On Wed, May 31, 2017 at 8:30 AM John hurriedly wrote:
Hey Dana
I'm late for work but the plumber
and electrician just left. We have a number of small jobs to do and today they
were looking at the projects.
A good friend, and regular reader of
the blog, talked to me yesterday. He was "troubled" that we felt one
of the reasons for no revival was "apathy" in the church. He feels
that since Jesus is so close to His return (and taking into account 2 Tim 3 of “perilous
times” at the end) he doesn't see revival but he sees a big falling
away before Jesus comes back, and that you and I are just wasting our
breathe (so to speak) writing about apathy and revival.
Seems to me (from VFCC days) that
some thought there would be a great in-gathering at the end. While I've never
believed that and, this morning, don't have the time to research that, do you
think you could write another post dealing with this?
Carol and I have special plans for
this weekend so I don't have much time this week. What’s your schedule look
like this week? What do you think about this idea?
Thanks
++++++++++++++++++
Dana
responded Wed,
May 31, 2017 at 9:23 AM
Hi John,
I can do that, but it's going to take some
thought, most likely beyond this week. I'll see what I can do.
As
we haven't discussed a topic for this week until now, I wrote something else
that I was getting ready to send. We can use this, and I'll definitely be able
to finish the next installment on revival by next week. Let
me know what you think.
My work is about a 40 +/- minute ride from
my house, depending on traffic and or weather.
Generally I go in pretty early, as there are fewer distractions, and I
can actually get some things done without interruption. Unsolicited sales calls, both by phone and
drop-in sales reps can and do impede productivity. Needless to say that being an early riser has
not necessarily led to my being (as the old Ben Franklin-esque proverb goes)
“…healthy, wealthy, and wise…,” but it does allow me to get some things done.
Most days when I’m on the road by 5:00 AM,
aside from the few Semi’s with which I share the highway, there are not that
many cars on the road. And while it’s
still dark outside, there’s not much at which to look other than the lights of
my fellow travelers, and the iridescent glow of the dash board lights. So, mostly distraction free, it’s a good time
for some private one-on-one sessions with the Lord.
Also I’ve been blessed with access to an
absolute treasure trove of recorded sermon material by some of the best
Biblical expositors of my lifetime, and the ability to listen with almost
nothing to divert my attention. Good Bible
teaching, prayer, meditation, and the consequent spiritual “attitude
adjustment” really help to get my head in the game of life’s perplexities, and to
set myself up with a good foundation with which to begin the day.
Then there are some days, when I listen to
edifying music, which, when listened to prayerfully, and with ears open to hear
both the song and the voice of God “speaking” to me through the song, gets my
thinking going in all kinds of directions.
Lest someone get the idea that I’m making
the claim that God speaks to me in an audible voice; that is not the case. While I do believe in the concept of God
speaking to His servants in any way He might choose, in my case, at least, the
“voice” I hear, I hear internally. It’s like a voice in my head, not unlike
when I talk to myself, with the difference being that what I hear is much
loftier and enlightening than anything I could ever dream up. Besides, mystical
visions and audible revelations, while maneuvering a motor vehicle at high
speeds in the dark, would most likely and prematurely signal an abrupt and
quite unpleasant end to my part of the blog, post haste.
One
of these different threads of thought that ramble through my head during the
morning commute, I thought I might share.
The following is some Heavenly musing that followed a sermon to which I
was listening that mentioned David’s kindness to Jonathan’s handicapped son,
Mephibosheth.
2 Samuel 4:4
tells us, “Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in
his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from
Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he
fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.” (ESV)
King David, the first king in the kingly
linage of Jesus, indeed showed compassion on Mephibosheth.
The story continues in 2 Samuel chapter 9:
“And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house
of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” 2 Now there was a
servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David.
And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.”
3 And the king said, “Is there not still
someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba
said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his
feet.” 4 The king said to him, “Where
is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of
Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” 5 Then King David
sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.
6 And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of
Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said,
“Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” 7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will
show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to
you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.”
8 And he paid homage and said, “What is your
servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”
9 Then
the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to
Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson. 10 And you and your
sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the
produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth
your master's grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons
and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said
to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so
will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David's table, like
one of the king's sons. 12 And
Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's
house became Mephibosheth's servants. 13 So
Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king's table. Now he
was lame in both his feet.” (ESV)
As I pondered this story, I began to see that we, like Mephibosheth are, in
actuality, handicapped people ourselves. Because of sin, we are not all that we
could be, and are, in fact, are just as hampered in walking through this life
and world, as one who is lame. We will not be complete until redemption is
complete, either at our death or Christ's return.
