Recently, I went to an exhibit of the Dead Sea Scrolls and came away with two very valuable lessons.
1. A lesson about wandering
I have always been intrigued by the ancient Jews and their constant wanderings away from God and toward foreign idols of worship. Seeing the scrolls, and some of the foreign household idols that had been excavated, gave me new insight and compassion for the Jews of the Old Testament. As I wandered through the exhibit, I felt as if I was entering their world. I was immersed in a world of scrolls, and artifacts and descriptions of life in ancient times. As I studied the scrolls and observed many of the excavated items found in the caves of Qumran, near the Dead Sea, a clear picture was forming in my mind. I have been too critical of the ancient Jews, judging them too harshly for their constant turning from God, to pagan idols of worship. I knew that they didn't have the word to read for themselves, as we do today, and that their source of knowing and understanding God came only from oral tradition, spoken from prophets or priests or patriarchs. I knew that they often lived in fear of foreign rulers. And yet, I judged them harshly, I shook my head at them...how could they repeatedly turn from God?
Looking at the scrolls, and seeing the displays of how they lived, I began to understand. The picture that was unveiling in my mind was of myself. I saw myself as one of them. If I had to depend on someone else to tell me what God said, or who He really was, would I be faithful? If I had the fear of and the need for the favor of the foreign rulers, would I still worship my God? And isn't that so many of us today? We still depend on someone else to tell us what God says, the preacher, the teacher, the self-help spiritual book, (or blog!). We don't spend enough time with God, by ourselves, in His word, and in earnest heartfelt prayer. So we end up wandering away from Him, into the world, and we become complacent ~ a bit ambivalent about God in our everyday life. Eventually, that leads us to being fearful ~ a state opposite of trust. We become fearful of any number of things, in particular what others think, and we find ourselves living for the favor or approval of others. And so our hearts wander and seek other 'idols' to give of our time, energy, and yes - even- worship too.
So, we are really no different from the Jews, who wandered and turned from God, time after time after time. And yet He did not give up on them, ever! He was hurt, disappointed, sometimes angry, but He never gave up on them. And He never gives up on us today! Through the times we wander and don't spent time with HIM ( not talking about going to church) , I am talking about ONE on ONE, time with our God. He doesn't give up on us when we turn to other things to 'worship', giving far too much time, attention and energy to that 'thing' that is at the center of our life. And He doesn't give up on us when we judge one another too harshly, looking with distain upon others, seeing ourselves as the 'chosen' people today, which brings me to the 2nd lesson.
2. A lesson about being broken and chosen
1. A lesson about wandering
I have always been intrigued by the ancient Jews and their constant wanderings away from God and toward foreign idols of worship. Seeing the scrolls, and some of the foreign household idols that had been excavated, gave me new insight and compassion for the Jews of the Old Testament. As I wandered through the exhibit, I felt as if I was entering their world. I was immersed in a world of scrolls, and artifacts and descriptions of life in ancient times. As I studied the scrolls and observed many of the excavated items found in the caves of Qumran, near the Dead Sea, a clear picture was forming in my mind. I have been too critical of the ancient Jews, judging them too harshly for their constant turning from God, to pagan idols of worship. I knew that they didn't have the word to read for themselves, as we do today, and that their source of knowing and understanding God came only from oral tradition, spoken from prophets or priests or patriarchs. I knew that they often lived in fear of foreign rulers. And yet, I judged them harshly, I shook my head at them...how could they repeatedly turn from God?
Looking at the scrolls, and seeing the displays of how they lived, I began to understand. The picture that was unveiling in my mind was of myself. I saw myself as one of them. If I had to depend on someone else to tell me what God said, or who He really was, would I be faithful? If I had the fear of and the need for the favor of the foreign rulers, would I still worship my God? And isn't that so many of us today? We still depend on someone else to tell us what God says, the preacher, the teacher, the self-help spiritual book, (or blog!). We don't spend enough time with God, by ourselves, in His word, and in earnest heartfelt prayer. So we end up wandering away from Him, into the world, and we become complacent ~ a bit ambivalent about God in our everyday life. Eventually, that leads us to being fearful ~ a state opposite of trust. We become fearful of any number of things, in particular what others think, and we find ourselves living for the favor or approval of others. And so our hearts wander and seek other 'idols' to give of our time, energy, and yes - even- worship too.
So, we are really no different from the Jews, who wandered and turned from God, time after time after time. And yet He did not give up on them, ever! He was hurt, disappointed, sometimes angry, but He never gave up on them. And He never gives up on us today! Through the times we wander and don't spent time with HIM ( not talking about going to church) , I am talking about ONE on ONE, time with our God. He doesn't give up on us when we turn to other things to 'worship', giving far too much time, attention and energy to that 'thing' that is at the center of our life. And He doesn't give up on us when we judge one another too harshly, looking with distain upon others, seeing ourselves as the 'chosen' people today, which brings me to the 2nd lesson.
2. A lesson about being broken and chosen
I saw hundreds of broken jars at the exhibit. All different sizes and shapes. Each created for a different purpose. Some to hold anointing oil, some for water, some to hold grain. Some with lids, some with tiny little openings, some with wide openings. Some to pour, some to store. All were crafted by the potter for a distinct and unique purpose. But all had one thing in common, from the smallest, plainest, to the largest and most elaborate; they were all broken and had been pieced slowly and carefully back together. These broken jars were now repurposed to tell a story. And they were speaking directly to me. Perhaps that is how we should see ourselves and each other, as broken and chosen. Broken by our sin or pride; whatever our sin or temptation is. And yet chosen; chosen and pursued by the Potter to be put back together, for His purpose, one painstaking piece at a time. A vessel broken yet worthy of honor for the purpose the vessel was designed for. These clay pots, these worthy vessels, while put back together, bore the scars of their brokenness. Perhaps we should too. Something that is broken is vulnerable, their flaws are there for anyone to see. Perhaps we should confess or show our vulnerabilities to each other. It might give confidence to another broken vessel, and it also might be those very flaws that will keep the vessel from being too proud, too puffed up, and also keep one from too harshly judging other broken vessels.
So let's make this personal.
So let's make this personal.
I am this broken jar. My sin is what broke me. I was broken and pieced back together by the Master Potter. I have a purpose, and I have a story to tell. I am broken, yet I have been chosen. That makes me worthy. I am pieced together by the Savior and by the transforming power of His word. I am a vessel worthy of a unique use, a unique purpose, that only this vessel can fill.
And you, perhaps you are this broken jar. Your sin makes you broken. The Savior slowly, patiently works to piece you back together. YOU have a purpose. YOU have a story to tell. YOU have been chosen, and that makes you worthy. You are a vessel worthy of use for the Master, a purpose only YOU can fill, in spite of flaws and imperfections.
The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit opened my eyes to much more than a history lesson. We, like the Jews, can be wanderers, turning from Him. We, like the jars of clay, can become quite broken. Yet, in spite of our wandering, in spite of our brokenness, our sin, God never gives up on us. He slowly lovingly pursues us, and as we allow ourselves to be molded, shaped, pieced back together by the Master Potter, we become whole, a vessel purposed for a unique use in His kingdom.
The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit opened my eyes to much more than a history lesson. We, like the Jews, can be wanderers, turning from Him. We, like the jars of clay, can become quite broken. Yet, in spite of our wandering, in spite of our brokenness, our sin, God never gives up on us. He slowly lovingly pursues us, and as we allow ourselves to be molded, shaped, pieced back together by the Master Potter, we become whole, a vessel purposed for a unique use in His kingdom.
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