30 August 2006

I Think He Gets It

A lot is communicated when Job 32 says Elihu did not speak until everyone older than him finished speaking. It communicates value to those with more life experience. It communicates listening skills that wait for everyone to finish speaking. It communicates a desire to understand Job and his three friends. It communicates great wisdom on Elihu's part. It communicates that age is no necessary indicator of wisdom, knowledge, or godliness.

It should come as no surprise, then, that Elihu is the closest to understanding God in the book to this point. Job understands God, but he definitely accuses God of many things. He genuinely thinks God made Job an enemy. The three friends obviously do not get it because, like Job, they take the sowing and reaping principle to an extreme. Elihu begins angrily because none of the older, would-be wiser gentlemen are giving God His due honor. Elihu reminds us that sowing and reaping are part of life, while God seeks to rescue from much of what we've sown! Elihu rightly observes that God isn't happy about Job's condition; He wants to rescue Job from it. However, Job didn't wait. Job complained from day one. Though he never turned against God, his complaints and mutterings accused God unwisely.

I thought the book of Job was about suffering at one point in my life. If Elihu is as wise as he seems so far, that isn't the case. The book is about grace. God let Satan wreak havoc around Job and eventually to Job. Nevertheless, God preserved Job's life. God had the rescue for Job, even when Job complained and demanded God's justice on his own terms (as Elihu pointed out). Our just God listened to the complaints and preserved Job's life anyway. (After all, if Satan sought to get Job while he was righteous, I imagine he sought to kick Job while he was down and end that life. God said, "No." That conversation in the throne room is just not recorded.) God not only had a just plan; He would use it. That would come after Job learned some valuable lessons that should teach us a thing or two. In suffering what is our response? Do we complain? If so, we're being honest. But are we demanding justice on our own terms? Are we questioning God's ability to hold us in His hands? Are we accusing Him of turning against us? In suffering are we open conduits for God's grace?

29 August 2006

What a Day!

1) I had an extremely long shift at Sears today: 10:00 a.m. till 7:30 p.m. Ordinarily this would have been great. No opening, no closing. Just prime selling hours. Unfortunately, I've seen more action in an art museum. Fortunately, the Lord is providing for us and not my job. :) Who needs a big sales day?

2) The real reason for this post and the reason I wanted to blog tonight is because the superiority of the Canadian banking system to the American banking system was proven again today. Prior to our most recent trip to Nova Scotia, Natasha and I juggled numbers and set ourselves up with an emergency (tiny) line of credit (more for when we got back than for the trip itself). This was intended to protect us in case our balance dropped below "$0." (It was like overdraft protection.) I was approved on the 25th, so I signed the documents at the branch in town as we left for Canada. We were blessed with an amazing weekend (more to follow on this weekend on another day - or on MySpace). We spent money normally. We came back. I paid beaucoups bills! Natasha went to Subway with Rebeckah and had to bum money because our card was suddenly no good. You know, the card with which I withdrew $20 this morning (indicating my low balance). I was picked up from work and tried my card at the nearest branch of our US bank. "Invalid card," read the screen. So I called Jacqueline at our bank call center.

Jacqueline was very helpful. She said that the card was invalid because we would have a negative balance. She helped me realize that the bank that approved my emergency line of credit had no record of it anywhere else. After 15 minutes of my trying to explain that I really know what's going on in my banking world (and being on hold), her supervisor said that they could detect some traces of my banking history over the weekend. Still, they couldn't find an account number with my name on it anywhere - four days later! So, Jacqueline and I sat on the phone as she told me that she had no record that I had been approved, signed for, and spent into a line of credit. Yet I did all weekend up till today, from the moment I signed the papers in person at a branch less than 20 minutes away.

Here's the kicker. After further investigation Jacqueline told me the whole trouble started with my HOME branch. They put a hold on my account because they have no idea why we have spent so much money in the last several days. My home branch that literally said on the phone that I would have to go to town to sign because their branch would close too early for me to get there. My home branch that sent my information to the other branch so that I could complete the approval. My home branch that regularly calls and exchanges business with their sister branch in town. My home branch with whom I communicated that we would be traveling. Yes, my home branch. They put a hold on the card so that it will ring up "invalid" until I go personally and see them to explain why I think it's okay to spend beyond "$0." I think I'll remind them that they sent my information and approved me. (Oh, and I work days this week, so I can't go see them because they're open from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. daily.)

