWII. You could tell as he was sharing, it wasn't just a story for him. It wasn't a tale. It wasn't a history book. It wasn't somethign he had read about. He spoke of seeing planes crashing, wounded soldiers and having to move about within the Navy in a non-combative role. Though he wasn't in active combat you could tell his experience in the war was something that within his eyes you could see the moment. Then it clicked.
For most of the people who take this blog in, stories of WWI & II, the Korean War and Vietnam are all things we have read about. Not only that but Normandy and Iwo Jima are more likely to be a level within a game than to be a part of history that have had lives associated with them. To say that 17, 18 and 19 year olds were taking over islands and liberating countries shows the distance we can have from a moment in history and forget that lives were associated with it.
The people of Israel probably found themselves in the same place. Liberation from Egypt was a part of Moses and company. Conquest of the Promised Land was something for Joshua and friends. Ousting Israel of its enemies were for David. The establishment of the temple was Solomon. You take on too much distance from those events and those become stories. Tales told by grandpa. But if we could look into their eyes we would see the lives that lived it.
For Peter, James, John and company, to walk with Jesus had to be something else. Three years of life and there He is crucified. For Mary to see her son who had walked the Earth for thirty three years, there he hangs condemned. As we recall the "story" of Jesus and the history we have inherited, if it becomes a story, we lose the lives that were lived and moment that made it history and we become just like the children of Israel. We will quickly "forget the LORD" and forget what has been given to us (the same is true of us as Americans with the dynamic history we have). You and I have lived some life and have a history that is vibrant. Allow us to remember the LORD. Hopefully this will bring it home.
Once a month for our annual Guys Group meeting, a bring a different male within our community to add to the discussion we are having about being a man within the 21st Century. Last month, we were pleased to have Jim Batten share about mutual respect and dedication amongst men. This month, Milt came and shared with us. Milt is 83. Milt gives me knuckle every Wednesday night before I have dinner in our fellowship hall. Milt has shared with me books. Milt has shared stories. Milt is a thug (I've used pimp and hustla too but all of these somehow don't seem to fit an 83 yr old man from Saint Louis. Can take a lion out of the forest right?).
Milt began to share of his life and where he came from. Incredibly poor and he knew it. WWII vet and he lived it. Father to a drug addict. He has lived some life. There was an interesting moment as Milt began to speak of WWII. You could tell as he was sharing, it wasn't just a story for him. It wasn't a tale. It wasn't a history book. It wasn't somethign he had read about. He spoke of seeing planes crashing, wounded soldiers and having to move about within the Navy in a non-combative role. Though he wasn't in active combat you could tell his experience in the war was something that within his eyes you could see the moment. Then it clicked.
For most of the people who take this blog in, stories of WWI & II, the Korean War and Vietnam are all things we have read about. Not only that but Normandy and Iwo Jima are more likely to be a level within a game than to be a part of history that have had lives associated with them. To say that 17, 18 and 19 year olds were taking over islands and liberating countries shows the distance we can have from a moment in history and forget that lives were associated with it.
The people of Israel probably found themselves in the same place. Liberation from Egypt was a part of Moses and company. Conquest of the Promised Land was something for Joshua and friends. Ousting Israel of its enemies were for David. The establishment of the temple was Solomon. You take on too much distance from those events and those become stories. Tales told by grandpa. But if we could look into their eyes we would see the lives that lived it.
For Peter, James, John and company, to walk with Jesus had to be something else. Three years of life and there He is crucified. For Mary to see her son who had walked the Earth for thirty three years, there he hangs condemned. As we recall the "story" of Jesus and the history we have inherited, if it becomes a story, we lose the lives that were lived and moment that made it history and we become just like the children of Israel. We will quickly "forget the LORD" and forget what has been given to us (the same is true of us as Americans with the dynamic history we have). You and I have lived some life and have a history that is vibrant. Allow us to remember the LORD. Hopefully this will bring it home.
Psalm 103 (ESV)
1 Of David. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6 The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. 14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. 17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, 18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. 19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. 20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! 21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! 22 Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!
