Thought for Today

Genesis 11:31 Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram's wife, and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan; but when they came to Haran, they settled there.

Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, . . . 10 Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, 11 no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for laborers deserve their food.  

Whether you are an experienced traveler, a novice traveler or never travel beyond the grocery store, imagine for a minute the casual attitude the Bible takes toward travel. When I was a youth and my family went on vacations, I know my parents carefully planned, packed and arranged all the details of our journey. As an adult, I have had many occasions to plan, pack and arrange journeys. Some for family vacations. Some for business purposes. All required planning, packing and lots of arrangements.

Our family has not relocated very many times. My father was a small-business owner in a family company. While we moved regularly as business recovered from the effects of WWII, they were all local moves. We never experienced anything comparable to a journey from Ur to Haran, much less the journey from Haran to Canaan.

Greta and I have relocated twice. Once we moved from Houston to Baton Rouge and then returned to Houston. After retirement, Greta and I moved from Houston to New England. While we lived in Houston, we moved to 3 different homes. Local, regional and cross-country, every move involved planning, packing and lots of arrangements.

So, is the Bible pro-moving or anti-moving. In favor of planning, packing and making advanced arrangements? Or, is the Bible in favor of spontaneous, unplanned journeys? Should we read those verses above in terms of preparations, pro or con?

First, whenever we read the Bible, we should do so carefully. We can read the Bible at any time. We can read the Bible during any phases of our lives, during any conflicts, confusion or any other circumstance. Reading the Bible is always appropriate. Remember Paul’s words to Timothy, “2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”

Whenever we read scripture, however, we need to do so carefully, purposefully, prayerfully and deliberately. Part of the care we always need to take in reading the Bible is to avoid reading our own ideas, prejudices and opinions into the Bible. Instead, we need to evaluate our own ideas, prejudices and opinions in light of what we do read in the Bible. We also need to consider everything we read in the Bible in the context of the time, culture and situation in which those scriptures were written.

It should go without saying, but sadly cannot go without saying, that we always need to remember what the Bible is. The Bible is not a chemistry textbook, a history textbook, a physics textbook or a textbook on any other academic discipline. The Bible is the revealed, inspired word of our Creator God. The Bible is a textbook on our relationship with our Creator God.

Are there ideas, prejudices, opinions, topics or situations which are inappropriate or too trivial to examine in the light of scripture? Was it inappropriate for me to wonder whether the Bible is pro-moving or anti-moving, in favor of planning, packing and making advanced arrangements?

I don’t think it was so much inappropriate to consider the topic. It was an inappropriate idea to read into those verses above. The true message in all those verses above is not a message about planning, packing or making arrangements. It is not a message about moving, relocating or even journeying. Those verses above are about listening to and for the voice of God. The message is a message about putting our complete and absolute trust in our Creator God. It is a message about obedience. Those verses are about “training in righteousness.”

Remember the story of Samuel. As he served Eli, “1 Samuel 3:4 . . . the LORD called, "Samuel! Samuel!" and he said, ‘Here I am!’" Read your Bible, listen for God’s calling. Answer like Samuel.

Stay safe, read and listen, trust God,

Pastor Ray