9/1/2012
My lesson for the Grumpy Old Men's class this week begins with Genesis 1 and the lesson this week is on the God that speaks. Right off the bat, as I began to study, an alarm went off. As a U.S. Army Soldier, I represented the United States of America, everywhere I went in the world. I was a paid ambassador for my nation, people, state and family. As a Christ follower, I am His ambassador representing Him, His Father, the Holy Spirit and the Kingdom of Heaven.
The text for the teachers study includes the passage, “...a God who speaks.” As God's Ambassador, it is very important the things I say. But, because we, as Christians, are on display and closely observed, how we say a thing is also, extremely, important, in my opinion. In this world, there are hundreds and perhaps, thousands of gods and in this day of Electronic Speak I repeatedly observe the lose of reverence for God.
Predominately young people will type for the world to see, “...worship god...” and then, as I attempt to gently chide and encourage the use of the capital letter as a form of reverence, my generation and, not so much today, the previous generation jump me for legalism. The danger for legalism is so very, very, possible here that, as I'm trying to point out here, we must be so careful with, not only what we say nut, how we say it also.
It is a personal thing with me that is, no doubt, ingrained but my dad taught me that what you do in secret is who you are! For example, when I search for things I can recall are in the Bible, I will type everything, proper names included, in the lower case except God, Jesus, Holy Spirit and Bible. In much the same manor, if I tell you my dad's name is Howard, I will not type it howard, that's disrespectful, and he has passed and can never see what I do now! On the other hand, God can and He does see everything all of us do.
This “a God” thing, God is not a god, nor is He a God, He is the God that speaks and the irreverence we teach and just let slides must cause His heart to ache... it dies mine!
My lesson for the Grumpy Old Men's class this week begins with Genesis 1 and the lesson this week is on the God that speaks. Right off the bat, as I began to study, an alarm went off. As a U.S. Army Soldier, I represented the United States of America, everywhere I went in the world. I was a paid ambassador for my nation, people, state and family. As a Christ follower, I am His ambassador representing Him, His Father, the Holy Spirit and the Kingdom of Heaven.
The text for the teachers study includes the passage, “...a God who speaks.” As God's Ambassador, it is very important the things I say. But, because we, as Christians, are on display and closely observed, how we say a thing is also, extremely, important, in my opinion. In this world, there are hundreds and perhaps, thousands of gods and in this day of Electronic Speak I repeatedly observe the lose of reverence for God.
Predominately young people will type for the world to see, “...worship god...” and then, as I attempt to gently chide and encourage the use of the capital letter as a form of reverence, my generation and, not so much today, the previous generation jump me for legalism. The danger for legalism is so very, very, possible here that, as I'm trying to point out here, we must be so careful with, not only what we say nut, how we say it also.
It is a personal thing with me that is, no doubt, ingrained but my dad taught me that what you do in secret is who you are! For example, when I search for things I can recall are in the Bible, I will type everything, proper names included, in the lower case except God, Jesus, Holy Spirit and Bible. In much the same manor, if I tell you my dad's name is Howard, I will not type it howard, that's disrespectful, and he has passed and can never see what I do now! On the other hand, God can and He does see everything all of us do.
This “a God” thing, God is not a god, nor is He a God, He is the God that speaks and the irreverence we teach and just let slides must cause His heart to ache... it dies mine!
