Category: Living Daily

Klip in Die Bos

Looking at other blogs in which Christian and Christianity is mentioned or is the topic, I ran across Nan’s Notebook. She posted an article with the title If you are a Christian. . . in which she relates and speaks about a comment she ran across in another blog: “I experienced a slow and somewhat painful internal struggle to accept that I don’t believe in God anymore. When I finally did, I felt free, like I could finally learn to accept who I was.”

Her post started a long sting of comments. 193 comments.

I commented:

Too many years ago now I enjoyed many conversations with a fellow from Australia, then residing in California. We didn’t discuss ‘religion’ per say, but simply talked about life and how we each saw it from a different perspective. He was not a Believer. I am. Yet we shared so much in common, and enjoyed each other’s company.

It seems to me that one of the most difficult things Believers and those who do not can do is simply appreciate each other, both similarities and differences without trying to change one another.

Nan, you and I could sit in a cafe and in similar manner converse with one another and enjoy ourselves. I appreciate you. I sense a kindness and gentle sincerity that comes from your heart.

Shalom.

As a reader of JonahzSong, you’ve experienced my life through various stories. Most of them I’ve attempted to bring an article—a post—to a Messiah-focused conclusion. I don’t think I make any bones about it, I believe in YeshuaJesus. As I’ve been “reconstructing” JonahzSong, I’m attempting to focus on Setting Sail for an Abundant Life.

Yet, in my comment to Nan, I say that she and I could sit in a cafe and have a conversation and enjoy ourselves. One might wonder if that isn’t a contradiction. One might wonder if I am, after all, a hypocrite.

You tell me. I really welcome your comments. For as I’ve said before, I question things. I question myself. I don’t have the answers. Yes, I know Who does. And our L-RD seems to allow use to search for them.

A short vignette illustrates my view, I think.

One evening, walking across a park in Jerusalem, I came upon two men talking.

“Brother, tell this man about Jesus,” one man called to me.

I approached to men and immediately notice the man who was speaking to the one who summoned me wore a kippa. He was Jewish. There were a few other things said as I stood before the men. And finally I responded.

“I can not to that. My brother,” I said referring to the Jewish man, ” has not asked me. I cannot impose myself upon him.”

The Christian who’d called to me seemed upset, and finally went on his way to “witness” to someone else. I was left standing with the Jewish man.

“I’d like you to meet my rabbi,” he said. He invited me to his synagogue.

 

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[a] For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew 9:10-17 (NIV)

L-RD Bless, Keep, Shine upon you and give you a heart for truth and mercy.

Klip in Die Bos:Pastor Thabo, in South Africa, occasionally uses the Afrikaans term that means something like tossing a stone into the brush and seeing what pops out.

Along the Way

Along the way, on what is often called the path of life, I’ve met a lot of incredible people. I admire them all so very much. A few became friends that I reconnect with now and then. Mostly, though, I’ve met men and women and simply shared a moment just chatting a bit, and each of us headed of to our own destinations.

A fellow I met in Sacramento, long ago, comes to mind. He told me how he’d become a mentor. He said his wife thrust him into the role after asking the pastor of their church what it meant to be a mentor.

“Someone that’s made a lot of mistakes,” he said, “and is willing to share them.”

“That’s my husband,” she exclaimed.

That’s something I can relate to. The making mistakes along the way, at least. I’ll not soon forget him, I hope. Though I can’t bring his name to mind at the moment. I’m terrible with names. Am I willing, though, to share my mistakes with others? Every now and then I do, I suppose.

From everyone I’ve ever met I’ve learned something. Occasionally, I’ve helped or taught people something myself. I think.

It seems to me, if I look back on my “journey” along the way, I’ve made a lot of turns. I often wish before I’d turned I’d seen a sign that said, “No Outlet,” however. But never mind those times. For each “wrong” turn, in retrospect, was interesting and a source of lessons, if not exactly enjoyable.

