Shade Tree Wisdom 4/13/08

Really a pleasant day today. No, I usually don’t walk Sunday mornings, rather spend the time preparing for worship at Church.

In doing that I was re-reading Psalm 139, and this verse, 16, struck me as filled with comfort. “Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your Book before one of them came into being”. The Psalmist is speaking about the Lord who is all-knowing and ever-present. Who even “perceives my thoughts from afar”, and “before a word is on my tongue, You know it completely”.

In his prayer at the dedication of the Temple, King Solomon prayed, “But will God really dwell on earth” (1 Kings 8,276). And the answer4 came in that manger in the stale at Bethlehem when Jesus “became flesh, and dwelt among us”. There lies Solomon’s answer. Yes, God did indeed come to earth, became one of us, suffered, died, and rose again so that our sins would be paid for.

And that is a truth the world does not want to know, or hear easily. So we keep hearing and reading wise people, presumably, who have an answer to the many problems facing us. And the make wrong choices because they fail to understand this basic truth, that mankind is sinful from birth, and simply cannot help that condition. The Only One who can and does is God. By sending His Son Jesus to pay the penalty for that sin.

I mentioned we had a circuit conference last Thursday. In my presentation I mentioned that I was the oldest in the room, and just a little while ago I was the youngest at such a gathering. One friend said, “”How do the years feel?” I said, “I am forgetful, though I do remember the important things. I have enough years to know what I worried about at 30, ‘what will people think ?’ to know they don’t care.

Over the years my heart has been broken. How can a heart not break when you stand at the graveside of an infant, or when a child suffers, or a good friend dies, or parents leave this vale of tears. But broken hearts is what gives us understanding and compassion. Hearts never so touched will be sterile and never know the joy of forgiveness.

I am blessed to have lived long enough to see the laugh lines of my youth deeply engraved on my face. I can says “no” and mean it, and “yes” and mean it too.

It is easier to see the bright side, and I’ve earned the right to be wrong without apology.

I like the person I am. I won’t be here forever, but while God allows life, I will enjoy what He lays before me every day, and I can leave my life in His care knowing “the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.”

GPD 4/13/08