Doug Van Pelt

More Scripture Swimming

In the past week or two (it's hard to guage time in the "normal" way during deadline, because my face is set like flint towards finishing the issue...days come and go and the calendar becomes a necessary crutch or tool to keep track of the days), I have been noticing things in Scripture that I'm doing my best to consider coincidence. I mentioned yesterday how the passage talked about laboring hard and harvesting little. I could relate to that, but am not convinced that the application is to find a "temple" and "build it." In similar ways, I've seen names in the Bible similar to the one of a mean ole landowner in Pflugerville who is displacing our office (along with 150 or so other manufactured homes) in a land buy and re-zoning. It's very unpleasant and seemingly uncaring to do this to so many people, myself included, that it's been on my mind. So, when I see a character in the Word (a villainous one, no less) that is very close to this guy's name, I snicker. I wonder if there's a connection. I want to be open to that, but I also don't want to be so gullible that I jump to or cling to quick fixes and magic "words" to help me through my difficult times. In Zechariah 7, I'm reading about:

"This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.'"

The homeowners out here are trying to band together to at least bargain with the power of numbers in getting bulk pricing on moving and whatnot. It seems like justice and mercy are not being considered in this situation.

The passage also reinforces the popular verse in Micah (6:8):
"And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God."

These are the common tenets of God's will for mankind. We are to act justly. That is huge, and spans the "Golden Rule" and the Sermon on the Mount. Loving mercy and walking humbly with our God is way at the top, too. Doing all three interact with and reinforce each other. It's like loving God first allows us the perspective to love others next, ahead of ourselves.

I finally did the interview for the cover story (late in the production cycle here) earlier this week. I had two great conversations with the Jasons from No Innocent Victim. Moody, the vocalist shared his heart on the hardcore scene and laid bare the motivation of why this hardcore powerhouse came back together. Ad sales came through to a really good number. There are 7 days, 2 hours, 2 minutes, and 12 seconds left of deadline. It's looking pretty good, although I'm sure there'll be a few more late nights like last night.

Praise You, Father. You are so good to us. You have given us air to breathe and so much bounty. We bless You and thank You for what You've given us. We ask that Your Spirit would continue to remind us of the things Jesus taught, and that You would continue the work that You started in us, making us more prone to act justly, love mercy, walk humbly before You, and love others more than ourselves. Forgive us for loving ourselves more than others and being selfish. Bless those who are working to assist all the victims of the wars, the tsunami, and hurricane Katrina. You are wonderful. Amen.

Posted by Doug Van Pelt at September 16, 2005 10:58 AM