The good ole days....

A few weeks ago for an international student event, we simply hung out and watched a movie. The movie: "Evan Almighty". I think the first time I saw this movie was on a plane to or from South Africa. I think I enjoyed it then and really enjoyed it again the other night. One major thought occurred to me when watching the movie this time. When Evan declared to everyone that he was to build an ark and that God had told him to do it, everyone thought he was crazy because he heard from God. It wasn't just that he was building an ark but it was the fact that he talked to and listened to God.

In the good ole days everyone thought Noah was crazy too, but it wasn't a matter of his talking to God. The people of that time had never seen rain and thus thought Noah was crazy for thinking water would fall from the sky and overtake the earth. The fact that he talked to God was expected. It was the normal thing to consult and have relationship with God in the Old Testament. When and why did that become a thing to make the world think you are crazy? When did we swing so far the other way?

I've been reading in the Old Testament lately in 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 Kings. Tonight I was reading in 1 Kings about how David handed his throne over to his son Solomon. David wisely instructed Solomon on how to be a good king and rule his nation. It had nothing to do with politics and war policies and health care reforms. Instead it was all embedded in and focused on following God and obeying His ways and laws. Yes David did leave some specific instructions on some 'political' situations, but first he taught Solomon on how to follow God and walk in His ways and counsel. Do we do that?

It made me think of raising kids and guiding families. Are we quick to tell children how to walk correctly with God? Or do we first tell them how to survive in the world? When kids go off to college do parents teach them how to stand on their own in their faith? Or do they simply warn them of partying too much and study habits and the freshman fifteen? When people are getting married do we tell them the necessity of a relationship with Jesus? Or do we simply speak the importance of communication and commitment to one another? When adults become parents for the first time do we urge them to find strength and wisdom in God? Or do we simply tell them how to survive sleep deprivation and buy them the latest gadgets?

What happened to the good ole days when hearing from God was a normal and daily thing for people and kings and parents instructed their children to walk with God? Oh how I long for the good ole days. Until then......