I am often amazed at the epiphanies which occur at Bible college. I shouldn't be. In my heart, I know that I do not really know my Bible and that there is so much more to discover. Yet, in my head I think that I do know enough of the basics so that my paradigm will remain un-shifted.
Today*, my paradigm was not only shifted, it was thrown out the window of a speeding train.
Jacob. We all know the story. Abraham and Sarah had a miracle-son named Isaac; Isaac married Rebekah; Rebekah conceived after Isaac prayed for her. She soon discovered (through a revelation from the Lord) that she was pregnant with twins. When the time came, out came Esau with Jacob clutching onto his heel.
The boys grow up. Esau comes home one day and is starving, so he asks Jacob for some stew. Jacob offers to give him some stew if Esau will sell him his birthright. Esau agrees. Time passes, we don't know how much time, and the time comes for Isaac to bestow the blessings before he passes. Rebekah talks Jacob into pretending he is his brother Esau; Jacob goes in wearing goat hair and receives the blessing from his father.
And he receives the reputation of being a deceiver. After all, did he not deceive his father into thinking he was Esau? And he receives the reputation of being a stealer. After all, did he not steal the birthright from his brother?
Hold up. Did he steal the birthright from his brother? Because when you read Genesis 25, it seems pretty clear that Esau sold Jacob his birthright. There is no stealing involved. And before you start to defend Esau, notice what the author says about the exchange:
so he [Esau] swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau the lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
Hmm...
As for the deceit, who's idea was it that Jacob go into his father wearing goats hair?
Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "Behold, I heard your father speaking to your brother Esau... Now therefore, my son, listen to me as I command you... so that he may bless you before his death."
So Rebekah tells Jacob what to do and Jacob quite simply obeys. Yet, can we actually say that the idea was Rebekah's?
...the children struggled together within her; and she said, "If it is so, why then am I this way?" So she went to inquire of the Lord.
The Lord said to her,
"Two nations are in your womb;
And two peoples will be separated from your body;
And one people shall be stronger than the other;
And the older shall serve the younger."
So it seems that Rebekah gets her idea from God. Now, this does not excuse what was done either by her or by Jacob, but it does give some perspective. It seems to be an honest attempt on Rebekah's part to seek after God and His will. Not that her method was correct, but we should at least consider that perhaps her heart was.
Also, if Jacob owned the birthright, then who does the blessing belong to? Jacob. So he is being obedient to his mother, and is trying to get what legitimately belongs to him to begin with.
One final thought... Jacob was not only a willing participant in obeying his mothers' advice; he seems to have wanted both the birthright and the blessing. Esau, on the other hand, despised these things. Why did Jacob value the birthright and blessing so highly? Genesis 25:27 tells us that Esau was a man of the fields and a skillful hunter. Jacob, in contrast, was a peaceful man, "living in tents."
Esau spent his time in the fields. Jacob spent his time in the tents... If Jacob was in the tents, who would have been in the tents with him? His mom... and his family. Remember, this is not American culture! Families stayed together - extended families lived together.
So who would have been hanging out in the tents with Jacob? Very likely his grandfather... Abraham. It is very likely he would have grown up hearing Abraham's stories of God... and he would have heard of the promises given to Abraham, passed down to Isaac. And he would have understood that these promises would belong to the child with the birthright. And Jacob wanted the birthright.
Jacob wanted the promises of God. Esau despised them.
* This post was over a month in the making - so "today" does not refer to the day that this was posted, but instead to the day that the writing of this post began.
** Much credit is due to Ms. Domani Pothen, who provided these insights during a British Literature class... although I could not tell you how this tied to any of our readings in British Lit, the insight was still greatly relevant to us all.
November 16, 2010
November 14, 2010
Ephesians
This term I am studying Ephesians for Advanced Bible Study Methods. I'm working on my 15th assignment this term and I just realized that, although God has been showing me a lot, I haven't shared any of it! So here's just a little glimpse...
