Last night I read something that stuck with me. I read The Message Bible but will often look at other translations to see how it is written in them. Sometimes it is very similar and sometimes not so much. Anyway, I was reading in Romans and something from chapter 9 struck me.
I read a few different versions and decided on NIV
"What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone."
Romans 9:30-32
The Message
"How can we sum this up? All those people who didn't seem interested in what God was doing actually embrace what God was doing as He straightened out their lives. And Israel, who seemed so interested in reading and talking about what God was doing, missed it. How could they miss it? Because instead of trusting God, they took over. They were absorbed in their "God projects" that they didn't notice God right in front of them, like a huge rock in the middle of the road. And they stumbled into him and went sprawling." Romans 9:30-32
Here's what struck me about The Message version is it doesn't mean back then. It can be read as right now. I know that it was not written just to reflect the people of that time, that it does pertain to any time since. Yet, the Message version says nothing about Gentiles and Jews and just lends itself to be placed into today. Which is part of the point of The Message.
So thinking about today I see this. I see it everywhere. I have even seen it in me. What? The ones so wrapped up in reading and talking about God and having my "God projects". I am quilting of being more interested in reading books about God than actually reading The Word. I have even been more interested in read my Bible to check it off the list. I mean that's what Christians do right? I have even done things that should look good, they should look like God projects. Unfortunately, I see this in Christianity as well. Not just the, let me be frank, the boring groups of Christians who just read and talk about God but can barely see outside their own little worlds. Yup, there are plenty of churches and Christians like this. But also in the churches with the lights, sound effects, and mega crowds. They are also into talking about God and doing projects and programs and they don't see the Jesus right in front of them.
Am, I saying all old-school churches and/or modern churches are in this boat? No! But the Bible tells us that we are known by our fruit and if the church seems more like the Jews who tried to get it right by following the law then there won't be much fruit. As well if the church is full of God projects and seems to be on fire on Sunday, but there is no fruit then what's the point. Both ways are missing out on Jesus. They run right into Him and as The Message says they "went sprawling".
For me this means I need to make sure that I focus on Jesus, focus on my faith walk. I need to read His Word, but make sure it isn't just to read it, but to increase my faith. Now when I read I pray first. I pray for Wisdom and Discernment and Truth. I pray that my eyes will be open and my heart soft to the Word. This has helped me as I read. It helps me realize that it's not about just reading about Him but it helps me to know Him and grow in Him. I pray that I never again get sucked into just reading and talking about Him and that I never get so focused on my "God project" that I miss seeing Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment