I have enjoyed the benefits of total immersion. I am not referring to that blessed moment when I took on the name of Jesus Christ by the good offices of our elders. I have been at my brother’s bedside in Illinois and met many of his friends who were previously unknown to me. The immersion consisted of exposure to levels of faith with a wider intensity and interpretation than I ever dreamed imaginable.
As a regular attendee at my local congregation I have become used to worshiping with those who are roughly on the same page in doctrine and appreciation of the works of the Master. I had come to believe that most folks felt pretty much the same as I did on the general nature of faith. This is in no way critical of the concern and caring demonstrated towards my brother and his perilous condition by his friends. Many have come a long way to lift his spirits and show support.
I noticed that when I mentioned belief that the many prayers offered on his behalf would soon reveal the will of God for his disposition I noticed a wide variety of reactions. Some just looked at me—open mouthed with incredulity—as though waiting for the punch line. Others kindly shook their heads, gave me that 1000 yard stare and looked for an escape route. One actually accused me of being a preacher. Thanks, but I claim no such office. No one could clearly grasp that I was sincere in my gratitude for those good and faithful friends who had joined me and my family’s requests for supplications to God. The absolute necessity of involving God in his care and keeping seemed somehow distant from their experience.
My brother, with a high level corporate job, has a collection of very sophisticated friends. His room is frequently peopled with witty, responsible individuals, bright and articulate, and delightful conversationalists. They fully understand his condition. They also seem unaware that God, in His majesty, has the power to make the essential changes to restore his body to full health if He so pleases. The concept that healing is for the here and now is alien to them. The fact that I choose to pray for His will in the matter is also alien. My testimony of personal healing is treated as a delusional fantasy.
As a consequence, my prayer calendar is pretty full. Obviously my brother is the most frequent subject of my pleas. I have now added many of those new found acquaintances to the list. I guess when you “know everything” it’s possible to ignore the most important thing.
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I notice that the holidays, now gone by, have essentially shuttered the discussion boards. It has been a blessed relief. A good, open discussion of issues facing the body of Saints is healthy but all too often it has disintegrated into factionalism and strife. Maybe we can make a clean start for the New Year.
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Probably the most abused word in the language currently is Nazi. Following closely is “cult.” So called journalists bandy it about with little knowledge of what it means and assume the full range of its pejorative implications. If you don’t understand a particular faith and refuse to do any research, it provides a convenient descriptive. Cults are most often easily identified by the presence of a charismatic leader.
We find two highly ranked candidates for president professing a deep commitment to their church which drives the press nuts. The balance of most of the primary competitors is content just to drag Bibles to mandatory Sunday services for show. It’s possible that the upside is a renewed emphasis on religion as important to character and honesty, both allegedly requirements for a successful candidate. Well, duh! Is it possible that faith forms behavior?
I suspect the voter’s interest in the matter stems from the proliferation of TV evangelists who bring a superficial message of salvation accompanied by endless appeals for cash. You have heard the pitch, “love God, get rich, and send money.” I find it very difficult to associate a man wearing a perfectly fitted $1000 suit, sporting a $100 haircut and a complete retinue of back-up singers with viable solutions to answer the questions of wavering faith and life’s spiritual challenges. Their diction is clear but the message is cloudy. You might accuse me of being jealous. I’m not.
Going back to the candidates, I sympathize with their plight. If they advertise their faith, they are damned. If they don’t, they are held suspect. If their religion is not part of the World Council of Churches, they are considered a cult. If they oppose abortion (if you think I should have said “choice” you are reading the wrong blog) and endorse the death penalty they are accused of duplicity. In the end, it seems, the real villain is the reporter.
One last thought, in this endless faith fest, one candidate has been conspicuously ignored. Could it possibly be because he had a Muslim upbringing?
In His abiding love,
Cecil Moon
In His abiding love,
Cecil Moon
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