Lord's Day Devotion - Firstborn Dedication, The Priest, The Offering, The Lamb

There's a hymn one of our friends loves to sing almost every time he has the privilege of leading the church music on Lord's Day services.  It starts "Give of your best to the Master..."

That reminds me of what God did for us His human creatures but let's go back in time to the prototypes first.

The worst plague of all for Pharoah and his Egyptian peoples was the death of all firstborn sons on the dreaded "passover" night.  Pharaoh hadn't wanted to see Moses again so Moses bowed out of his presence.

God told Moses about the imminent last plague.  An angel of death was going to sweep through the kingdom.  God told Moses to tell all the Israelites to take a lamb without blemish or spot (Exodus 12:5); a perfect lamb, slaughter it and put its blood on the two side posts and the upper doorpost of the houses (Exodus 12:7).  Then one and all of the family were to go inside the house and shut the door (Exodus 12).  

When the angel of death came down the street and saw the blood properly applied, the angel would "pass over" to the next home.  Any home that did not have the blood applied, the angel would enter and the firstborn son would be slain (Exodus 12:12-13).

Subsequently, God told Moses that each firstborn son of any family had to be dedicated to Him for His service (Exodus 22:28-29).  Later on, God then consecrated Aaron and sons for the priesthood and the rest of the Levites to assist in the service of the Tabernacle and later in the temple (Exodus 8:17-18).  Firstborn sons of all the other tribal families had to be "redeemed" by offering, 5 shekels  (Numbers 3:44-48; 18:16; Leviticus 17:1-9; Exodus 34:19-20).

However, any family could still dedicate their firstborn to God.  This we see in Samuel's case.  Samuel's mother Hannah brought him to Eli the High Priest to be of service in the Temple (1 Samuel 1:21-28).  

Hannah did this out of love and deep gratitude to God for the gift of her firstborn son Samuel whom God granted to her out of her many years of barrenness and longing for a child.  In fact, she had devoted Samuel to God even before he was conceived.  She kept her promise to God.  Although Samuel did not become a priest, he was mightily used by God in his prophet capacity.  

Jump over to the New Testament to God's big picture that He had been leading up to all those years.  The baby Jesus was presented at the Temple by His parents on the eighth day of His life on earth according to what was ...

"...written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord; and to offer sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord:  "a pair of doves or two young pigeons" (Luke 2:21-24).

Jesus's earthly parents were obedient to God's Laws.

This brings us to God who dedicated His firstborn Son, Jesus Christ, to be in His service.  Jesus became our Priest who mediated for us between His Father, God, and us, His human creatures.  He is God's Priest Who is also our Offering.  He became the Lamb of God who died in our place like all those little innocent spotless lambs in place of the firstborn sons of Israel in Egypt.  He is the...

"...Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29 NIV).

It is..

"...the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son that cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7 KJV).

As we remember Jesus Christ's death and resurrection for us in the breaking of bread and drinking of the cup of wine on Lord's Day (1 Corinthians 11:23-26), or any other time for that matter, let us be very grateful to God who gave us His firstborn Son that He could redeem us back to Himself.

We are now in His service as "royal priesthood" and " a people belonging to God" (1 Peter 2:9 NIV).  May we each engage in a lifetime royal priesthood of service to God.  God gave His best for us; in return, let us remember to give Him our best.  Praise Him!

                                                     ~ERC  April 2018~

Burning Quest - Part 17

Monks, nuns, priests, ministers, and pastors have the unique position and responsibility of spiritually guiding everyone else.  Interesting 'breed'.

I think of the classic movie, The Sound of Music, where Maria attempts to become a nun.  It turned out she wasn't really suited to the convent life.  Then there was The Sister Act where Deloris brought refreshing life to the resident sisters yet the movie bordered on making a mockery of the whole order of nuns; at least in my humble opinion.

Down through the ages there have been the Gregorian monks who gave the world the Roman Calendar way back in 1582 which is still in use to this day.  Moving on to the Benedictine monks who must, besides remaining celibate, live an aesthetic life abiding strictly by the rules of their respective abbots.  Most everyone knows Mother Teresa who began the order of catholic sisters known as Missionaries of Charity dedicated to serving the "poorest of the poor".

Protestants have their ministers and pastors who help to lead and guide their individual congregations, hopefully, in correct Biblical directions.  Generally they do not live together in seclusion from the world but marry, have a family of their own and reach out primarily for the spiritual growth but also are helps to the parishioners under their care, in their times of joys and sorrows.

The children of Israel, more commonly known as "Jews" today, had/have a priesthood since God told Moses to ordain the tribe of Levi to do so.  There will be more on that later. 

This brings us to the Buddhist monks and nuns community called the Sangha.  In Burning Quest - Part 16, there was reference to the Triple Gem.  The Triple Gem constitutes:  Buddha, Dharma and the Sangha.

Here is a quotation from the internet in relation to Zen Buddhism's definition of the Triple Gem, also known as The Three Refuges, Three Treasures or The Three Jewels (see link for reference).

"As it is said in Zen, "I take refuge in the Buddha, wishing for all sentient beings to understand the great way profoundly and make the greatest resolve.  I take refuge in the Dharma, wishing for all sentient beings to delve deeply into Satori (enlightenment), causing their wisdom to be as broad as the sea.  I take refuge in the Sangha, wishing all sentient beings to lead the congregation in harmony, entirely without obstruction."  (emphasis mine)

The Sangha is the Buddhist order of monks and nuns, who, like every other Buddhist, follow the set of moral laws and ethics, following the three simple principles as delineated in Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda's book What Buddhists Believe, page 190...

"To avoid evil; to do good, to purify the mind..."

Excellent principles for one and all yet, the "Vinaya Pitaka" (basket of Discipline), a book of all those laws and principles with which to govern themselves is to be more strictly adhered to by the Sangha.  The extra rules if violated do not affect the karma of the individual so much but could bring bad repute to the order of monks and nuns if not legalistically adhered to (Pages 192-193).

Yes, even those among the followers of Jesus Christ who wish to be in positions of leadership, such as elders, deacons, teachers, etc, have to behave circumspectly in character and conduct (1 Timothy 3).  They are setting the example for their own, and, outsiders are observing.  The bad reputation could fall upon themselves, their families, all of the believers in Jesus but worst of all, upon God Himself.

Yes, those in governing positions will be judged more strictly (James 3:1).  Yet each and every child of God has the responsibility to live in such a way that will glorify God.  This good praiseworthy character and conduct develops from the growing relationship one has with God Himself.  Out of love and devotion to Him, praise and glory for Him will be reflected from the lives of His children.  

