Archive for the ‘ Bible ’ Category

Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 04/06/2014

Proverbial Thought does it again, as we re-run and occasionally modify or offer new thoughts!

Speaking of thoughts, today I do not offer a poem so much as my own proverbial thought.

When Jesus came to Earth, He turned the world upside down. He challenged every idea we have, every perception we think we understand, and every box we try to put God into.

And then He overcame … and gives us a Helper to overcome with Him!

 

 

 

The Holy Spirit is boxed in by the Word.

The cool thing about God is

His box was built inside out.

2014
04/06
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April …

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

For this April Fool’s Day, I offer no pranks or jokes, only this: Psalm 14 (and Proverbs 1:7) (ESV)

1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
    They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds,
    there is none who does good.

2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man,
    to see if there are any who understand,
    who seek after God.

3 They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt;
    there is none who does good,
    not even one.

4 Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers
    who eat up my people as they eat bread
    and do not call upon the Lord?

5 There they are in great terror,
    for God is with the generation of the righteous.
6 You would shame the plans of the poor,
    but the Lord is his refuge.

7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
    When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,
    let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

And the answer:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
    fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Okay, so I offered one joke: because here one more passage with the ultimate answer! As found in 1 Corinthians 1:

18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
    and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
2014
04/01
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The Excellent Wife!

We finished getting through the book of Proverbs at Proverbial Thought last month. Our church is almost done going through the book of Proverbs on Sunday mornings. I am preaching a sermon on the last chapter of Proverbs in my preaching class next month.

I thought it would be okay to give a relatively short post about that final passage of Proverbs (chapter 31, in the ESV)!

10 An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
15 She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.

The entire book of Proverbs was written to a son, specifically Solomon’s son.

When we read Kings and Chronicles we see that his children did not really listen, but that is not the point here.

In 31:1, we read “The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him”. Lemuel, in Hebrew, means “For God” or “Devoted to God”. We can read this as “The words of a King devoted to God.” That makes it reasonable to assume it might be Solomon still sharing wisdom, especially since we never see the name Lemuel listed in any of the ancient kings.

Therefore, the last 22 verses of Proverbs are about how a godly and wise man can find a good wife.

  • It takes diligence to find her, and she is worth more than all the wealth in the world. (vv. 10, 30-31)
  • Her family is blessed by her work, and she by them. (vv. 11-12, 28-29)
  • She is a diligent and hard worker. (vv. 13-19, 27)
  • She helps the poor, financially and in wisdom. (vv. 20, 26)
  • She does not fear the elements nor the future, because she has provided excellently for her family. (vv. 21, 25)
  • She takes care of her home and is in the marketplace. (vv. 22, 24)
  • Her husband is well-respected. (v. 23)

I think Ephesians 5 sums up what this means for the family. It is not really about the wife, at least not only. It is about the husband as well.

Both love and respect each other. They have trust in each other, and they express their love, respect, and trust through word and deed. Neither is lazy, nor do they allow anything to break their bond. They protect and nurture their relationship.

And this begins before they ever meet (or, at least, before they ever get married, for those who may live with arranged marriages), though it is never too late to begin fresh!

Ultimately, this is about Jesus Christ and His Church!

As Isaiah said in chapter 61 of his book, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”

And John shows us in Revelation 18-22 how the Church is the Bride of Christ. Listen for the similarities from Proverbs 31 in Revelation 19:

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure”—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

And in chapter 22 we read:

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

It is the Church that perfectly exemplifies the excellent wife! It does not mean all who call themselves Christians are part of the Church, and it does not mean that we will never make mistakes. By the power of the Holy Spirit to the glory of God, He makes even our mistakes work for His gospel!

We have an amazing God who loves us desperately, and I pray we come to a point of desperation for Him that pushes us to live out His commands of love with a lost and broken world!

Let us prepare ourselves, as Christ’s beautiful Bride, for His return by loving others as we pursue God in the power of the Holy Spirit!

2014
03/25
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How Sweet Are Your Words

About  month ago I posted Psalm 119:89-104. The reason for that was that my Theology class was assigned this passage for a memory quiz. We had to write out all 16 verses from our choice of translation as accurately as possible.

