Spamming Out God?
I've had a frustrating week. Each week,
after hours of research, preparation,
several drafts and revisions, our Notes
hit the Internet, heading toward friends
scattered about the world. And many
return unread. Why? Spam filters.
They're designed to look for words
someone somewhere has decided are often
found in Spam. Simple words. Ordinary
words. Words we use every day. Even
religious words.
Numbers are assigned to each one and
when a certain score is reached, the
email is labeled as Spam. And unless
you've told the program to put such
email in a Junk box so you can make sure
it's actually something you don't want,
the email is rejected. And you never...ever...know
it was sent.
Recently Notes have returned with
messages like,
The message has too high Spam
probability, Subject of email not
allowed by server, Email contains
content rejected by filter, Server
permanently rejected message, Filter
will not allow this message,
and my personal favorite,
This smells like Spam.
I complained to God and asked Him for a
solution to this terrible dilemma. He
gave me none. Instead, He answered with
a question.
Why do you treat my messages like
Spam? There is a lesson
here, one that reaches beyond emails and
servers all the way to our hearts. This
is what I've learned.
Like those sophisticated programs, we
have our own filter, selecting what we
will receive and what we will reject.
Words are identified…command, obey,
instruction, trust, faith, judgment,
always, never. Phrases are
flagged…follow me, you must, believe in,
the will of God, stop sinning, don't be
afraid, you are, I am, listen to my
voice. And the result?
Filter will not allow this message.
Long ago, God saw this.
Do not merely hear the word, and so
deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Anyone who hears the word but does not
do what it says is like a man who looks
at his face in a mirror and, after
looking at himself, goes away and
immediately forgets what he looks like.
But the man who looks intently into the
perfect law that gives freedom, and
continues to do this, not forgetting
what he has heard, but doing it – he
will be blessed in what he does.
James 1:22-25
Akroates,
the word used for
hear, means merely to
hear. It's like music playing in the
background with no one paying
attention. We hear it and somewhere
inside know that it's music, but we
don't pick up on the words, the melody
or tempo. We never stop our talking or
doing whatever it is we're doing long
enough to recognize where the music is
trying to take us. It is nothing more
than noise to us.
But
parakupto, which means
look intently into, is very
different. Imagine a man, woman and
child on a quest for treasure buried
deep in a forest. The man looks up to
Heaven, talking without end of their
need for a map. The woman looks at the
trees, plotting a course around what
could stand in their way.
Ah, but the child. For hours he
searches through the roots and leaves
until at last he finds a hole dug in the
soft earth. Intent on his mission, he
bends over, leaning far inside. His
eyes adjust to the light, and there,
within easy reach, he finds the prize.
That's
parakupto! That's the kind
of listening we need. No constant
talking or chosen distractions. But
real effort to find and understand.
Solomon once wrote that when we call out
for insight and understanding, searching
for them as though they are hidden
treasure, we could understand the fear
of the LORD, find the knowledge of God,
and know what is right and just and fair
– every good path. (Proverbs 2:3-9) But
he also pointed out that before any of
this can occur, God places a requirement
on each of us.
If you accept my words and store up my
commands within you, turning your ear to
wisdom and applying your heart to
understanding…
(Proverbs 2:1-2) No filters. No
conditions on what we will accept from
Him. No reply, Subject of message not
allowed. Only the response that
declares, We will listen, we will seek
understanding, we will do what you tell
us, and we will be blessed in what we
do.
The LORD looks down from heaven on the
sons of men to see if there are any who
understand, any who seek God.
(Psalms 14:2) Where does He find you?
Take care and be God’s,
Chuck Graham
Reprinted with permission from Ciloa.org
Notes of Encouragement, 20 October 2008
