Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 13 January 2017

There once was a comic strip in your local paper named Pogo.  The strip, now defunct, always made a deal of Friday the 13th, with lines like "Friday the 13th came on a Wednesday this month" and the like.  Others have remarked upon the late Mr. Walt Kelly's joke.  Like here.

There are those who are superstitious about this day.  I'm not one of them, but some do take it quite seriously.  Whatever.  I was even once told that it corresponds to the date in ancient Egypt at the time of the Exodus, the day upon which the firstborn of Egypt all died.  Somehow I doubt that -- our weekly calendar, including the 7-day span, as well as the number of the day of the month, cause one to doubt the veracity of it.  Makes an interesting urban legend though.

Yesterday's weather had us well, WELL, into the 50's.  Accompanied by some record-challenging downpours of rain, and consequent flooding, but in the 50's.  Not now!  We're back in the 20° range, but above zero, not below.  Having experienced -20°F in this area, I am not eager to repeat the experience.  Your mileage may vary, of course.  Anyway, our "high" for today is predicted to be 32°.  I liked the 50's better. And the coming week, the period Tuesday through next Sunday, have us mostly in those 50's.  Which is not to say that we won't enter a period of serious sub-zero temps for the ensuing two weeks.   But it does remind me that the "official" long-range forecasts for this winter were confident of a long, brutal, bitterly cold season, and a long one at that.  Hmmm.  More of that "settled science" that the "warmists" are all so certain of.  What I am relatively confident of, is the lengthening days.  Shortest day of the year is right around the first day of the Winter Solstice.  We are slowly, slowly pulling back from that.  Per the astronomers, our "day", as opposed to "night" for today is set for 9 hours 30 minutes, and tomorrow to be 1 minute 30 seconds longer.  So we are relatively confident that the "day" will make it to 10 hours around the end of January, and 11 hours around the first of March.  The Vernal Equinox, the first day of Spring (officially, not necessarily weather-wise in these parts) is around the third week of March.

Wife had another bad night, though not as bad as some.  Having spent yesterday afternoon "watching" her namesake 4-year-old great niece may have worn her down, just a bit perhaps.  So she's still in bed under a pile of blankets.

I probably need to venture out later.  Some of her meds got shipped into the pharmacy.  I really should have gone yesterday, but other matters -- and my own forgetting -- crowded that out.  I do think that  I may wait until, say, 1:00 pm:  the rain in combination with the current temperature creates an "interesting" phenomenon the locals call "black ice", meaning it is ice that is not readily visible until you are skidding across it:  it's not white like your ice cubes, it is transparent so you just see the asphalt road beneath (or the concrete) and you are fooled into thinking it's safe.  Hint:  it's not.
Trouble often comes to us that way:  disguised as something other than what it is, a veneer of trouble over the top of something we rely upon, like a road surface.  Other examples come readily to mind, don't they?


And, Wife is up.  "Enjoying" the experience of simultaneously throwing up and having diarrhea.  At the same moment.  Not something we've not gone through before: she actually has a few doses of a medicine prescribed for the nausea, and some of the over-the-counter generic Immodium for the diarrhea.  Both, of course, can be caused by "bugs" floating around, though the diarrhea is almost certainly from the ulcerative colitis, one of her constant companions that Humira normally deals with, but with the sinus infection she can't take the Humira, so the colitis reappears.  The nausea and vomiting may, again, MAY, be from a "bug", but is also potentially an offshoot of the heavy-duty antibiotics that she is on for the sinus/upper respiratory infection.  I gave her one of the remaining anti-nausea pills, and she has enough for today and tomorrow, but no more.  Just called the Primary Care doctor's office, getting an answering machine, and left a message.  We shall see.  Just another day in Happy Land.  Yes, it wears you down.

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Today's passage from the Old Testament is chapters 31 and 32.  Jacob has decided that he's worn out his welcome with the in-laws, and decides to light out for home.  And trouble follows close behind.  A real tense situation ensues, but the departure continues.
And then he meets an Angel of the Lord, or perhaps a Theophany.   A very big deal, in either case, and one of those world-changing and life-changing encounters.
And note the part about the heap of stones.  Monuments, named ones.  We still do that, see the cornerstones of certain buildings.  Or battlefield monuments.  Or small park-like settings where something of import occurred.  Jacob and Laban piled stones up at a place Jacob called Galeed, which may be the origin of the place name Gilead.  Later, Jacob encounters the Angel of the Lord, his life is changed, and his name as well, and he calls that place "Peniel".  It is near Succoth, on the EAST Bank of the Jordan, the area the Moslem heathens claim that no Jew ever dwelt in.  A lie, of course.
It is not a bad idea to mark the places and occasions where great events happened.  It helps to remind us of the great things that the Lord has done for us and for those we love.  Of course, we ourselves should also be not just dead standing stones, but "living stones", mobile signs of the Lord's work in our lives and the life of this world.

Genesis 31

1 And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory. 2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. 3 And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee. 4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock, 5 And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me. 6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father. 7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me. 8 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ring-streaked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ring-streaked. 9 Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me. 10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ring-streaked, speckled, and grizzled. 11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ring-streaked, speckled, and grizzled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred. 14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house? 15 Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money. 16 For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do. 17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; 18 And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan. 19 And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's. 20 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. 21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead. 22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled. 23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead. 24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. 25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead. 26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword? 27 Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp? 28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing. 29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. 30 And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? 31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me. 32 With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them. 33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not. 35 And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched but found not the images. 36 And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me? 37 Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both. 38 This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten. 39 That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night. 40 Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes. 41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times. 42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight. 43 And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born? 44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee. 45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. 46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap. 47 And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed. 48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; 49 And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another. 50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee. 51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee: 52 This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm. 53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount. 55 And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.

Genesis 32

1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim. 3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now: 5 And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight. 6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him. 7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands; 8 And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape. 9 And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. 11 Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. 12 And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. 13 And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother; 14 Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, 15 Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals. 16 And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove. 17 And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee? 18 Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us. 19 And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him. 20 And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me. 21 So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company. 22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok. 23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. 27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. 29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. 30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. 31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. 32 Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.

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The New Testament passage for today is 24-42 of the 10th chapter in the Gospel of Matthew.  Part of the commissioning of the Twelve as Jesus sends them forth, but good words for us as well.  And not exactly what those "TV preachers will be saying, is it?

Matthew 10:24-42

24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.  

25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?  

26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.  

27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.  

28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  

29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.  

30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  

31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.  

32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.  

33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.  

34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.  

35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.  

36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.  

37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  

38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 

39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.  

40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 

41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.  

42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.