This is not to burden anyone with extra rules.  Extra rules burden people.  In the book of Galatians in the Bible, the writer, Paul, tells them to stop adding on rules and not to listen to those want-to-be leaders who are binding them up with 'slavery'.  Paul says in Galatians 5:1 (ESV)... 

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."

Jesus Himself confronted the religious leaders of His day, saying that they...

"...bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne upon men's shoulders..."  (Matthew 23:4-5 NIV).

Our freedom is in the relationship with Christ.  A mind and heart in tandem with God to live the Christ-like way of life, to please God; not to please man nor ones own self.

Beware always of legalism!  Sensible rules, yet in-the-spirit-of-the-law principles are good.  Human beings tend towards control, control, control, of others.  Supremacy.  Be the boss.  So beware, no matter which religious or other affiliation one follows!

It is interesting to note that lay Buddhists are expected to finance and look after the needs of the Buddhist monks and nuns food, shelter and clothing, etc.

Similarly in Old Testament Bible times God instructed Moses to tell the people of Israel that among the tithes and offerings to God was a portion to be given to Aaron and sons; the priestly clan of Levi and the whole tribe of Levi,  who attended to the Tabernacle and its transportation around the wilderness (Numbers 18:12, 21, 26; Deuteronomy 18:1; 26:12; 2 Chronicles 31:4; and Hebrews 7:5).

This priestly group carried on sporadically throughout their history, despite times of failure of the other tribes to give their tithes, until New Testament times.  Meaning they carried out temple duties but no longer needed to transport the Tabernacle and furnishings, obviously, once they were in the Promised Land and the temple had been built.  The tithes and offerings were still supposed to be brought in and distributed to those who still did duty.

There were times when the Israelites did not fulfill their duty in presenting their tithes and offerings.  That forced the Levites to have to grow their own food and spend time to eek out a living instead of concentrating fully upon God's work.  

Again, Jesus told His disciples that when they were sent out to the towns and villages to preach and heal, they were supposed to stay in the home of the hospitable person.  We read from Luke 10:7 (NIV)...

"Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages.  Do not move around from house to house."

This practice was carried into Christianity, further defined by the apostle Paul.  Those who served God full time and well were worthy of "double honor" (1 Timothy 5:17).  One of my favorite verses that puts an amused smile on my face just thinking of the imagery is 1 Timothy 5:18 (ESV)...

"You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain" and "The laborer deserves his wages".

The designation for tithing amount to give in Old Testament times was a "tenth" of their livestock, grain, and others (Deuteronomy 14:23).  In the New Testament Paul states "give in accordance to your income" (1 Corinthians 16:2); "Give with a cheerful heart" (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).

When should the people give?  Weekly, so there is no big panicked scramble for funds when a pressing need arises (1 Corinthians 16:2).

The giving was not restricted to the preachers but also to widows who were truly widows (1 Timothy 5);  the poor; those in dire straights.  A guiding motto can be gleaned from Galatians 6:10 (ESV)...

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up so then let us do good to every one, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."

It is particularly nice to be on the receiving end of such giving especially to families of preachers who live on non-fixed incomes living "on faith".  It has been appreciated time and again.

Yes, there are those supposed "men of God" who exploited this benevolent giving and went about preaching "for gain" (Philippians 1:15-18)  Human nature is often a sorry tale.  May God grant wisdom in our giving to give aright with a generous heart devoid of greed.  May the givers and receivers give gratitude to God our Provider (Jehovah Jireh).

"The laborer deserves his hire."  (Luke 10:7 ESV)

Let's talk a bit more about the Sangha, how the members can opt in or out of the Sangha and/or be excommunicated.  

Earlier it was mentioned that the Sangha members followed "extra" rules in order to distinguish themselves from the lay Buddhist.  The desired result is to characterize the member with a certain 'pure' way of life to gain respect from the lay person; as well as, of course, to earn merit towards Nirvana (Pages 200-202).

Anyone, whether monk or nun, must follow these to avoid negative consequences.

"If he violates any one [of the 4 Higher moralities] a monk is regarded as a "defeated" person in the Sangha community" (Page 201).

This person may wish to stay despite disciplinary action; the option is left up to the individual for the most part.

According to Ajahn Brahm on why he was excommunicated it is noted that it was not just one senior monk who sent him away but a body of them.

God's Word addresses this in Matthew 18:15-20 which tells us that if we have anything against any brother to go to him privately to reconcile the matter.   If that doesn't work to take one or two others with you and try again.  If that still does not work then bring the matter before the whole congregation to try resolve the matter.  It is important to use grace and mercy in so doing.  

Galatians 6:1 (NIV) is very good wisdom...

"Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.  But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted."

Generally speaking, Sri Dhammananda says on Page 201, a person...

"...becomes a bhikka (monk) of his own accord in order to lead a holy life for as long as he likes..."

For example, I've heard that in Thailand, the sons in most Buddhist families will become a monk, at least for short periods of time (for as little as a week to 3 months).  It is said to be 

"...an act of filial piety that is extremely common for many Thai Buddhist families."

This is akin to a sacred rite of passage or even of pride or national service for a large percentage of Thai to subjugate themselves to the Order of the Sangha.

Depending on the particular country, the way of 'keeping a monk' differs.  It's already been stated that the lay people are supposed to support the Sangha.  However, in Thailand they are sent out to 'beg' for their keep.  Even in Malaysia, upon occasion, I've seen the Buddhist monk seeking alms from folks eating in cafes.  There is even an article entitled Zen and the Art of Begging.

Any Buddhist can become a monk or a nun if they so desire.  They are then able to concentrate more fully upon their Four Noble Laws and Eight-Fold Path to Enlightenment working their way to Nirvana.  They also guide lay people in this Middle Way.  Nowadays they also spread the Dharma, teaching in schools and universities, teaching mindfulness and stress reduction, are involved as web-masters and in live-broadcasting, and spiritual counseling to name a few functions of the Sangha.

Back in ancient times, one had to be born into the priestly Levitical tribe of Israel, as seen in the Old Testament.  However, before God decreed and ordained Aaron and sons to the priesthood and the rest of the Levites to assist them, He'd told Moses that each firstborn son of any family of any tribe of Israel had to be dedicated to God for priestly service (Exodus 13:2).  It appears that even after God consecrated the Levites for his express worship and full time service, that the other tribes could still dedicate their firstborn sons.  We see this in the prophet Samuel's case where his mother Hannah brought him to Eli the High Priest to be of service in the Temple (1 Samuel 1:21-28).

