That's A Jesus Song
There are some priceless things which come from the mouths of children. We've heard some great gems coming from Travis over the past few years.
Some are humourous, like the time he asked why we always go to the grocery store. I told him, "to buy food," to which he quickly answered, "McDonald's sells food too!"
Some are touching, like this past week, hearing that I injured a rib while playing hockey, he was in tears. When he saw me, he asked that I not play hockey again, "because I don't want you to get hurt again."
Another precious moment was hearing his comment on a TV commercial for Cheerios, which used the song "This Little Light of Mine" in it. The song just didn't match what was on the TV in his mind, and so with surprise he stated, "Hey, that's a Jesus song."
Amen! What to some was just a catchy jingle to him was a reminder of the Lord, and I appreciate that. Friend, the Lord needs to be on our minds as much as possible, and may it be the case with us that our minds are so in tune with the Lord that even the little things of life cause us to think on Him.
The Law commanded the people of Israel to
...fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life... (Deuteronomy 6:2)
To accomplish this, they were commanded,
You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:7-9)
“...the Lord needs to be on our minds as much as possible...”
Some Israelites took this literally, wearing phylacteries, a headband with a pouch containing a text from the Law in it. I've seen barns with religious messages painted on the roof, and several homes with Bible plaques and signs in them. These outward displays of loyalty to the Lord are good, but I believe the sprit of the commandment was more a matter of the heart than a matter of external decorations.
God's word should have such importance in our lives that we cannot help but think about it, talk about it, sing about it, etc. It ought to have such a profound impact on our children so as to cause the same things in them.
God's word needs to be the centerpiece in our homes. Not on display on the coffee table, but on display in our thoughts, speech and actions. When this is the case, then we will affect those who are around us for good for the gospel's sake.
The Psalmist wrote,
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. (Psalm 19:1)
Paul would later write,
...since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead (Romans 1:19-20)
When we see the creation that surrounds us, do we acknowledge the Lord's hand in it? Does our conversation before our brethren and unbelievers alike attest to the fact that God
...did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. (Acts 14:17)
God is so good. May our minds be tuned to dwell upon His goodness, and to share that understanding with others. May the simple things in life bring the God we serve to mind, and may our hearts be set upon obeying His will, to His glory and our soul's salvation.
Article Navigation:
Answering The Atheist
Complaint:
Was David a man of war before he fought Goliath? 1 Samuel 16:18 says that he was, but 1 Samuel 17:33 says that he wasn't. Is there a contradiction?
Response:
It is assumed that the record of 1 Samuel 16-17 is chronological. While it is true that Israel's history in Samuel, Kings and Chronicles are primarily chronological, there are segments which are topical. This is one of them. Later as the lives of the kings of Israel and Judah are detailed, the writers often forego chronology in the interest of keeping information for each king together.
We're told that the Spirit of God had left Saul, and a distressing spirit was upon him. His servant thought music might relieve his distress, so David was called upon to play harp for him. At this point, the writer identifies David as "a mighty valiant man, and a man of war."
But, if David was already playing harp for Saul, they would know each other. However, at the end of 1 Samuel 17, after David killed Goliath, Saul was asking who this young man was. He hadn't met David before.
David being received into Saul's house took place after the episode with Goliath, at which time it would be appropriate to call him a man of war.
There is no contradiction.
This article is in response to Skeptic's Annotated Bible