Ethnic Enmities

I read a brief news item today about the slow ballot counting in Kenya providing a reason or excuse for violence between Luo and Kikuyu tribes. It got me thinking about the depth and intractable nature of ethnic rivalry and enmity.

After decades of suppression under communism, ethnic “nationalist” movements immediately re-appeared in Europe and the former Soviet Union as soon as Soviet communism lost its grip. Czechs v. Slovaks, Romanians v. Hungarians, Serbs v. Croats v. Albanians, Russians v. Chechens to name a few. In Nepal, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Iraq and all of Africa, ethnic rivalries and enmities abound. Right here in Canada, immigrant groups coalesce despite having left their various lands, supposedly freely seeking a change.

I started to consider a Biblical perspective. The first thing I though of was Cain and Abel. Sibling rivalry and jealousy becomes white-hot resulting in hatred and murder. And “favouritism” or perception thereof by a parent or heavenly Father seems one of the biggest triggers. (Besides those two, think of Ishmael and Isaac, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers, Eliab and David, etc.)

After the flood and the incident with Ham seeing Noah’s nakedness, Noah blessed Shem and Japeth and pronounced slavery for Ham’s son Canaan and his descendants. Did that “curse” stick? It certainly seems until now that Semites and Japhethites rule over African descendants of Ham.

Then in Genesis 11 there is the story of the Lord confusing the languages and “the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.” (verse 9) In the beginning, God had told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it. At Babel, the people seemed to be determined to stay together, but God scattered them. In Genesis 11:4 the people express that they are specifically building so as not to be scattered, and God expresses concern about where that may lead, so he scatters them. Did he do that because in their sinful state their unity would allow them to accomplish more wickedness? Or was he just enforcing his original mandate for mankind? Or??

So what about now? Are ethnic and racial differences and rivalries “of God?” It seems that in Christ, the walls of partition between Jew and Gentile are removed, that his “favouritism” toward Israel is replaced by an inclusiveness. How far does that go? Clearly we see in the Bible, God using every situation, even the wicked ones, to accomplish his purposes. Does God use ethnic rivalries today? What should be our place (if any) as believers in combating ethnic and racial divisions? In the church? In our own society? In the world? What commands, instruction and/or guidance do we find in scripture about this?

Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving Day in Canada. Our church is currently going through the Gospel of John in all age groups in a 40-day period we call Encounter. The weekend sermons are from that gospel and many of us are doing directed daily devotionals in John at the same time.

Today’s devotional was based on the account of Jesus walking on the water John 6:16-24, but also comparing the account in Mark 6. The event of Jesus walking on the stormy sea happens the night after feeding the 5000, as the disciples row hard to get across Galilee. The story of Jesus feeding the 5000 is one of the few events recounted by all 4 gospel writers. In each of them he takes the few loaves provided and gives thanks. Then they are distributed to the hungry people and fully satisfy them with plenty left over.

But on this Thanksgiving Day, I noticed that John is unique in how he refers back the event. He notes that people had noticed that Jesus had not gotten into the boat with his disciples the previous evening. And they go back across the sea in boats looking for him “near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.”

Interesting…. Not “eaten the bread the Lord had miraculously multiplied.” Not “provided so abundantly that they wanted to force him to be king.” But, “eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.”

We know that no word of scripture is without purpose. And we know that John, in particular, wrote his gospel “that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God…” (John 20:31) So what is the significance of him drawing our attention to the “thanksgiving” aspect of this miraculous sign?

I don’t actually know, but some things have occurred to me. One is that when we take the little we have and offer it to the Lord with thanks, He will do amazing things with it. Giving thanks acknowledges that everything comes from him. When we give thanks for our little resource and then begin to act like it will be enough, we are expressing faith. We are, in effect, saying, “I believe the Word you gave which says that you have given us all we need for life and godliness.” You are confessing, “Lord I am not among those you will condemn as disobedient, ungrateful and unholy.”