Believe me, this is more funny than it sounds. Even Jacqueline asked me why I wasn't angry. I'm not angry because the Holy Spirit is in control of my life. I'm also not angry because until now the American banking experience has been too smooth. :) I miss RBC!!!!

3) Natasha was blatantly hit on today. Bigtime. More on that on her blog....

28 August 2006

What Took Him So Long?

It should be clear by now that I think Job had reason to complain. I've only posted a few times about this, but Job was up against a LOT! I, frankly, would have complained more than Job. I would have had much more to say to my friends. One thing I wonder tonight: why did it take so long for Job to address God personally? He said on many occasions, "I question God," or, "I call to God," but it wasn't until 30:20 that the cries became personal. He says, "I cry out to You, O God." He referenced God. He complained about God. He accused God. Yet it wasn't until the conversation was almost over that Job finally addressed God. And God was the One who would listen! Before I get to hard on Job I should admit that I often think about turning to God long before I do it aloud. Here, everyone, is the key to honesty with the Lord in prayer. It's not only turning to God; it's turning quickly to God aloud. Even if you're alone. Aloud. Try it and let us all know how it goes.

23 August 2006

What Bildad Missed

Job was ticked. There's no point in fantasizing; he was upset about his condition. I would have been, too. Having seven children, my livelihood, and my health completely taken away, only to be left with a nagging, impious wife, would be trying. So Job complained. Job's friends, who approached him originally to comfort him, began chastising him. Chastisement is unnecessary, especially when someone really needs God's comfort communicated.

Bildad was one of the chastising friends. I was reading Bildad's remarks earlier and I realized something. Bildad was partially correct. In his first address to Job, Bildad told Job that he had nothing to say to God because humans life on earth is a breath compared to God's eternal reality. True. He also said that Job needs to remember that God knows our every deed. True again. What did he miss?

Bildad missed something very important that would have put some needed truth into the chastisement. He didn't miss the fact that God knew about Job - what Job did. He missed the fact that God knew Job - who Job was. And Job knew God. They were friends. If Bildad would have delivered his opening argument and turned to remind Job that God knew him, both gentlemen may have had revival. (Isn't it powerful? God, who is infinitely more than anything we conceive knows us intimately!) But Bildad missed the boat. He forgot that even in the Old Testament God knew people.

He walked with Adam in the cool of the day. He bickered with Abram over the fate of Sodom. He gently whispered to Elijah. Were Job to stop his complaining and speak with a positive mental attitude, he would have been like a white-washed tomb: dead with his complaints on the inside, bright with his words on the outside. Instead Job was honest with God. Job felt the complaints, and he said them. He treated God like a friend, even he didn't feel like God's friend. He felt beaten up by God, but he didn't cut God off. Who among us is courageous enough to be completely honest with God? If we do that, doesn't that open us up to God's response?

21 August 2006

Under Attack

For those spiritual fanatics (like myself) out there, this is actually not about spiritual warfare. Natasha and I actually had a very relaxing walk earlier today. We both had the day "off," so the walk was part of our plan to do nothing. Ordinarily the railroad path made ATV trail behind our home makes for an uneventful walk aside from the occasional loon or bald eagle. Today was another story....

Today Natasha and I had a showdown with a skunk. A real skunk. The kind of skunk that had enough power in its tail to make up for its size disadvantage. There we were, walking back toward the house when we noticed him. He was no bigger than a small cat, except his tail. I might not have noticed him, but Natasha said, "Uh-oh," and his tail went up in warning. Now we all know that animals react like that when they are scared. Or at least that's what our mothers told us. This one may have been scared, but that tail up was a warning. We stopped dead in our tracks, but our pursuer pushed forward.

I began planning our not-too-hasty retreat when I noticed something. Our skunk friend was looking for a way off the path. He didn't want to cross paths any more than we did. The trouble was, we were in a heavily planted area. He couldn't find an escape! So there we were - us and Saul the Skunk. Saul, nosing along for an escape, moving closer and closer to us with his ominous tail. We, standing still as if we weren't 30 times this animal's size, knowing that anything we did to defend ourselves would result in a tomato soup bath.

I took a step back when Saul came within ten feet of us. Saul, however, had found his exit! He went into the brush to the side of the trail. Natasha and I looked at one another and I asked, "Should we run?" Natasha, who had by this time stepped behind me in bravery, agreed. With all the courage of two brave warriors under attack, we ran past Saul's exit, lest he lay in ambush. We were not sprayed today.

