Bolot

Last night was the second day of Christmas. I spent it with some lovely friends in Eindhoven. Didn't know what really struck us, after dinner we started watching Opera van Java. And for the next several hours, we rocked our abs.

In this episode, Pak Bolot was invited as a guest star. He is one of the actors/comedian/artist who was famous in the 70s through the 90s. His signature joke is that he plays deaf. Some have to shout to his ears to get his attention. Others have to have known specific keywords to convey a message to him. Talking to Pak Bolot is a pain.

I have been meaning to write this post for about two weeks. The inspiration was Revelation.

Have you ever been wondering why the letters for the seven churches found in the early part of the last book of the Bible always end with a message to "listen"?

To the church in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea, the Word says, "Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. (MSG)" One message. The same message. Seven different audiences.

What played in my mind while reading those passages was:

LeftMind: But was it only seven churches that the message was given to?
RightMind: I think that John -the author of Revelation- really needed that message too besides the seven churches.
LeftMind: Why?
RightMind: He saw a completely different new world, unusually beautiful but strange creatures, and a big deal of events happening. He must have been very shocked and distracted from seeing all those visions.
LeftMind: The link between John seeing things and the message to seven churches?
RightMind: Listen. The word: listen.
LeftMind: Go on.
RightMind: It is very normal for human to be distracted. Especially with all the cool things going on around him. John also was a human. He was ordered to write everything he see in that vision but he could have written what he sees as worth-writing about rather than the real message. However, God must have known that human mind is so limited. He repeats to make His point. He said to John, "Listen. Listen to what I say, and write it to these churches."

Is God also telling you to listen, Friends? Or have you been listening to what He wants to say to you? Or instead, you have been telling God to listen to you, to your need, to your requests?

He has our lives, Friends. He bought us full priced. He knows what is best for our future. We are the ones who should have listened to Him. Obey Him. And not Him obeying our orders.

Like John, the message to the churches was for him too, just like this message to you also is for me. Pak Bolot can't hear right in his acts, but outside the stage, I believe he listens to what the director of the show says, lest he won't make such a great entertainer.







Friends,

 7"Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches.