Jacobs Thoughts and Doings

We thought we could keep on top of our cleaning – at this advanced age!  But common sense directed us to hire two lovely sisters from the White Oak Church of the Brethren where he have friends.  This was thier first go at our place.  Wow.  They are welcome to invade our place each month – for sure!

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Isaiah 2:18

In an hour or so it is predicted that we will get our first snow of the season.  Thoughts turn inward.  We reckon with the change of seasons, welcoming winter as we always knew it.  The walls of our lives close out the world, to some degree, and we are in a sense isolated by the appearance of snow.  Where I grew up in Johnstown, Pa., snow came and stayed all Winter.  Here in Lancaster it is not quite like that.  We got used to snow and found a delight in it.  Its glistening white color was always a surprise!  In fact, a good snow turned everything into a white wonderland. It covered everything, marvelous!

Our text reminds us that the snow of God’s Spirit will come over us by grace and cover all our colors.  The reds, greens, browns and all the other colors will be covered, entirely, by a coating of glowing white.

So, I enter this season of the year with praise for sins forgiven, for grace where there was striving, for peace that passes understanding.  This is God’s season that reminds us that our sins are forgiven, and God sees only white beauty when he looks at us, the old has gone, the new has come.   The scarlet of sin is gone, the white of snow creates a new thing, for which we offer eternal praise, this first snow of the season.

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. 

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

Psalm 32:7, 8

Listen in on a conversation between David and God.

David declares that God is his hiding place and God will protect him from trouble.  In light of that David sings the songs of deliverance, songs of praise to his Father God for looking after his every need and who delivers him from the snares of the enemy.

God then speaks.  David, depend on me, not yourself or anyone else.  I will instruct and teach you in the way you should go.  I will counsel you with wise counsel because I love you and will keep my eye on you now and forever.

My Dad loved to lead singing.  One of the most beloved songs he led many times popped into my mind this Monday morning  –  Count your blessings, name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.  My Dad and Mom had that ability, to look on the bright side of things.  I recall how it felt when in the mission church at Carpenter’s Park near our home, Dad rose to his feet and sang this song!  He and Mom were not strangers to upsets, setbacks and disappointments, but they did not concentrate on that but on what God is doing.  This little chorus asks us to step back a bit and see the big picture – the grace of God.  As we did so the words of this song rang true, “Count your blessings.”  Not, what can you blame others for?  What makes you unhappy?  Those feelings are banished by this little song of trust!  I thank my father, long gone, for concentrating on what God has done, not on why things are going wrong.

That is the chorus, the first verse is –

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

And then that chorus!

Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

A little song can do the soul good beyond measure!

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.  The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.

But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

Psalm 103:13 – 18

God knows exactly how we are formed, each one of us, no matter what tribe or nation!  He formed us, so he knows us entirely, and knows full well that we need so He has compassion on us. Like a father has compassion on his struggling son or daughter.

The lesson God wishes us to learn is clear, the Lord’s love is with those who fear him.  Our responsibility is to fear him!  Not dread not, but hope.  Fearing God is to know his power and love.

Did we catch the marvel of God’s promise?  The Lord’s love is with those who fear him.  Our part is to recognize our hopelessness without God’s mercy and grace.  Then, the love of the Lord flows into our lives and out to others.  

Update on health.  This morning had appt with Dr. Adiga ref beginning a regime of helping along the red, white and platelets or whatever.  Jane and Glenn with Anna Ruth and me decided to go ahead with the seven injections a month, if I feel good as I receive them.   So, in a few days, after they set things up I can begin the first of the monthly injections.  So, we try to listen to the Dr. who knows his way around this issue.

Thanks much for your prayers.  I feel your love.

First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered on behalf of all men for kings and all those in authority, so that we may lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity. This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior.

I Timothy 2:2

This is the morning after the US mid-term elections.  The Democrats are now in the majority in the House.   The President and Senate are Republican.  My feelings are that this is good.  It will probably be a battlefield, so to speak, but at least more voices will be heard than it has been the case for the past two years when Republicans controlled all the three branches.

The New Testament, particularly the writings of Paul, speak little about how believers should relate to the secular powers.  I his first letter to Timothy he does, however, give pastoral direction. Paul does not advise Timothy to confront the political authorities but encourages him to pray for the pagans who influence so much of their lives.  I find this very helpful because even though Paul knew that the Roman rulers were not believers, he insisted the followers of Jesus obey them.  Paul does not just touch the issue but wrote that the believers should offer petitions (requests), prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving for kings and those in secular authority  so that we may lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity. This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior.

There is no mention of electing rulers, etc., in the Bible.  In fact, election – where the ruled determined who their rulers should be – is a rather recent thing.  That is what is happening in all 50 US states today.  I grew up with the understanding that people elect their leaders.

In the Old Testament, God raises up and puts down leaders.  People were expected to obey.   In the New Testament, they had no elections.  The Roman Rule was not chosen by the people but by a few who were in line to rule.

So, this idea, now strong in our culture, is that people should choose those to represent everyone, not just their own parochial interests.  That is not the way it works, unfortunately, shall we say, because people vote, almost always, on what will bring them what they want.

People enter the polling booth as persons today,  It looks like they should keep the needs of all in mind, but it never happens quite like that.   Votes are sought for some privilege or ideas.  Political parties argue with one another all the time.  Almost all sections of the public are determined to look after their own interests, not on the interests of all.

So, as we vote, let us be humble and realize that people seldom vote for the welfare of others but for people like they are.

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

John 18:36

Election fever is high, tomorrow polls will open.  Then what?

Here in USA everyone is encouraged to vote.  Christians are all over the map on this one.  My denomination, the Mennonites, do not have a united voice on this either.  Traditionally if Mennonites got into politics at all it was local politics.  In my home we talked a lot about politics, etc., but as I recall we never took a position on any of the issues.

Now, some Mennonites are running for national and other offices.  Votes follow, of course.  They have friends and supporters.

This is a huge turn around.  Anabaptists in Switzerland and France and along the Rhine, in the early years of the movement, did not even consider getting involved in national politics.  When many moved to the United States, they met a new political environment – they were expected to participate in ruling by at least voting.  A few did but the majority did not.

I am not unhappy about this.  My concern is that any role that Christians have in society, they are committed first to the Kingdom of God, and only secondarily to the kingdoms of this world.  They have opinions, like others, but do not always use the vote to demand rights.

“Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

John 8:47

The key “Whoever belongs to God.”  Jesus makes a clear distinction between those who belong to God and those who do not.   The important word is to “belong.” That is strong.  The followers of Jesus have no individual right.  They are God’s by the door of the New Birth.

This reminds us of the importance of the “new birth” that Jesus spoke about often.  He insists that those who are not “born again” cannot understand what he is teaching.  Only those who are born of the Spirit can understand what Jesus is talking about.

We are not the children of God because we are born of believing parents.  Each of us must make the dramatic move of becoming God’s reborn children through the work of Jesus who makes this possible.  Jesus did not spend much time trying to explain this miracle of the new birth, but all of his teaching is based on the fact that those who are born again inhabit a world quite different from those who are not.  Here He reminds his hearers that those who belong to God are those who are born again of the Spirit of God.  Here He does not use the expression “born again” but “belongs” to God.

I pause for a moment.  The only way to “belong to God” is to become a child of God through conversion.  We can not earn sonship.  We can only receive it through grace.