If I understand what you said, Brad, I think you're talking about
motivation, right?
If so, that's something to consider when praying in public and quote
blessing unquote others whether they want it or not. Smile. It's kind of
like the horror stories we all know of blind folks being grabbed in the
parking lot by folks determined to heal them. The need to make a point
(even if it's a valid one) might do nothing but turn off those we're trying
to be a blessing to and have no result but having them avoid us from then on
and closing off to whatever else we say. Even if we had the power to bless
or heal, the gifts are under the power of the person who is given the gift
and there are appropriate and inappropriate ways to dispense them.
Paul
----- Original Message -----
From: "BD" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2004 11:00 AM
Subject: Re: Blessing
> OK. Now this is in part, the ritualistic traditions I was talking about.
> Did Helen, a woman with a heart towards god and loving others, violate God
> by bidding a blessing upon fellow believers as a believer with these
> words? Are these words then seen as a holy copyright , that the words
> themselves can only be uttered by a priest these days? Or are they honored
> by God and glorify God in bidding a peaceful blessing upon fellow
> believers? Would I then, in the same respect be violating the same
> principle if when witnessing a sneeze and say "Oh bless you"? I am a firm
> believer that examples and etc. of the Old Testament are for our learning
> and to utilize what God would have us in glorifying him and living as a
> godly person, but we aren't slaughtering animals anymore we ain't ringing
> heads off birds because we did such and such, we aren't laying our sins
> upon a goat and setting him free to be the appropriation for those
> sins. What of the Old Testament rituals are actually pertinent today.
> Many times we perform them, to honor God, to remember what he did for us,
> and that is why they did some of the festivals we talked of yesterday. But
> their wasn't any sparks coming from the preachers hands at the last
> Lutheran service I attended a few weeks back when he administered that
> blessing upon us. How many of us find ourselves working laboriously on the
> Sabbath? I'm not suggesting because we fail to honor a certain ritual that
> we toss them all out, I'm saying that what good is a ritual if the heart
is
> not behind it, or if it is done out of strictly ritual yet perhaps not
> required anymore. Hebrews says that in days past God spoke to us through
> his prophets and now through his son Jesus Christ, is it not
> then dishonoring and disrespecting him by continuing to try to
communicate
> through prophets, or anyone else for that matter and not through Jesus ,
> through the Word? In fact to God directly. Does he not do same even now to
> us in return? Similar is this issue of blessing? Or are we in fact in
> terrible trouble out of ignorance of the power and usage of such a
blessing
> upon others by our unpriestly selfs? I understand what and why they did
> back then, but what are we to do now then? Are we in fact to carry these
> traditions and rituals out? Are we to let them for those wearing kingly
> robes? Are we to not do them anymore by anyone? When I listened to the
> pastor at the Lutheran church over Christmas service, and he gave that
> blessing, it was not a meaningless blessing. I felt his sincerity, and I
> truly felt blessed in his sincerity and care for his flock he has been
> charged as overseer, and myself as guest. I'd feel the same if anyone else
> was just as sincere and said that to us walking out their door. I stood
> once in a parking lot after dining with a couple who were attending a
Bible
> college. The lady proceeded to sing a blessing upon us. Well first it was
> announced she would do this, and her companion at the time seemed a bit
> embarrassed as he said... "She always does this for people". She did her
> thing and we left. I felt a bit bad for the girl as I felt she embarrassed
> her friend and herself, well she wasn't aware we felt embarrassed for her
> actually. We didn't feel that way because of the words or even the
gesture,
> but it was clearly a vehicle for a self appointed signature in departing
> from a night of fellowship or something. It appeared as though she was
> trying to make herself known about the land that singing a blessing was
her
> exit from the presence of others. And I have to, Kathy, type it out
because
> I'm thinking it lol. There was a MASH episode in which an disliked Colonel
> Flag, who always desired to be a mysterious CIA agent, but yet he was
> extremely transparent and obnoxious, decided that his signature was to
have
> everyone close their eyes and he'd exit unseen. That was his mark to leave
> a job and not be seen. They closed their eyes and he jumped out a window,
> fell out, and broke his leg. This is what I felt this person did singing
in
> the parking lot. It was a false reason for doing what she did. I tried to
> not think this way for I was condemning myself for judging but it was a
> discernment of a truthful heart which came from my heart and not my head.
I
> am not anti-ritualistic or tradition, I think they are great if meaning
> full, and if God desires them we ought then readjust our hearts to return
> them to our way of life. But if not, then not.
>
> Brad
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