Never Dated

Reclining in the dentist’s chair watching a home renovation program on his overhead T.V. , I learned that the kitchen back splash, identical to the one in my own kitchen, was “dated, and had to go”. It was in good condition, as is mine, but its “datedness” made it impossible to live in the house. It was a shock to see it and process the thought that my kitchen, of which I’m quite fond, is utterly unacceptable as a living space, because the back splash is out of date. I had been living with the comfortable illusion that some things were inherently good, and that my back splash was one of them.

I began to think that “datedness” could be an evil that could be applied to virtually everything around us: our clothes, hair styles, furniture, choice of books and entertainment, cars, houses, and especially our Bibles!

There is unlikely to be an older book in our collections than the Bible, and there is probably a mindset that considers its age an entirely disqualifying fact. After all, what can possibly be gained from reading (and re-reading) material that is thousands of years old, even before the age of indoor plumbing?

What would it mean to encounter the mind of a bronze age man such as Abraham? What would it mean to worship the same God that he worshiped? What would the unfolding of the stories of centuries of individuals who followed and communicated with the same God that we Worship? Would we have a perception of timelessness, that would make a difference in our lives? Every voice in the Bible says that it does: “You believe in Him, and are filled with an inexpressible joy” (1 Peter 1:8). “I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste. Let him lead me to the banquet hall, and let his banner over me be love. (Song of Solomon 2:3&4). “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live and in your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you” (Psalm 63:3-5).

The voices of those who have faith in an eternal God are never “dated”, for they come from the Spirit that is timeless, and always new. “Behold, I make all things new!” (Rev. 21:5) The newness of God is eternal and for believers it is the promise of a lifeline to Him. Instead of being “dated” in Him, we are eternally loved.

Love in Him,

Prue