Karma

The weird thing about living in a pluralistic society, as we do here in North America, is that out of the melting pot of religions and ideas, some concepts seem to have more staying power than others...


like the idea of Karma...


I was running today, in a light rain, listening to praise music (Jesus Culture Music - LOVE It!) - and my thoughts went to Jacob, working for his father in law, Laban, for seven years, to earn his wife, Rachel.  When the wedding day finally came, Laban veiled up her older sister, Leah, instead, and Jacob never realized he's been had until the next morning.  Which was too late.


So Laban told him "this is our culture - we always marry off the older, first.  But you can have Rachel if you work another seven years for me."


and Jacob did.  Fourteen years of labour for his desired wife - but it says in the Bible about the first seven  years that

" they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her." (Genesis 29:19)

That's what it feels like running downhill 3k to meet T after work...

But while i was pondering this, i realized that Jacob, the trickster, who had cheated his twin brother out of his birthright, and his father's blessing (see Genesis 25 and 27) was now the one being played by his father in law.  Not only that, but he ended up with four wives, when all he really wanted was one.  


David, too, had a fatal flaw.  He wasn't a trickster - but a moment of weakness revealed his sexual temptation, and his murderous capability.  First he stole Uriah's wife, had sex with her and made her pregnant - and then he conspired to kill Uriah, who was his loyal soldier.


But the story doesn't end there.  The sin that David had, blossomed in his children.  His horrible son Amnon raped his own half sister, and was killed by his half brother.   David's own son rose up to try to kill and depose his own father.


What sins are lurking in my heart that might bear fruition?  We don't call it karma in Christianity, but the idea that what you do has an impact on your life beyond that one incident sure is there, in the Old as well as the New Testament.

Numbers 32:23

But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

Galatians 6:7

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

It is time to pull up the weeds in the gardens of our souls, and let the Holy Spirit sow in us those things we would most like to see growing in our children's lives as well as our own...

Hosea 10:12

Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.