A word from the Lord

Has God ever told you just what you needed to hear even if you didn't want to hear it?

We have stopped morning TV at our house at least on school days. It was very convenient for a while there. I could put on a good pbs kids show while Lorelai ate her breakfast and it would give me a chance to take a shower and get ready to go. The problem was Lorelai didn't want to go to preschool. She would wine and complain about not liking school, her teachers, and her friends. I knew this wasn't true because when she got to school she loved it there and when we pick her up she is so happy and hugging her friends goodbye. I had a suspicion it just might be the TV and her desire to watch the next show actually bringing on the complaining.

So I told Lorelai about a month ago now, no more TV on school mornings. She asked why of course and I told her its because you wine and complain about going to school when you watch TV. Well this is something she didn't want to hear and so she argued, "no I don't" and then she continued to wine only proving my point. While she still asks from time to time if she can watch a "bideo" in the morning when I say no she usually lets it go and she is much more cheerful about going to school.

Some times it is really difficult to hear the truth about ourselves and the consequences of our behavior. In gen 47-49 Israel seems to be blessing everyone. First Pharaoh, then his grandsons, this his sons before he dies. I have always thought of blessings as something good, a good word share with someone about the hope you have for their lives. But it's not that way with Israel's sons. He starts with Ruben and is sounds like a blessing to begin with his first born and his strength, but then he tells Ruben he is done. There is good reason for it, Ruben defiled his father's bed. This just isn't what I am used to thinking of as a blessing. Israel goes on to describe each of his son's lives to come. Simeon and Levi are also in trouble because of their out of check anger, another son will be involved with the sea, another given to hard labor, another great with food, another beat up but after the heals of his attackers.

It seems to me a blessing in this context is more a word from the Lord. Something we need to hear for the sake of our lives. This blessing of Israel even includes the prophecy of kingship in Judah's line. This is so very far off in history, yet Israel has been given this insight by God. I wonder what God's word for me might be today. I have played with the idea of teaching someday or college chaplaincy, would God include one of these futures for me if I was to receive a blessing today? Or would the word for today be a rebuke for something in my life? Then the question comes who would speak such a blessing? And would I recognize it once it was spoken?

I would like to encourage each of us today to be open to the blessing God might have for us today. I would also like to encourage each of us to be open to a blessing God might have some of us speak to someone else today. I also pray we have the courage to speak up whether it be something wanted or unwanted.

Holy Spirit speak to us today, give us the opportunity, the ears to hear, the words to speak, and the compassion with which to say them.