Another out-of-the-house venture today with Dear Wife. We'd run by a grocery yesterday, but there were some things we needed (wanted) that they don't carry. And I needed to get gas. So we went to a different one, and it has not far from it a gas station that redeems the points on the "loyalty card" from the store we were at yesterday. Good deal! we saved $0.40/gallon and got quite a lot for a $20 bill. Made the journey worthwhile and we finished up our monthly logistics run. Next run will be around 20 June, so we have to plan carefully.
But, fool that I am, the activities diverted my attention. I had planned to call the dentist first thing this morning and simply forgot until a few minutes ago, to see about remedying the hole in my jaw where the capped tooth FELL OUT, leaving a hole. I'm not in pain or anything, but having a hole in your jaw is probably unwise. I'm not sure they even keep Friday office hours, and are probably booked up if they do and probably likewise for tomorrow and for Monday. Praying for no pain or infection, but we shall see.
Heard this morning from a cousin of mine. He and the family were pretty close when we were kids and even into our late teens, but had lost most contact until our return. His wife passed away a few months ago, less than a year after one of their sons had also died. Been a tough patch for him. One of his sister's husbands is in late-stage cancer as well, and there are other issues. Hoping to be able to spend some with the whole gang this summer.
He and I had both been the rebellious ones growing up. Both of us in church almost from birth, both of us mocking and rejecting the faith, both of us going down some rocky roads. Both of us coming to faith, and we have had a few discussions of when and how, still trying to figure the "why". The "Who" we know. It's the "what do we do now?" that puzzles us. He's a year or two younger than I. I think he's not yet retired, he's been working at an auto plant for a good while. His kids live out of the area (I know that feeling) and at least he has one of his brothers and two or three sisters still around, and their kids and THEIR kids. So he's not totally abandoned.
Wife and I took an alternate route coming home this morning. Went by miles of abandoned homes, empty weed-covered lots where houses were, boarded-up businesses, closed factories. Driving on roads that greatly resemble the impact areas of mortar ranges. And several closed schools and even more closed church buildings. Matter of fact, we've got one of the latter, a closed down church building, two blocks from us, in easy walking distance. Some of those closed-down school building, most in fact, were Catholic parochial schools. Those who would be expected to send their kids to them have fled the area, or abandoned the faith, or simply can't afford the tuition. One of those is right on the way as I drive from home to church. Lots of memories in those walls, as there are attached to all the things I've noted, and the whole situation is very sad. Yes, we should reserve worship for the Lord, but some of these memories and the sacrifices and efforts that they represent, are not something to lightly cast aside. We're poorer in many ways as a result.
I understand that two of the houses I lived in as a kid no longer stand. The school I attended in my first 3 grades has been boarded up and vacant for more than 25 years, and the one I attended after that hasn't been a school building for at least 25 years and probably more. MOST of my previous employers are gone, the buildings as well. Some have been sold off, a few several times over, and what we did there is long forgotten. And co-workers are out of the area or dead. Makes a person feel like a ghostly visitor.
My offering for a Song of the Day is this one, "My Name Is Lazarus". He had a testimony. So do most of us.
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Our reading from the Old Testament today is chapters 11, 12, and 13 of 1st Chronicles. David is king now, and shaking things up.
Note that he makes a priority of bringing the Ark of the Covenant into the new capitol. Doesn't quite get it there, yet, but he did something that Saul had never bothered to try. David knew the source of his power, and Who provided it.
I Chronicles 11
1 Then all
Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold, we are
thy bone and thy flesh.
2 And moreover in time past, even when Saul was king, thou
wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD thy God
said unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be
ruler over my people Israel.
3 Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to
Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD;
and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the
LORD by Samuel. 4
And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the
Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land.
5 And the inhabitants of Jebus said to
David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of
Zion, which is the city of David.
6 And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites
first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first
up, and was chief. 7 And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the city of David. 8
And he built the city round about, even from Millo round about: and
Joab repaired the rest of the city.
9 So David waxed greater and greater: for the LORD of hosts was with him. 10
These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who
strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to
make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.
11 And this is
the number of the mighty men whom David had; Jashobeam, an Hachmonite,
the chief of the captains: he lifted up his spear against three hundred
slain by him at one time.
12 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite,
who was one of the three mighties.
13 He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the
Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of
ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines.
14 And they
set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew
the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great deliverance.
15 Now three of the
thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of
Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of
Rephaim. 16
And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines' garrison was then
at Bethlehem. 17
And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the
water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!
18 And the three brake through
the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of
Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David:
but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD.
19 And said, My God
forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of
these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy
of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These
things did these three mightiest.
20 And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of
the three: for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them,
and had a name among the three.
21 Of the three, he was more honorable than the two;
for he was their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three.
22 Benaiah the
son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many
acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a
lion in a pit in a snowy day.
23 And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five
cubits high; and in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's
beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of
the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.
24 These things did Benaiah the
son of Jehoiada, and had the name among the three mighties.
25 Behold, he was
honorable among the thirty, but attained not to the first three: and
David set him over his guard.
