Houston--Earth has a Problem

S - Psalm 81:11, 13 (NIV): "But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. … If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!"

O - Above are two of the three times in this brief psalm where the problem of listening is identified.  The failure in listening was not a lack of hearing the words but of believing the words heard.  Israel would not believe the words and ways of God on earth.  They would claim the authority of the words but not do them.  This is the perennial problem with humans and culture (secular and religious).  It is the yeast of the Pharisees, Sadducees and Herod which ruins the entire batch.

A - The application to my life and to all who claim to follow Jesus is starkly clear.  His question to Nicodemus is the question to all who will follow: How will you believe me about heaven if you will not believe me about earth? (John 3:12). Believing Jesus about earth encompasses the listening of Psalm 81 … not only claiming or using the words but actually living them out on planet earth.  Jesus left his followers only one instruction, commandment, which if we'd do would let the entire world know that the Father sent him and that we were indeed his followers.  The assignment?  Love each other (John 13:34-35; 17:23). 21 centuries later we still won't do it.  Today, my assignment remains the same. To listen, to believe, means that today there is nothing more important for me to do than love; to love God with all my heart, mind, soul and strength and my neighbor (7.2 billion minus 1) as myself.  I welcome the insight and wisdom of this Psalm.  I will listen, believe and live out loud on earth the words of Jesus about earth. 

P - You who are the Message sent from Heaven,

Today I will believe you about earth and not just about heaven.  Today I will accept, embrace and engage my primary assignment; the commandment you gave all who follow you … to love you back with all my heart, mind, soul and strength and all others as myself.  I admit that I am prone to claim the words and refuse the meaning. I am asking for the help you promise all who believe … transformation not mere reformation. Jesus, I love you back and am listening.

Steve