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  Mark 9:21 am on January 6, 2011 Permalink | Reply  

  Ashes to Ashes, god to Dust 

  One of the key principles in the spiritual life is learning to pay attention.

  In Isaiah 44, the prophet describes a scene where an idol maker, regarded as a highly spiritual person, is making an idol out of wood and iron.  He sculpts and crafts an image made in human likeness out of the best wood, then takes the excess wood from his divine project and uses it to start a fire and cook up some food after a long day’s work.  In humor and in irony, Isaiah reveals the pathetic existence of someone who worships the same wood he uses to cook his dinner.

  There were ancient incantations in that day where a idol-craftsman would finish his carving, then wash the eyes, mouth and ears of the sculpture to “bring it to life.”  This was a highly spiritual practice.  Isaiah mocks the ritual and mocks the idea that the creator would worship the creation… he calls the craftsmen blind, deaf, and mute (eyes, ears and mouth).

  Learning to pay attention…

  19 The person who made the idol never stops to reflect, “Why, it’s just a block of wood! I burned half of it for heat and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat. How can the rest of it be a god? Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood?”

  20 The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes. He trusts something that can’t help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask, “Is this idol that I’m holding in my hand a lie?”

  21 “Pay attention, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel. I, the Lord, made you, and I will not forget you.

  ‘Pay attention…I…made you.’

  God is calling us to wake up to reality.

  We are his wooden statues, come to life.

  Paying attention means sniffing out the systematic implications of our actions. What do we control, yet worship as if it controls us?  At what point does the TV remote control in your hand become a your leash?  When does your job slip from being a joy to being a form of slavery?  When does eating go from healthy to destructive?  Pick your poison.

  Paying attention means remembering that you are in control of the things that enter into you – through your mind, ears, and eyes.  Letting go of that awareness makes you lose control, and quickly you become the stiff wooden idol worth no more than the wood tossed in the fire.  Stop and reflect on what has control of you in this life.  With the help of God, break free of the chains and live in freedom!

  
   

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  Mark 2:03 pm on December 10, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: prostitution   

  How You Make Your Dirty Money 

  

  Isaiah’s final prophecy (from chapters 14-24) of a particular nation is Tyre and its twin city Sidon – both part of Phoenicia (modern-day Lebanon).  Since they were located on the coast and several rocky islands with fortresses kept them protected from attack, they had so far withstood the onslaught of the Assyrian Empire.  They had continued to sell their wares and even colonize other parts of the world – even to Tarshish (southwestern Spain).

  But the prophet does not see them as uniquely immune to the coming disaster awaiting the region.  Isaiah announces that Tyre and Sidon will be devastated for 70 years (the year of a person’s lifetime – also the length he declares will be Judah’s exile into Babylon.

  And strangely, after pronouncing destruction for these people, Isaiah gives a picture of a Tyre’s return to joy and power – “like a prostitute returning to the city square” - Tyre will return to the world stage, and once again sell her goods to all the nations. But this time, the money made on her goods will help sustain Yahweh’s people who have returned from exile (18:7 also describes the gifts brought by other nations to the people of God.  See my post on chapter 18).

  Its hard to even know what to do with the idea that Isaiah is okay with a aged-prostitute making money for Yahweh – but its right here in the Biblical text.  Obviously, its not a literal prostitute, its a nation exporting goods to the nations and sending money to a post-exilic Israel; but even still – we are faced with this SCANDALOUS idea; and for Isaiah, he meant it to bring good news to his readers!  They might go into exile, but they’ll be back – and nearby nations will help with the rebuilding effort!

  Israel in other texts are similarly called a prostitute.  In fact, it is hard to argue that any nation, or any PERSON does not have dirty money made in illicit ways.  We are all guilty – we all have the stains of impropriety on our hands. And yet – if we are able to reorient ourselves toward God, even in the final days of our life, we can contribute to the work and wonders of God in the world.

  That’s a hopeful picture of redemption!  No matter what your line of work – or how you’ve earned your living; how you’ve lived your life – learn to give your earnings over to the one who created you…it will return to you in ways more wonderful than riches…it will return to you in your own redemption, in adoption into an incredible story and family… it will return to you in familial love!

  —

  But even still, the analogy is that Tyre goes right back to being a prostitute; selling to the nations – and giving her earnings to the LORD.  I don’t know WHAT to do with that!  Isaiah: you are one rabble-rousing prophet!

  

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  Mark 8:27 am on December 7, 2010 Permalink | Reply  

  What are you Willing to Get Naked For? 

  What are you willing to get naked for?

  What will literally send you to take off all your clothes in public – a dare?  a million dollars?

  Does it send you to shame, excitement, or fear?

  For Isaiah – he spent THREE YEARS naked – BRR! – in obedience to God.  The act was to symbolize the shame of the powerful Egypt and Ethiopia (and all those interested in allying with them) as they lost to Assyria.

  Totally butt-naked – and this guy made it into the Bible!  I know if I saw this guy on the street, I’d think he had lost his mind… and in someways, he had.  He had given it to God.  For him – he was willing to listen to God, and not tiptoe into obedience.  I can imagine if I got a similar word from the LORD, I would do my best to transform God’s Word into symbolism or allegory.  I’d say something like this:

  “You see – what God really wants is nakedness of heart!“

  If you hear God say something, just try to be obedient.  I’ll back you!  (But I’ll be way, way back!)