28-Dec 2008  

Sunday School 9:45 a.m.: Proverbs 29:18 What is involved in having vision?

Scripture reading: #629

No Vespers this Sunday evening

Wednesday: There will be no Mid-Week Study until after New Year's.

Our Father, Who art in heaven

Our Father Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven...I have a difficult time having any peace with "Thy will be done" when it comes to the sorrows and sufferings of my loved ones and friends.

As I search the scriptures a passage keeps confronting me - 2Corinthians 5.1-11. I have to have a poignant glance over my shoulder from time to time to give me perspective for the present and direction for the future.

2 Corinthians 5:1. Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

The "earthly tent we live in..." - what a temporary sounding phrase to describe this body we spend so much time and money on.

All of that time and money is for the present, with hopes for the future. This week I was going through lots of old photos.

Let’s be honest - some of us haven't aged well. Jean commented as to how much we have aged in recent years. I don't have to look at photos to know how I'm aging...I can feel it in so many ways. We also spent some time looking at the faces of those who are no longer among us. There are some others among us, who haven't done a particularly outstanding job of taking care of one’s self, who seem to be aging quite well. Amazing.

I know people who are consumed with maintaining some particular level of 'physical fitness' and are constantly concerned with their potential for longevity. During my career in healthcare I saw innumerable folks who were 'active and fit' but died of cancer, heart attacks and strokes.

One such individual lay in the E.R. while I was with his family making arrangements with a funeral home. He was 42 years old and died while playing basketball with some of their church friends. He was 'fit and healthy.'

I had a grandmother who had been 'dying with heart problems' since in her 20's. Sometime in her 90's she was finally buried.

It's hard for me to 'wrap' my theology around such inequities as those I see, and have seen over the years. "God, where are you in these situations?"

The "earthly tent we live in..." won't last forever.

Then what?

It isn't my "earthly tent" that I'm struggling to hold onto…it's those precious "earthly tents" of my loved ones and dear friends.

I must double my efforts in investing in others - touching, developing, nurturing with benevolence and compassion because soon enough, regardless of how hard we try to postpone it, we will be dwelling in the "eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands."

Let’s learn to appreciate those around us now, not knowing what this coming year will bring.

Let’s look back with a grateful heart that a wonderful God also allowed us the blessing of having these in our lives who are now watching this morning from that ‘balcony of witnesses’ beyond the reach of pain, suffering, and sorrow.

Let's hold each other gently and lovingly, forgiving one another and encouraging one another. We each are living in 'earthly tents.'

Slide show: (about 3 minutes +/-)