LHM Daily Devotion - August 29, 2017 "Silly Suggestions? I Don't Think So."

With all of North Korea's saber rattling, a few weeks ago some of her...

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour

"Silly Suggestions? I Don't Think So."

August 29, 2017

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

~ Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV)

With all of North Korea's saber rattling, a few weeks ago some of her nearby neighbor nations decided to review the programs they use to prepare their people for a nuclear attack.

In these lists of things people should do and not do are things like

1. DO NOT be at ground zero;
2. DO get as much dense stuff as you can between yourself and the fallout;
3. DO NOT go out for groceries for a few weeks; going out exposes yourself to radiation;
4. DO wash your clothes and body with soap and water to get rid of the fallout;
5. DO NOT use hair conditioner.

Wait! What was that last one? Don't use hair conditioner? Are you serious? That doesn't make any kind of sense at all. What was that Guam government thinking?

Well, when the nation of Guam put out its instructions, the no-hair-conditioner clause was, most-definitely printed out for all to see. Now I know the rule sounds like a silly one, but the Guam government is standing by what it wrote.

And, for two reasons, the scientific community is in agreement.

Reason 1: Don't use hair conditioner because it is sticky and will catch those radioactive isotopes and hold them next to your brain.

Reason 2: Don't use hair conditioner because it employs chemicals to close up the hair follicle and, once again, hold those radioactive isotopes next to your noggin'.

So, you see, the suggestion isn't as silly as it once sounded.

You know, over the years I've met a fair number of people who think the Lord has given His people some silly suggestions. And if you're curious, I'll tell you what I mean.

How about the one in our text above, which reminds us to be faithful in worship? There's a ton of people whose actions show they think the Lord was silly when He inspired that to be written. Talk to them about worship and they respond, saying, "I can worship God in the woods (shop, cabin, golf course) just as easily as I can in church." They say, "I don't get anything out of the sermon." They say, well, they say a lot of things, which show they think the Lord's got it wrong.

Folks, He didn't get it wrong. You see, the Lord didn't make that suggestion just for the individual. He made it for the church. When you worship, you show the world whose side you are on. When you worship, your fellow church member is strengthened. When you worship, you are showing your willingness to obey the Lord whose Son was sacrificed for your salvation.

And besides, you're not that good a prophet to tell whether some sermon is going to be just the one for you.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, You see that which I cannot. Let me have the faith and the spirit of humility to acknowledge that You know what You are doing and Your ways are best. This I ask in my Savior's Name. Amen.

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