"And masters, do the same things to them..." (Ephesians 6:9)
Paul begins to address how being a child of God should look in our outward relationships half way through chapter 5. Ephesians 5:21 says, "and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ."
He then demonstrates what this looks like in the marital relationship between husband and wife, then in the familial relationship of parents and children. He also demonstrates this in the relationship between slaves and masters.
Being subject to one another when you're speaking to slaves makes sense. Telling them that this means being obedient - that's just logical. But then Paul tells the masters to "do the same things to them." Who is "them?" Their slaves. What are "the same things?" Being obedient and being subject.
Hold up! Masters are supposed to be obedient and subject to their slaves? Well, that appears to be what Paul is saying!
Have you ever wondered why God doesn't condemn slavery in the Bible? Maybe this is why... Because slavery, done God's way, is a beautiful image of our relationship with Him (after all, doesn't Paul choose to be a bond-servant of Christ?). Slavery the way we understand it today flies in the face of the picture Paul is painting. But slavery, done God's way, can be beautiful.
"And masters, do the same things to them..." (Ephesians 6:9)
Paul begins to address how being a child of God should look in our outward relationships half way through chapter 5. Ephesians 5:21 says, "and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ."
He then demonstrates what this looks like in the marital relationship between husband and wife, then in the familial relationship of parents and children. He also demonstrates this in the relationship between slaves and masters.
Being subject to one another when you're speaking to slaves makes sense. Telling them that this means being obedient - that's just logical. But then Paul tells the masters to "do the same things to them." Who is "them?" Their slaves. What are "the same things?" Being obedient and being subject.
Hold up! Masters are supposed to be obedient and subject to their slaves? Well, that appears to be what Paul is saying!
Have you ever wondered why God doesn't condemn slavery in the Bible? Maybe this is why... Because slavery, done God's way, is a beautiful image of our relationship with Him (after all, doesn't Paul choose to be a bond-servant of Christ?). Slavery the way we understand it today flies in the face of the picture Paul is painting. But slavery, done God's way, can be beautiful.
November 13, 2010
A good purpose
It can be tempting to think that there's an area of my life where things are lacking. And as I began to pour my heart out to the Lord this morning, I reminded myself that the Lord knows the things I need. And then I began to ask "if You know what I need, why haven't you given this to me?"
We can do this with so many different areas of our lives. My car breaks down and I find myself wondering "why haven't You provided the money for the repairs?" A friend struggles with constant migraines and we wonder "why haven't You provided healing?" A missionary's husband dies of malaria and I wonder "why didn't You provide the medicine he needed in time?" The years tick by and singleness continues and I wonder "why haven't You provided a husband?" A friend's daughter dies of cancer and we wonder "why didn't You provide more time with her?"
And as I pour myself out to the Lord this morning, I hear the Spirit speaking Truth to me:
The Lord gives grace and glory;
No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts,
How blessed is the man who trusts in You (Psalm 84:11-12)
God does not withhold any good thing from me. So is fixing my car not a good thing? Is healing from the migraines not a good thing for my friend? Is a husband not a good thing? Is the death of the missionary or the daughter a good thing?
And I realize that this line of thinking is not right. It makes God the suspect; the fiend instead of the friend.
If "no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly," then there are two answers to be seen. Either I am not walking uprightly or God has a good purpose in each of the situations we may ask about.
The idea I see in "those who walk uprightly" is that if the situations or circumstances are directly linked to a sin, then God may withhold a good thing. Throughout Scripture we find support which basically boils down to this: We have to live with the consequences of our decisions, good or bad. (This idea is best illustrated in Galatians 6:7-8). But of the situations I listed, there was no sin which caused these afflictions. So that means that the latter must be true:
God has a good purpose in the situation where we may ask "why?"
In our own understanding, there is no understanding. But God sees a good purpose. What I need to do is simply rest in this promise.
Fear the Lord, you His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is no want.
