GodReflection: Power Words

Mud in the ruts of the covered wagons was still damp when I first moved to Texas. Contrary to outsider’s opinions, Texans were godly folks.

Blue Laws closed stores on Sunday. There was one exception. Merchants with stores that sold necessities of life could open. The few open stores displayed covered shelves with sheets hiding and prohibiting from sale all items not tied to daily survival. Yes, Blue Laws were God’s laws. Sunday was for rest and worship.

Being a self-sufficient American I don’t like closed.

I like open.

It is hard on this “old dog” to go across town to make a payment or meet an appointment only to find a closed sign because the attendant hasn’t arrived or decided to take an early lunch.

Most of the time closed is only inconvenient. However, there is a dangerous closed. I found one this morning while reading in Matthew’s Gospel.

Sandwiched between the story of seed sewing and Jesus’ explanation of the parable, I find his reason for teaching through stories:

This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘you will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’

Here is what I think.

Jesus describes an ever-present danger in my spirit.

Closed—the thought of this powerfully negative word is frightening. What makes it so scary is its prevalence. I see it in my church and I see it more than I want to admit in my own life.

Closed describes me when I think I have God figured out. Closed describes me when I think I am right on all my doctrinal stances. Closed describes me in my collection of friends. Closed describes me when I attempt to shut out the Spirit and proceed on my own.

Closed makes me arrogant. Closed makes me wrong. Closed makes me belong to religion—rather than to Jesus.

Father God, I pray for clear vision of the Holy. I pray for a heart that connects with Jesus. I pray for Spirit ears. I pray for a mind that will never close to your wonders. Keep me small and always struck with awe by your grandeur. Protect me from closed.

Stay tuned.

Dr. Gary J. Sorrells – Reflecting on the danger of closed.

Gary@GodReflection.org