***It was great to catch up with my good friends Joel & Terrill (and their lovely kids, and some friends) on the weekend. It was/is Terrill’s 30th, which is a pretty big & exciting time.
But that is not the Joel I wanted to write about today.
I had a new idea.
I thought one way that I could encourage myself as I do my own Bible reading & stuff, is to post some of my thoughts up here on the net. I’m not talking about any hardcore exegesis, just what reading a passage gets me thinking about.
And today I read the book of Joel.
Joel is a really interesting picture in two main parts.
On the first side is the prophecy of a coming locust plague. It’s an all-devouring plague, leaving nothing in it’s path.
I love the picture that Chapter 2 has, picturing the locust as a war horse, a chariot, an army, a well drilled soldier, and a thief. Their destruction is absolute when it comes.
At the same time, the reader abhors the locust, because of the destruction that they will bring, but at the same time, we can’t help but admire the little beggars. So disciplined, so powerful, yet so small.
Israel, is the counterbalance. They should have the same kind of power and coordination as the locust, but instead they have turned away from God and sit now under His judgement.
And yet, God doesn’t desert His people. V.12-13 are some of my favourites:
Joel 2:12 ”Yet even now,” declares the LORD,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and he relents over disaster. *
As we find our way into the second half of the book, we see how God’s love and mercy only play themselves out when we understand the nature of God’s judgement. The promise of hope and glory stands out in stark contrast after the expectation of desolation.
Western society is becoming increasingly “spiritual,” yet I suspect that it is equally as insincere. We need to step back, look at ourselves and “rend our hearts, not our garments.”* Where in my life do I need to strip off the pretense like a locust stripping wheat, and open up my heart to the Lord?
It’s certainly worth thinking about…
It’s fun having two countdowns going at the same time. Three really… actually… four.
I like Easter. I always have.
I really like Darrell Lea nougat eggs. In under two weeks I should have my very own egg.
It’s a downside of ministry that many of those big holidays become work days for you. Christmas, out. Easter… usually out…. But this year, I look forward to the possibility of having not only easter off, but three weeks after that too! What a fantastic idea! Holiday time.
But of course, the most important (at least on an eternal scale) is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ!
And of course, what better way to celebrate the promise of re-birth, than with the birth of our first child.
Of course, we don’t know if it will come on time.
Anyone willing to place a guess (or a virtual bet) on the due date? How about a name?
You’re supposed to slow down as you get nearer to having a baby, but that doesn’t seem to be happening for Shona & I. Friday night was Youth Group as usual. Shona has retired, but I’m still going. It was actually a really encouraging night. We changed things up a bit & I felt it went really well. A good encouragement from 1 John 2 to “Stay the course” in our faith.
Saturday was about Shona catching up with her bestie, Bec (freeing me to visit my favourite chocolate store in the world, Adora… seriously, I have eaten chocolate in many of the great nations, but this stuff takes the cake!) then we headed to Hornsby to catch up with Shona’s mum & dad, but even that was a double booking. We also dragged them around the shops looking for cots & other bits of baby paraphernalia.
Of course, the highlight, (pictured above) was the baptism of B. Tim & Dee have been one of the biggest blessings to us since we moved up to the coast, so it was a real honour to be able to be a part of this big day with them & to make some promises of our own on that day.
They are big days.
I have to make sure not to enter that trap, where I see the month that I have off in 5 weeks time as a holiday. I suspect having a newborn child is quite the opposite.
I was given a copy of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s “The Little Prince” as an ordination present. I had thought, at first glance, that it was an odd present to be given. It’s illustrated & is primarily seen as a kids book. Of course, this little title is so much more, asking questions about the nature of man & making social commentary in a stile reminiscent of C.S. Lewis’ work “The Great Divorce.”
Anyway, it got me thinking. What a great shame that so many of us feel the need to read only “Adult” books. There is so much that can be challening, comforting, and informing in material that was intended for a younger audience. Heck, even picture books, like “Where the Wild Things Are” can be great to read if you give them a chance.
What helps you reconnect to the child’s world?