Wednesday, August 28, 2024

They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!”   (John 8: 7, New Living Translation)

    

In the old King James Version, a frequently used phrase about the course of historical events is “it came to pass.” Except in my case – it didn’t pass. My kidney stone, that is.

A week ago, this past Monday, I ended up in Emergency for the day. After blood work, ultra sound, CAT scan, it was determined that I had a nasty, stubborn, painful 6mm kidney stone. And, oh, by the way, there were also stones in my bladder. The urologist happened to be in the hospital and found me to talk to me. He gave me a choice: go home and hope I might pass them or have surgery. So, at 6:00p.m. I had emergency surgery to remove all the stones. For the next four days, I was involved in an intimate relationship with a catheter. This is why there was no blog last week.

Now kidneys are mentioned very infrequently in scripture, usually in the guise of a blood sacrifice which, in some ways, I can identify with. “The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea.” (Isaiah 34:6) Yikes! Moving on…

But there is a lot of really good material concerning “stones.” So, let’s go there.

In Ecclesiastes 3, we are told there is “a time to throw stones away and a time to gather stones.” (Ecclesiastes 3:5) The men (!) in the village had gathered stones to punish the woman for her alleged adultery.  The unfortunate woman was being used by the sanctimonious scribes and Pharisees to set up a theological trap. Was Jesus scrupulously an adherent of Hebrew Law or would he let the woman get off?  You know how Jesus is – all lovey-dovey, full of grace and daring to forgive the most heinous of sins. It was very one-sided, the religious professionals against an unknown woman and Jesus. Where was the man who was also involved in the adulterous affair? Where was there any real justice? Where was the fairness?  It doesn’t matter; the men have stones in their hands and pockets and they know how to use them and want to use them. If Jesus gives the okay, they will pummel this woman close to death.

Jesus had the scribes and Pharisees right where he wanted them, caught between a rock and hard place. He looked them in the eyes and challenged them, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Yes, the Law says that they can stone her, but their hypocrisy on matters of sin, judgment and punishment and their own possible violations of Jewish Law, meant that they had better think twice about what they were about to do.  These pompous religious leaders, knowing Jesus was better than they, dropped their stones and went away.

Jesus was always emphasising that judgmentalism is a poor substitute for compassion, grace, forgiveness and love. “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.” (Matthew 5: 7:1) It can’t be much plainer than that. “For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.” (7:2) How often are we critical or judgmental of someone and yet we may even have the same characteristics which we are condemning?

“Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.” (Matthew 7: 3 -5, The Message Bible)

It is far too easy to judge, criticize, condemn, blame, shame, apply rigid rules and use indiscriminate Bible verses as stones to throw at someone.  But doesn’t scripture tell us, “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.?”  (John  3:17) Let us let him do his job and stay out of the judgement seat. That position belongs to Jesus, not you or me.  The force of God’s Grace and Love in and through Jesus Christ is bigger, stronger, more reliable than any stone we want to throw.

Blessings for your week!

Dale

 Wednesday, August 14, 2024

“Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by.” (Psalm 57:1)

                It has been almost a year since we learned of Susan’s unwelcome cancer recurrence after five years of being cancer free. It had migrated into her hip, disabling her badly.  I have not written about it as we tend to be private people, especially in times of crises and, at the beginning of this battle, the future seemed tenuous. Those early days, for several weeks, at least, were very scary times. My wonderful wife was perilously ill. But now, it is time to give thanks publicly.

                Susan began cancer radiation treatments immediately. In relatively short order, the disabling pain in her hip began to abate. There were bone scans which showed considerable bone damage. She was prescribed two cancer medications. There were regular hospital visits for checkups, which are still ongoing. Along the way, she has received the best medical care one could want. For that alone, we are very thankful, especially to live in a province in which this is relatively free (except for parking, of course).

                And now, a year later, Susan is doing very well. Even the deteriorating hip bone has shown some healing.  There is still the cancer but it appears to be under control. She is back to being herself doing the things she enjoys, e.g. being with her grandchildren.