HEARING FROM GOD

Journal – June 28, 2007


Yesterday I was reading about Hearing God’s Voice on the MB Forum, which led me to a blog of Brad Huebert where he picked up on the topic from John Eldredge of an “advanced word.” This is where the Lord gives some direction or warning for the day or season ahead.

(Here begins a dialogue in which I (“Me”) prayed and then listened for a response and wrote down what I “heard.” Here I type exactly what I wrote in my journal.)

Me: Lord, do you have any such word for me?

- Yes I do, every day, all the time. My sheep hear my voice and follow me. I go before them. I am the eternal one. Before Abraham was I am. I lay out your path before you.

Me: Lord, this is a more all-encompassing response than I expected.

- I know; but I want you to learn that your future is not some unknown thing. Your human senses do not perceive it. You are a creature of time but I am not. I give dreams and visions of things which shall be. I do not “predict” the future as a meteorologist predicts the weather or a pundit predicts the outcome of a sports event or an election.

The Spirit is not bounded by time and space. You have been made alive in the spirit. My Spirit dwells in your spirit. Walk in the spirit and I will show you how to choose and how to move.

Me: Lord, can this really be?

- Yes. It is my way. When I as on earth in bodily form, I told you, “I do nothing except what I see the Father doing.” I was in a human body but I could and did see in the spirit. I now dwell in you and you in Me and we in the Father. You have the capacity to see what the Father is doing and, by the Spirit, to do those things – to participate in them – to walk in them.

Me; This seems “way out here” for me.

- But, Lorne, it is not supposed to be way out there. As one of mine, it is supposed to be your “normal.”

Me: Lord, you know I am going “But…but…” in my head.

- Yes, I know it. I see you brain scrambling for relevant scriptures to see “whether these things be so.” Go ahead. You’ll find I am right. I always am! 
And I just saw some anxious thoughts arise about what you should already be doing at work today. Lorne, listen to me and what I am saying to you today, and work will never be the same again.

Me: Anything specific about my day You want to tell me?

- What I want to tell you is that your need for control, your need to have things all figured out and understood will interfere with what I have just described to you about walking in the Spirit. I know all things. You do not. In order to really enjoy walking in the Spirit you must listen and obey. That is your calling. It is not your place to understand, agree, or control.

Me: Lord, this is hard for me.

- I know. It makes you feel kind of panicky, as if you are on a cliff face hanging by a thin root and someone below is saying, “Let go. I’ll catch you.” Lorne, I’ve been at this point with you before. Remember 1975. You were desperate for meaning and direction in your life. You said you were giving Me control, moving out of the driver’s seat. You have a pattern of getting back behind the wheel, of trying to be in control. You must give that up. You must trust Me. I am telling you the truth.

Me: But what about today?

- Today, as always, I am with you. Whatever you encounter I already know about. I have made provision already. I am there already. In every moment, seek me and I will show you. I am not showing you everything beforehand. I want you to trust Me and not lean on your own understanding to pre-plan your responses.

*************************************************************************

That is what I wrote. It took place over about two hours. Of course, there were many more thoughts which were racing through my brain during that period – mostly of me struggling to analyze what I was “hearing” and cope with the “what ifs” of anticipating loss of (the illusion of) control.

What is your experience of hearing from God? Do you also fear the loss of (the illusion of) control? Do you hear from God, and with joy do the ridiculous, foolish, stupid things He asks? Things like going up against a nine foot armed giant warrior with a little slingshot? Or sending your nation’s most precious object on the shoulders of men into the raging flood waters of Jordan, expecting the flood waters to open up? How about thinking you will capture a great walled city with a bunch of yokels, women and children by marching around it until it falls just because you think you heard God say so? Or sending singers out in front of your army to face an enemy army way bigger than yours? Ridiculous! How about believing God told you to talk to a rock to get water for a couple million parched people at risk of death in the desert? Ludicrous! Oh, I know. How about believing a story that some guy who died 2000 years ago is actually alive and that trusting in him and surrendering control of your life to him will let you live forever in harmony with a pure God? Just because some little inner voice told you, “It’s true.” Idiotic, no?

