A Powerful Rest
"One of the most universally recognized pieces of music of all times is Beethoven's 5th Symphony. You know the one: dun dun dun dunnnnn...dun dun dun dunnnnnn. You know the song, but what you may not know is that the song starts with an 8th note of rest. A song that begins with a rest! As strange as that is, it creates a uniquely powerful melody.
The strategic 8th note rest continues through the entire song."
A rest is a highly unusual way to begin a piece of music. But realize that the Christian life also begins with a rest. Before God can make a beautiful symphony of our lives, we must first find complete rest in His Son.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
Illustration Exchange
Looking For Loopholes
“Before the start of the Persian gulf war,” reports Shepherd, Kohut and Sweet, “Israel’s Chief Rabbi Mordechi Eliyahu ruled that ultra-Orthodox Jewish men could break Jewish law forbidding men from shaving in case of an Iraqi chemical attack so gas masks could fit properly over their beards. Eliyahu urged bearded men to carry scissors in their pocket in case they needed to shave quickly.” They continued, that “although Jewish law regarding the Sabbath forbids even simple physical activities, such as turning on the radio, the threat of Iraqi missile attacks . . . sent Israel’s chief rabbis scrambling to the Scriptures for a loophole so Orthodox Jews could listen to the news for warnings. The rabbis ruled that leaving the radio on during the Sabbath was permissible— provided it was on low volume."
“If there is a real alarm, you can turn up the volume, explained Religious Affairs Minister Avner Shaki, “but in a nonconventional manner, with a stick or with your elbow. Controlling the volume in a different manner still marks the Sabbath as different from the rest of the week.”
This story begs the question, why would God give Israel Sabbath laws that make her vulnerable to the threat of attack? The answer is that these laws were never intended to operate outside the divine protection promised in the Mosaic Covenant (Deuteronomy 28-30). According to this contract, as long as Israel walked in faith and obedience, she need not fear her enemies.
How about you? How are you doing with the faith part of the journey of faith? Do you believe that God will take care of you so long as you obey and trust in HIm? Or, do you, out of fear and uncertainty, search for loopholes?
For example, when Jesus asks you to offer your enemy the "other" cheek, is that what you do? Or, do you look for a loophole that allows you to take matters into your own hands?
Rather than search for loopholes, we would all do better to search our hearts and make sure we are walking by faith.
"But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also" (Matthew 5:39).
Rhino Reciprocity
A cheeky bird hitching a ride atop a rhino is a fascinating, perhaps humorous, image.
"Known as an oxpecker," the Rhino Recovery Fund reports:
[This] little bird maintains a reciprocal relationship with Africa’s white and black rhinos. Even the bird’s Swahili name means 'the rhino’s guard.' Oxpeckers feast upon the insects, parasites, and ticks that agitate rhinos, liberating the horned giants of these tiny pests.
The birds also serve as an alarm system for the poorly-visioned rhino. When danger approaches, the oxpecker creates a commotion, promptly warning the rhino of an approaching threat, like lions or hyenas. A recent study found that rhinos who enjoy the company of oxpeckers are more likely to avoid getting shot by poachers. As with any other threat, oxpeckers sound the alarm to an approaching human, increasing the chance for a rhino to avoid poachers.
This relationship between the rhino and the bird speaks of a reciprocal relationship and action, not a transactional one. When the Holy Spirit prompts us to show mercy, to minister to or care for another, it is a blessing to both them and us. Specifically, the mercy and grace of God liberates and protects us from evil desires, actions, words, and the Lord’s judgment.
Disciples of Jesus who appreciate having experienced His mercy and grace, then extend His mercy and grace to others.
God's mercy and grace are gifts to be received and extended, not based on conditional, transactional exchanges.
"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace" (1 Peter 4:10, ESV).
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy" (Matthew 5:7, NIV).