ROCKY ROAD (Matthew 21)

ROCKY ROAD

Whoever stumbles on this Stone gets shattered; whoever the Stone falls on gets smashed. (Matthew 21:44 Message)

Rocks: Good or bad?

It depends. Maybe you ran into a rock with a bicycle and fell. Maybe a rock hit your windshield and it cracked. For thousands of year, people have used rocks as murder weapons and catapulted them in times of war. Stoning was the official manner of capital punishment in ancient Israel.

No wonder Jesus speaks of Himself as shattering and smashing those who don’t believe in Him.

But, wait a minute. Isn’t God described as the Rock who shelters believers? David used that image a lot, like this one: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Psalm 18:2, NIV)

The definitions of rock and rocky suggest a similar dichotomy: A rock may cause you to shake violently or to be upset. It may also mean moving forward at a steady pace or to be extremely effective.

Think about figures of speech:

·         Rock the boat

·         Rock-and-roll

·         Rocky road

·         Rock solid

·         Rock bottom

·         Rock hard

·         Rock climbing

·         Stone cold

·         A “rock,” referring to the size of a diamond in a ring

Maybe when we stand on the rock, we feel invincible. Underneath the rock, we are hopelessly crushed.

Last summer, I got caught up in the TV program, “The Hero,” hosted by the actor known as (what else?) the Rock. After an exercise that tested physical strength, I almost turned it off. There’s more to being a hero than having John Elway’s physique.

I’m glad I didn’t. That same episode, a middle-aged house mom walked stairs without rails at the top of a skyscraper. Earlier in the episode we had learned she was afraid of heights.

But the Rock had called her, and she would answer. She took a step. “I won’t let fear defeat me.” She took a second step, repeated her affirmation, and continued until she reached the top step.

I fell in love with her, and so did America. The show later went on to test other hero attributes such as mental alertness, problem solving, team work, honesty, and communication.

Someone you could trust. A rock.

God is that kind of Rock times a thousand.

Is God the Rock on which we stand—or are you in the path of His rockslide?

MOUNTAIN MOVERS

“Because you’re not yet taking God seriously,” said Jesus. “The simple truth is that if you had a mere kernel of faith, a poppy seed, say, you would tell this mountain, ‘Move!’ and it would move. There is nothing you wouldn’t be able to tackle.”

Matthew 17:20, Message

This verse is one I struggle with. Mostly with conceiving why anyone would want to move a mountain—or maybe that’s the question. Jesus’ answer speaks to a bigger problem.

Peter had given the perfect answer when asked about “Who do you say that I am?” Jesus rewarded him, along with James and John, to the Mount of Transfiguration.

After that miraculous encounter, they must have expected to march into Jerusalem at the head of an army. Instead, three times before the end of the chapter, Jesus tells them I’m going to die. I will be raised again.

They didn’t have a clue what Jesus meant. Look at the questions they asked:

·         Wasn’t Elijah supposed to come first?

·         Why couldn’t we cast the demon out of this man? (Just a note: the nine other disciples. The big three were away with Jesus when the situation developed.)

·         When Jesus repeated His warning, they felt terrible. They didn’t ask questions.

·         When the Pharisees tested Jesus about paying the temple tax, that becomes the important question.

I wish I could say I would be different. But I’m the same way. I make an excellent ostrich. I stick my head in the sand until the last possible second of a mounting emergency.

I don’t take God seriously enough. If I fill my mind and heart with His word, His love, his will—I might stop asking stupid questions. I might join God in what He’s already doing.

The disciples wanted a kingdom. God offered them salvation.

I want fans in the tens of thousands. Instead God hands me a table with three emotionally and dementia challenged women.  No mother could feel any prouder when I see small steps of progress. I feel like my genuine love and concern helps those three women.

Forget the thousands. Them I don’t know about.

But my small community here, I do know and am known. If I take God seriously, I will work here with joy and abandon.

SALOME'S DANCE COMPETITION

But at a birthday party for Herod, Herodias’s daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased him, so he promised with a vow to give her anything she wanted.
(Matthew 14:6-7, NLT)

I confess my fascination with dance competitions. I watch SYTYCD religiously (So You Think You Can Dance, for those not in the know.) I will also watch Dancing with the Stars. Not to mention the dancers on other competitions such as America’s Got Talent and Kim of Queens. Worst of all, I watch those horrible mothers and cruel teacher on Dance Moms.

In the process, I have come to understand the fascination of dance for young women. Thinking of all those devoted dancers made me consider today’s story in a different light.

Salome, the name traditionally given to Herodias’s daughter, has been portrayed as a slutty young girl twirling behind seven veils, revealing her nudity. Liz Curtis Higgs gave a different spin on the story in Really Bad Girls of the Bible. She portrayed Salome as a young girl dressed for a “glitz” pageant (hair pieces, false eyelashes, and the like), in cowgirls dress and boots, dancing to a western song.

I can see that. Salome had the opportunity of a lifetime. How had she learned to dance so well? I suspect there were limited opportunities to perform. What a rush to receive an invitation to dance for the king (her stepfather) and other powerful men of the kingdom.

She rose to the occasion, dancing the best she had ever performed,

She wasn’t promised a prize, but she received one far beyond her wildest dreams. He offered her anything she wanted, “up to half the kingdom.”

She had Daddy in the palm of her hand. I wonder what she wanted for herself, what she might have asked.

Unfortunately, at that point, Salome’s dream slipped out of her fingers. As coached by her mother, Salome asked for the head of John the Baptist on a plate.

Talk about interfering dance moms.

With a different mom, Salome’s life might have turned out differently. Consider her story as a warning against stage moms who live vicariously through their children.

WRITE ON: FINDING MY VOICE (Exodus 37-38, Matthew 23)

Everything I read today hit me straight in my writer's heart. So I will share what God had to say to me, and trust the Holy Spirit to apply it to your situation as well. 

•  He also prepared with the art of a perfumer. . . (Exodus 37:29). The "he" referred to is Bezelel. He was a goldsmith and a craftsman of many arts.  I suspect he had never made a perfume before. But as part of his calling regarding the Tabernacle, he had to make the anointing oil. Application: I consider myself a fiction writer who is now called to write nonfiction as well. Not as different as working with perfume vs. gold, but different skills. But the God who called me will also supply me with the "art" to do it.
• the women’s work group who were assigned to serve at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. (Exodus 38:8) Who were these women? Are they mentioned anywhere else? Anonymous yet their service was essential for the smooth running of worship. Application: For the most part, I am one of the group of anonymous workers who write Christian fiction. In other words, I'm not a household name. And I a woman, drawing near to the temple of biblical exegesis which has long been a man's stronghold.
• Instead of giving you God’s Law as food and drink by which you can banquet on God, they package it in bundles of rules (Matthew 23:4)  Jesus denounced the Pharisees for not handling God's word as sustaining food and drink. Application: I have called this blog "My Daily Nibble"--my calling is to find the bread in the Bible, in familiar stories and in obscure laws.
• If you’re content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty (Matthew 23:12).  No explanation needed here. And wow! I struggle with finding my "voice" in nonfiction. My natural style doesn't feel "right" to my Bible-college-and-seminary trained mind. Earlier in the passage, Jesus mentioned "reverends and doctors."  He doesn't want me to try to write like the scholars. My best writing will come as I am simply myself.

Today I found a feast!  I hope you enjoy it with me.