20 August 2006

Maintaining the Image

This goes out to my small group, though I doubt any of you really know I have a blog, let alone read it. :)

We talked the other night about the difference between King Saul and young David. Saul was all about protecting his reputation. He had an image to maintain after all! David, on the other hand, did not allow his drive for a good reputation to drive him. There is a psalm of David that I think lets us into David's heart: Psalm 37. These two verses give a unique insight:

"Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him and He will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun" (Psalm 37:5-6).

David didn't worry about protecting himself because he committed everything he did to the Lord. Everything. Even his physical life!

So what about us? How do we maintain our image? No one wants a damaged reputation. You never know when someone might tell you that you've failed as a friend, a family member, a Christian, a minister, or whatever! You will be tempted in those times to protect yourself, to defend your cause. Like David, commit everything you do to the Lord. TRUST HIM. TRUST HIM. TRUST HIM. It is HE who will make your innocence radiate, HE who will make your just heart shine. (And if you're not innocent or just, it is HE who can work that in you before you get defensive, proving you're not innocent or just.)

19 August 2006

Back to the Bible

1) Even if you don't like the Bible, do yourself a favor and read Esther. The story is extremely well-written.

2) How can we read passages like 1 Corinthians 12 without reevaluating how we operate as a church? The passage clearly indicates a variety of spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit, according to the Spirit's own unction (my favorite Scott word that fits perfectly here). The passage indicates that we all have the Spirit's gifts so that we can exercise them for the Spirit's use in the Spirit's church. The passage compares all of us with our various gifts to our bodies, which have various parts all used together to operate as one body. It asks what good our bodies would be without some of those smaller, less dignified parts. Two thoughts...

2a) How can we ever separate ourselves from ANYONE in our churches? Even those people who require extra grace are given the Spirit's gifts and grace for the good of us all. Spiritual gifts are not given based on maturity, age, income, experience, intelligence, or physical attributes. They are given as the Spirit sees fit. As the Spirit sees fit. However the Spirit sees fit.

2b) Who are we to decide what is and what is not a spiritual gift for our church and time? Who are we to decide whether a gift is helpful for the faith? If gifts are given as the Spirit sees fit, then any gifts we experience are a benefit (whether or not we understand that). It should be said that gifts exercised in ecstasy under our own unction have led many of us to question the inexplicable gifts. Some even think that prophecy, healing, tongues, and interpretation are not for us at all. They are for us now. They are not to be abused, nor are they to be surpressed. Nor will they be surpressed among Spirit-filled people in Spirit-filled churches. We have yet to see what a Spirit-filled people in a Spirit-filled church really looks like. (Perhaps we should put as much time into seeking the Lord as we put into our attempts to understand the mysteries of the Holy Spirit, explaining Him away.)

18 August 2006

Indescribable

The Lord is leading me through something indescribable right now. Indescribable is quite something for me, one who talks a lot and uses words fairly well. This isn't just a phase of being speechless; it's a phase of knowing something is going on without being able to articulate it. I wonder if I even recognize it completely. There seems to be a fullness inside me. A peace. A firmness.

Yet, my emotions and mind are in a whirlwind lately. How am I ever going to minister in a church if Natasha can't minister, too? (Her anointing is clearer by the day!) How are we going to pay for college and minimize our debts? What happens if my sales at work are really low in a pay period? What if the Lord is really leading us somewhere unfamiliar in January? I feel excited, anxious, happy, sad, connected, lonely, etc., etc., etc.

What gives? What am I sharing all this? It's to say that the Lord is supremely good. The Rhynos heard me emoting the other night, asking why I feel settled and unsettled at the same time. They said, "You're relying on the Lord." Right. My eyes are fixed on Jesus. I've been this way before, but it seems as though I'm really fixed on Him anew. It feels like something I haven't done before. (I've always had a plan "B" before, too!) It feels safe, even though I shouldn't feel safe logically. If I were reading this instead of writing it, I'd say that the writer might be insane. I'm not. The Lord is just good. Very good. He's keeping me steady, drawing me to Him, while things around me make little sense and don't fit together well. I love HIM!!

15 August 2006

He Heard Me

I am overwhelmed with humility and gratitude as I write this very brief post. I feel like David when he wrote, "I waited patiently for the Lord and He heard my cry."

