Culture Comparison

Sorry I haven't posted in the past month. I was at the beautiful Fort Polk for a month in Louisiana doing a training exercise (I hope you can catch the sarcasm). On the bright side, I was able to meet with my family at our tree farm, which ironically was only about an hour and 15 minutes from the base.

For the past two months, I have been doing a study on the Hebrew culture during the Biblical era. I think understanding the context in which the Hebrews wrote our Bible is vital to understanding and living out God's desires for our lives. Much of the material for the next few posts comes from Marvin Wilson's book, Our Father Abraham. The rest simply comes from observations I've made studying the Word.

The Hebrews lived a very active lifestyle. They walked everywhere they went. They worked hard at their profession 6 days a week (not just 5). They were up at sunrise and worked until sunset.  Because of this lifestyle pattern, they  were very observant and close to God's creation. They saw God's hand in creating everything and appreciated it. Check out the imagery that David uses to describe aspects of creation in Psalms 19 and 23. We on the other hand, sometimes go days without appreciating a single thing God has created. Part of the reason for this is simply because we live in urban centers that are far away from the nearest beach, or mountain slope. But another aspect of it is because we are not intentional about trying to observe what God has created. When I lived in Pensacola I would get up early every morning and run. I would try to time it so that I would catch the sunrise right when I was finishing up my run. Then, at night, I would drive to Pensacola beach and catch the sunset with a good book. It's hard to put into words how these experiences uplifted my heart and affections for God. Seeing the beauty He created draws us to worship Him! I think you will get a real sense for this when you read through the Psalms. 

Here's some things that I do to try and appreciate what God has made:

1. Run during sunrises and sunsets

2. Look up at the stars on clear nights

3. Visit the beach and mountains every opportunity I get

4. Swim in a cold glacier lake (at our lakehouse)

5. Appreciate God's work in the details. He made all the intricate colors and designs we see in nature.

6. Never pass up the opportunity to visit a National Park (Teddy would be proud)

7. Drive with the windows down on a crisp, fall day

8. Sit outside for at least 30 minutes each day (especially after a long run)

9. Travel to places I've never visited before