{"id":98,"date":"2010-10-07T13:58:22","date_gmt":"2010-10-07T18:58:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pambhm.net\/blog\/?p=98"},"modified":"2010-10-24T22:13:18","modified_gmt":"2010-10-25T03:13:18","slug":"silent-date","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.pambhm.net\/blog\/2010\/10\/07\/silent-date\/","title":{"rendered":"silent date?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>I saw a couple in a restaurant over the weekend. This young couple sat at a booth across from each other – and they weren’t talking or even looking at each other. Their food had not arrived, but they were both sitting with phones in hand – texting or surfing or emailing or playing a game or something – in silence. This silence went on for at least 5 minutes!<\/p>\n

Now I know that I’ve done this plenty of times, but it does border on being rude to check your messages during a meal or conversation with someone. It shows a lack of focus and conveys that you’re looking for or expecting something more important to come along.<\/p>\n

So… What does God think when I come to worship but I’m thinking about work stuff? Or when I pray and get distracted by other people or even my own tangential thoughts? Or when I choose to surf the Internet or the TV channels instead of reading His word?<\/p>\n

Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE to be comfortable enough to be silent with someone. It’s a sense of peace and contentment between two people that can’t be contrived, but comes from relationship and experiences shared.<\/p>\n

But to be silent from lack of or misplaced focus? What kind of relationship is that? And it’s not honoring to the other person.<\/p>\n

One of the songs coming up this Sunday morning is a great song of reflection on the holiness of God and our attitudes and motivation toward Him. It’s ‘Clear the Stage’ – here a link to YouTube<\/a> and a few of the words:<\/p>\n

Anything I put before my God is an idol.
\nAnything I want with all my heart is an idol.
\nAnything I can’t stop thinking of is an idol.
\nAnything that I give all my love is an idol.
\nWe must not worship something that’s not even worth it.
\nClear the stage and make some space for the one who deserves it.
\nCause I can sing all I want to.
\nYes I can sing all I want to
\nI can sing all I want to
\nAnd still get it wrong,
\nworship is more than a song.<\/span><\/p>\n

Exodus 20:3-5 The Message<\/span>
\nNo other gods, only me.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0No carved gods of any size, shape, or form of anything whatever, whether of things that fly or walk or swim. Don’t bow down to them and don’t serve them because <\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/span>I<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/em> am God, your God, and I’m a most jealous God.<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Mark 12:30 The Message
\n<\/span><\/strong>Love<\/span><\/em><\/strong> the <\/span><\/em>Lord<\/span><\/em><\/strong> <\/span><\/em>your<\/span><\/em><\/strong> <\/span><\/em>God<\/span><\/em><\/strong> with all <\/span><\/em>your<\/span><\/em><\/strong> heart and with all <\/span><\/em>your<\/span><\/em><\/strong> soul and with all <\/span><\/em>your<\/span><\/em><\/strong> mind and with all <\/span><\/em>your<\/span><\/em><\/strong> strength.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Matthew 6:33 The Message
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/span>Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Amos 5:10-15,21-24 \u00c2\u00a0(The Message)<\/span><\/strong><\/span>.
\nPeople hate this kind of talk.
\n<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong><\/em>Raw truth is never popular.
\n<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong><\/em>But here it is, bluntly spoken:
\n<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong><\/em>Because you run roughshod over the poor
\nand take the bread right out of their mouths,
\nYou’re never going to move into
\nthe luxury homes you have built.
\nYou’re never going to drink wine
\nfrom the expensive vineyards you’ve planted.
\nI know precisely the extent of your violations,
\nthe enormity of your sins. Appalling!
\nYou bully right-living people,
\ntaking bribes right and left and kicking the poor when they’re down.
\n<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong><\/em>Justice is a lost cause. Evil is epidemic.
\n<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong><\/em>Decent people throw up their hands.
\n<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong><\/em>Protest and rebuke are useless,
\n<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong><\/em>a waste of breath.
\nSeek good and not evil\u00e2\u20ac\u201dand live!
\nYou talk about God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies,
\nbeing your best friend.
\nWell, live like it,\u00c2\u00a0and maybe it will happen.
\nthen work it out in the public square.
\nMaybe God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies,
\nwill notice your remnant and be gracious.
\n<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong><\/em>“I can’t stand your religious meetings.
\nI’m fed up with your conferences and conventions.
\nI want nothing to do with your religion projects,
\nyour pretentious slogans and goals.
\nI’m sick of your fund-raising schemes,
\nyour public relations and image making.
\nI’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.
\nWhen was the last time you sang to me?
\nDo you know what I want?
\nI want justice\u00e2\u20ac\u201doceans of it.
\nI want fairness\u00e2\u20ac\u201drivers of it.
\nThat’s what I want. That’s all I want.<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I saw a couple in a restaurant over the weekend. This young couple sat at a booth across from each other – and they weren’t talking or even looking at each other. Their food had not arrived, but they were both sitting with phones in hand – texting or surfing or emailing or playing a … <\/p>\n

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