I typed it out for my blog as a memory aid.

The day it posted online was the day of the quiz. I was going over it before my Preaching class started, and the professor asked if I had an opening thought and prayer to share with the class (he likes his students doing that in this class). Since I had it in my hand, I said “Yes,” and quickly decided which words to share about this passage. Below, I will expand on what I shared in class.

Proverbs 119:89-104, ESV

Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast. By your appointment they stand this day, for all things are your servants.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
John 1:1-3, NIV

If I had not delighted in your Law, I would have perished in my in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life.

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
John 1:4, NIV

I am yours; save me, for I have sought your precepts. The wicked lie in wait to destroy me, but I consider your testimonies. I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your commandment is exceedingly broad.

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
John 15:18-20, NIV

Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts. I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word. I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through your precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every false way.

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,

“The stone the builders rejected     has become the cornerstone,”

and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
1 Peter 2:1-12, NIV

This is true for the pastor and for the regular church-goer:

We are called to be a royal priesthood. It is our calling, in Christ Jesus, to share the good news of Christ Jesus with the world.

How can we do that if we do not know His written word?

Through the Bible, our Lord has revealed to us the truth of His character, plan, and will. We must be saturated by His word if we are to be fully effective as His witnesses. (Note I said “fully” effective. God can and does still use us to achieve His will, just keep in mind that He uses the wicked as much as the justified. i.e. Look at the Antichrist.)

As we have begun teaching in our youth group, this requires knowing God’s word through prayer, study, fellowship, and meditation.

  • Prayer: Ask God to reveal His truth and help you retain it.
  • Study: Intentionally read through the Bible (one book at a time) to find the full context and meaning.
  • Fellowship: Discuss what you are reading and what God has revealed with others. This lifts each other up and protects from misunderstandings and false teachings.
  • Meditation: Not like in Eastern religions in which you empty yourself of thoughts and emotions. This is intentional thinking over the words, meanings, and ideas being expressed. This is focused thinking what God is revealing. This is allowing God to imprint it in your heart and mind.

This is not a suggestion. To be fully effective for God, we must make sure we “sought Your precepts,” “consider[ed] Your testimonies,” and “do not turn aside from Your rules,” “for You have taught [us].”

God Himself has taught us what is good and right, and we know this best from reading from the Bible regularly and allowing it to transform our lives to the likeness of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit to the glory of the Father.

(Or am I being to strict about this?)

(No. I am not.)

2014
03/04
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Psalm 119:89-104

Find the virtues of a godly woman over at Proverbial Thought!

Proverbs 119:89-104, ESV

Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.
Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast.
By your appointment they stand this day, for all things are your servants.
If I had not delighted in your Law, I would have perished in my in my affliction.
I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life.
I am yours; save me, for I have sought your precepts.
The wicked lie in wait to destroy me, but I consider your testimonies.
I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your commandment is exceedingly broad.

Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.
Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts.
I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word.
I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me.
How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Through your precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every false way.

2014
02/11
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Please Join Me At Track 22

Tune in to the voice of Wisdom at Proverbial Thought!

I was sitting in my preaching class this past week, and the conversation started tracking a certain way. It got me to thinking about something.

I love that song!

Have you had conversations about some of your favorite songs? I am sure you have.

Perhaps sometimes you start trying to sing a song but you cannot remember either the tune, the words, or both. You desperately want someone to tell you the name of that song!

How would you feel if someone simply told you the track number of that song? Would you find that helpful?

Usually, we do not refer to songs by their number (with exceptions for music like “Piano Concerto Number Five” or “No. 9” … extra points if you can give me names to go with those!) Occasionally we may know when someone says “Oh, that was track four of that album.”

Typically, the response we get (and want) is the title of the song. We may even find the lyrics rushing to our mind at the mention of the title.

We are often okay with the recitation of the first line of the song or the chorus.

My God, My God

The funny thing is, we have become so accustomed to labeling things in the Bible by number that is almost all we know anything by anymore.

