Today's Readings and Stuff -- Sunday, 12 August 2018

G'day

This has been a definitely non-standard day.
Great-niece (Wife's sister's son's daughter) turned all of 7 years old yesterday.  So, in keeping with some of the local (and family) traditions, it must be A Great Event.  Scheduled for Across The Line, a good 20-30 minute drive from here, and set to begin at noon.  On Sunday.  Things being what they are, that means that Yours Truly had to skip church services this morning.  Three days shy of the Social Security check, gas gauge showing under 1/4, and all of $6 in the wallet (and none in the bank) meant that we'd have to get gas (on this side of The Line, in order to avoid the $0.34 excess tax that the Liberal Fascists in Pennsyltucky have per gallon of gas above the already outrageous tax on this side), then go, be suitably impressed, and then come home.  Whee.

Well, that was the Plan.  The Child's mother planned to be at the location at 09:30 to get set up.  Only to discover that, due to a sudden, unannounced, and severe decline in water quality at that beach, the park was closed.  Without notice.  On the very day of the party.  (Remember some of my previous comments about the quality of public employees in many places?  This is yet another example.).
Soooo.  I was in the morning reading, drinking coffee, and inwardly grumbling about atheist in-laws.  And, suddenly, we started being included in the frantic messages flying around as a fallback was being sought.  The child is involved in a junior-level athletic type group (mentioned yesterday) and had invited all the kids on the team.  To the location Across The Line.  Due to some less-than-sensible rules by the overseers of that program, even the coach (next-door Niece) doesn't have contact information for the kids so that added to it.  Much tearing of hair, with a few Bad Words being flung around. 
Then, finally, a new arrangement was made known.  About an hour before the Event.  The new location was in a township park about 2 miles south of the church.  In other words, had this been the plan all along, I could have been in worship services this morning.  Not to be.   Sigh.

So, we went.  And a semi-good time was had by all.  Or at least by some. 

But .....
As mentioned, most of my in-laws are determined atheists or worse:  sister-in-law loudly proclaims her allegiance to some notion of Wicca.  Such is not unusual in this area.  And more than a few who claim a Christian preference of one flavor or another aren't always the best advertisement for the Faith.
I spent a good bit of time silently listening to a number of the conversations among the adult attendees as the kids swung on swings, threw sand around in the sand box, and all that stuff.  More than a few were discussing their rejection of their idea  of "religion", some with examples of the reasons for that . 
I am not and never have been a good evangelist type:  it's simply not one of my gifts.  Fact is, I'm considered to be pretty good at engineering-type analyses, and, despite being a notorious introvert, can address a crowd of several hundred without fear.  While a meaningful discussion with one or two people terrifies me.  Weird but true.
So I spent the time listening in silence.  We owe the Lord, and these people, some sort of answer, but I really did not know what to say or to do.

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Today, more in Job.  Hard reading in many ways.

Job 5

1Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn?turn: or, look?

2For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.envy: or, indignation

3I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.

4His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them.

5Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.

6Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;affliction: or, iniquity

7Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.trouble: or, laboursparks…: Heb. the sons of the burning coal lift up to fly

8I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:

9Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:unsearchable: Heb. there is no searchwithout…: Heb. till there be no number

10Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields:fields: Heb. outplaces

11To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety.

12He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.their enterprise: or, any thing

13He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.

14They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope in the noonday as in the night.meet…: or, run into

15But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.

16So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.

17Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

18For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

19He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.

20In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword.power: Heb. hands

21Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.from…: or, when the tongue scourgeth

22At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

23For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.

24And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin.thy tabernacle…: or, peace is thy tabernaclesin: or, err

25Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth.great: or, much

26Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.cometh in: Heb. ascendeth

27Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

Job 6

1But Job answered and said,

2Oh that my grief were thoroughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!laid: Heb. lifted up

3For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.my words…: that is, I want words to express my grief

4For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

5Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?when he…: Heb. at grass?

6Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

7The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.

8Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!the thing…: Heb. my expectation

9Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

10Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

11What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?

12Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?of brass: Heb. brasen?

13Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?

14To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.is afflicted: Heb. melteth

15My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;

16Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:

17What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.vanish: Heb. are cut offwhen…: Heb. in the heat thereofconsumed: Heb. extinguished

18The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.

19The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.

20They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.

21For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.ye are…: or, ye are like to them: Heb. to itnothing: Heb. not

22Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?

23Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?

24Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

25How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?

26Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?

27Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.ye overwhelm: Heb. ye cause to fall upon

28Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie.evident…: Heb. before your face

29Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.in it: that is, in this matter

30Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?