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Tailgating

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For many fans of organized sports the term “tailgating” evokes images of stadium, or arena parking lots. Truck tailgates, or car trunks are dropped or popped open for the purpose of grilling, barbecuing, and consuming favorite foods and beverages. Family, friends, and die hard fans usually don their favorite teams’ jerseys, while proudly displaying accompanying colors as expressions of loyalty. What’s really interesting is that the term and practice of “tailgating” can be traced all the way back to the Civil War. Believe it or not people would bring picnic lunches to watch blue and gray uniformed soldiers kill and maim each other – for entertainment. Coincidentally the term has also been borrowed to describe another “war” which is not so civil that occurs on streets, roads and highways throughout the United States. Obviously, this alternative usage describes the practice of not leaving sufficient stopping distance between a driver and a car being followed. This creates the possibility of a collision if the followed vehicle stops suddenly. Often the offending drivers vehicle is used as a weapon to bully, or punish the slower driver into surrendering a coveted lane. (Remember the archaic, “regulatory” signs: PASSING LANE ONLY?) Ultimately the polite message was and still is, MOVE IT or LOSE IT! The not so polite message is usually accompanied by hand waving, vulgar gesturing, and, or blaring horns.

Last night while driving home I experienced this “pastime” firsthand. (No, I didn’t drop the tailgate of my truck and grill some brats and burgers). As I sat at a red light a driver – who needed corrective lenses, or a sobriety test slowed his vehicle within inches of the rear bumper of my truck. Once the light turned green I accelerated to the posted speed limit (suggested limit?) – generously exceeding it by five miles – discovering my actions were not sufficient. The bullying continued, while not so civil images danced through my mind like a barrage of cannon balls and firing muskets. Somewhere in the midst of my fantasy civil war reenactment a still, small, GENTLE Voice spoke: But one thing I do – forgetting what is behind…Which reminded me of another passage, Psalm 119:165 Great peace have they who love Your Law and NOTHING shall offend them. Ouch! My Commanding Officer was reminding me to let go of what offended me – from behind – and to cease and desist from watching life go by in the rear view mirror turning my attention and focus to what really mattered: His Presence, Peace, and Kingdom. Do you love His Law, His teaching and instruction? Do you have His Peace or is your offense looming larger than His Presence?

Confession & Declaration 14

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Colossians 1:20 And God purposed that through (by the service, the intervention of) Him [the Son] all things should be completely reconciled back to Himself, whether on earth or in heaven, as through Him, [the Father] made peace by means of the blood of His cross.

The implications of this statement by Paul is similar to the ones made regarding Declaration 13 yet there is a subtle, often overlooked message found in the use of the word peace. The Greek meaning for peace simply means “to make peace, and establish harmony.” That is powerful enough by itself and I will return to it in a few minutes but first I want you to see something else. In John 20:19 Jesus appears to His Disciples: Then on that same first day of the week, when it was evening, though the disciples were behind closed doors for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace to you!

When I read that passage I usually end up chuckling. The reason for my humor is that I am typically reminded of an old translation of the New Testament known as the Cotton Patch Version of the Bible. The “Cotton Patch” Gospel is a colloquial translation of most of the New Testament by Southern Baptist minister Clarence Jordan. Jordan’s goal was to communicate the New Testament in the idiom of the South so that “plain folks” could better understand it. To do this, Jordan, who worked from Greek texts, changed both the setting and the language of the New Testament. For example, John the Baptist conducts baptisms in the Chattahoochee River, and Jesus is born in Gainesville. Also, Jesus makes such statements as “Come to me, all of you who are frustrated and have had a bellyful, and I will give you zest” (as opposed to the Matthew 11:28 verse, traditionally translated from the Greek as “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”). All of that to say when I read this passage I typically imagine Jesus saying, Shalom ya’ll! Shalom being the Hebrew word for Peace and a much richer word in meaning than that which we have in Greek. The Hebrew meaning for peace means: completeness, soundness, welfare, peace; completeness (in number); safety, soundness (in body); welfare, health, prosperity; peace, quiet, tranquillity, contentment; peace, friendship of human relationships with God especially in covenant relationship; peace (from war). The popular Scripture Jeremiah 29:11 states: For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. This popular passage utilizes the idea of Shalom. This is why Hebrews 4:11 states: Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, that no one fall by the same sort of disobedience. Thus we are to strive to enter the fullness of His Peace (Shalom) – while knowing it has already been accomplished through the blood of Jesus.

Now let’s return to the other aspect of the Greek meaning for Peace: “to establish harmony.” Zephaniah 3:17 states: The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a Mighty One, a Savior [Who saves]! He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest [in silent satisfaction] and in His love He will be silent and make no mention [of past sins, or even recall them]; He will exult over you with singing.

When Jesus brought us into His Peace – He brought us into His Song. The Hebrew word for “rejoice” means to leap, spin, to be joyful. I love this picture of Jesus. He brought us into His Peace with singing, leaping, spinning, and joy. You are His Joy! You make Him sing! How powerful is that? If that won’t get your praise on I don’t know what will.

Declaration 14: I praise You Lord Jesus that You have brought me into Your Peace with singing, and dancing. I am humbled and filled with joy because I am Your Song. I cause You to dance. Today and forever, I say to You – You are my song! You cause me to dance and sing your praises. You cause me to rejoice with You as You bring me to life. Thank You for singing bringing me into harmony with You. Thank You for Your Shalom that has and is making me complete, and sound. Thank You Jesus that Your Shalom brings for me welfare, safety, and soundness in mind, body and spirit. Thank You Jesus that through Your Shalom You have healed and are healing me. Thank You that through Your Shalom I am to prosper and succeed. Thank You that Your Shalom has brought me into a covenant of friendship with You, the Father and the Holy Spirit. Thank You that the battles are Yours and I am just called to enforce the Victory. Hallelujah! I worship and glorify You. I love You. Give me ears to hear the Singer’s Song. Give me feet to dance in Your Peace – to Dance through Your Peace!

Who’s Your One: Monday Day 8