One Other Thought About The Message Of The Bible

Another thought is moving through my mind this morning.  It is about the message we hear between the covers of the Bible.  It has to do with our American treasure.  I know it is one of my treasure.  And I am pretty sure it is most Americans treasure.  

Our “in-alienable rights.”

In-alienable rights are defined as something that no one can take away from you.  

During the ancient times, recorded in the Old Testament, people’s right were not so free or personal.  God was the one who called all the shots.  

And the people rebelled.

Just like we do, in this nation, when we disagree with how and why our own rights are being limited..  It happens all the time doesn’t it?  Marches, silent protests, sit-in, filibusters on the floor of congress to name a few.

In the Old Testament the people were told what to do, how to worship, what to sacrifice, and even how to use their time.

During that time the prophets, called by God to speak for him, called all the shots.  And the prophets were not popular people.  During that time it could be God’s fault if life got difficult.  They could blame God.  Read the book of Job if you have a question.

One other clear example was the wilderness grumbling that  God was not providing for them like the "good life" they had in Egypt — in the good old days kind of thing.   

It was God’s fault if they experienced any kind of bad happening.

When God came, in Jesus’ skin, that all changed.  He came to bring us our first in-alienable right.  To believe.   He came to teach us that all we needed to do and know about was the best way to live together and who to believe in.  

And then he left this earth with one very clear message:  Believe it or not!

Believe in a God who loves you more than you could ever love.

Believe in a God who is unconditionally gracious, merciful, compassionate and forgiving.  

A God whose thoughts and way our as far from ours as the east is from the West.  

And by the way, much much wiser.