Tag Archives: Health

Grace for Fools

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English: Hay meadow near Dolanog Freshly mowed...

English: Hay meadow near Dolanog Freshly mowed hay meadow seen in early evening light, seen from the B4382. Dolwar Hall farm SJ0714 can be seen in the middle distance. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the country side I walked; timid through the night, but stronger in the dawn.

No fear at horror’s sounds; screeching through the air, or growling in the grass.

Bolder steps turned to confident strides; a willingness to leap within these tired bones.

Then a city appeared over the crest of a hill.

 

Through its gates I walked; upright back and confidence from the respite from war.

No one checked for weapons; that invisible proof of salvation hidden in my heart.

How should they suspect or investigate; no one here carries the mark I bear.

Past all stores and temptations I moved.

 

Then, from nowhere, a stabbing; my back was turned and I did not perceive attack.

My weakness exposed; vulnerable was I and did not prepare, distracted by the wares.

Sinking deep the wound was great; a sin appeared and the blood of man soaked my cloak.

I staggered through the alley.

 

Knowing nothing but the Gospel; my knees pounded the dust with sudden thrust.

A crying out to the One Who Is; a healing balm, nursing hands.

Even while the blood still flowed; legs found strength, beginning to run.

The exit gate in view came quickly.

 

Fools will step with careless stride;  the way of simple man open to attack.

Less is the weakness than the power of hope; that marvelous Grace He wields so well.

The night’s embrace outside the gate; humiliation abounds while healing starts.

I stagger through the field once again.

 

By His Grace!

“To StayGo Please.”

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A pair of In-N-Out cheeseburgers.

A pair of In-N-Out cheeseburgers. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Standing in line at a fast food place, a person considers what they want to eat.  When it is their turn to render their order they are asked if they want this order to go or to eat in.  For most of us this is a no brainer.  But I confess that sometimes I have to think it through.  “Do I have time to just sit here in the noise and prying eyes to eat this?”  I rarely sit at a table to eat.  Usually I brave the spilled drink and dripping catsup behind the wheel of my car.  Somehow the meal tastes better if I sit in the car (alone).

An object lesson is about to unfold here.

Christians go to the Lord to appropriate a certain peace from being near the Prince of Peace.  Much like ordering a meal, we encounter the Lord to gain what we don’t have.  We spend a few coins of faith and receive a bounty of peace on our plate.  With a good sized drink of hope, we walk away from the “counter” of prayer to live our lives.

There are three kinds of “eaters” in this parade of prayer.  There are those who will sit near the place of “order”, eat what they have been given, enjoy the company of others, soak in the ambiance of the place, then go out into the world to accomplish what that “meal” dictates is true and good.  They are in the presence of that “Great Cloud of Witnesses”.  And they love their company.

There are those who make the order “to go”.  They cast up words to the Lord just like you would order a meal at a fast food place.  Once they get what they wanted they grab the bag and head for the door.  They’re so busy that, even as they eat it, they hardly notice the flavor.  To them this meal of peace and hope is just a function of their busy lives.  Though they are fed, to them it’s just an ordinary meal.  Somehow they have missed the fellowship aspect of prayer.  And they’re not putting themselves in a position to encounter it.

Then we have a very curious group.  I suspect there are far more of this last group than the other two.  They ask and receive just like the others.   But they differ because they are a mix of  “stay and go”.  They order to stay.  So they get the tray and all its fixings.  They sit for a moment, take a bite and a sip.  Then they grab their stuff and head for the door.

These people know the place was prepared to give comfort and joy to those who purchase here.  They feel compelled to listen to the beautiful music.  They let their bodies enjoy the soft seats, clean tables, beautiful lighting, and the aroma of joy this place provides.  But they don’t feel worthy to remain.  It’s kind of like they don’t really belong here, yet they know they should.

They are caught between accepted and rejected.  And their lives are filled with a curious internal war.  They believe what the Lord has said regarding His forgiveness.  But they are so filled with sinful tendencies that they have a seriously hard time associating that promise to themselves.   Bottom line, it is a certain love for sin that causes this turmoil.  But there is a certain love for the things of the Lord too.  There’s no need to judge them.  They do that to themselves all day long.  And, in the end, God will determine their standing.  I sense it will go well for them.  But there are questions, aren’t there.