Perhaps if we read the Bible as much as we really should, we would recognize references in the New Testament to passages in the Old Testament.

For example, when Jesus was hanging on the cross, it would have been much easier on all of us who were not raised Jewish if He had said “Go look up Psalm 22.”

Instead, He did what many of us would do when we are in some situation: He quoted lyrics.

Think about: how many times have you been doing something and song lyrics popped into your head that seemed to fit the situation?

Now imagine you are the Son of God, and you want people to understand something about you?

When Jesus said, “My God, My God, why have your forsaken me?” He was not suggesting that the Father had abandoned the Son. He was saying, “Hurry, someone read Psalm 22!”

Read it:

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest.

3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises.
4 In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
8 “He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
“let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.”

9 Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth I was cast on you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.

12 Many bulls surround me;
    strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions that tear their prey
    open their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax;
    it has melted within me.
15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
    you lay me in the dust of death.

16 Dogs surround me,
    a pack of villains encircles me;
    they pierce my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
    people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my clothes among them
    and cast lots for my garment.

19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me.
You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
20 Deliver me from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
save me from the horns of the wild oxen.

22 I will declare your name to my people;
in the assembly I will praise you.
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or scorned
    the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
    but has listened to his cry for help.

25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows.
26 The poor will eat and be satisfied;
those who seek the Lord will praise him—
may your hearts live forever!

27 All the ends of the earth
    will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
    will bow down before him,
28 for dominion belongs to the Lord
    and he rules over the nations.

29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
    all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
    those who cannot keep themselves alive.
30 Posterity will serve him;
    future generations will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness,
    declaring to a people yet unborn:
    He has done it!

Did you notice that all of the bolded sections describe the crucifixion, and this Psalm declares the greatness of God and His salvation.

This not only shows how Jesus fulfilled prophecy and the Law, but it shows the importance of the Old Testament.

We may not always refer to things as has always been done, but we are not too different from those in the past.

We may use numbers to refer to ancient songs, but we are better prepared to understand the connection between them and the gospel message.

Now, join me in Track 119, a psalm of praise to God for His Word!

2014
01/28
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Comfort and Joy in the King – God Rest You Merry Gentlemen

Keep your joy strong with wisdom from Proverbial Thought!

It is Christmas Eve! Tomorrow we celebrate God stepping into the time to redeem His Creation. There is no better explanation of that act than today’s song.

It is at least 300 years old and may be older than that. I have not been able to find verifiable information, but I have heard that it was written by a priest who was concerned with how much of the gospel message the average person actually knew. Therefore, he put the lyrics to a tune that could be heard in many pubs.

The earliest publication of the song was in 1833 by William Sandys, and one of my favorite stories, from 1843, used it: Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

God rest you merry, gentlemen.
Let nothing you dismay.
Remember, Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan’s power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy, Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

In Bethlehem, in Israel,
This blessed Babe was born
And laid within a manger
Upon this blessed morn
The which His Mother Mary
Did nothing take in scorn
O tidings of comfort and joy, Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

From God our Heavenly Father
A blessed Angel came;
And unto certain Shepherds
Brought tidings of the same:
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by Name.
O tidings of comfort and joy, Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

“Fear not then,” said the Angel,
“Let nothing you affright,
This day is born a Savior
Of a pure Virgin bright,
To free all those who trust in Him
From Satan’s power and might.”
O tidings of comfort and joy, Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

The shepherds at those tidings
Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feeding
In tempest, storm and wind:
And went to Bethlehem straightway
The Son of God to find.
O tidings of comfort and joy, Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

And when they came to Bethlehem
Where our dear Savior lay,
They found Him in a manger,
Where oxen feed on hay;
His Mother Mary kneeling down,
Unto the Lord did pray.
O tidings of comfort and joy, Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All other doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy, Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

Why I like this carol …

My first liking is that it tells the birth story of Jesus. It reminds us of the hope we have in His life and death, that He came “to save us all from Satan’s power when we had gone astray.”

My second liking comes from the title, which really means “God keep/make you joyful/content/hopeful/happy, people of God”. That is some paraphrasing on my part, but it is based on literal meanings of the words “rest” and “merry”.

