Ha’azinu/Listen!
Deuteronomy 32:1-52
2Samuel 22:1-51
I was recently listening to a radio program, and as they went to break, you could hear ever so quietly a tune playing in the background; I found myself ‘leaning toward’ this faint melody; I couldn’t really make out the words or even very clearly the melody; but I knew something was being stirred within me…I began searching to discover not only what that tune was; but why it moved me so? A friend found it and sent a video version of it on Youtube and I cranked the volume up and let it ‘do its work’. The only way I can describe it, is that it caused my soul to be stirred or awakened. I know the idea of our soul being awakened can have a negative connotation, but as I listened to that song, I realized that there are times and circumstances that we need our soul strengthened. Think of men going off to battle and the power of music to enliven their steps and hearts. I considered how we gather as believers to worship God, but what if sometimes we first stirred our souls so worship could come forth from these earthen (soul) vessels. Sometimes we forget that all through the Old Testament there were wars and battles; the children of Israel were known as mighty courageous warriors (we tend to miss the people part of them winning battles, because we know that God intervened for them; but they still had to show up and fight). The Holy One of Israel is not ashamed of these bodies and persons, He created! We walk through time in these bodies, and in a redeemed state, they carry the glory of God. The song is called Minstrel Boy (A song from the movie Black Hawk Down)…if you get a chance listen to it and let your soul arise and go forward in today’s battles and serve the Lord with worship! 2Samuel 22:29-41
“For You are my lamp, O Lord; The Lord shall enlighten my darkness. 30 For by You I can run against a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall. 31 As for God, His way is perfect. The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. 32 “For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? 33 God is my strength and power, And He makes my way perfect.34 He makes my feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places. 35 He teaches my hands to make war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 36 “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your gentleness has made me great. 37 You enlarged my path under me; So my feet did not slip. 38 “I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed. 39 And I have destroyed them and wounded them, So that they could not rise; They have fallen under my feet. 40 For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have ]subdued under me those who rose against me. 41 You have also given me the necks of my enemies, So that I destroyed those who hated me…
These weren’t mercenaries; this army was the “beloved of God” and I bet there were times that they needed their souls stirred up; even as we. Let’s not forget that occasionally the King of Glory calls us to things that could require our bodies and lives! So today as the Living God reminds us of who we are through the Torah portion, don’t feel guilty when you want to draw back; but also, don’t feel like you aren’t “very Christian-like” when you want to run into the battle! There may be a few unexpected battles ahead of us, that our Loving God, may be of need of a mighty army by john e
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