If only there were a sign that said, “Do Not Go This Way!” I’ve often lamented. Yet, I know I’d have most likely ignored it anyway, and proceeded full speed ahead. The thing about wrong turns is that there is always some way out. Even if it isn’t at first apparent. It’s like a lot of the cliches about such things. Like there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” —Psalm 23:4

That works if we believe in YeshuaJesus. If we have sought Him. If we at least attempt to follow Him.

Moses teaches us: “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12) Eventually I figured out that thought my life I’ve not counted my days, not considered my ways. Too often I simply went along, as if floating down a river in a tube, drifting along, not considering where I was going or what I was doing. Meandering. That how I put it once in a short article for a news letter  to which I once contributed.

One of the lessons learned from my time at Camp Roberts, was that if we messed up, we just needed to be able to fix it. I’ve learned since then that if I can’t fix it, I must own up to it and ask for help. Confession is a good thing. Hard. But good.

A few years ago I was installing some network software at an office. I forgot to rename a particular file, and it was overwritten, which brought the network to a screeching halt. I couldn’t fix it, had to call in to the main office, and the file brought back from backup. I don’t like making mistakes. I also don’t like to admit them. But admitting fault is the first step in righting wrongs.

There are a lot of people, too, that I’ve never met and seriously admire. Great people whose lives are laid bare in the Bible. King David messed up a lot. And he owned the mistakes, and was forgiven. Of course, there were consequences to his actions. All those are also laid bare in the Bible.

At the end of Moses’s Song (Psalm 90) he wrote: “Let the favor of the L-RD our G-D be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!” I like this. As a young man, I could have looked to the L-RD to establish my works, my direction, my path. I believed. I just didn’t believe enough, didn’t trust enough, didn’t listen enough to His Voice. He doesn’t always put up big signs saying “Do Not Enter.” Although a careful reading of the Bible shows us there are signs. There is guidance. I also didn’t know enough to learn to hear His quiet Voice, the Voice He speaks through His Spirit.

When our lives seem in the pits. Wrong turns. Sorrow. We have a choice. Own up. We can blame others, but that does little good, other than to hide our part. Better to own up. Confess. And move on.

 

Numbers-6-24-26 - 1
Numbers-6-24-26 – 1

No Deposit. No Return

It’s the worse thing a bottle collector can face. For some years in the late 1960s, I scrounged bottles from trash cans, the sides of the road, and in gutters along the town street. I redeemed the bottles for cash. That money went toward groceries, gas, and a long way toward paying the rent. Occasionally I’d find a bottle that said simply, “No Deposit. No Return.” While appreciating others’ carelessness at throwing stuff out, I couldn’t litter. So I simple put the bottle into the bag and carried it along, depositing it in a trash bin when I come to one. [Huh. Reminds me about carrying around a lot of excess baggage, and to deal with it. . . but that will keep for another day.]
Continue reading “No Deposit. No Return” →

I think I’ve become liberal (GASP!)

Looking in the mirror, as the steam from the hot shower cleared, I began to comb my hair and realized I’d just pulled it off my face to the side, 1960s surfer style. Opps. My wife doesn’t like That Look. The incident made me start to think. Perhaps I’m headed for another mid-life crisis. But pushing age 70, that’s not likely. Isn’t age 70 when dementia begins? Perhaps I’m just losing my mind, Continue reading “I think I’ve become liberal (GASP!)” →

Umfundise (pastor) Thabo

Pastor Thabo

Lately I’ve been watching vlogs (video blogs). One in particular I’ve found amazing. Pastor Thabo is a South African preacher who is a modern-day Tent Maker-style preacher. That is he earns most incooutside the ministry. If you’ve not heard of Tent Makers before, the idea comes from Apostle Paul who earned his living making tents–literally.

Here’s a link to Pastor Thabo’s YouTube channel:
umfundise aka Thabo

Continue reading “Umfundise (pastor) Thabo” →

Mr. Mayhem’s New Year’s Resolution

Death Takes a Holiday PosterFor the first few weeks of the New Year, a television commercial depicting Mr. Mayhem has made a New Year’s Resolution—no longer will he cause wanton destruction of property and life. It’s a nice touch, grabbing one’s eye immediately. It’s a real contrast to previous commercials where Mr. Mayhem causes, well, mayhem.