I would love to be of that first group.  I loathe being of the second.  Yet I sure enough find myself part of the third.  I guess we all encounter the Lord of Peace as we do.  We work hard on remaining in His presence while we eat what He provides.  And who knows, He might even come around the corner while we’re there and sit with us a while.  Those who leave stand no chance of that happening.  Perhaps this is what the third group is looking for.  “Maybe if I sit here I’ll catch a glimpse of He who provides.  Maybe He will smile at me.  Maybe He would even come and sit with me.  I’m just not absolutely sure He loves me.”  Isn’t this what goes through the mind of most Christians?

How good it would be if we all just sat to enjoy what He has provided.  But this isn’t the usual manner of faith in this world, is it.

The Banquet is Prepared

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A banquet setup.

A banquet setup. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I got the list from He who is.  The ingredients were applied together and the baking was done.  Dishes were set on the largest table I could make.  And the meal was dished out for anyone who was hungry.  I went to the door and opened it so that all might see that the invitation was extended.  Then I sat to wait.

I watched them pass by.  A glance here and there said that they knew the meal was ready.  But no fee turned my way.  Late in the day a man stepped up to the door and made a comment on the work that had been done.  “I just stopped by to tell you that I noticed your meal.”  I invited him in to sit and eat his fill.  “No thanks.”  He replied.  “I have this bag of sweets that will keep me well enough.  But I stopped by to tell you that what you have prepared smells ‘good’.”

He left and I pondered what “good” might mean.  Then it dawned on me that these people had no interest in the meal from heaven.  They had all they wanted in the desires of their hearts.

How Much Longer Lord?

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Russian male and female life expectancy from 1...

Image via Wikipedia

You might think this post is a bit strange.  But if I say nothing, who will?

I have found myself considering the end of my life.  Where will I go to meet the Lord?  How long do I have left in this rotten place of sin?  How much longer must I be tested?  This is the reason for wondering about it.  How much longer can I expect to live?

So I looked up the stats on life expectancy in America.  I’m 58 this year.  When can I reasonably expect to go home?  My mom and dad lived into their early 80’s.  So genetically, I can expect to live quite a while longer.  Dang!  I was kind of hoping it would be less than a year or two.  Frankly, I would have been satisfied with a couple days.

I know I haven’t achieved much of anything, in the way of serving the Lord or men.  But I’m tired now.  The world is quickly disintegrating in this decade.  And I fear for man for what is surely to come in just a short couple years.

So how long are men living in America?  About 78 years, on average.  For those of us who hate math, that’s another 20 years for me.  Sigh.

Beautiful agony

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Agony (Garden)

Image by Cajie via Flickr

I am caught up, and that for the rest of my life, in such a beautiful anxiety; an agony of love.  Every person I meet is a possible brother or sister of mine.  Oh how I yearn to see Christ in them!  And this anxiety presents itself in a distinct peace.  For I know that this desire, when fanned into flame, will produce the love necessary to accomplish His Will.

Father, I rest in You.  Through the power of Your Holy Son I rest in You.  Even in this anxiety so tender and sweet, I rest in You.  May Your will be done forever!  Amen.

 

By His Grace.

It’s Good to be Ugly!

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Perfect Health Corset

Image via Wikipedia

Everywhere we look we are smothered with “good-looking” people smiling because they apparently like what they’re being paid to advertise.  To the eye, they appear very happy with themselves.  And why not?  They’ve been painted up, curled, dressed, and slimed down to present the “perfect” picture of humanity.

It would be useless to try to mention all the places where the “perfect” appear.  They’re everywhere (evidently).  But what if you’re one of those who can be easily recognized as one of the “ugly”?  What if your nose is too big?  What if one shoulder is higher than the other?  What if your ears stick out too far (often peaking through the hair you grew long just to cover them up).  What if you don’t have that quality vision to choose colors that match (let alone the sock problem)?  What if you’re not tiny, slim, fragrant, delicately and whispily graceful?  I’d say that if you’re one of the “ugly”, you’re one of the fortunate masses. 

Those who have what it takes to be admired in this world are far less likely to recognize their failings.  That’s why many good-looking people end up on drugs or killing themselves in their high-priced houses.  They thought they were enough to please the world.   They thought they would just skate through life unscathed by the hatred that permeates this society.  But the “ugly” know better.

Oh, I don’t deny that the “ugly” can suffer right along with the “perfect” ones.  The “ugly” can fall victim to their own expectations of acceptance.  But, all in all, those who have an obvious lack perfection are far more likely to avoid the pitfalls of self-importance which attack those other folk.

And while this is true in this world, there is an ugly that remains before the face of every man and woman who has ever lived.  I doubt I need to point out what this is.  Just take a look at the rest of my blog and you’ll quickly understand what I’m getting at.

 

By His Grace.