Being reminded that God still works

I was about to let this thing drift away again, so thought I had better post something, fortunately there is something very special to say.

Mary has dreamed of going to Iceland since she was a teenager. I have known it, but the years pased by and we never made the trip. When I realised that 2018 was going to be our 40th anniversary and her 60th birthday I decided that this was the year.

But when I looked at the expense of an Iceland trip it was stunned. Between flights, a car, and a place to stay we were looking at a vast amount of money. We technically had the money, but I just couldn't justify the expense.

I kept praying and the year kept creeping by. A couple of weeks ago a couple from church called by. They said that had come into a little money, as when they did the first thing they thought about was us and Iceland. They gave us a sizeable gift that would have covered the bulk of the expense so we decided to go.

When we contacted friends there they said they had a room and we could stay with them. Not only that, but they had a car we could use.

There was no doubt. We are going to make the trip and cost will be minimal.

Then at work yesterday I was talking to the coordinator about missing that week and needing to make up the day later. When I looked at the calendar I saw that I already was scheduled to work an extra day the next week!

It was amazing to watch God work all this out. He does still work.

I need to take His lessons and apply them to the rest of my life. As I look down the road at our ageing years I fear because the way the economy and house prices went we were never able to buy a house and now we are too old.

But, God still works. He will do what He says for our future.

For me to think less, especially in the light of things like this, is to choose to call God a liar.

Thanks God for 'helping my unbelief.'

63 years

Ageing is an amazing thing. We all know the trite sayings, but they are trite because they are so often used and they are so often used that their familiarity breeds contempt of their use. None of us in our 60s feel in our minds that we are where we are. We all 'feel' much younger no matter what our bodies tell us. But the truth is the years just keep on flashing by.

As usual my birthday was in the middle of Kinds Klub Kamp. We had a great week and are now is rest mode for a couple of days. Mary has had a life long dream of visiting Iceland. When we saw the cost of it we were stunned and feared it would never happen, but some friends dropped by with a gift of €1000 which will make it possible. Thank God for His grace and for good friends.

Dealing with typical fears of the unknown for the future, but striving daily to walk more by faith and less by sight.

A statement on immigration on this day

Any guess where this is from?

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, 

I'd appreciate your civil discussion on this quote in relation to today 

Turn the other cheek - seriously?

This is from my devotional blog. How far are we really supposed to go in this? How literally are supposed to take Jesus' words? Can we really give up our shirt when someone steals our coat. Can I really be expected to respond to a curse with a blessing?

“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. – Luke 6.27-31

I don’t think anyone could doubt that we live in a tribalist, sectarian, divided, disunified world where debate and discussion is riddled with hatred and rancour and vitriol and where everyone if ready to fight at the drop of a hat.

Sadly Christians are right there in the middle of it. We can hate with the best of them. We can fight and scrap and insult our way to victorious ‘debate.’

But what does Jesus say about these kind of things?

Love your enemies?

Do good to people who hate you?

Bless people when they curse you?

Pray for those who spitefully use you?

If someone slaps you on the cheek turn the other?

If your enemy ask for you cloak give him your shirt as well?

Give to those who ask of you?

If someone takes your stuff don’t ask for it back?

Treat them the way you want to be treated?

What?? Is that any way to win a fight? If I do that they are going to take advantage of me. Nobody can expect me to act like that.

I look at that and it really goes against my fleshly grain. If I am insulted I want to insult. If somebody does me wrong I want to get them back. I don’t want to pray for people who use me. I certainly don’t want to help people who are my enemies.

A brief mull prompted by my devotions

I often have these random thoughts through the day. I never think to write them down, but with the fresh 3rd or 4th relaunch attempt of this blog I figured I have a perfect place to jot them down.

As part of my devotions I do a read through the Bible programme This morning I was reading in 2 Chronicles 6 and came across this, probably controversial passage:

"Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for the sake of Your great name and Your mighty hand and Your outstretched arm, when they come and pray in this temple; then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name. "When Your people go out to battle against their enemies, wherever You send them, and when they pray to You toward this city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name, then hear from heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.

