First, my apologies to Wendy –
it was their 19th anniversary.
I talked with Ken, he was preparing a special meal to honor the
occasion. Seems like a century ago those
two were married.
We did a barbecue for the
Father’s practice night dinner, we lived next to the Nazarene church and they
were kind enough to let us use their kitchen and rooms. Gil Hayes helped prepare the meal – can’t
remember all we served, but I would imagine in included barbecued steaks and the
Wasco County Sheriff’s Posse secret baked bean recipe.
The next morning Wendy asked me
to sing the Lord’s Prayer. I hadn’t sang
it in a long time. Vicki, my oldest, and
I used to sing a duet, she would sing the modern version, and I would echo the
verses in the original style:
Hers: Our Father, which are in
heaven hallowed be thy name –
Then,
Mine: Our – F a t h e r ---
which art in h e a v e n, hal-lowed be t h y – n a m e
You get the picture, we did the
whole song, acapella, that way, me echoing her phrases – turned out rather well
if I do say so myself.
But it had been a while since I
had sung it – the pianist grabbed me and we went downstairs to practice a couple
times, she then said I would be fine – not sure I was, but I appreciated Wendy
asking.
It was all topped off at the
end, though. As Pastor Jepson turned the
couple around and announced them man and wife, her Dad stood up with a double
barreled shotgun – just wanted to make sure!
The Alone participant, Alan, I
said reminded Carla and I of Norman – and he agreed. Norm said he had gone on-line and did their
little personality test of 10 questions.
At the finish they would tell you which of the ten you most closely
resembled psychologically – his was Alan.
I did it for me and came up with
one of the other men. So just for fun I
had Carla answer the questions – she most resembled, drum roll – ALAN. Like brother like sister I guess.
Mathew
10:34 Think not that I am come to
send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a
sword.
The sword He was referring to
was not of metal, but it was the Word of God.
He used the Word as the grounds
for everything He taught. He tried to
send those that would question Him, back to the Scriptures where He told them
they would find Him.
He used the Word not just as a
defensive weapon, but a weapon to use offensively to counter and attack those
that would try and defeat Him.
He was not defensive in His
teachings; they were direct attacks using the Word on the very core elements of
what the leaders of the Jews were teaching.
He was under attack, but did not
waiver and used the Word to deflect the offense and to drive home who God is,
Who Jesus is, and to protect those that believed in Him.
We can learn by His example.
But just as important we can use the
same Sword He used and the additional weight of the New Testament as we proclaim
His truths against those that would defeat us.
Hebrews
4:12 For the word of God is
quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the
dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a
discerner of the thoughts and intents of the
heart.
In the full armor of God, God
gives us protective devices, save one – the Sword and we can use that to attack
our adversaries.
There will be those that will
declare His Word null and void, but what they say and do against the Word does
not change the temper of the Sword, it does not change God’s Word, or God’s mind
and intent.
Hebrews
6:17 And take the helmet of
salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of
God:
The physical sword can be used
many ways to fend off attacks and to promote attacks by its wielder. We can use it as a blunt instrument with
strong powerful overhead and arching blows, or we can thrust and parry going
about our attack with a lighter touch, but one that can be just as deadly.
The same is true of the Word of
God, and when we have Christ in our heart and the Holy Spirit to lead us, even
the subtlest of blows will eventually hit its mark – and hopefully lead others
to the Cross of Jesus.
Jesus showed us how to use His
Sword, the writers of the New Testament affirmed its use in leading others to
Him. It is an effective tool that will
never go out of date and can pierce even the hardest of hearts.
Like any weapon, it has to be
honed, it has to be practiced with and the holder must be able to effectively
use it. We have the Word of God, we have
the ability to read and understand its use in bringing others to God, we just
need the practice of using it.
Later, Art :-)
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