Give Me A Break!

I don’t really mean that, for writing is a great privilege when it seems prompted by the Spirit. However, it is the first Monday that the Holiday Queen to whom I am married, has offered me a break.

Yes, we began putting up lights at Halloween, throw in a few large pumpkins at both homes before Thanksgiving, a 50th anniversary on December 23rd, her 75th birthday on January 2, and then Blessing Sunday duties, yesterday at church! Let's just say, to squeeze in a blog each day keeps this old Boomer on his toes & knees!

I was ready to relax today, planning on only a brief parenthetical statement on Facebook inside of an excerpt taken from Richard Rohr. Afterwards, I opened the Book of Hosea, the next in my ongoing annual read through.

BAM! There it was!

"When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.” ‭‭Hosea‬ ‭1:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬.

I was immediately challenged by the same Lord who spoke to Hosea, as the words of Paul then came to mind:

"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?"- ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭6:14‬ ‭NIV

Can you see how our religious tendencies with scripture can violate the collective message of the scriptures when read apart from the Christ in us, the very Spirit of God?

As well, I thought of the hardened bias of those long charged with capturing and protecting the "Word", even Moses. As often it seems they recommended stoning such individuals, as a legitimate response from a just God:

"If a man commits adultery with another man's wife, even with the wife of his neighbour, both the adulterer and adulteress must be put to death...." Deuteronomy 22:22-24.

Though we speak of an Old Covenant and a New as justification for the inconsistencies between the two testaments, I now believe that truth always speaks to the situation, and the specific calling of the hearer. If one's heart is open, truth cuts through even the religious biases (yes, they were captured by intent) of the writers of the Canon, bringing the reader freedom from accusation and shame. The very mystery of scripture.

Hosea's very difficult calling was to bring a word to the many who were observing his life. Though no easy assignment, this prophet would demonstrate a message of mercy and faithfulness even to those most unfaithful.

Somehow though, even given the strong message of Hosea, when the same Lord who had required this difficult life of Hosea, showed up in the flesh of Jesus, demonstrating true righteousness through grace, he was challenged by the very ones appointed as keepers of His Word!

Providence always protects the purposes of the Lord. Their bias would better demonstrate the Word of God than the very scriptures they quoted!

When they threw the young lady in the sand that day, caught "in the very act of adultery", Jesus' infamous response you already know: "Let him that is without sin among you, cast a stone at her."

Of course they all sheepishly walked away, as one by one he perhaps wrote their name and their sin in the sand! I'll bet some major repentance was going on at the beach that day!

Though wisdom is found in the words of Paul, we can so easily miss the heart of the Lord when reading the text, apart from the Spirit.

Have a great day, one that is religion free and mercy filled!