Welcome to Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020, also known as election day here in the United States. What an incredible opportunity we have to go and let our voices be heard in the election of our nation's leaders! If you haven't mailed in your ballot or voted early, make sure you do so today!
Tuesday's Musical Notes never endorses a candidate, and honestly, we are tired of the political ads, wondering who is closest to telling the truth, and wish folks would stop telling each other for whom they are voting. We used to keep that a treasured secret. It used to be one of those unspoken rules for living ...
Pioneers of the New Wave and Punk scene, Blondie has been touring and recording since 1974. They took a hiatus in 1982, but reformed in 1997 and continue to give concerts and make albums. The 2020 incarnation of Blondie consists of three founding members, lead vocalist Debbie Harry, guitarist Chris Stein, and percussionist Clem Burke. Their most recent release is 2017's Pollinator.
Written by keyboardist Jimmy Destri, "Rules for Living" was never released as a single from the 8th studio album by Blondie. In fact, the only single released from The Curse of Blondie was the dance hit "Good Boys", which peaked at #160 in the US. Destri left recording duties with Blondie in 2004, yet still remained a member of the band for some time after. He has noted that one of his favorite songs from his time with the band was today's feature song "Rules for Living". In reading the lyrics, I'm not sure there are very many rules there, but it's got a good beat and you can dance to it!!! I give it a 76!!!
In our lifetimes, there are probably a few rules for living that we have made up on our own. You know, those things that aren't necessarily written down on paper anywhere, but you know you aren't supposed to do them?! Those things that would get you "that" look from your momma or grandma? Now you've got it!!! Most of these rules have to do with social behavior and actions that will keep one safe. From where did these rules originate? I think they come as embellishments of rules that have already been written down, a few that have been written down a very, very long time...
"So many things remind me..."
God had just verbally given the Israelites, the 10 Commandments. The Hebrews were so intimidated by God's voice, as well as the smoke and fire on the mountain, that they begged Him to speak no longer. God agreed to their request and began relaying to Moses the embellishment of the other laws by which the Israelites would govern themselves. The 10 Commandments were great general rules, but these guidelines indicated the specifics. The included ways to treat slaves, what happens in the event one causes personal injury to another, how property rights were to be handled, laws that provide structure for honoring the Sabbath, guidelines for national holidays that were celebrated by feasts, how the Israelites were to inherit the Promised Land by conquest, and a litany of other various laws that would protect the citizens of the burgeoning nation, all the while providing a reference back to the original 10.
As you read through these rules for living, you may quickly see some similarities in the way our laws in the US are constructed. When you explore Exodus 21-23, foundations of our own legislative documents begin to flash through your mind. We can be confident and thankful for many of our laws because we see their origins in the rules for living set forth by God in Exodus.
Have we reached a point in our nation's history, however, that our laws, our rules for living, are constraining more than they are liberating? By the time of Jesus, and as a direct result of the sin that had been introduced into the world at the Garden, the regulations laid down in Exodus 21-23 had grown to be 613 Rabbinic laws that were impossible to keep. We are over 2000 years removed from Jesus' time. Taking us that much further from the perfection of the Garden. You don't have to look too far to imagine how we have done the same thing in the United States.
On this day, this precious and very special day, we get the opportunity to exercise our freedom in our Democratic Republic (no, we are not a democracy, look it up, you really don't want that). We must never take the right to vote for granted and should go to the polls anytime there is an election, yup even if it's just to elect the dog catcher. Our attitudes in the small elections will reflect our attitudes towards the large elections. Each election continues the interpretation of the rules for living by which we guide our daily steps. We determine the course of how the remainder of our generation and the next lives by the choices we make. Research candidates, research the ballot options or new laws that are being suggested, find someone that you trust (currently no one in the News Reporting industry), to interpret what the end result will be.
This year is seeing a record number of citizens vote early. While this is great, it is a real shame that it has been caused by the process of campaigning being so utterly contentious. What does that say about our society? What does that say about believers who have participated in the drama and negativity?
There are good folks running for office. There are good rules that are on the ballot. We make the determination about which folks get elected and what rules for living we will be living with until the next opportunity to vote comes along. PRAY, RESEARCH, PRAY, VOTE, PRAY!!!
Serving HIM by serving You,
randy
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