Today I came across a dear friend who asked me directly, "I was praying for you yesterday, and the Lord revealed something to me." My friend told me a heart cry Natasha and I have shared for a little while. I've only recently recognized that my heart has been crying to the Lord, so it's understandable how shocked I was to hear that my friend knew what was on my heart. I choked up for a second or two and thanked God. He really did hear my heart cry. I wasn't even uttering the words, "Lord, we need You," but He heard my heart crying anyway. He loves us. We waited patiently for Him, and He heard us. He listened to us. He reminded us through a friend, "Hey, you two. I'm here. Right here beside you. Loving you." He's good. Unfailingly good. I'm in love with my God, my Rock, my Treasure, my Friend, my Beloved, my Faithful One, my God Who Listens, my God Who Understands, my God Who Doesn't Need My Verbal Words to Love Me.

13 August 2006

A Big Difference

There's a big difference between affirmation from the Lord and affirmation from the world. The world measures affirmation against things like performance and achievement. For example, I received some very positive affirmation from some coworkers recently regarding the sales God has provided and my transition into that job. For most people that would seem very good - at first. At the risk of walking a very fine line with cynicism here, I didn't really appreciate the positive affirmation I received at work. I was affirmed for high sales because I was making the company more money. I was affirmed for my credit performance because I was making the company more money. I was encouraged to increase my PA (work term) percentage so that I could make the company more money. One coworker has been friendly to me since I've taken people through the end of a sale that he started because I'm making him more money. Another coworker pulled me aside to provide some coaching because he wanted to be sure that the money distribution was fair. Understand me; big numbers and making money aren't the issue here. The issue is that affirmation based on money, numbers, performance, and achievement is empty. VERY empty. (It's one thing I'll never miss about the admissions world, though BBC was good about affirming spiritual development on most occasions.) When the Lord affirms He does it in a way that makes you feel full. He reminds you that He's right there, that He's the one behind the performance, that He's the one driving you to achieve. The things we achieve with the Lord have eternal value. The Lord isn't as fleeting as business, numbers, and "obvious" achievement. He is eternal; His is our yesterday, our today, our forever; He is perfectly consistent (though very unpredictable). I LOVE HIM!!!!!

12 August 2006

Songs of Victory

In Psalm 32:7 David writes, "You surround me with songs of victory." That phrase really stuck out to me this morning because of its profound truth. From the moment we begin trusting in Christ, we have victory. Being "born again" (obtaining new life in Jesus Christ) gives victory over death, for starters. What does our baptism represent, if not burial in the likeness of His death and resurrection in the likeness of His eternal life? That's victory!

But it doesn't stop there; we continue in victory all the time. Think about the physical victory so many of us have. Lor, for example, was just healed. I caught her running eleven miles on my way to work last week! Many of us also experience emotional victory because God is more powerful than our past hurt! We continually experience spiritual victory, too, as the Holy Spirit changes us from someone walking around in filthy rags of past sin, pain, and emotional scars (Zech 3) into someone who is characterized by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:22-23)! Or someone who can be characterized by gifts of prophecy, teaching, healing, tongues, interpretation, hospitality, exhortation, wisdom, love, or whatever! It's just like Jesus said; we walk in victory doing even greater things than we saw recorded in His Word (by Him, of course).

What about those times when we don't really feel victorious or when we don't have a victorious testimony to share? No problem. "The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Yes, the Lord surrounds us with songs of victory that HE sings over us. The Lord of the universe, singing over us. That's victory!

09 August 2006

Back at Ezra

Ezra was almost a humbling priest. Here's a man who, in Ezra 8, follows through with his plans to leave the king's court in Persia, where he had a LOT of favor. He left there without added protection, confident that the Lord would come through for them all. He arrived in Jerusalem full of praise. Yet, when it is apparent that the remnant had become enmeshed with their ungodly neighbors, Ezra began to pray. He didn't pray against "them" or about "them"; instead he prayed, "our sins are piled high" (Ezra 9:8). "Our." He hadn't done anything wrong, but he remained in mourning because the nation had sinned. He took responsibility and brought everything before the Lord. He followed Paul's example in 1 Cor 5, when he told the church to judge the Christians inside it. In his judgment, Ezra realized the unity of those in the faith. "Their" sin was his. Isn't it the same for us? Shouldn't we look around our Christian communities to identify with the other believers? Isn't "their" sin ours because we're all one in the body of Christ? What about "their" joy? Ours. What about "their" emotions, "their" thoughts, "their" illnesses? All ours. Lord, may we love you and our brothers and sisters like Ezra must have - because you are good!

