063: Saying What You Mean

April 19, 2010
Deuteronomy 2&3

I know it’s been awhile since I wrote about something relating to 1 Samuel – I’ll get back to that tomorrow – but first I wanted to hit on this concept that I kept noticing in Deuteronomy today. As a side note, in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m a bit of a frog when it comes to reading the Bible: I sort of hop around a lot. I like to work my way through a book or two of the Bible, but it doesn’t have to be exclusive. Sometimes I find myself craving some gospel time, or some of Paul’s straightforward teaching, or I want to search out and meditate on a particular theme or passage pertaining to circumstances in my life. I’ll get through the book I’m actually “studying,” but it might not be the quickest route. Someday I might change it, but for now, I like how I approach Bible reading, it keeps it fresh and new and applicable in my life while still maintaining that I DO get to sections that I might not otherwise turn to, and since God doesn’t say that I have to read the Bible cover to cover, I figure I’m free to choose how to approach it.

What I find astonishing about these 2 chapters is how God and Moses interact. They clearly have a close relationship. Over and over the author reports, “God said…” and then quotes God’s conversation to Moses. I’m not sure I’m grasping that: Moses and God had conversations! I mean, of course I realize that I can (and do!) talk to God all the time through praying, and I do believe that God communicates to me through his Word and through the wisdom and insight of other people, and through circumstances and opportunities, and yes, even through that subject “intuition” I sometimes perceive, but I don’t actually have vocalized CONVERATIONS with God. I don’t usually say something, hear a voice saying something back, speak again, hear a response again, etc.

God, as we already know, disciplines the children that he loves and that he considers his own. He clearly loved Moses, because when Moses asks to enter the promise land, God clearly shuts him down over it. And yet, God isn’t without mercy and compassion – he allowed Moses to at least SEE the promise land, which he didn’t have to do.

I was having a conversation on IM tonight with a couple different people, but something I’ve realized and decided for myself is that – particularly in regard to text messaging and IMing – I try to avoid ellipses use. I do this because I feel like ellipses leave something unsaid… They don’t quite finish a thought… Which means the reader is free – and even obliged – to pick their own interpretation from the author’s ambiguity… (did you see how that worked? It makes you think you’re missing something or the author is saying a second meaning other than what they’re actually saying. Kind of frustrating, eh?) Particularly in the realm of guy/girl relationships, ellipses use seems to be in very close proximity to flirting. I don’t mind being able to employ flirting when I want, but I want to make sure I know that I’m flirting if I do. My goal is to not imply things I don’t mean when I communicate. The reason I want to be that way is because I look at interactions between God and people like Moses, and God doesn’t ever use ellipses in the Bible. He doesn’t leave things unsaid or implied. If he means to say something, he says it. I like that about God – he’s not hiding meanings or giving himself an escape route of “but I didn’t SAY that!” when confronted on an issue that has been implied. God just lets his words stand for themselves. I want to be like that.