26 Also the valiant men of the armies were, Asahel the
brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
27 Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, 28 Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Antothite, 29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, 30 Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, 31
Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, that pertained to the children of
Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,
32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, 33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 34 The sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite, 35 Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, 36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 37 Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai, 38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Haggeri, 39
Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab the
son of Zeruiah, 40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, 42
Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenites, and
thirty with him, 43 Hanan the son of Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite, 44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel the sons of Hothan the Aroerite, 45 Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, 46
Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and
Ithmah the Moabite, 47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jasiel the Mesobaite.
I Chronicles 12
1 Now these
are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close
because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the mighty men,
helpers of the war. 2
They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the
left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even of Saul's
brethren of Benjamin.
3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the
Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah,
and Jehu the Antothite.
4 And Ismaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty,
and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and
Josabad the Gederathite,
5 Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and
Shephatiah the Haruphite,
6 Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korhites, 7 And Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor. 8
And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold
to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that
could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of
lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains;
9 Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, 10 Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, 11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, 12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, 13 Jeremiah the tenth, Machbanai the eleventh. 14
These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least
was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand.
15 These are they that went
over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and
they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and
toward the west. 16
And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold unto
David. 17 And
David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be
come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you:
but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong
in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it.
18 Then the spirit
came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are
we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto
thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then
David received them, and made them captains of the band.
19 And there fell some of
Manasseh to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to
battle: but they helped them not: for the lords of the Philistines upon
advisement sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul to the
jeopardy of our heads.
20 As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh, Adnah,
and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and
Zilthai, captains of the thousands that were of Manasseh.
21 And they helped David
against the band of the rovers: for they were all mighty men of valor,
and were captains in the host.
22 For at that time day by day there came to David to
help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God.
23 And these are the
numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war, and came to David
to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of
the LORD. 24
The children of Judah that bare shield and spear were six thousand and
eight hundred, ready armed to the war.
25 Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of
valor for the war, seven thousand and one hundred.
26 Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred. 27
And Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronites, and with him were three
thousand and seven hundred;
28 And Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his
father's house twenty and two captains.
29 And of the children of Benjamin, the
kindred of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them
had kept the ward of the house of Saul.
30 And of the children of Ephraim twenty
thousand and eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous throughout the
house of their fathers.
31 And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, which
were expressed by name, to come and make David king.
32 And of the children of
Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know
what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all
their brethren were at their commandment.
33 Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle,
expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand, which could
keep rank: they were not of double heart.
34 And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and
with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand.
35 And of the Danites expert in war twenty and eight thousand and six hundred. 36 And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand. 37
And on the other side of Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites,
and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war
for the battle, an hundred and twenty thousand.
38 All these men of war, that could
keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over
all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make
David king. 39
And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking: for
their brethren had prepared for them.
40 Moreover they that were nigh them, even unto
Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, and on
camels, and on mules, and on oxen, and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and
bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly:
for there was joy in Israel.
I Chronicles 13
1 And David
consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every
leader. 2 And
David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto
you, and that it be of the LORD our God, let us send abroad unto our
brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with
them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and
suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us:
3 And let us bring again the ark of
our God to us: for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul.
4 And all the
congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the
eyes of all the people.
5 So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt
even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from
Kirjathjearim. 6
And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to
Kirjathjearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of
God the LORD, that dwelleth between the cherubim, whose name is called
on it. 7 And
they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab:
and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart.
8 And David and all Israel played before God with
all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries,
and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.
9 And when they came unto the
threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for
the oxen stumbled. 10
And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him,
because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.
11 And David was
displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzza: wherefore that
place is called Perezuzza to this day.
12 And David was afraid of God that day,
saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me?
13 So David brought not the ark
home to himself to the city of David, but carried it aside into the
house of Obededom the Gittite.
14 And the ark of God remained with the family of
Obededom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the house of
Obededom, and all that he had.
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The passage in the New Testament is verses 1-23 in chapter 9 of the Gospel of Luke.
No, doing good will NOT always make people happy, except perhaps for those for whom it was done. Those determined to find fault and condemn will always find a way, find an excuse. As we see here. Jesus performed a miracle, and changed someone's life. And was roundly condemned for it.
John 9:1-23
1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
2
And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or
his parents, that he was born blind?
3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned,
nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in
him.
4 I must
work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh,
when no man can work.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
6
When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the
spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
7 And said unto him,
Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He
went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
8 The neighbours therefore, and
they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he
that sat and begged?
9 Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.
10 Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?
11
He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and
anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and
wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.
12 Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.
13 They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.
14 And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
15
Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight.
He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
16 Therefore
said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth
not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such
miracles? And there was a division among them.
17 They say unto the blind man again,
What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a
prophet.
18
But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and
received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had
received his sight.
19
And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born
blind? how then doth he now see?
20 His parents answered them and said, We know that
this is our son, and that he was born blind:
21 But by what means he now seeth, we
know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask
him: he shall speak for himself.
22 These words spake his parents, because they feared
the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess
that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.