07 August 2006

God's Temple

The Jews spent so much time rebuilding the Temple after they returned from exile in ancient Babylon. Even after they were instructed to stop the building by the Persian king Artaxerxes, the group continued the project under king Darius (as originally intended by king Cyrus). Four kings ruled Persia in the time it took the group to finish the project! Nevertheless, their commitment did not wane, and their excitement to dedicate the Temple was high.

What can we say about our commitment to the Lord's Temple? Paul tells us that 1) our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19), and 2) all of us together are the Temple of God (1 Cor3:16). Most of us are at least conscious of the need to serve God with our physical bodies. Yet, few of us take care to build up God's Temple in terms of unity in the Christian community. "Christian" is becoming more a political agenda in some hearts than it is an opportunity to live together as one. If we, together, are all God's Temple, made up of the various parts, how can the Temple be complete without each part? How can we remain content with the handful of church friends we have and go on living our lives as normal? How can we remain content with a Church (universal believers, not a particular sect) that experiences hurt, unhealed wounds, even persecution in some areas of the world? How can we remain content with a theology that centers around our experience in church and what God does for us, when there are literally millions of us around the world who, together, can point the lot of us to the Father? How can we remain content with building up others with positive words without challenging one another with God's truth (rather than opinions)? How can we be content with a Temple that has a few bricks (people) missing along the way instead of sharing the Good News with people who should be part of God's glorious Temple?

06 August 2006

Good

Good, so good, the theme of my heart in You.
Good, so good, the theme of Your love for me.

Every time I look I see Your goodness, nothing but goodness.
You're good in so many ways, more ways than I can count.

Your goodness flows from You like a waterfall.
Your goodness surges forth like a rishing wind.
Your goodness plays through my life like a young child in the tall grass.

It's good to see You, to feel Your peace, to share Your love.
It's good to hear You, to know Your mind, to follow Your plans.
It's good to taste You, to speak Your name, to drink Your Spirit.
It's good to smell You, to abide in Your presence, to breathe Your life.
It's good to touch You, to sense You near, to serve only You.

You're my good Creator, my good King, my good Master, my good Brother, my good Father, my good Savior, my good Judge, my good Defender, my good Guide, my good Enabler, my good Empowerer, my good Thoughts, my good Speech, my good Word, my good Protector, my good Author, my good Finisher, my good Humility, my good Love, my good Faithfulness, my good Gentleness, my good Joy, my good Peace, my good Self-Control, my good Patience, my good Kindness, my good Mountaintop, my good Resting Place, my good Shelter, my good Light, my good Provider, my good Musician, my good Everything.

A rainbow of Your goodness colors my life.
Your blood to cover my sin and embarrassment.
Your Holy Spirit fire to ignite my new life in You.
Your sining light that reveals all truth.
Your peaceful pastures in which I feed on You.
Your crystal sea on which I have eternal lakefront property.
Your royal robes to declare a welcome eternal reign.

Your good healing means I am whole in mind, body, emotions, spirit, and will.
Your good mercy means You let me come to You.
Your good grace means You call me good, too.

You are good. Good.

Good.

05 August 2006

Two Verses Worth Meditation

My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me."
And my heart responds, "Lord, I am coming."
(Psalm 27:8)

Yet I am confident I will see the Lord's goodness
while I am here in the land of the living.
(Psalm 27:13)

04 August 2006

The Lord Will Choose

King David had many enemies in his rise to power and during his kingship. On many occasions one could find the good king praying that God would choose between himself and his enemies. Even on the two occasions in which David could have killed Saul easily, he always told the people with him, "No. God will choose who is faithful between us." I recently prayed something similar when confronted with a spiritual battle at work. Someone with whom I got along relatively well was becoming an enemy below the surface. We still worked together, but I could sense his spirit battling mine, sometimes manifesting itself in outward strife. On the most severe of these occasions I left for the day praying, "Lord, I don't know if I can handle this, but I'm not going to act yet. Please humble me, as I know you're going to honor those of us who are faithful." Suddenly the coworker doesn't work with me anymore. I don't know what happened, but he's gone. I immediately thought of David, realizing that the Lord brought something to light in this situation just like He did in David's situations so many years ago. I'll never know what was brought to light, but I praise the Lord in humility that He has resolved that particular tension!

