hovers, threatens
Something threatens to hover, will it become another danger? Having moved all of our porch furniture inside for last week's Hurricane Helene, we are advised to delay putting it back outside, to delay until we know for sure what's coming, if anything.
Not a problem here. It's all still inside, but Caroline has a new townhouse, TJCC are scheduled to arrive with a moving van weekend after next, and as well as some inside furniture, we are giving her all our porch furniture. No more frantic hurricane preps for us.
Well, outside there will still be one overly shabby "wicker" table and two chairs, a well worn set that Malinda bought for $25 on sale at Lowe's many years ago; and Linda's potted plants. Linda is reducing her plant population as well, for less maintenance and for fewer pots to move inside against threatening weather.
Meanwhile, the evident damage from Hurricane Helene increases, seemingly exponentially. Untold people missing, unaccounted for, death toll rising. Floods, landslides, communities collapsed, roads washed out, access impossible. No power, water, food, shelter.
What happens is that people view the sensational news about it for a couple of days, then move on to the next sensation.
It's the case whether it's natural disasters or war devastation. I remember it with Hurricane Michael. We are no longer interested in Ukraine though the situation is devastating. And now demolished and impoverished Gaza has slipped out of sight as Israel turns to deal with the threat in Lebanon.
I remember an early threat asking, "See what we've done to Gaza? If you mess with us, we can do the same to Beirut." Looks like it's starting.
Israeli intelligence services and the IDF are amazing. The Time has come, and one hopes Israel will show the world that Jews are done tolerating antiSemitism in all its ugly manifestations.
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Below (scroll down) are two Bible readings for next Sunday that we will not hear at our church, because these are Track 1 and we are using Track 2. See what you think of the story; and note that the psalm that follows does a really good job of responding:
Old Testament: Job 1:1; 2:1-10
There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.
One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”
The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil. He still persists in his integrity, although you incited me against him, to destroy him for no reason.” Then Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! All that people have they will give to save their lives. But stretch out your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, he is in your power; only spare his life.”
So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and inflicted loathsome sores on Job from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. Job took a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes.
Then his wife said to him, “Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God, and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
The Psalm: Psalm 26
1 Give judgment for me, O Lord, for I have lived with integrity; * I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered.
2 Test me, O Lord, and try me; * examine my heart and my mind.
3 For your love is before my eyes; * I have walked faithfully with you.
4 I have not sat with the worthless, * nor do I consort with the deceitful.
5 I have hated the company of evildoers; * I will not sit down with the wicked.
6 I will wash my hands in innocence, O Lord, * that I may go in procession round your altar,
7 Singing aloud a song of thanksgiving * and recounting all your wonderful deeds.
8 Lord, I love the house in which you dwell * and the place where your glory abides.
9 Do not sweep me away with sinners, * nor my life with those who thirst for blood,
10 Whose hands are full of evil plots, * and their right hand full of bribes.
11 As for me, I will live with integrity; * redeem me, O Lord, and have pity on me.
12 My foot stands on level ground; * in the full assembly I will bless the Lord.
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Bible literalists and evangelical infallible inerrantists may faint with the vapors, but the Job story is a Once upon a Time that I heard a bishop characterize as a stage play to show what happens in human life and to establish that God is in charge and all-that-is can be laid at God's feet. Swiss psychologist and theologian Carl Jung wrote that the crucifixion of Jesus Christ was God's act of contrition, God's penance for God's outrageously shameful treatment of Job, who represents humanity.
It comes down to "the problem of theodicy" doesn't it: we imagine and describe our perfect God, set our specifications in doctrinal, creedal and dogmatic certainty, and when our experience is that God is Incomprehensibly Other than all that we can imagine, we don't understand that the problem is not God, but us.
You can work that one out for yourself.
As for me, I will bless the Lord for Creation and the gift of life anyway.
RSF&PTL
T89&c
art from Harvard Museum, “Illustrations of the Book of Job - Satan smiting Job with Sore Boils, 1825” by William Blake
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