Facets of God's Communication

We live in interesting times where my home, like many in America, has an abundance of Bibles. Different translations shed light on meanings of God's word. We have leather, hardbound, vest pocket size, pocket size, study editions -- even online -- which I use frequently. All this, for what? Paul, in the opening of his letter to the Romans lets me know... "to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name's sake" (Romans 1:5). Simply put, God speaks that we might trust and obey... that we might build a life that honors Him.

Psalm 119 is an acrostic -- what is that and why did the psalmist use a gimmick like this? An acrostic, as this psalm exemplifies, is verse where each line or each section starts with the same letter. In the first section of Psalm 119 each couplet begins with the Hebrew letter aleph. All the couplets in the next section begin with the letter beth and so on. Why use this method? One reason is to make it easy for the hearer to memorize and recite. In those times, written scrolls of scripture weren't abundant in homes the same way Bibles are in ours. Scripture was often read to the people who recited and committed to heart.

Verses 1-8

You want to be happy (blessed)? Live a blameless life! How do I do that? Live in accord with the Law of the Lord. Unfortunately the words "Bible" and "happy" seem out of sync in our world -- but God says that is the way you get there from here. Blameless? Me? That sounds like setting the bar pretty high. Not if you know the difference between sinless and blameless. No one on our best day or on our best behavior will ever be sinless during this lifetime. To be blameless, though, means that when we fail, we make things right. Titus lists this quality as a characteristic of a man who has learned to manage himself and take care of others. He is not sinless, but when he does err, he makes sure things get straightened out.

The apostle Peter says in his first letter, 1 Peter 2:2, that we should long for God's communication like a baby roots for breast milk, so that we can grow up in our faith. "Failure To Thrive" is a condition in infants where they do not grow and gain weight. It is not normal! Growth is normal for babies and should be for those who trust God and listen to Him.

The next seven verses describe God's communication with us. It is like a diamond with many facets. So, likewise, different words are used to describe different facets of his communication. It uses these words: testimonies, precepts, statutes, commands and judgments.

God gives us his testimonies. He has "packaged" his communication in the form of a story. Call it "The History and Future of God's Dealings With Men". How's that for a title? If He wanted to give us a book of systematic theology to memorize, He could have done that -- but He didn't.

In that story, He is revealing his "ways" (119:3) What does that mean? A good example is found in Psalm 103:7 "He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel." His "ways" are the "what" "how" "why" of his doings. He wants us to understand Him. Part of being a learner, a disciple to God is finding out "how things work" and living in line with this understanding. Moses wanted to know those things, the rest of the camp was content just to see God do things and not wonder.

Another facet, precepts (119:4) have been ordained by God. They are not optional. In fact, this carries the idea of specificity -- "specific" instructions. They are to be followed diligently. What does that mean? It means carefully and persistently.

The thrust of the facet statutes (119:5) is like our word "prescribe" - a prescription. God has a prescription for us. There is a shift in the psalmist's conversation here. He goes from talking about "them" and "they" (who walk in the law of the Lord) to "me". The things that "they" are doing he wants for himself. "Oh that my ways -- what makes me tick -- was anchored in your statutes." It expresses a longing of the heart.

The next facet (119:6) is commandments, communication He has authoritatively given to govern our lives. The psalmist's longing expressed here is that they would prevent him from shame as he looked at the panorama of God's communication.

Do you ever have to make a "judgment call" about something? The next facet -- judgments -- are God's judgment calls regarding many things we encounter in life. This verse says that as we learn them, they will cause us to praise Him with an upright heart. How, oh how, can I have an upright heart? Pray, pray, pray for one. God wants you to ask.

The psalmist wraps up his litany of "facets" with this commitment: "I will keep your statutes" -- and acknowledges that he needs God to be with him to make it happen.

How You Do The Things You Do

Interesting thought (at least to me!) reading Romans 12 today. Paul is instructing the Roman believers about using the Holy Spirit enabled gifts that each one has received in Christ. (Pause: Is there a connection between these and the stewardship requirements in Matthew 25:14-28?)

As Paul lists examples of spiritual gifts (I don't believe that this list or the list in 1 Corinthians 12 is exhaustive, just exemplary) he starts out with a one-to-one "what > how" relationship:

If prophecy > prophesy according to your faith
If you minister > with ministering
If you teach > by teaching
If you exhort > by exhortation
If you give > by giving liberally

Then he breaks the mold:

If you lead > by diligence
If you show mercy > with cheerfulness

In thinking about these last two and his change of tack, I can see that leadership is a situation where one would be prone to saying "oh, what's the use..." Paul says "keep on keeping on." As for showing mercy, the demands on caring people, on caregivers can be great. I know from my own experience that it can wear you down and you have times where you do what the other person needs but you do it by "grinding it out" -- no joy. Paul wants to remind us that cheerfulness is the way to deliver mercy or care -- all the time, by God's enablement.