Today’s Readings: Psalm 60; Isaiah 45:1-8; Matthew 13:1-17; 1 John 5:1-5; Psalm 73
As some who has both loved and made music for many, many years; I have a passion for ALL kinds of music. My love of all music has gotten me in trouble on more than one occasion. For instance, I remember getting into it with my piano teacher when I was in middle school because I asked if I could learn a piece of pop music. My piano teacher refused to grant my request because she said that the only “good” music was classical music! My love of all music also got me in trouble with my youth group leader in junior high. The youth leader overheard me talking with someone about a particular radio station. The leader interrupted our conversation and asked why I was listening to that station since it didn’t play Christian music. Through these experiences I learned that people often want to put things into boxes (i.e. “good music” and “bad music”) that were consistent with their prefered ways of being. Of course music isn’t the only thing people try to put into boxes; people do the same thing with God. They determine acceptable ways for God to operate, and then they try to stuff God into their tiny little boxes. One of these boxes involves the notion of the people through whom God would work. Many assume that God would only work through people who belong to their particular faith tradition. In today’s reading from Isaiah, however, we learn that God worked in ways that transcended that narrow expectation. Isaiah 45:1 refers to the Persian Emperor Cyrus as God’s anointed – the one whom God “took by the hand”. Not only was Cyrus NOT an Israelite – he was Zoastrian! God then went on to say through Isaiah: “I’ve singled you out, called you by name, and given you this privileged work. And you don’t even know me [emphasis added]” (Isaiah 45:4 from The Message). The passage serves as yet another reminder that God often acts in unexpected ways and from the most unexpected of places. Today, I would invite you to explore various areas of your own life. Are there places in your life where you have boxed God out – areas where you have concluded God couldn’t possibly be present or work through? If so, take some time to re-examine those areas. You just might discover that God is active in the most unexpected of places. Til next time…
As some who has both loved and made music for many, many years; I have a passion for ALL kinds of music. My love of all music has gotten me in trouble on more than one occasion. For instance, I remember getting into it with my piano teacher when I was in middle school because I asked if I could learn a piece of pop music. My piano teacher refused to grant my request because she said that the only “good” music was classical music! My love of all music also got me in trouble with my youth group leader in junior high. The youth leader overheard me talking with someone about a particular radio station. The leader interrupted our conversation and asked why I was listening to that station since it didn’t play Christian music. Through these experiences I learned that people often want to put things into boxes (i.e. “good music” and “bad music”) that were consistent with their prefered ways of being. Of course music isn’t the only thing people try to put into boxes; people do the same thing with God. They determine acceptable ways for God to operate, and then they try to stuff God into their tiny little boxes. One of these boxes involves the notion of the people through whom God would work. Many assume that God would only work through people who belong to their particular faith tradition. In today’s reading from Isaiah, however, we learn that God worked in ways that transcended that narrow expectation. Isaiah 45:1 refers to the Persian Emperor Cyrus as God’s anointed – the one whom God “took by the hand”. Not only was Cyrus NOT an Israelite – he was Zoastrian! God then went on to say through Isaiah: “I’ve singled you out, called you by name, and given you this privileged work. And you don’t even know me [emphasis added]” (Isaiah 45:4 from The Message). The passage serves as yet another reminder that God often acts in unexpected ways and from the most unexpected of places. Today, I would invite you to explore various areas of your own life. Are there places in your life where you have boxed God out – areas where you have concluded God couldn’t possibly be present or work through? If so, take some time to re-examine those areas. You just might discover that God is active in the most unexpected of places. Til next time…
1 comment:
Philip Glass was asked how he composed music. He replied that he doesn't compose, he listens. Music is like a great underground river with no beginning no end. Glass writes down what he hears.
Jesus asks me to listen, listen to the breath of God that sweeps across the waters and brings love and life. Jesus asks me to be, not just someone who lives by his words, but someone like him who can hear, can see the Spirit of Love and be informed by breathing in and formed in breathing out expressing it, and acting in the Spirit of Love bringing heaven to earth.
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