29 June 2016

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Wednesday, 29 June 2016

Dear Wife is still asleep.  The allergies she has (like the one to grass, yes, grass), had her with breathing problems yesterday, forcing the use of both of her inhalers.  As some may know, those inhalers are essentially a cortico steroid with what might as well be speed.  Makes sleeping in the "regular" cycle about impossible.  She got up in night, around 04:00 (right when the cats had woken ME, demanding Breakfast Right Now!), and went into the living room to stretch out on recliner.  Came back to bed around 06:00 and crashed.  I got up around 07:00 (retirement has SOME perks) and got dressed, quietly.  Have no idea how long she'll crash, could be up in 20 minutes, might be down until noon or past.  Having a raft of interconnected physical problems is no fun at all.

So I need to be quiet here while she sleeps.  Cuts down on what a person can do, and yet I hesitate to even go outside, just in case she needs me.

And the news is what it is.  The horrible once-in-a-century flooding down in West Virginia seems to be abating, leaving behind horrid scenes of destruction and death.  Wife has extended family in the most affected area, one watched her modular home float away, another had one vehicle float a way while the other, in the garage, had water to the ceiling of that garage and wave action within the structure that slammed the vehicle against the concrete block walls and doing awful damage to it.  The floated vehicle was found, finally, three miles away and "not in running condition", to say the least.  Pastor from a local church here is leaving today to carry supplies down, he has family there as well and one family member perished in the floods and destruction.  The devastation in already-poor areas is terrible.

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The Old Testament reading continues in the book of Job, chapters 16, 17, and 18.

1
Then Job answered and said,
2
I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.
3
Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?
4
I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.
5
But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.
6
Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?
7
But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.
8
And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.
9
He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.
10
They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.
11
God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.
12
I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.
13
His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.
14
He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.
15
I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.
16
My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
17
Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.
18
O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.
19
Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.
20
My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.
21
O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!
22
When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.


1
My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me.
2
Are there not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation?
3
Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me?
4
For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them.
5
He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.
6
He hath made me also a byword of the people; and aforetime I was as a tabret.
7
Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow.
8
Upright men shall be astonied at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite.
9
The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.
10
But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.
11
My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart.
12
They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.
13
If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.
14
I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.
15
And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?
16
They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.


1
Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
2
How long will it be ere ye make an end of words? mark, and afterwards we will speak.
3
Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight?
4
He teareth himself in his anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place?
5
Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine.
6
The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him.
7
The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down.
8
For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare.
9
The gin shall take him by the heel, and the robber shall prevail against him.
10
The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way.
11
Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet.
12
His strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction shall be ready at his side.
13
It shall devour the strength of his skin: even the firstborn of death shall devour his strength.
14
His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors.
15
It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his: brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.
16
His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off.
17
His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name in the street.
18
He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world.
19
He shall neither have son nor nephew among his people, nor any remaining in his dwellings.
20
They that come after him shall be astonied at his day, as they that went before were affrighted.
21
Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God.



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The New Testament reading is verses 1-22 of chapter 9.
This is the Damascus Road moment when Saul, that great persecutor of the early Church, has a meeting with the Lord, and things are never the same afterwards.
Here too we see a man named Ananias.  Won't see much of him in Scripture after this, but he was chosen to carry out a mission and did so.  Simple obedience to commands that sometimes make no sense, can have far-reaching consequences.


1
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2
And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5
And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
6
And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
7
And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
8
And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.
9
And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.
10
And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
11
And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
12
And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
13
Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
14
And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
15
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
16
For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
17
And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
18
And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
19
And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.
20
And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
21
But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?
22
But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.


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