Now, if I were to mention this as a principle that might be applied to immigrants coming in a nation I would hear that 'O, well, you have to look at the context. This was for Israel, you cant' apply it to countries today.' 

But then when we come across a verse like 2 Chronicles 7.14, just a little bit after that passage, it says:

if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

That does apply to modern nations and it is a promise we can claim.

What am I missing?

Conversation

I saw this post on Facebook today and thought it worthy of discussion, I think a lot of people, like me, have just decided to stop talking about anything controversial on a social media platform.

Sadly, that leads to less and less understanding of each other and a drawing deeper into our own views. We don't want our ideas questioned, we don't want our thoughts disagreed with, and anyone who disagrees with me must be wrong. Civil discourse is gone out the window. Sides have become so convinced of their rightness that if you say something they don't like they are convinced that you are doing it to cause trouble or stir the pot.

I like to learn why other people think the way they think. I like to learn why they take certain views that I don't understand. I want to understand how they can see things so differently than me. We can't do that if our first response to another point of view is to shout them down and call them a libtard or a fascist or socialist or much, must worse. If my side does it it's right and if your side does it it's wrong and you disagree with me you are an idiot. The debate stops there, nobody has learned anything, and we are further divided.

I am not even talking about Christian principles. I am talking about common respect for my fellow man, including those who I disagree with nearly 100%. It is sad that I can have a more civil debate with my atheist friends that many of my Christian friends.

We have lost the ability to discuss issues and have rushed to replace that with personal attacks. The bad thing is, a lot of times it works. Somebody gets shouted down and the winner gets another notch in his gunbelt.

How can we relearn the ability for engage in civil discourse about difficult issues?

Is it worth it to try again?

I have always wanted to keep this blog alive as a place for me just to express my views and ideas and my thoughts, but I keep forgetting about it. Facebook is at the point where there is no room for debate or discussion or dialogue. I still love it and love the good it does, but it is nearly impossible to talk about an issue without being attacked or accused of trying to cause trouble. I am going to try this platform one more time.

It's late June 2018. It's been nearly three years since my bypass surgery and it feels like I am doing well. I saw the cardiologist in February and he said not to come back for two years. Cholesterol numbers are down and everything else in under control. I have a walking streak of 994 days and, Lord willing, will break 1000 next week.

Nest week is the 20th anniversary of our Kids Klub Kamp. Our numbers are down by choice because of lack of workers, but we are praying for a good week.

I had devastating news yesterday that one of the students at Youthreach has been arrested and will be tried for murder - hard to get through that.

I will try to get back to some thoughts about world affairs and my thoughts regarding those later today or tomorrow. Enjoying (or enduring) the World Cup at the moment.

Well, lets see how I do this time :-)

Jehovah-Shalom

And the Lord said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.

Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. – Judges 6.23-24

I love the Jehovah names of God in the Old Testament. It has been many years since my pastor, Greg McLaughlin taught a series on these names on Wednesday nights. 

I was intrigued and it led to a lot more study on my own. These are usually the names of places or altars established to remember Jehovah, or sometimes they are used to refer to God Himself. 

I am sure that Gideon was a bit intimidated and maybe even a little worried about the task God was calling him to. 

I may not be facing the Midianites, but I certainly understand the lack of peace that comes with facing the unknown. One of my spiritual weaknesses is looking down the road at a long term problem, not seeing a solution that suits me, then losing the ‘peace of God that passes all understanding’ because I ignore the instruction to ‘be care-ful’ for nothing. 

Both Gideon and me can take great comfort from the name of the altar Gideon builds here, Jehovah-Shalom, or ‘The LORD is my peace.’

‘God is my peace’ is something that is a constant theme, but some of us struggle with it. If we could just really grasp this thing we could know the truth of things like ‘great peace have they which love thy law and nothing shall offend them.’ We could claim the peace that Jesus promised when He said ‘my peace I leave with you.’

There is no need to live in turmoil and despair. There is no benefit to worry and fretting. We have the God who is ‘God Is My Peace.’ 

Can I rest at the altar of Jehovah-Shalom? 

Only if I really believe that God is my peace, and indeed my only peace.