Hannah did this out of love and deep gratitude to God for the gift of her firstborn son Samuel whom God had granted to her out of her many years of barrenness.  In fact, she had devoted Samuel to God even before he was conceived.  She kept her promise to God.  Although Samuel did not become a priest, he was still used mightily by God in his prophet capacity.  

Talking about priests in the New Testament book of 1 Peter, chapter 2 and verse 9 (NIV), those who belong to Jesus Christ are called "chosen people",  "a royal priesthood," "a holy nation" and "a people belonging to God".  For what purpose?  To gain our own salvation?  NO!  Jesus already did that for us through His death and resurrection.  Followers of Jesus Christ automatically enter this priesthood of their own choice when they accept Jesus Christ as Savior and gain a lifetime royal priesthood of service to God.

The rest of that verse continues...

"...that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light."

Let us, "praise God from whom all blessings flow" as one hymn puts it.  We offer the... 

"...sacrifice of praise being the fruit of our lips that confess His name."  (Hebrews 13:15 NIV)

This priesthood of God's children also gives Him praise by living that exemplary life, not to gain merit for ourselves, but to give glory to God.  We spread His message of love and gift of salvation through Jesus Christ telling others that this offer is for one and all.  By so living and doing we show our gratitude and appreciation for granting us salvation from the consequences of our sins, evil desires and unsatisfactory, unwholesome deeds that the human nature is so prone towards.  We can praise our Heavenly Father for the gift of His Son Jesus and the indwelling Holy Spirit who helps us to live a sanctified life.  May God truly get the glory and honor from His royal priesthood of believers.

                                                    ~ERC  April 2018~

Treasure Trove of Dad Memories

"Good-bye, Dad!  Good-bye!"  I whisper, as if he could hear me.  He slipped away from us one January afternoon in 2018.  He was off to be with Jesus, the place he longed for almost forever; his motto having been, "Perhaps today!"

Perhaps today, God would call him and all followers of Jesus Christ to meet up there in the air and go to glory together.  Well, he got to go ahead of us and now he is joyful evermore.

After Dad left I was trying to recall some of the good memories; memories I could store in a memory chest to pluck out and reminisce over from time to time.  I surprised myself by discovering quite a few.

One of the earliest memories was from when I must have still been a preschooler and we lived in New Jersey, USA.  Dad still had secular work then.  Each morning as Dad would back out of the driveway and motor down the road and around the corner out of sight, Mom would go to the window with the view of that 'last sight'; stand there and wave "good-bye".  Naturally, those of us kiddos not yet in school gathered with her and became the daily wave-brigade. 

That faithful daily wave has been imprinted upon my mind to this day.  A last wave and friendly grinning face for the breadwinner of the family to take with him around the corner and hold on to throughout the work day.

I have tried to perpetuated that for my husband since we were married some twenty-nine years ago.  Even son number one gets that treatment now.   "Hie ho, hie ho, it's off to work they go."

Since before I was born, my parents would go up to Canada during summer vacation, hauling along their however many number of children they had at the time.  They'd go to the province of Nova Scotia which seemed to be the other side of the world from New Jersey.

The "vacation" was spent assisting in a children's evangelistic ministry known as The Gospel Tent.  Marvelous times were spent there and it was where Dad was the most happiest.

Gospel Tent Sambro

Eventually Dad and Mom moved us lock, stock and barrel up to Sambro, Nova Scotia to continue this work year round; not a in a tent, mind you.  Brrr!  That would have been rather chilly in the winter months!

Going to the Gospel Tent each summer for two months flat out entailed morning, noon and night:  morning for Children's Bible Hour; afternoon for teenage talks, and the evenings for adult gospel meetings.

Rolling Tent Top for Storage

We got to ride on the Gospel Bus; 'help' set up and take down the tent; take attendance, listen to the other children's memory verses; pick blueberries, enough for pies if we didn't eat too many of the berries, from nearby forests, and go swimming in brooks, swimming holes and the freezing cold (even in summer) Atlantic Ocean.

Oh and we got to meet so many people and make friends with a glorious number of them.

After every breakfast and evening meal the 'workers' would have a Bible reading.  Dad's children were well "baptized by immersion" in God's Word.

This was all a wonderful novelty during childhood years and I'm choosing to see the positive side and the fun, I must admit, we all had.  (The teen years were not so accepting of all this but like I said, I'm trying to hold on to the positive notes.  This especially since my Dad did thrive on this work for his Heavenly Father.)

The move to the wee village of Sambro presented new challenges of living that a more 'townified' Tom had to learn.  One such had to do with our well water.  In summer it could dry up and in winter the water could freeze up.

The summer solution was, of course, to ration and to conserve.  Brushing our teeth, "Be sure to shut off the tap while you brush".  "Only flush the toilet after a few uses unless it is "big business"  Oh and, yes, Mom would use the rinse water from clothes washing to water the garden--if they had one.  (Gospel Tent work didn't allow for much gardening.)  Talk about reuse and recycle!  Ha!

The winter solution Dad learned from a gruff yet kind and helpful local fellow who showed Dad how to hook up a light to lower into the well and heat the interior enough to keep the water from freezing.

No doubt there were lots more adjustments of which children were unaware:  the switch from secular work to full-time ministry and the financial bit with six children to feed; the 'culture shock' of being so far from family and friends to a village that wasn't always so accommodating; the 'down-sizing' of his vocabulary, having to use simpler words among other new learning curves. 

The ice-skating rink Dad made each winter was a hit for us and neighbor children.  It wasn't big but it was thrilling enough.  There was a spring around the back of the house that trickled and meandered around the side of the property and out to the ditch in front.  Dad would dam up the side area and viola! Our mini skating rink!  What jolly fun he gave us all!

There were times when Mom wasn't well or she had to nurse someone in the village or take one or the other of us into town which was about a half hour to forty minute drive away, to the doctor or emergency room whilst Dad held the fort at home.

He'd have to do the cooking.  He'd often commandeer my sister's help at such times but I remember one time when he made "refrigerator clean-out soup".  Now that was an admixture to report!  Cut off the rotten parts of veggies and throw the rest into the soup pot.  I recall being rather indignant about the so-called 'good' part of the tomatoes.  Mom sure heard about it when she got home.

Funny thing is, I have done similar in my homemaking career.  "Waste not, want not" was an adage heard on more than one occasion throughout childhood.

Once upon a time my two older sisters were involved in a biology experiment in high school.  The students injected some sort of hormones into the chicks.  When experimentation was complete and school holidays came along, what was to be done with the dear wee things?

"Dad, can we bring a chick or two home?"

Dad hems and haws but says, "Yes."

Well, what do you know, getting out of the school bus came a grinning sister bearing a box of, not one or two, but about a dozen cheeping chicks!  Uh-oh.

"Into the basement go those chicks." commanded dismayed Mom.  Dad kind of kept out of the way, likely chuckling to himself.

All but two chicks survived and grew into weird roosters.  Blame it on the hormone injections.   It was rather fatal to name them, but they were christened, "Peppy and Darby".  One had clubbed feet and the other crowed as if he had perpetual laryngitis.  They became free-range roosters....outside!

They were pretty good alarm clocks too.  If we overslept it was a blessing on a weekday but if on a weekend, a nuisance.  They'd go round the front of the house to the big heavy glass front door and peck on it and crow till they got a response and their breakfast.  "Go scratch for your own breakfast, you roosters!"

Eventually Peppy and Darby were no longer cute and had become real mean and nasty.  One of my brothers became the champion who dared to go out and feed them.  He did not go out unarmed.  He'd gear up with long sleeved shirts and/or coats, long pants and gumboots with offerings of cooked liver or some other such rooster treats.

Doomsday for the nasties was inevitable but who would do the job?  Dear Dad.  He got out his slaughtering instruments to be as quick and painless and as easy as possible for his sake as well as for the roosters.  

And wouldn't ya know it, my brothers called in the neighbor boys to provide audience.  This was not what Dad was in favor of but, what to do...?

There was a first time for everything and finally the headless roosters were flopping about the back yard fascinating the neighbor lads as well as Dad's own sons.  One of those neighbor boys remarked, "Mr. Roach, I didn't think you could do that!"

Mr. Roach droll-fully replied, "Neither did I!"

Those fowls got de-feathered somehow or another and packed away in the freezer for a long time.  The poor things.

Having so many children and an uncertain monthly income...living "on faith" often entailed hand-me-down clothes.  There was the time my older sister's dress got handed down to me and that unbeknownst to Dad.

One day, having donned that dress and feeling somewhat mischievous, I decided to play with the light switch.  On...Off...On...Off...On...Off...On...

Dad's voice from the living room came on, "Susan, stop playing with the light switch!"

Pause.  Hesitate.  On...Off...On...Off, I continued.

Then that voice again, more insistent, "Susan, I said, stop playing with the light switch!"

Pause.  Hesitate.  On...Off...On...Off...On...

The sound of Dad getting up off his living room chair and striding towards the culprit began to panic my heart, yet there was a trump card as Dad rounded the doorway to the hallway and saw, me, not Susan.  I hastily and cheekily declared, "I'm not Susan!"

Dad thought that was funny, I could tell, but he tried not to laugh his initial annoyance and parental displeasure away.  Very fortunately for me, Dad's mercy and sense of humor kicked in and I got off scott free.

About Grade 4 or 5, I, as yet, did not know my timetables.  The teacher had the nerve to tell my parents.  Oh, was I ever mad at her!!  Then I was angry with Dad for making me sit down nightly and write out a 'table' a night til I knew them and could recite them perfectly.  

I still remember how calm, yet resolved Dad was in getting me to do all that.  He didn't cajole or scold or sweet talk.  He just pragmatically got out the paper and pencil and arranged them on the table giving me the timetable-du-jour, asking me to sit, looking at me with compassion, yet, "You do need to do this" in his eyes despite the anger in mine.  That got that done.

On Sunday afternoons, there was Sunday School in our house for the village children and on Friday nights, it was for teen talks, also in our living room.  After Sunday lunch and Friday supper, we'd help Dad set-up the chairs for the in-coming influx of children.  Dad would go out and round them up and they'd all troop in and arrange themselves on the chairs.

I can remember Dad's big thermometer he made as an attendance chart.  It was more of a collective attendance, and the number of children became the number of degrees in which the temperature increment rose.  After a certain degree was reached, they got prizes or a big feed of food.  Dad's kids got the benefit thereof too.

Dad's 'Tom Talks' were often illustrated with drawings and charts.  I vividly recall the plagues in Egypt.  Those made me shudder and squirm thinking of frogs everywhere; even hopping into your food on the table or into your bed when trying to sleep.  You get the picture.  Eeek!  I think Dad must have really enjoyed preparing all that and giving the many talks.  

Dad's favorite Bible story was of Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9).  King David's mercy and keeping of a promise to his best friend Jonathan impressed him.  Dad often taught/preached on this story but alas I can't remember the lessons.  I can think of my own but I don't want to put words in Dad's mouth.  I just recall he liked this story and his liking became my liking.

An offshoot of the Gospel Tent work was the Chapter-A-Day (CAD) papers.  These were a daily devotional with monthly questions attached that were sent out to whomever wished to receive it throughout the year between one summer and the next until the Gospel Tent time rolled round once again.

Dad eventually sent out more than one hundred CAD's monthly to various ones around Nova Scotia, other parts of Canada, the USA and to various others who had heard about CAD.  Some even got mailed as far away as Ghana and Nigeria in Africa.  Don't ask me how they heard of CAD but send them Dad did.

Now this was a major process and Dad enlisted his onsite right-hand assistants, his children.  We got to write mailing addresses, stamp on return addresses, and stick on the stamps for all those numerous envelopes.  We also got to fold those CAD papers and stuff them into said envelopes.  We were never allowed to read peoples' answers to the questions or Dad's comments in red to them.  Those Dad kept in good confidence, paper after paper, year after year for years and years.

Faithfulness.  Keeping a secret (so to speak); good character to emulate.

Sambro, Nova Scotia

Sambro was, and still is, a small fishing village.  In the earlier days one could buy fish, real fresh, from the local fish market.  Dad would occasionally go over to buy some for our supper.

On one such occasion, while Dad was inside the market getting his particular 'catch-of-the-day', someone was busy outside putting a fish under one of the seats inside our car.  Quite the fishy prank.  It wasn't noticed right away but after a couple of days the smell became ranker and ranker.  Following his nose, Dad discovered the 'gift'.  He removed the fish and aired the car.  I don't know as he did anything else about it; just something to endure for the Lord's sake.  Besides, it was kind of funny.

We heard later the chap who did the deed was boasting and chuckling about it.  The boss got wind of it, didn't like the smell, and fired the guy from his fish market job.

Dad was in the kitchen again.  Uh-oh!  He thought it a fine 'souvenir' of his Newfoundland (NFLD) forays to prepare a dish of fish and brewis for our palates.

You see Dad would go preach for two weeks or so at a time in NFLD and had very interesting experiences there; fish and brewis dinners was one of them.  He wished to share the joy.  None of us were too keen but we were taught to eat what was set before us asking no questions nor raising too many complaints; after all, we had given thanks to God for our food.  I think that was the first and last time Dad was allowed to make such gourmet vittles for us.  Thanks, Mom!

The post breakfast and supper Bible reading times were a staple happening at our house.  Dad saw to that.  Old Testament fare at one meal and New Testament at the other.  We could not escape; rain or shine, visitors or none.  We did not always appreciate that but looking back, I see we got quite the 'seminary-like' training in God's Word; reading and memorizing and becoming well-versed children.

Speaking of Bible verses, one of Dad's friends, Mr. Bilisoly, painted huge signs with verses on them.  Dad then hammered them into the ground in our front yard in the area that was close to the road.  Everyone who had to go to and fro town to village had to pass by that way getting a double whammy going and coming.

Now, of all things, there came across the street from us, a nightclub that did a thriving business especially on Saturday nights.  I guess some of the patrons of that place didn't appreciate the verses.  Often come morning we'd see that the sign of verses had been toppled over.  Out Dad trotted and stood it back up.

Sometimes when we went away travelling,  the sign would get knocked down in our absence.  But there was a friend-in-need that would kind of look out for us; unbeknownst to us at first.  Eventually he told Dad that when we were away, the sign had gotten knocked down and he had put it back up for us.

The ones who had knocked down the sign must have found it kind of spooky.  They knew we were not around, yet that sign had popped back up into place.  Phenomenal!

Another time when there must have been good weather, some young chaps drove by our house and seeing Dad out and about the yard, shouted out the open car window, the verse, 1 John 1:7...

"The blood of Jesus, God's son cleans us from all sin"

laughing as they drove slowly by.  Dad smiles.  These guys have memorized a Bible verse.  Dad smiles some more and prays the Holy Spirit convicts their souls unto salvation.

Dad liked to do different projects, learning what he could and then drawing conclusions and connections and lessons to things spiritual.  One of those projects was bee-keeping.  He read up on different types of bees and their care and what equipment was good for tending them and then he sent away for his chosen bee species and paraphernalia.   That was tamer than roosters, believe me!

The bees lasted a year or two and we got a smidgen of honey and many 'bee' lessons.  I remember them bee-ing very interesting; alas!  I must not have listened well as I can't recall a single one of them.  I do regret that now.

Dad was generous.  He let me have many postage stamps back when I wrote many snail mail letters.  He liked to write letters too so understood.  Of course once I started working I could pay for the stamps and did; taking the stamps from his "stamp stocks" and leaving the amount in the stamp box.  That was easy but he was the one to go to the post office and wait in line to purchase stamps.  Never really thanked him for that.  The things children, even grown ones, take for granted....

Then there was the time we went spelunking in the woods behind our house one fine fall or maybe it was a sunny spring.  Not sure which but it was still chilly in the air and damp afoot.  Off we went with Dad, us kids and a missionary to Bolivia who was visiting, a Mr. Thonney.  

We marched about the woods and must have been going in circles until it wasn't fun anymore and Dad kinda had to admit, "Uh-oh, we're lost".  I remember being dead on my frozen feet with thoughts of bears and wildcats finding us in the night and of all those village stories of those who had also been lost and not found.  We wanted to stop and rest but wise Mr. Thonney wouldn't give us much more than five minute reposes and up we must get and move on.  

It was he who eventually got us out about a mile up the road from our house; so we weren't all that terribly lost.  Never thought a paved road looked so good before.  Dad never took us bushwhacking ever again which was kinda disappointing but I understand.

Dad must have had nerves of steel.  He taught most, if not all, of his six offspring how to drive; at least as far as I know.  Ha.  No wonder he had that receding hairline!  I really don't remember much about it except the advice to make the driving as smooth as possible and not to jerk the car and give any passengers whiplash.  Have pride in your driving knowing it was well-executed:  the starts, the stops, the driving and the parking with precision.

The big city, "in town", was Halifax, Nova Scotia.  It was a port city where huge container ships from around the world would moor, unload and, I suppose, reload.  Dad would go down to those vessels and try to connect with the seamen giving them gospel tracts in their respective languages.  

Dad loved to memorize at least one verse in different languages, usually John 3:16.  This he would quote to the men.  He especially liked it if a Russian crew came in and he'd point towards heaven and say, "Bog" (God).   They'd shout back from the deck, "Nyet, Bog!"  (No God!) and then Dad would quote John 3:16 to them in Russian.  That would make Dad's day.  I hope and pray that all those who's lives he touched, even in seemingly infinitesimal ways, will show the fruit of those labors for the Lord in Heaven.

Sometimes Dad would be invited aboard those ships.  Now Dad disliked coffee very much.  But he'd often be hospitably served an admixture of heavy on sugar & then some milk and coffee.  Oh the things we sometimes endure for Christ.  Dad would regale us with his adventures at our dinner table.

Once or twice our whole family was invited for a meal aboard.  That was pretty exciting for us kids; at least, I thought so.  Mom was so nervous though that one of us might fall overboard.

There were times when Dad brought some of those sailors home for meals.  That was fun, especially when they were used to chopsticks and had to fumble instead, with a fork.  I remember being highly amused.  Yes, it likely wasn't very kind or polite of me but this was all very thrilling for a young-ish child.

The one time Dad brought a couple of Korean seamen home and he happened to produce a set of chopsticks for each of the men.  Wouldn't you know it, Mom had made a fruit salad and had put some miniature marshmallows in the toss.  Those little babies became mighty slippery in the fruit juice.  Do you think those chopsticks could pluck a marshmallow out of the fruit dish?!  And here we are not to be rude and laugh.  But I just couldn't help it.  In the end the man gave up, put his chopsticks down, grabbed a fork exclaiming in broken English, "Fork is better!"  So it all ended merrily as they thought it amusing too.

Those two men were Oh and Li.  They would often come with us to meeting/church.  Their ship was in port for repairs for quite a length of time so they had some freedom to come and go.  There was one gospel song we used to sing that had a line, "Only a sinner, saved by grace" but I remember my siblings and I got a kick out of changing the "only" to "Oh and Li".  Told you we were naughty; sometimes!

Dad having grown up in Hawaii, was used to a multi-cultural mix of peoples so I guess he must have felt at home among all the wealth of cultures coming into the docks.  It sure introduced his children to a great cross-section of peoples and added to our geography knowledge of the world when Dad would point out where Korea, Russia, the Solomon Islands or some other foreign lands were located.  It's a wonder more of his children didn't marry outside of our own people group!