This song is a reminder that God did not wait for us to achieve the impossible or seek Him out. He came to us, He redeemed us with His own life and blood, and He will return to redeem all of Creation. We should be joyful and hopeful knowing that our Lord wins and has won. He came and will come again!

Merry Christmas – Almost literally, “Joy comes from Christ’s suffering.”

Remember that is what “Merry Christmas” means, for the Christ-Mass, is the remembrance that Jesus Christ was born that He may die to bring us second birth … and He will come again!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2013
12/24
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Let Us Adore The King – O Come All Ye Faithful

Adore the Wisdom of God by finding some wisdom at Proverbial Thought!

We continue looking at some of my favorite Christmas Carols and why.

I have taken us through several songs and poems which have touched my life in some way, but honestly it is most Christmas carols and many Christmas songs that impact my life by simply being about Christmas and, specifically, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

That is why there is the ever-slightest shift this week.

The carol this week did not have a dramatic impact on my life, but it certainly begins to explain some of what I feel and believe.

O Come All Ye Faithful
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him,
Born the King of Angels;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

O Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing all that hear in heaven God’s holy word.
Give to our Father glory in the Highest;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

All Hail! Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning,
O Jesus! for evermore be Thy name adored.
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Why I Like This Carol …

… is that it is a call to celebration and worship.

There is something inherently joyous and celebratory about it, many times because the music is very upbeat and celebratory. Regardless of the music, those words just draw all focus to Jesus. They are a call to sing and celebrate the Savior of the world. They are a call to worship the Lord of all.

Join with me in celebrating and worshiping our God who saves us!

2013
12/17
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Discovering the King – What Child Is This?

Discover the wisdom waiting for you at Proverbial Thought!

Here we are in the fourth week of some of my favorite Christmas carols!

The song this week was written in 1865 by William Chatterton Dix not long after he almost died of an illness. It was originally written as a poem called “The Manger Throne”, and later some of the stanzas were put to a traditional English tune called “Greensleeves” and called “What Child Is This?”

What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,
Come peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
Raise, raise a song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why I Like It …

The first reason I like the song is the Olde Timey sound, but that is just because!

The most important reason I like this song is the gospel message, of course!

The song sings of the newborn Jesus in Mary’s lap, but it looks forward with the hope of the cross and resurrection which brought us forgiveness of sins, salvation from death and God’s wrath, and the hope of eternal life! It reminds us that our Lord is deserving of our utmost praise.

2013
12/03
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Playing for the King – The Little Drummer Boy

Get a dose of wisdom from Proverbial Thought!

For the next several weeks, as we build to “the most wonderful time of the year,” I am going to look at some of my personal favorite Christmas carols. Why not start with my longest-running favorite?

Carol of the Drum

The Little Drummer Boy started out in 1941 as a song by Katherine Kennicott Davis and by the name Carol of the Drum.

Here are the lyrics:

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we’ll bring, pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum
So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum
When we come

Baby Jesus, pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum
That’s fit to give our King, pa rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum
Shall I play for You?, Pa rum pum pum
On my drum

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum
I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum
Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum

Why it is one of my favorites

First, I refer you to “The Parable of the Talents” from Matthew 25:14-30 (ESV):

 

 

14 For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ 21 Well done, good and faithful servant.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.

29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Here is what I want to say, then, about the song:

We know that God has entrusted us with responsibility in this life. He has given each of us gifts, be they abilities/talents, understanding, or the fruit of the Spirit. It can come in any form and varies from person to person.

Like the Little Drummer Boy, there is something we are tasked with doing. (I am going to reveal a secret to you: no matter what, it includes sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to increase the Kingdom of God!)

Like the Little Drummer Boy, if we do our something to the best of our ability to give glory to God and make Him happy, God will smile on us.

It does not matter if we are rich or poor, eloquent or a stutterer, well-known or easily over-looked; if our goal is to play our part for His pleasure, we will one day hear our Lord say “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

2013
11/05
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CATEGORY
Birth of Jesus
Christmas
Jesus
Music
The Talents
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