The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing (Psalm 34:9-10)
We can do this with so many different areas of our lives. My car breaks down and I find myself wondering "why haven't You provided the money for the repairs?" A friend struggles with constant migraines and we wonder "why haven't You provided healing?" A missionary's husband dies of malaria and I wonder "why didn't You provide the medicine he needed in time?" The years tick by and singleness continues and I wonder "why haven't You provided a husband?" A friend's daughter dies of cancer and we wonder "why didn't You provide more time with her?"
And as I pour myself out to the Lord this morning, I hear the Spirit speaking Truth to me:
The Lord gives grace and glory;
No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts,
How blessed is the man who trusts in You (Psalm 84:11-12)
God does not withhold any good thing from me. So is fixing my car not a good thing? Is healing from the migraines not a good thing for my friend? Is a husband not a good thing? Is the death of the missionary or the daughter a good thing?
And I realize that this line of thinking is not right. It makes God the suspect; the fiend instead of the friend.
If "no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly," then there are two answers to be seen. Either I am not walking uprightly or God has a good purpose in each of the situations we may ask about.
The idea I see in "those who walk uprightly" is that if the situations or circumstances are directly linked to a sin, then God may withhold a good thing. Throughout Scripture we find support which basically boils down to this: We have to live with the consequences of our decisions, good or bad. (This idea is best illustrated in Galatians 6:7-8). But of the situations I listed, there was no sin which caused these afflictions. So that means that the latter must be true:
God has a good purpose in the situation where we may ask "why?"
In our own understanding, there is no understanding. But God sees a good purpose. What I need to do is simply rest in this promise.
Fear the Lord, you His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is no want.
The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing (Psalm 34:9-10)
November 7, 2010
God likes BBQ
"... the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. Then fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar..." (Leviticus 9:23b-24a)
God tried BBQ for the first time... I'm not completely sure he liked it. I mean, how often do we try things and decide we never want to eat it again? Though typically, if we don't like it, we don't consume the food in front of us! But then comes into play the law of repetition...
He does it again in 2 Kings 1, 1 Chronicles 7, and 1 Chronicles 21. And if we keep Coldstone in the back of our mind, I'd say He doesn't just like BBQ... He's Gotta Have It*! And in keeping with the law of repetition... the first time, he tried it... the second time shows that He liked it... the third time shows that He loves it... and the fourth time shows He really loves it and has Gotta Have It*!
* The largest size at Coldstone is the "Gotta Have It" size!
God tried BBQ for the first time... I'm not completely sure he liked it. I mean, how often do we try things and decide we never want to eat it again? Though typically, if we don't like it, we don't consume the food in front of us! But then comes into play the law of repetition...
He does it again in 2 Kings 1, 1 Chronicles 7, and 1 Chronicles 21. And if we keep Coldstone in the back of our mind, I'd say He doesn't just like BBQ... He's Gotta Have It*! And in keeping with the law of repetition... the first time, he tried it... the second time shows that He liked it... the third time shows that He loves it... and the fourth time shows He really loves it and has Gotta Have It*!
* The largest size at Coldstone is the "Gotta Have It" size!
November 5, 2010
I lied today...
"How are you?"
"Good." But I'm not good today. I'm discouraged and apathetic.
What happened to being genuine? With being honest with our friends?
When I was 13 I recognized this problem within myself. I wrote a short "story" about how I put a mask on every morning, painting my face with concealer... mascara... blush to brighten my smiling cheeks. But, despite my efforts at externals, I was unable to paint a smile on my heart.
A friend shared during devotions at Retreat in September about masks as well. Wretched things that we put on so that we can portray to others the person we want to be... the person we think they expect us to be. But who can live up to the expectations they portray?
How am I today? Well, I'm not doing so hot... but God is still on His throne and I know a better day will come my way.
"Good." But I'm not good today. I'm discouraged and apathetic.
What happened to being genuine? With being honest with our friends?