                Thanks be to God. Thanks be to our children who supported and cared for us, who rallied around and made our home a better place for her recuperation.  Thanks be for the constant prayers of our church, Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, who each and every Sunday and through the week includes her in their list of people to pray for. Thanks to close friends who aided us along the way. Thanks be to God for healing and restoration.

                It was a tough August last year. Susan’s cancer. A flooded basement. We lost our 16-year-old dog, Charlie.  Yet under the shadow of God’s loving protection, we have survived. Beneath the shadow of God’s wings, we have come through the storms. Susan is so much healthier. The basement is currently being remodelled. We haven’t found a new dog yet but we’re thinking about it.  There is much to be thankful and grateful for.

                Once, after Jesus had healed a leper, he told the man to go to the priest to be examined. “Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.” (Mark 1:44) It is a reminder for us to acknowledge God’s gift of health and restoration and to give God the gratitude and praise for our well-being. God sends us his aid through doctors, nurses, medicines, family, friends, the church. God walks along side of us in these frightening and perilous storms in so many ways. We should never take any of this for granted. We are never alone, never forsaken.

                We hid beneath the shadow of God’s wings – until it was safe for us to come out. Now, we need to go and give God our thanks for safety and new possibilities. We are a witness to God’s Love and Grace.

                The battle is not over. “But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.” (2 Timoth 1:12)

Dale

Wednesday, August 7, 2024

“I am tired of living among people who hate peace. I search for peace; but when I speak of peace, they want war!” (Psalm 120: 6 -7, New Living Translation)

                Thanks to our grandchildren, I have figured out a plan for world peace.

                This past week, Spencer and Amelia, along with their parents, were up at  Nick and Erin’s cottage, visiting cousins William, Henry and Beckett. We were sent a picture of all five of them sitting together on a couch, each engrossed in watching something on a screen or tablet. We may decry how social media is affecting our relationships in a negative fashion but there may be one positive outcome.  When our grandkids get on their devices, there is very little, if any, squabbling or bickering. All tends to be peace and quiet. It can go on for considerable time if one allows before an adult suggests that they should come out of their screen comas and have some food and get back in the real world. It is very easy grandparenting, when babysitting, to tell the kids that they can go on their screens, once their parents go out. Peace and quiet!

                So here is my peace plan. We hand out tablet screens to all world leaders and tell them that they can watch and stream their favourite shows, play games, watch videos, watch sports and lose themselves in the social media universe.  Let’s give screens to Putin, Netanyahu, Kim Jong Jun, the Hamas, Zelensky, the Taliban, any Hawk or warmonger, and let them become so absorbed in what they are watching that they don’t fight, make war, squabble or seek ways to destroy and kill.

                Okay; it’s a stupid plan. But a guy’s got to dream and hope. Nobody else seems to be doing much of anything to negotiate for world peace.

                Consider these words from James’ epistle: “Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it. You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way.” (James 4: 1 -3, The Message Bible)

                If our world leaders insist on acting like quarrelsome children (except worse), somebody needs to sit them down and give them a tablet (perhaps of the ten commandments, “Thou shalt not kill.”). So, let’s distract them, give them something else to think about, give them a time out, put their minds to other and, hopefully, better uses. They have too much time on their hands to be cruel, selfish, belligerent, and antagonistic. They are making a mess of the world and it needs to stop! Maybe, some time watching Paw Patrol or Mario Brothers would lighten their dark, heavy mindsets. Like the Psalmist said, I am tried of living among people who hate peace.

                The Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, also has some vital words for these world leaders and for that matter, all of us. “God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5: 9, NLT) Jesus knew the value of a peace that surpasses all understanding, one that the world never gives. He valued a peace which reaches into the core of our being and flourishes into a character of calm, satisfaction, well-being, joy, thankfulness, serenity, and inner prosperity. If we focus on the goodness and completeness of life, we will have no time for the distractions or temptations of jealousy, envy, hatred, prejudices, and those things which come between us and cause trouble. If we all were to pay more attention to Jesus and his teachings, the world would be in far better place than it is right now.  A guy’s got to dream and hope.

                “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)

                I’d write more but I need to get back to my Chromebook. My way of making the world just a little more peaceful.

 Dale