Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 10 June 2017

My word!  A third of the way through June already!  First official day  of Summer is not that far away.  And all downhill from there, the days  progressively shorter. I am a Spring person.  Definitely not Winter, nor Autumn.  And not Summer either, not really.  Spring is my time.  And it draws short. 

I've been told that as we age, time seems to fly past.  Perhaps that is true.  Seems like it was just a a short while ago that we were going through the countdown to the New Year and New Millenium, the transition from 1999 to 2000.  We were in the midst of another transition, we'd just moved from East Tennessee (yes, they capitalize it) to western Arkansas, as I began a new job.  We were in the house we'd just signed the mortgage papers on and had moved into, sitting by the wood-fired fireplace, having been assured that at midnight, the World Would Come To An End and all electricity, etc. would vanish.  We doubted that, but took precautions anyway, just in case.  Didn't happen, of course. I guess that the jugs of water and various other things were used up, eventually.  It was like "camping out" but indoors.  Actually, those supplies were handy later on:  that area is right on the Oklahoma-Arkansas line, and there are excellent reasons that national Tornado Center is located in Norman, Oklahoma, not too distant.  They have all-too-frequent occasion to study those phenomena up close.  So we got some experience in being without power for days at a time.  Cooking over the fireplace has its attractions but camping on couches and chairs in the living room for three days can lose its entertainment value quickly.  Especially when it's too dark to read, and too cold to spend a whole lot of time outside.  We had some interesting family bonding time, but all of us are rather private people and staring at the same faces for days, even the faces of those you love, grows old.  And, sometimes, you understand why some animals eat their young.
That job and that company fell apart less than five years later.  The building is empty and has been for more than 12 years.  The two little girls are grown and gone, out of college and married (one to a guy she met as a result of our move there).   And neither will talk to us.

Seven years after that move, we'd moved back to Tennessee for a few years until yet another collapse and a whole lot of scrambling, then to Alabama.  Within a 5-week span, less than a year after that, my mother died, my employer collapsed, and my mother-in-law died.  So we had two thousand-mile trips (that's a thousand miles each way, times two, so 4,000 miles all by car) in short order and under very stressful conditions already.  Six months after THAT, older daughter was married, so we had a trip for that which was 640 miles each way.  Two years later, younger daughter married also, but at least that was in the same town we were in.  Four years later, our newest son-in-law's dad died, a great guy.  Three months later, we made what we hope is our final relocation on this earth.
We've been through some Stuff, to be sure.  Some transitions.  And it all seems like it just recently happened.  Perspective is an odd thing.  I've sometimes said that a blessing doesn't always feel like one, at the time.  Later on, when  you look back, you might go, "OH!! NOW I see!  Yes, it couldn't have been accomplished any other way!  Wow!"  Not luck.  The Lord.


As I said, Daughter #1 met her husband as a result of that move to Arkansas.  Wouldn't have ever met him otherwise.  Was there a Divine Plan working there?  Perhaps.
Daughter #2 met HER husband as a result of the move to Alabama.  Again, wouldn't have ever met him  otherwise.  Another Divine Plan?
We met some wonderful people along the way, in the midst of our struggles, and sometimes theirs as well.  Had membership and roles in too many churches too.  But we learned some things too.
I've heard people complain about a church, the line is "it doesn't meet my needs".  OK.  Perhaps, just perhaps, you're there to meet someone else's needs, not your own.  To care for, not necessarily to be coddled.  To seek, not so much to be blessed, as to be a blessing.
And, by the way, one of the hardest jobs you'll never hear about, is being the pastor's wife.  Yes, it's tough being the pastor.  Not easy being the preacher's kid either.  But being the Wife takes a special person.  And very few people feel "led" to meet her needs, too often the pastor doesn't either.  It can nearly break some, and I've seen some wonderful women stressed about to the breaking point.  Happens far too often.



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The Old Testament passage here is chapters 32 and 33 of 2nd Chronicles.  A time of turmoil and degeneracy, desperate efforts to put the nation back on track, efforts that were ultimately futile.  Yes, Hezekiah was a good king.  His son and successor, Manasseh, was evil.  And his son in turn, Amon, was more so.  The end is near.

II Chronicles 32

1 After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself. 2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem, 3 He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were without the city: and they did help him. 4 So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water? 5 Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance. 6 And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying, 7 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: 8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. 9 After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he himself laid siege against Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying, 10 Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem? 11 Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The LORD our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 12 Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it? 13 Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of other lands? were the gods of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand? 14 Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand? 15 Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand? 16 And his servants spake yet more against the LORD God, and against his servant Hezekiah. 17 He wrote also letters to rail on the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand. 18 Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city. 19 And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man. 20 And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven. 21 And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword. 22 Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side. 23 And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth. 24 In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign. 25 But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem. 26 Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah. 27 And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honor: and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of pleasant jewels; 28 Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks. 29 Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance: for God had given him substance very much. 30 This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works. 31 Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart. 32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

II Chronicles 33

1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: 2 But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. 4 Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever. 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. 7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: 8 Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses. 9 So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel. 10 And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken. 11 Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. 12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, 13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God. 14 Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah. 15 And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. 16 And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel. 17 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the LORD their God only. 18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel. 19 His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sins, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers. 20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead. 21 Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem. 22 But he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them; 23 And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more. 24 And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house. 25 But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.

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Our reading  today from the New Testament is verses 24-40, chapter 18 of the Gospel of John.
Jesus, having been betrayed and seized, is first hauled before the religious authorities, and then transferred to Pilate, a Roman authority.  Pilate gave us one of history's most notoriously awful lines.  Jesus proclaimed Truth.  Pilate, sarcastically, said, "What is truth?", a forerunner of today's post-modernists who deny objective truth.  But Jesus was right.  Pilate, and the "sophisticated" post-modernists were and are wrong.

John 18:24-40

24 Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. 25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not. 26 One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? 27 Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew. 28 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover. 29 Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man? 30 They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee. 31 Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: 32 That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die. 33 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? 34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? 35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? 36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. 37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. 38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all. 39 But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 40 Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.