Ethical Conundrum?

According to recent media reports such as http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/conditions/01/04/ashley.treatment.ap/index.html, there is a controversy in the field of medical ethics, and among the general populace, about the parents and physicians of Ashley having submitted her to growth-inhibiting treatments. Ashley is a "severely mentally and physically disabled" 9-year old Seattle child. Her parents and physicians indicate that the treatment, which included surgical and hormonal prevention of sexual maturation, was undertaken to improve her quality of life.http://ashleytreatment.spaces.live.com/

Why do I have a sense that some of the same people who are protesting this were supporting the "right" of Robert Latimer and Michael Schiavo to end the lives of their disabled family members? What is the nature of the ethical objections? That's not clear to me, except to the extent that some seem to assume that the disabled person is being "mutilated" for the convenience of the caregivers. The parents and physicans obtained medical ethical approval before proceeding with the treatment to ensure it was being done for the benefit of the patient. If, for example, all proposed abortions were submitted to this scrutiny with the child veiwed as the one for whom the treatment is planned (since the mother is typically not ill nor having any pathological condition), how many would proceed?

Merry Christmas

BETHLEHEM

On the way to Bethlehem
Walked Ruth
Daughter of Moab, sprung from indecency, an outsider
Now she whose name is Friendship, proclaims herself a friend
“Your people will be my people and your God my God.”
In Bethlehem she encounters her redeemer
From them springs David and the Son of David, Redeemer
In Bethlehem, House of Bread.

On the way to Bethlehem
Walked Samuel
Uncertainly, fearfully, but obediently
To anoint God’s chosen king with oil
In the presence of his brethren that day
The Spirit of God came in power on
David and the Son of David, the Anointed One
In Bethlehem, House of Bread

On the way to Bethlehem
Yearned a scattered Israel from afar
Clinging to the prophet’s words
“I will assemble the exiles, you who have no king,
Out of you, little Bethlehem. will come for me
One who will be ruler over Israel,
Whose origins are from of old, from everlasting”
Son of David, Anointed One, Redeemer
In Bethlehem, House of Bread.

On the way to Bethlehem
Went up Mary
Uncertainly, fearfully, but obediently
“Be it unto me as you have said.”
To bring forth the seed of the woman
God’s Anointed, Son of David, Redeemer
Attended by shepherds
In Bethlehem, House of Bread.

On the way to Bethlehem
I went
Yearning, uncertain, an outsider
Seeking God’s Anointed One, Friendship
Seeking food for my starving soul
I encountered my Redeemer, Son of David,
The Shepherd who feeds me
In Bethlehem, House of Bread.

lornewel - December 24, 2006

In the image of God

I was pondering this morning about sexuality. It is so powerful. And it also seems so significant that it is an area in which Satan strongly tempts and perverts. It seems like so many powerful men have powerful sexual desires which they indulge and/or are unable to control, even when they must be smart enough to know the dangers. President Clinton is but one very public example. We all have heard of well-known pastors falling in this way. In the Bible we read of Noah, Lot, David, Amnon, Sampson and others in this regard.

God’s word says He made us in his image and likeness. How does sexual desire and activity reflect Him? Beyond the creativity of reproduction, how is it “god-like?” Why are humans sexually ready all the time and not only seasonally like many other living creatures? Is that anything to do with humans as divine image-bearers?

Paul writes of the husband and wife relationship as a picture of Christ and his church. Revelation speaks of the marriage supper of the Lamb. John the Baptist compared himself to the “best man” of the bridegroom.

Intense spiritual experiences seem to cause euphoria somewhat like sexual experiences do. Some people who have Holy Spirit encounters seem to get an appetite to pursue them which reminds me of humans with sexual appetites.