Then just this week a new commercial ran in which Mr. Mayhem, for a reason I didn’t catch, decided to do like almost everyone else, and abandon his New Year’s resolutions. Mr. Mayhem is once again on the loose, a dominant issue in our lives.

“What if death, injury, destruction, evil, all take a holiday,” I thought to myself. Continue reading “Mr. Mayhem’s New Year’s Resolution” →

Marriage on the tenterhooks

Jacob fled his home after yet another scheme blew up in his face. Little did he know it would be twenty or so years before he’d return. Jacob fell in love, at first sight.

. . . Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father.
Genesis 29:9-12

But Jacob didn’t have a dime to his name. He made a deal with Laben to work for Rachel’s hand in marriage. Seven years in service and finally he’s married. He lifts the vail from his new wife and discovers Laben has outdone the schemer, substituting Rachel’s sister, Leah. Another deal is struck, and Jacob agrees to seven more years service.

Finally the day comes and Jacob has two wives, but is still penniless. Laben knows a good deal when he sees it, and takes one Jacob for another tour of service. Eventually, Jacob turns the tables on Laben, grows wealthy, gathers up his small clan, and heads home.

On the way, Jacob prepares to face his brother, from whom he schemed against to not only get the birth right, but also the inheritance. He divides his clan in two, sends gifts ahead of them with some of his staff, and spends the night alone.

Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel,f for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”
Genesis 32: 24-30

Wrestling with an angel. Wrestling with the God Abraham and Issac. John Parson’s, Hebrew for Christians, explains that we all must face our fears and wrestle over who we are with G-d.

As with Jacob, G-d comes to each of us at some point in our lives. We wrestle with Him. If we prevail in our struggle, we are asked to give our name. Our name is often thought of as meaning our identity. Who are we? Furthermore, we must give account of ourselves. We must look deeply into our lives, must see ourselves as we truly are, and tell that to G-d. In turn, we are given a new identity.

It seems to me this is an ongoing process; one that continues our entire lives. For we wrestle, also, with our own selves.

Apostle “Paul describes in the Book of Romans a much deeper frustration—one with which only Christians can identify and one with which all Christians can identify. The Christian’s agony comes from realizing that our sinful flesh refuses to respond to the requirements of God’s Law. Those things which we as Christians despise we find ourselves doing. Those things which we as Christians desire we fail to accomplish. No matter how much we may wish to serve God in our minds, we find ourselves sinning in our bodies. As Paul describes his frustration in Romans 7, with his mind he desires to serve God. He agrees with the Law of God and rejoices in it. He wants to do what is right, but his body will not respond. He watches, almost as a third party, as sin sends a signal to his body, and as his body responds, “What would you like to do?” Paul finds, as we do, that while our fleshly bodies refuse to obey God and do that which we desire and which delights God, they quickly and eagerly respond to the impulses and desires aroused by sin.” Bible.ORG.

We live our lives, then, on the tenterhooks, experiencing the ups and downs, the joy and the tragedy of an Earthly sojourn. The chief difference between those who haven’t experienced the revelation of a new identity in G-d through His Son our Messiah,  Yeshua, is that we have the hope of eternal salvation. Those who will not wrestle with G-d and prevail, will not reveal their names to G-d, have only what is here on this Earth, with it’s joys and heartaches.

As Christians, we are privileged. We call the Creator of the universe our Father. Furthermore, we are called His sons and daughters. We are in the Family of G-d.

May the G-d of Abraham, Issac, Jacob, grant us the spiritual peace to live a life that is complete, abundant, filled with the knowledge we are loved and desired by a Father that cares enough to wrestle with us and one day take us off the tenterhooks of this Earthly travel.

L-RD Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

 

 

The Daily Post Word Prompt Tenterhooks