We are often guilty of being smug in our thinking about ourselves. We tend to daydream, and inflate our own
image as the “good guy” in the movie of our lives. We think we're doing just
fine ("17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and
I need nothing," Rev 3:17A), when, in all actually we are all pretty messed
up ("...and knowest not that
thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked;" Rev
3:17B). (ESV)
When we see someone who is severely handicapped or afflicted, in a sense, we are
looking in a mirror, as that pitiable one in view is the reflection of what we
look like in the sight of God. Sorry to
be the bearer of bad news, but we are not the “good guy.” We don’t like to admit that we are the
villain. It pains our hedonistic sensibilities
to have to see ourselves as helpless and handicapped wretches, unable to do
anything for ourselves. We are not in
need of praise or accolade, or a healthy self-image, but rather we are in dire
need of pity.
And in His mercy, His grace, and His compassion, God pities us. And like David to Mephibosheth, He grants us
a seat at His table for all eternity. Better yet, He heals our brokenness
and spiritual handicaps to enable us to walk through this world in His stead,
and in His service.
In turn, He desires us to show mercy and
pity on the poor, the widow and the orphan, the sick, and the physically and
mentally handicapped; the downtrodden of all kinds. By God’s grace we can,
and must first beseech, then allow God to empower us to be channels of His
mercy, compassion, and love, to those who remain in the condition from which we
were rescued. We may not, like David, be
the king, but we can and are the King’s children, and just like David, we can
and must extend the kindness of God to a handicapped world.
While travelling in the mountains of
Southern Mexico, I encountered the most interesting phenomena. In the ruins of one particular pre-Columbian
Indian civilization, there were left medical records, carved in stone, showing
all kinds of ailments and afflictions.
One such stone tablet depicts Down Syndrome in unmistakable detail. Our Western, scientific culture, education and
way of thinking often causes us to see and think of one born with Down Syndrome
as handicapped, i.e. that something is “wrong” with that person. In Mexican culture, however, things are quite
different; one with Down Syndrome is not seen as handicapped, but instead, as literally
a gift from God—someone very special, who is to be cared for and treated as
such, and therefore is.
What a turn-around of thought! With God’s help, we need to pray for the
ability to see people as He sees them, and not through the lenses of current
cultural norms. Sometimes the most
hideously afflicted, or the most notorious of sinners cause us to turn our eyes
away. Distressing images cause us to
recoil, and desire them out of our sight. But what if God saw us that way? Where would we be? What would be our immediate and ultimate
fates?
No, we need to see those less fortunate
around us, be them physically, mentally or spiritually handicapped, as God sees
them (and us) and then use the gifts and talents with which He has gifted us,
to reach out and extend to them, God’s love and mercy. And what a difference in the heathen’s
perspective of Christianity (and Christ) that might make, should they see us as
united, militant dispensers of unconditional love, compassion, care and
mercy. It’s a challenging thought.
It calls to mind a message I heard on “A
Reasonable Faith,” by Dr. Tony Campolo, who wrote a book with the same title. In his talk, he tells of a doctor working in,
if my memory serves me well, the Dominican Republic. This doctor used his own resources to devote
a portion of his practice to treating the poor and disenfranchised citizens
thereof for free. In the evenings he
would go into some of the poor neighborhoods and set up a soapbox, from which
he would tell the people of the Gospel.
There existed a strong Marxist presence in
this particular area. One day while the
doctor was preaching, someone asked the local Communist leader, who was in the
audience, why he allowed the man to speak without protest, since it went
against Marxist doctrine. The leader,
aware of the doctor’s practice of treating the poor for free, commented (to the
effect), “What can I say? He’s earned the right to be heard.”
Well, so much for a ride to work….
Dana
+++++++++++++++++++++++
John answered on
Thurs. June 1:
Hey Dana
I like your idea
for this coming week, and thanks for giving some extra thought to the Revival
post.
It’s too bad Mephibosheth’s name is a tongue twister and not something simple like Greg or Pete. I think more
Christian’s would pay attention to the account of his life. It is so
encouraging.
In
addition,
the perspective you pointed out was an eye opener. I don’t think I’ve ever
looked at this account like this before:
As I
pondered this story, I began to see that we, like Mephibosheth are, in
actuality, handicapped people ourselves. Because of sin, we are not all that we
could be, and are, in fact, are just as hampered in walking through this life and
world, as one who is lame. We will not be complete until redemption is
complete, either at our death or Christ's return.
Also, for the
future, I think we can add more of your “Thoughts from the Car” or “Thoughts
During My Ride to Work.”
The Lord bless you both this weekend, and help you at work.
John
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