Missing the Message for the Words

Dear Lord; Happy Wednesday Father!

Today Father, I’d like to spend our time together talking about a topic You’ve placed on my heart a lot lately…

Context.

Some time ago, I was interviewed by a local TV station.  They were doing a story on a recent computer virus outbreak, and wanted to get my perspectives and recommendations to assist their viewers in recognizing and dealing with the threat.  The reporter and cameraman came to my office, and we spent the better part of a half-hour discussing ways to protect against these digital infiltrations.  Later on that evening when I turned on the TV to view the results of that interview, I was shocked by what I saw…

The story had been “chopped” to less than thirty seconds of footage, which when removed from the context of our discussion made absolutely no sense whatsoever.

Needless to say Lord, I was a bit upset.

We live in a culture of “soundbytes” these days Father; grabbing the “flashy bits” in speech and print, and from them deriving uninformed, lazy, and blatantly errant opinions and positions.  We’ve lost the importance of context Lord, and that perspective has truly damaged us in many ways…

Including the way we read and apply Your Word.

Since You opened my eyes to this Father, I’ve begun to see how deep the rabbit hole really is.

The Internet, the media, the press and even the pulpit are filled with painful examples of this each and every day.  In an attempt to make a point, defend an opinion, or stand in judgment of what we perceive as wrong, we search Your Word until we find and quote a verse or two that fits our needs…

Without digging deeper to understand Your intended Truth in those words…

Without YOUR context.

I fear we miss the Message for the words Lord… Much too often.

And I won’t lie Father… I’ve been guilty of this myself.

While I try to spend as much time as possible reading, researching and absorbing Your Messages in Scripture Lord, I also know I’ve used “soundbytes” of Your Word outside their proper contexts more than once…

It’s a practice I’ll be diligently striving to avoid in the future Father.  🙂

Help us Lord;

Open our hearts and minds to seek Your WHOLE Truth in Scripture, not simply the “quotes” that suit our earthly viewpoints.  Fill us with that Holy Message Father; make us vessels of Your Will, and ambassadors of Your Love.

In Jesus’ name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil