Nov 18 2006

Today's readings: Ezekiel 17, 18, 19 and Hebrews 13

I am generally reluctant to comment much on Paul's letter to the Hebrews. Perhaps it stems from too many years of watching the 'name it and claim it' TV preachers go overboard on the faith passages in Chapter 11 in particular. It's not up to me to oppose their message, but I don't agree with what some of these ''faith movement'' people have put forth.

The passages in Ezekiel are full of imagery and warning. As I've said here before, the issue for me is that so many of these warnings were ignored and the results foretold came to pass. The attitudes and sin preached against can be found in virtually every Western village and town. Should we think ourselves beyond the reach of God's retribution? Somehow we've come to believe that peace, prosperity, plenty, and the necessity for wicked entertainment are somehow our right. Ain't so.



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Sorry for the light posting this week, we've had illness in the family while still working heavy duty hours. Rising at 04:30 every day and getting back home around 12 hours later, just as it begins to get dark, means you feel yourself living in a time tunnel. The tornadoes and related storms that roared through here the other day have added to the stress. Meanwhile, at work I'm trying to figure out the problems with a multimillion dollar piece of machinery that the Germans inflicted upon us. With the time difference and their less-than-inspiring office hours, invisible work ethic, and general ''attitude'', it's been a trial. I spent about 90 minutes the other day on the international call, including being shuttled from one side of their operation to the other, and at the end of it all was no further ahead. Having dealt extensively over the years with the Japanese attitudes, which I don't like, and also with the Europeans (Finland/Switzerland/ Denmark/ Germany /France/Italy), I can't say which aggravates me more.