Throughout our growing up years Dad often weaved the verse from  2 Corinthians 6:14  

"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers"

into his bits of wisdom.  

He coupled that with the saying,

"If you never date an unbeliever, you'll never marry an unbeliever."

Of course, I never liked hearing that wisdom and advice.  Surprisingly I listened to it.  Many's the time I had the battle between my mind and my heart especially when the non-Christian guys were so nice and I really liked them.  It was torture in the mind but the Lord did bless the sacrifice and obedience to His Word and the wisdom passed down from Dad.

I grew up, got married to a believer and moved to the other side of the world having married a gentleman not of my own people group.  Dad and Mom came to visit.  Dad had a job to do and that was to varnish our new dining room table.  He varnished that table with about three coats of varnish.  That stood the test of time's wear and tear and now, only after almost 28 years, is that varnish beginning to chip off.  When a job is worth doing, it's worth doing well.  Dad got at it, got it done and done well.  I appreciate that but again I believe I took that for granted.

Eventually, Dad was struck with Alzheimer's Disease.  He lost much of his memory and his inhibitions and was not all that easy to handle.  My sister and Mom took the huge brunt of all that and his consequential behavior.  I only arrived into the middle of this fray at the tail end; the last four months of Dad's life on Earth.

And now the tears come.  It was shocking.  It had been almost six years since seeing Dad last.  Dad didn't know who I was, although his nickname for me sort of rang a bell.  He was suspicious of me, who was this person who acted like she was someone 'close' to him?!

One day he did seem to know that the nickname was a nickname and asked, "Is that your real name?"  That was amazing.  Many weeks into those last four months he did call me "Eunice".  Wow, but the fog did descend again.

There were times when my sister and I would visit Dad in his assisted living residence and we'd sing some of the songs and hymns we grew up singing and that had been dear to Dad's heart.  Some rang bells with his memory and he'd sing along remembering some words and even, surprisingly for him who couldn't usually carry a tune in a bucket, remembered the tunes and he'd garble along with us.

One of the last songs he was able to sing along with us and which we eventually sang at Dad's funeral, was, Oh Haste Away My Brethren Dear with the chorus, that goes like this:

"Oh, that will be joyful, joyful, joyful, Oh, that will be joyful to meet to part not more.  To meet to part no more on Canaan's happy shore, and then sing hallelujah with the saints that have gone before."

That was pretty special for us.  It was rather significant for Dad in that he was always waiting to go to be with the Lord.

While Dad was still a bit more mobile with his walker, he'd collect Bibles from around and about the facility he lived in, bring them to his room and stack them on the table beside his chair.  It was rather funny to us.  He said he was getting ready for a meeting and needed to get the Bibles in.  That made sense.  

When we were down to Dad's last days when he could no longer get out of bed and he was coughing and coughing non-stop and was so very, very tired, I was holding his hand one day and just sitting there.  At one point I let go of his hand.  But somewhere in the depths of the exhaustion and mental fog, he wanted connection and his hand went searching for mine.  I felt a surge of pleasure in that.  That he wanted connection and I was privileged that day to be there in that brief nugget of time.  

I thank the Lord for those last days of time with Dad.  

Dad got his sweet release.  The elder from my sister's assembly/church read us Psalm 116:16-18, esp vs 16 (ESV) after Dad was gone. 

 "O Lord, I am your servant...You have loosed my bonds."

This so encapsulates Dad's experience.  He was so trapped by Alzheimer's Disease in such fog and confusion of mind and enfeebling of body it was anguish to observe him.  But oh the joyful release to be loosed from the bonds of his earthly corruptible body!  

Freedom.  

What must it be to dwell above with Christ!  So happy for him now.

"Good-bye, Dad...til we meet again in joyful lucidity with incorruptible bodies and minds!"

I look forward to meeting Dad again in that "Canaan-land" to come.

Perhaps today!

                                                         The End, No!
                                                  The New Beginning...

                                                    ~ERC  April 2018~

Burning Quest - Part 16

"Purpose of life" means different things to different people.   Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda, author of What Buddhists Believe, believes that to understand the main purpose of life,

"...its advisable to have a system that discourages bad...and enables purification of the mind" (Pages 175-177).

This he calls, "religion".

"It is an expression of the striving of human beings; it is their greatest source of power" (Page 175-177).

Most religions have such a 'system'.  God started it in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve.  They were given just one simple rule.  At that time of "innocence" when they were still categorized as "able to sin, able not to sin" (Augustine of Hippo), they chose to sin.  This is the "bad deed" that led to suffering and death.  This failing of Adam and Eve has been termed "The Fall".

Then God got a chosen people called the Israelites.  He gave them the Ten Commandments.  Alas!  They were "not able not to sin" (the state of mankind after The Fall of Adam and Eve as enumerated by Augustine of Hippo)*. 

God proved to mankind that they cannot help themselves.  It's not that God's "system didn't discourage bad" nor did it not enable a bettering of a person.  Many certainly strove to honor God by following His commands as closely as possible yet each and every individual down through the millennia have been infected and affected by The Fall and I repeat, cannot fully help themselves.  They will always fall short.

Romans 3:23 (ESV) spells that out...

"...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..."

Nowadays there is a broad spectrum of beliefs under the umbrella termed "Christianity".  However true Christianity is not a religion or ritual BUT, a RELATIONSHIP.  A relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  God wants and invites us to commune with Him.  That is actually "the system", so to speak, that is the "greatest source of power" to the striving human being.

God did  reach out to Adam and Eve and would walk in the Garden "in the cool of the day" (Genesis 3:18) to commune with them.  Various notable others did connect with God despite their failures.  To name a few there were:  Abraham, Moses, Hannah, King David of Old Testament times; Matthew, Anna, John, Peter, James, Prisca and Paul of the New Testament times: and subsequently from the 1600's Susanna Wesley; from the 1800's George Mueller and Harriet Tubman; and from the 1900-2000's, Billy Graham, Beth Moore, Anne Graham Lotz,  Dr. Katharine Hayhoe and many more.

These men and women of God have developed that faith based upon relationship with God.  For those from the New Testament time up until today, the relationship has been through faith in Jesus Christ.

Jesus's death and resurrection purified them all, not just their minds but their hearts; in fact, He gave them new hearts (Ezekiel 36:26) and made them new creations ( 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV).

