Rejoice, Cautious Love & Liberty
Scripture Portion
This jumped out at me this year during the Feast of Trumpets. A momentous time when God restored His Word among His people (just look at how the people responded!) after bringing them back from exile took place on this holy day.
Nehemiah 8.1-3; 8-12
And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.
8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. 9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them. (ESV)
Quote from Reading
“We may give our human loves the unconditional allegiance which we own only to God. Then they become gods: then they become demons. Then they will destroy us, and also destroy themselves. For natural loves that are allowed to become gods do not remain loves. They are still called so, but can become in fact complicated forms of hatred.” – Lewis, C.S., The Four Loves: An Exploration of the Nature of Love, Mariner Books: New York, 2012 edition, pg. 8
Provocative Language
“Birds lost their freedom
We human lost our voice
Soulless reality holds us in captivity
Our spirit yearns for liberation
Liberty is never free
She stands on the foundation of blood, sweat and tears”
from Ms. Cassa – “Restriction”, 2021
NoblemanWarrior's Quill 