I really just want to draw your attention to three little verses from today's readings. Kathryn did such a great job of talking about the book of Song of Solomon as a whole the other day!
First, in Song 8:1-2, the woman talks about wishing her lover was rather her brother because then it would be acceptable to show him affection in public. In Near Eastern cultures of that day (possibly even today as well), it would have only been prostitutes who would have publicly displayed affection for a man who wasn't a relative. It was just lewd and very improper. I found myself kinda wishing, as I read this, that it was viewed as a little more improper in our over-sexed culture, too!
The second verse, also from Song of Solomon, kind of ties into this theme. In the same chapter, v. 8-9 talk about a young girl who isn't what we would call "of dating age" yet, she's still not through puberty, and the Friends are asking what they can do to keep her pure for her wedding day.
"If she is a wall, we will build towers of silver on her.
If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar,"
they say. My Bible notes that these friends have decided that if this young girl remains a virgin until marriage, standing firm like a wall against sexual temptation, they will praise her and encourage her. But if she is like a door, open to immorality, they will take steps to guard her from doing something foolish.
I think this is not only an indication of how early parents need to teach their children about sexual purity, but it's also a reminder of how we need to help others guard their hearts and their bodies against temptation. It IS our business to work at keeping the Body of Christ pure and holy! And I don't think this is limited to sexual temptations, but any kind of temptation that will potentially harm relationships with God, with the Church, with families.... we need to be a little more willing to take responsibility for shoring up the walls of protection around our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, doing what we can to keep them fight temptation and from sinning against God. Most importantly, I think we need to realize this may also require us to change something about ourselves. In this incredibly "personal rights"-centered culture we live in, we need to be willing to change ~ even though, in our opinion, it shouldn't matter to anyone but us and God ~ if it will benefit the spiritual lives of others.
The third passage that caught my eye was from the reading in Acts, where Stephen is in the middle of his history lecture: "[Moses] saw one of [his fellow Israelites] being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by kiilling the Egyptian. Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not." (7:24-25, emphasis added)
Stephen's interpretation of this incident gives us another dimension to the story given in Exodus 2. We don't really read there the motive behind Moses' actions and we tend to assume the interpretation ends with his indignation at how the Israelites were being treated. But according to Stephen, though this incident occurred 40 years before God spoke to Moses from the burning bush about leading His people out of Egypt, Moses possibly had his own notions of grandeur. Maybe he saw his potential, and decided to start playing the part of deliverer. Having survived the slaughter of Hebrew infants and been raised as Egyptian royalty, maybe he knew he was in a perfect position to rescue his people.
According to these verses though, it seems he figured he could do it all on his own. And just like the Israelites later spent 40 years wandering in the desert because they insisted they knew better than God, Moses now will spend 40 years in the desert before God can even begin to use him.
I think this is another clear case of God's hand and control in all these events. Yes, He'd chosen Moses to lead His people out of slavery, but He was going to make sure Moses' heart and mind were fixed on Him first. Moses evidently had a lot to learn about God. He'd spent 40 years growing up as a prince in Egypt; now God needed another 40 years of re-educating him and re-shaping his heart before he would really be ready for the job, which consumed the last 40 years of his life.
Chances are, we won't live to be 120 years old like Moses did ~ I hope we're becoming the people God wants us to be and doing the jobs God wants us to do NOW already!
Tomorrow's passages: 1 Kings 5-7; Acts 7:44-60.
3 comments:
So right with the purity issue. Purity is not something we stop thinking about after the wedding day. In fact, sexual purity is something we are hit with everyday. In our dress, our thoughts, our speech. We could all do with a little more discreet-ness. I have a young daughter and I know the culture will continue to slide, so I know she will be exposed to immorality. I pray I am a solid example of a Godly woman.
I have two daughters, too, who fit the description in that verse, and it irritates me that it's so hard to find MODEST clothing ~ especially swimsuits!
So true that we need to encourage and strengthen each other in our battles. Everyone has different weaknesses, but almost everything is vulnerable in the area of sexual purity - before and after marriage.
Modesty and purity in dress is a biggie. I loved the series Nancy Leigh DeMoss did on that awhile back.
I don't like seeing little girls wearing skimpy bikinis. Our girls wear one pieces or tankinis - though I do wish they made the tankinis a bit longer sometimes.
I've found some great websites for modest swimsuits for woman, but they are, unfortunately, pretty expensive. :(
www.limericki.com
www.divinitasole.com
There's some extremely modest ones out there too....
www.AquaModesta.net
www.swimmodest.com
Post a Comment