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

The new heart status gave them the gift to the state of man known as "able not to sin" (Augustine of Hippo).  Yes they could still sin and do unwholesome acts but now because of their faith and salvation in Jesus Christ and a repaired relationship with God, that enabled, and still enables, them to commune directly with Him, they are able to chose not to sin.

Joyce Meyer* in her book Battlefield of the Mind, stated on Page 74...

"Our minds are not born again with the new birth experience--they have to be renewed."

She based that statement on Romans 12:2 (NIV), which reads...

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will."

She went on to say on page 80 (emphasis mine)...

"Since the Holy Spirit dwells in us and since He knows the mind of God, one of His purposes is to reveal to us God's wisdom and revelation.  That wisdom and revelation is imparted to our spirit, and our spirit then enlightens the eyes of our heart, which is our mind.  The Holy Spirit does this so we can understand on a practical level what is being ministered to us spiritually."

Gautama Buddha knew that the mind needed purification.  His way was to constantly review and meditate upon the Four Noble Truths and the Eight-Fold Path to Enlightenment and hope it sticks.  These would "discourage bad" and give power to the striving human being to have right thoughts and actions.

What happens to the follower of Jesus Christ who does read, and obey God's Word and meditates upon it and communes with God and who is "able not to sin" but still does?

God who desires that relationship with us has, once again, graciously provided a remedy.

Take a look at 1 John 1:9 (NIV)...

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

There's that key word, "purify".  This is dependent upon confession.  Note the "IF".  God is ready, willing and waiting and holding out the offer of forgiveness and goes the second mile and "purifies", if we confess.  He cleanses so well there's not a stain left.

This is a great purpose of life to strive for as God guarantees success rate should we so desire.  This is also progressive sanctification in progress.

For the Buddhist all the striving for such purification of mind can accomplish something as they cultivate and train themselves in the Middle Way.  Yet it takes endless 'rebirths' in hopes to at last reach their rest in Nirvana.  When will such striving cease?  If for Gautama Buddha it took eons and eons, what hope is there for others?

By contrast look at what Jesus Christ has attained through His death and resurrection for all people, for all time, for all sin..."whosoever believes in Him" (John 3:16) "will have everlasting life".  Jesus Christ only lived on earth for about 33 years.  His death on the cross, shedding His blood for the atonement of mankinds' souls was a monumental moment in time that immutably changed the course of inevitability for all mankind from then until now and for ever after.   

Our own human striving for salvation ceases the moment we quit trying and just accept Jesus's offer of work done on the cross on human kind's behalf.

Romans 4:5 (ESV) points this out well..

"And to the one who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness..."

Note "the one who does not work but believes".  Jesus worked for our atonement of sin, bad and unwholesome acts and banishment of suffering, for all eternally.  We will have that eternal peace, bliss and freedom from suffering.  We did not have to do a thing except believe.

Once Jesus takes us to be with Him in Heaven, that is the glorious time when according to Augustine of Hippo's description, we will be "unable to sin".

When unable to sin, there is no longer any misery, suffering, tears or death. What a holistic gift the Giver of all good and perfect gifts gives.  There are so many bonus's and blessings incorporated in the salvation gift!  Ain't it a wonder!!?

His offer is open to one and all.

Gautama Buddha's way of life to achieve purpose of life is open to one and all too, relates Sri Dhammananda.  Contemplate as to how many have been able to achieve the goal of Nirvana.

I fully believe that salvation is found in none other than Jesus Christ.  Let striving cease.  Jesus graciously offers... 

"Come unto Me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest."  (Matthew 11:28 KJV).

Give your burden to Jesus.  He suffered so you do not have to.  There is no shame in this; no falling short in accepting His achievement on your behalf.  

Have 'rebirth', but let that be the rebirth of  being born again into God's family through Jesus Christ; in Him there is perfection.

In Jesus is lasting rest, contentment, happiness and eventually freedom from all earthly suffering.  Earth's suffering ceases when taken from earth to the realms of glory in the Presence of God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  All glory be to God.

Life with Christ is a huge, or maybe it should be said, THE purpose of life.  It is a life of relationship with God.  Purpose to live a Christ-like life.  Read God's Word especially the four gospels:  Matthew, Mark Luke and John.  Observe how Jesus lived and how He interacted with the masses as well as individuals from various stratums of society; eg. religious leaders vs the ordinary citizen.

Imitate Him and become "holy as He is holy" (1 Peter 1:16).

This is of paramount importance as we grow in our relationships with God.  It is that sanctification process that we keep mentioning.  It takes time, effort and discipline.  Over time we will become ever more "Christ-like".

Living a life of service to God, helping His human creatures is not to gain a better...

"...rebirth in the heavens or other sublime states: (Page 179)

as opposed to avoiding...

"...unwholesome deeds that lead to rebirth in suffering states: (page 179).

Rather we do service for God out of gratitude and love in our hearts to God for all He has done for us.  Striving ceases.

Purpose of life is to please God and that out of love and devotedness to Him.  Our desires have been "redeemed", our minds "renewed'; we are a new creation and our bodies have become the temple of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God who enables and empowers us to live acceptably for His glory and honor.

As mentioned earlier, we are still under the curse of The Fall but have been made "able not to sin" by salvation through Jesus Christ.  We do still do wrong but with the Holy Spirit's help we can be on constant guard and disciplined till Jesus takes us to be "with Christ" (Philippians 1:23).

Buddhists do believe in such transformation; however, they achieve it under their own steam.  Their minds are the governing force to propel their self through matter of desire.  Their only desires should be to overcome desires such as greed and lust, and to desire Enlightenment and Nirvana which is the most desired result of their suppression and coveted victory over the negative desires to conquer suffering.

Here's what Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda states on page 181 of his book...

"In the process of self-transformation, people will no longer aspire for a divine birth as their ultimate goal in life.  They will then set their goal much higher, and model themselves after the Buddha who has reached the summit of human perfections and attained the ineffable state we call Enlightenment or Nirvana.  It is here that we develop a deep confidence in the Triple Gem and adopt the Buddha as our spiritual ideal.  We will strive to eradicate greed, develop wisdom and compassion and to be completely liberated from the bonds of Samsara..."

Gautama Buddha had to work at becoming 'divine' or to "reach the summit of human perfections" and advocates one and all do the same.

Jesus Christ did not have to work for divine-ness as He was and always will be divine.  Jesus Christ, although truly 100% human being was also 100% God.  He always was and is and will continue to be divine.  He did not have to attain perfection.  He is perfection;  perfect from eternity past, throughout time and into eternity future.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  The God of all gods; Holy and True, Creator of Heaven and Earth, the Sea and all that in them are.  He is the Holy One of God.  Unto Him I lift up my eyes.