When I was 13 I recognized this problem within myself. I wrote a short "story" about how I put a mask on every morning, painting my face with concealer... mascara... blush to brighten my smiling cheeks. But, despite my efforts at externals, I was unable to paint a smile on my heart.
A friend shared during devotions at Retreat in September about masks as well. Wretched things that we put on so that we can portray to others the person we want to be... the person we think they expect us to be. But who can live up to the expectations they portray?
How am I today? Well, I'm not doing so hot... but God is still on His throne and I know a better day will come my way.
November 1, 2010
clarification
I fear I may have been misunderstood to some degree with my last post, based on the comments I have received both on-line (including on the link on facebook) and verbally. While it is true that I expressed my own personal dreams, my point in writing was not for myself only.
I have full confidence in God and His ability to orchestrate the events of my life to fulfill His perfect plan. My concern is truly with the dilemma which our society has provided to many young women today.
Our society is increasingly delaying the age and time for marriage. In doing so, women who desire marriage and family are forced to enter into a career for a seemingly prolonged time. Granted, for some women this "prolonged time" is only a few short years, but for others this "prolonged time" can be well into their 30's. It is growing more and more common for women headed to their 20-year high school reunion to be traveling there with a toddler (or sometimes even with a full, round belly up front!).
Understanding that a women is entering into a stage of her life which involves a career comes with two major ideas.
First, that this "stage of life" is ambiguous. Like I mentioned already, this stage of life could be for a few short years. But there is no guarantee that this stage of life will ever come to an end.
Second, because this stage of life is ambiguous, there enters a pressure to embark on a career which can be enjoyed in the long-term. Should the ambiguous unfold into a permanent status, a woman wants to be doing something which she can enjoy as her life's work.
Now, to get to the point of the dilemma which I attempted to articulate yesterday. For many women, the career she chooses involves a certain level of required training. And this required training often involves time at a college, university, or trade school. Attending one of these institutions requires money, and since most families (especially with today's economy!) are unable to pay for college outright, the woman who desires to be a SAH (stay-at-home) wife and mother finds herself taking on student loans.
But taking on student loans means that these loans must be repaid.
So, now let's look at the hypothetical. We now have a young woman who has the average in student loans (roughly $20,000) and meets the man of her dreams, gets married, and wants to start having children and raising a family. But she is bringing into that family the added burden of $20,000 in loans (which can be in the ballpark of $350-400 in a monthly payment if the family is trying to pay off this loan in 5 years).
Can we say ouch?!
Like many young, single woman, I find myself hesitant to pursue my career dreams because doing so will involve significantly more than the average in student loans (let's face it, graduate work isn't cheap and financial aid is few and far between!). It is a dilemma facing many today.
At this point, I am striving to not worry about this decision. I'm striving to put Christ's words into action: "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:34). Still, I think this problem is prevalent enough that it warrants discussion.
I have full confidence in God and His ability to orchestrate the events of my life to fulfill His perfect plan. My concern is truly with the dilemma which our society has provided to many young women today.
Our society is increasingly delaying the age and time for marriage. In doing so, women who desire marriage and family are forced to enter into a career for a seemingly prolonged time. Granted, for some women this "prolonged time" is only a few short years, but for others this "prolonged time" can be well into their 30's. It is growing more and more common for women headed to their 20-year high school reunion to be traveling there with a toddler (or sometimes even with a full, round belly up front!).
Understanding that a women is entering into a stage of her life which involves a career comes with two major ideas.
First, that this "stage of life" is ambiguous. Like I mentioned already, this stage of life could be for a few short years. But there is no guarantee that this stage of life will ever come to an end.
Second, because this stage of life is ambiguous, there enters a pressure to embark on a career which can be enjoyed in the long-term. Should the ambiguous unfold into a permanent status, a woman wants to be doing something which she can enjoy as her life's work.
Now, to get to the point of the dilemma which I attempted to articulate yesterday. For many women, the career she chooses involves a certain level of required training. And this required training often involves time at a college, university, or trade school. Attending one of these institutions requires money, and since most families (especially with today's economy!) are unable to pay for college outright, the woman who desires to be a SAH (stay-at-home) wife and mother finds herself taking on student loans.