It seems to me that there are certain aspects of humanness which are most powerful, most desired and most subject to perversion. They are areas given to man by God as blessings, but they seem to be areas of temptation and fall – sometimes spectacularly so. They are matters of strong desires and in life they seem to overlap, as well:

Power (influence, headship, control, domination)
Wealth (enjoyment, satisfied appetites, influence, comfort)
Sex (enjoyment, satisfied appetite, control, manipulation)

Yet properly “harnessed”, these are all areas for giving, for loving and for service which are very powerful and influential for God and for good.

What do you think? Do you have insight from God about this?

Concepts of Place and Presence

The Significance of Place
From time to time, and again this past week, I have pondered the significance of place. Many of us report feeling a connection with particular places; maybe our childhood hometown or farm. I know a person whose ancestors came from Scotland two generations ago. She had never been there, but felt a pull to go there. As she flew north from England suddenly she began to weep. She did not know why, but then realized the plane had just entered Scotland. She went to an isolated place to visit the place of her ancestors and as she stood at a fork in a path feeling “at home”, but not knowing which fork to follow, and elderly gentleman approached. She said nothing to him. But he said “Welcome home, lass.” How can such a palpable sense of “place” be passed on to generations who have never been to the place? What draws even atheistic Jews to abandon everything and move to Israel?

A technical word for this phenomenon is Topophilia. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topophilia

But my curiosity about significance of place was actually aroused by reading scripture. Over and over, all through scripture, I encounter passages which underline the significance of place to both God and man. Here are but a few which came readily to mind in a few minutes.

Place – Biblical Significance

Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. [The first verse in the Bible is about places.]
Gen 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea [ a place], and over the fowl of the air [a place], and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth [a place.]
Gen 12:1 (NIV) The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. [Central to initiating a “chosen people” is a particular place.]
Ex 25:22 (NKJV)"And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel. [God designated a very specific place, of a few cubic feet at most, where he would meet with his people.]
Ex 33:21 And the LORD said, Behold, [there is] a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: [See verses before and after verse 21 re; Presence]
Psalm 46:4 (NIV) There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells
2 Chron 7:11-15 (NIV) When Solomon had finished the temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the LORD and in his own palace, 12 the LORD appeared to him at night and said: "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices. 13 "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. 16 I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
John 14:2 –3 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
Eph 2:6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

Eph 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. [There are earthly and heavenly places; visible and invisible places; earthly and heavenly realms or kingdoms.]

The Concepts and Language of Place

I was thinking that “place” is a time-space concept. In infinity, all is always everywhere. There is no “here” or “there.” Before God created the heavens and the earth, did time or space exist? Right away it is a kind of nonsense question, because in “forever” when was “before?”

All concepts of position or movement are predicated on place. From, to, toward, around, above, under, over, up down, etc. – all require discreteness of objects and locations relative to one another.
The Bible is full of concepts of time, space and movement. It has to be, because it is written for us, the time and space creatures. For example, John 14:2 –3 In my Father's house are many rooms [distinct places]; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going [movement in an “away” direction] there [a specific location] to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will [time concept] come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Presence

That verse also illustrates a concept related to place – presence. To speak of being present or absent from a person, there must be a distinction of a discrete beings with physical dimensions and boundaries. There are many scriptures which speak of the presence of God. Here are but a few.

Gen 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

Gen 4: 16 And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
Deut 23 :14 For the LORD your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you. [presence and absence]
2 Chron 20:9 If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.
Ps 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Jonah 1:3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
Luke 5:17 One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick.

Now there are another large number of scriptures which describe the omnipresence of God. So what can be meant by such things as fleeing from the presence of God, coming into the presence of God, or God withdrawing his presence from humans?

Without much reflection or study, my preliminary thought is that the language of God’s “presence” is about particular manifestations of His presence. It is kind of where the heavenly intersects the earthly. It is where God “shows up;” where his presence becomes somehow tangible.

Postscript

I really appreciate dialogue and feedback. so if you have thoughts about anything I have posted on this or any other day, please go to "Comments" and leave a comment.