He is my purpose of life.

                                                      ~ERC   April 2018~

*I do not always agree with with these authors.

Lord's Day Devotion - For Such a Time as This

Have you ever noticed that God places certain people in certain strategic places at certain times to accomplish life-sustaining rescue tasks?  He puts them in place for "such a time as this".

Noah was such a one.  Noah fulfilled God's mission for Him.  God was going to bring a flood to the whole world.  God is never willing that any perish despite the wickedness of mankind (2 Peter 3:3-10).  God provided a man, the righteous one of the lot, and a 'rescue' boat, commonly referred to as "Noah's Ark".  

Noah preached for about 75 years while he was building the ark.  The ark door was opened to one and all.  People had ample time to go aboard while Noah, and likely his sons, were stocking up on food and while the animals were marching two by two and seven by seven into the ark.  Sadly, only eight souls were saved from The Flood.  That was not God's fault!

Nor was it Noah's.  He had faithfully preached and built the ark.  He was God's "man for such a time as this" (Genesis 5-9).

God often brought His man or woman up out of seeming obscurity.  Joseph, the favored son of his father Jacob, was such a one.  He got sold by his jealous half-brothers to Canaanites who in turn sold him as a slave to the Egyptian Potiphar (Genesis 37).

Potiphar's wife tried to seduce Joseph but when he refused to take the bait, she yelled, "Rape!"  and got him thrown into prison (Genesis 39).  Joseph was forgotten about for many years but he clung to God and honored Him.  In the end, God honored Joseph.  He was brought up out of that prison to a VIP post, second only to Pharoah, the king of the land (Genesis 41).  

Joseph had been able to tell Pharoah the meaning of his troubling dreams.  Pharoah then found Joseph to be "a discreet and wise" man and put him in charge of gathering mega amounts from the bountiful grain harvests of the years of plenty to be kept in storehouses for the coming seven years of extreme famine.

Not only were the Egyptians fed throughout those famine years but peoples from surrounding areas as well.  That included Joseph's own brothers, their families and his father.

Joseph told his brothers that what they had done they had meant for harm but God turned it into good.  He said that it was God who had sent him there...

 "to save lives...and to preserve for you  a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance" (Genesis 45:5-7).

God, through Joseph, was able to "save" thousands from starvation and death!

Moses was one of God's most famous and well-known persons of the time.  A reluctant man of the hour yet when you stop and think of all he did with God's help it's totally amazing.

Imagine leading hundreds of thousands of people tramping through the wilderness for forty years (Exodus 12:37-38).  Originally Moses's "job" was going to be three days to go out into the desert and worship God and then come back to Egypt.  Even at that you could understand Moses's hesitancy.  Yet when you read the account of God's rescue plan for His people of Israel in getting out of the bondage of Egyptian slavery, you see Moses was instrumental in making it happen.  

There was miraculous, monumental movement of millions by Moses, the mighty man of God "for such a time as this".

King David did not start out as royalty.  He was "just a shepherd boy"; the baby of the family whom nobody seemed to take much notice of, even by his own father.  Yet God had His eye upon David and brought him up out of incertitude and set him upon the throne of Israel!

The Israelites had been in their Promised Land for many years.  However under the previous king, King Saul, the people had already begun to forget God and all He had done for them.  Saul had been the "people's choice" (1 Samuel 9; 10:24).

King David was God's choice (1 Samuel 16).  David, prior to becoming king, had done many great exploits, the famous David and Goliath story being one of them (1 Samuel 17).  He had rescued the people from the giant and Israel got victory that day over their enemies.  David had had many such successful battle victories because he feared God and God honored him.

David was a man of integrity for the most part; one who could and did repent of his great sin and seek God's forgiveness.  David became faithful to God and depended mightily upon Him.

He brought the people of his kingdom to focus on God and led them in worship and sacrifice.  Although this is not exactly a rescue story despite his many victories in battle, he is one who set a godly example to his people.    God honored that too and promised him a descendant upon his throne forever (1 Kings 9:5).  He was in the lineage of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5-6); the one great Rescuer to come.  God's man for such a time as this.

When we think of big rescues and people being in the right place at the right time, we can never dismiss Queen Esther.  

Queen Esther saved her people from annihilation.  The wicked Haman had tricked King Xerxes, Queen Esther's husband, into signing a decree to wipe out all the Jews.  Queen Esther saved the day.

With prayer, fasting of Esther, her maids and all the Jews, coupled with the great wisdom from her uncle Mordecai and from God Himself, Queen Esther approached the king in fear and trembling.  It was a fearful thing to enter the king's presence uninvited, yet she did so out of obedience to her uncle and love of her people.   She also knew that one way or another she would not be spared the massacre.

Queen Esther's uncle Mordecai put it to her, you are in such a unique position under such unique circumstances,

 "who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14 NIV)

We know the wonderful outcome.  Tragedy was averted and the 

"...month of sorrow was turned into joy...and ...a day of celebration" ensued (Esther 9:22 NIV).

Daniel and his three friends prevented a slaughter of all the king's wise men and of themselves as well.

King Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that trouble him and he demanded an interpretation.  Furthermore, he would not divulge the nature of the dreams.  On pain of death, "the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers" (Daniel 2:2) were told to come up with the dream and the interpretation.

They were stymied and terrified.

Daniel learned of the dire predicament and brought the matter to his three friends for prayer and fasting and contemplation.  They beseeched God to reveal both the dreams and the interpretation and for mercy (Daniel 2).

God granted them their request and revealed the mystery to Daniel in a vision.  Daniel then was brought before the king and told him the dreams and explained the interpretation.  The execution of the wise men was stayed. 

Daniel gave credit to God and praised Him for the revelation of the king's mystery dreams.  Truly Daniel and friends were God's men for such a time as this.

Down throughout the ages of time, God had his men and women in place for his great and mighty purposes.  They were all prototypes of His Master plan that He was going to unfold.

He was going to send His one and only son Jesus to the world to provide salvation for one and all.  He did send.  Jesus came.  Jesus died on the cross and shed his blood for the atonement of our souls.  He rose again from the dead for our justification (Romans 422-25).

God's great rescue plan, rescued us from the consequences of our sin, the consequence of suffering and death and hell.  What a mighty God we serve!

Let us remember on Lord's Days especially, when we take the bread and drink the cup of remembrance, what a victory Jesus secured for us.  He truly was, and still is, God's Man for such a time as this!

                                                    ~ERC  April 2018~