scaffolding
About the same outside this morning, 67°F 88% wind 7mph, clear across the Bay but at least partly cloudy, low clouds such that no stars are visible until about a 45 degree angle up from the horizon, halfway up.
Below is the OT reading for the upcoming Sunday, again a minor prophet, this week Haggai. Again, in OT thinking "minor" means not of lesser importance than but shorter than major prophets. Compared to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel with many chapters, long scrolls, Haggai has two short chapters. Set in Jerusalem soon after return from Babylonian Exile, his agenda is, speaking for God, exhorting the local authorities to get busy rebuilding the temple.
It will be for years to come that we here in the Florida panhandle link any biblical reference to rebuilding from ruins to our own work of rebuilding from Hurricane Michael. This from me, living in a condominium community of buildings completely enveloped in scaffolding and with contractor work crews on site all day every day. And our ongoing 850 Strong theme of encouraging ourselves with the optimism that when we are done it's all going to be even better than ever; which gradually is coming true.
And But Also, it's no coincidence that the Haggai reading falls during the church's stewardship season of raising the parish budget for next year:
Haggai 1:15b-2:9
In the second year of King Darius, in the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord (Hebrew יְהוָ֜ה דְבַר־ - - LXX λόγος Κυρίου, is this the same as Gospel John's λόγος?) came by the prophet Haggai, saying: Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, and say, Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Is it not in your sight as nothing? Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the Lord; work, for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts, according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear. For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts. The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts.
+++++++++++
Haggai isn't necessarily a foundation of the vile prosperity gospel that's attributed to the megachurch phenomenon, but ...
T
pic: scaffolding still and again. But for me, not fond of heights, the scaffolding is a security blanket and I won't be all that thrilled when it's finally taken down!
Below is the OT reading for the upcoming Sunday, again a minor prophet, this week Haggai. Again, in OT thinking "minor" means not of lesser importance than but shorter than major prophets. Compared to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel with many chapters, long scrolls, Haggai has two short chapters. Set in Jerusalem soon after return from Babylonian Exile, his agenda is, speaking for God, exhorting the local authorities to get busy rebuilding the temple.
It will be for years to come that we here in the Florida panhandle link any biblical reference to rebuilding from ruins to our own work of rebuilding from Hurricane Michael. This from me, living in a condominium community of buildings completely enveloped in scaffolding and with contractor work crews on site all day every day. And our ongoing 850 Strong theme of encouraging ourselves with the optimism that when we are done it's all going to be even better than ever; which gradually is coming true.
And But Also, it's no coincidence that the Haggai reading falls during the church's stewardship season of raising the parish budget for next year:
Haggai 1:15b-2:9
In the second year of King Darius, in the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord (Hebrew יְהוָ֜ה דְבַר־ - - LXX λόγος Κυρίου, is this the same as Gospel John's λόγος?) came by the prophet Haggai, saying: Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, and say, Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Is it not in your sight as nothing? Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the Lord; work, for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts, according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear. For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts. The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts.
+++++++++++
Haggai isn't necessarily a foundation of the vile prosperity gospel that's attributed to the megachurch phenomenon, but ...
T
pic: scaffolding still and again. But for me, not fond of heights, the scaffolding is a security blanket and I won't be all that thrilled when it's finally taken down!