But taking on student loans means that these loans must be repaid.
So, now let's look at the hypothetical. We now have a young woman who has the average in student loans (roughly $20,000) and meets the man of her dreams, gets married, and wants to start having children and raising a family. But she is bringing into that family the added burden of $20,000 in loans (which can be in the ballpark of $350-400 in a monthly payment if the family is trying to pay off this loan in 5 years).
Can we say ouch?!
Like many young, single woman, I find myself hesitant to pursue my career dreams because doing so will involve significantly more than the average in student loans (let's face it, graduate work isn't cheap and financial aid is few and far between!). It is a dilemma facing many today.
At this point, I am striving to not worry about this decision. I'm striving to put Christ's words into action: "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:34). Still, I think this problem is prevalent enough that it warrants discussion.
October 31, 2010
My life's dream
Many single women I know are currently pursuing degrees and/or careers. Like them, I am dreaming and answering the question "what do I want to do with my life" in terms of career choices. In my mind's eye, I see myself racking up debt as I pursue post-graduate degrees and a career teaching at the collegiate level. Thankfully, I am not yet at the point of racking up debt.
And as I look at the decisions I am making and the decisions many women around me are making, I find myself beginning to fear that all our dreams will come true.
Yes, I am currently on a path to become a professor. And I often find myself excited at the prospects ahead of me on this path. But, no matter how excited I become, deep down, I'm afraid.
I'm afraid because this is not my life's dream. My life's dream is not to become a professor at a University. My life's dream is to become a teacher to two or three or four kids as they work through Elementary school. My life's dream is not to be respected at a University. My life's dream is to be loved. I want to be loved by a man and by these two or three or four children. Because, in my life's dream, these two or three or four children are my children and that man is their father and my husband.
My life's dream is to be a wife and a mother.
And that's why I'm afraid. I'm afraid that, as I pursue the education which is necessary for my "plan B" that men will think that my plan B is "Plan A." I'm afraid that they will want to respect my plans to the point that they do not pursue me. I'm afraid for myself, but I'm also afraid for all the other single women who are walking in my shoes with me.
I am not a feminist. I have dreams which involve a career, but mostly because I've discovered that not having a plan B is an enormous risk. And as I begin to catch glimpse of 30 around the corner, I am afraid. I don't want to wake up at 30 and realize that I haven't obtained my life's dream and I am a decade away from any other ambitions. So I'm starting on those "other ambitions." I just pray that I don't swallow my life's dream in the process.
And as I look at the decisions I am making and the decisions many women around me are making, I find myself beginning to fear that all our dreams will come true.
Yes, I am currently on a path to become a professor. And I often find myself excited at the prospects ahead of me on this path. But, no matter how excited I become, deep down, I'm afraid.
I'm afraid because this is not my life's dream. My life's dream is not to become a professor at a University. My life's dream is to become a teacher to two or three or four kids as they work through Elementary school. My life's dream is not to be respected at a University. My life's dream is to be loved. I want to be loved by a man and by these two or three or four children. Because, in my life's dream, these two or three or four children are my children and that man is their father and my husband.
My life's dream is to be a wife and a mother.
And that's why I'm afraid. I'm afraid that, as I pursue the education which is necessary for my "plan B" that men will think that my plan B is "Plan A." I'm afraid that they will want to respect my plans to the point that they do not pursue me. I'm afraid for myself, but I'm also afraid for all the other single women who are walking in my shoes with me.
I am not a feminist. I have dreams which involve a career, but mostly because I've discovered that not having a plan B is an enormous risk. And as I begin to catch glimpse of 30 around the corner, I am afraid. I don't want to wake up at 30 and realize that I haven't obtained my life's dream and I am a decade away from any other ambitions. So I'm starting on those "other ambitions." I just pray that I don't swallow my life's dream in the process.
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