03 August 2006

Peaceful

Being peaceful does not always mean being passive. It is rarely a sign of weakness. People who are truly peaceful have the peace of Christ, characterized by self-control and diligence to the pursuit of the mind of Christ. It inrigues me that God's presence can almost always be characterized by peace, though He never shows up without the full breadth of His power. This morning He communicated His peace to me through an incredible sunrise over the hill between here and Canada. Silver light dancing through the clouds and reflecting off the still river; bright summer green beneath an early morning mist; the occasional song of a bird who is, no doubt, exalting the Creator. Just peace. Then I read something so beautiful and powerful, a familiar verse that seemed different this morning as I rested in the peace of our Savior. "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet" (Rom 16:20). The small glimpse of peace I saw this morning is the very power that will vanquish the enemy of our souls forever!

02 August 2006

Hunger

I had the rare privilege of spending a LOT of time with the Lord today. I'vwe been restless all day. I woke up feeling unsatisfied. Even though everything went well, I still felt unsettled. I just couldn't put my finger on it. It was my day off, so I went to the church. I spent about five hours on the piano (some classical, some worship). There was time in the Beth Moore study, not to mention some good prayer time. Then we had small group tonight. I left small group with that same familiar unsettling feeling. Like something was amok.

Then I figured it out; the Lord is pulling away from me a little bit. He's allowed me to draw near to Him a lot lately, always being right there so I can climb up into His lap. He's taught me about drawing close to Him, and He's made me reflect on how wonderful He is! His forgiveness is fathomless; His wisdom is boundless; His love is deep; His faithfulness is unquestionable; His integrity is perfect; His righteousness is bright; His patience is enduring; His joy is contagious; His presence is intoxicating. Every day lately I've seen that glimpse. Even today I caught it. But He's drawing me somewhere. He's backing a little away from me, and I hunger for Him. I mean long. It's as if nothing is going to be exactly right until I track Him down again. I couldn't wait to get home and read the Bible and pray tonight. Even still, I know I have a little way to go. It's almost frustrating; it reminds me of when Natasha and I were engaged. We were so close, but we just couldn't wait to be together forever. That's me right now with God. I just want to be sealed with Him forever, never to have to be away from Him again! In this time of hunger, I'm remembering one thing with anticipation and thanksgiving: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."

Bless Him!

01 August 2006

Bending the Rules

Many of us (myself included) often thing the concept living in fulfillment of the Law is only a New Testament idea. To some extent this is true. Yet, King Hezekiah gives a fabulous example of someone who understood what the Law was really all about in 2 Chr 30. I've read the passage before but obviously forgot about it, given how surprised I was to read it this morning.

Essentially, the king decided he was going to hold the Passover celebration. However, there weren't enough priests who had purified themselves to handle a national feast of that magnitude. He had to decide, apparently, whether to cancel the celebration or to postpone it. He postponed it, despite the time appointed in God's Law (30:2-3). He even chose to send invitations to the unfaithful people of Israel many who laughed at the messengers (30:10). Nevertheless, people came from both Israel and Judah. When the day arrived, some people had to slaughter one of the Passover lambs themselves because some priests still had not purified themselves (30:15), again breaking the Law. Most of the Israelites had not purified themselves either (30:18), but Hezekiah prayed, realizing that God may pardon them (30:19). God heeded Hezekiah's prayer (30:20).

Did we get that? God, the one who seemingly flared up in anger at any breach of the Law, heeded Hezekiah's prayer. Why? God is much more interested in intimacy with His people than He is in upholding the "rules." The law of sowing and reaping meant that the people who celebrated the Law incorrectly could have reaped many dire consequences. (Perhaps they did because 30:20 indicates that God actually healed the people.) Instead, those who humbled themselves before the Lord and asked for a pardon so that they could truly worship were granted that pardon.

That smacks of Pauls sentiment in Romans 14-15. He is more concerned that we help others do what is right, building them up in the Lord (15:2), than he is about upholding any sort of Chrsitian "standard of rules." The fact is that there is no standard of rules for the Christian faith, aside from doing everything we do to glorify the Lord. Some people will take each letter of both testaments literally, practicing as much as they can. Others follow principles that follow Kingdom living (Matt 5-7). Regardless, God's principle for Christians as recorded in Romans 15:5-7 is clear in Old and New Testaments: "May God, who gives...patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory."