Suffering Through the Pain…

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”  Matthew 11:28-29

^“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”  James 1:12

I don’t care about the specifics of any trial, test, tribulation, harsh circumstance one faces…it is a Pain.  More than not, it is a Royal Pain.  It isn’t a minor Pain, or else we probably do not even think about it.

I dislike pain.  Can you relate?

Yet, there seems to be all sorts of pain in our lives.  Some of it is physical, some of it is relational, some of it is emotional, I’m sure you can name some more descriptors.

Darren couldn’t sleep last night.  At the most, he would go down for about an hour.  We thought it might be due to teething.  There seems to be quite a bit of discomfort with teething, some pain…if you will.  As any good parent, I didn’t desire my child to go through pain.  Who does?  So, I gave him some Infant Tylenol.

Did I mention he kept waking up, crying every hour or so?

So much for the pain killer.

Lorie tried to calm him the first half of the evening, then it was my turn.  My job is more forgiving than her’s, so I sent her to bed and took my place next to my son.  It turns out that only one thing gave him any sort of peace…that was laying on his daddy.  I’m sure you’ve seen, or even done it before.  You lay down, and your child lays right on top of you.  Chest to chest, praying that he doesn’t knee you where it hurts the most.  I’m sure you get the picture.

There we were, laying on an extra twin bed that we have in the baby room.  He has adjusted himself many times, and finally gets to that most relaxing position.  He is blissfully unaware…that his shoulder is jammed up against my throat.

Yet, my child is not crying.  My child is sleeping, resting upon my chest.  As a dad, I’m in heaven.  Err…well, almost heaven.  I’m sure that heaven won’t include that constant choking feeling of something hard and pointy jammed into my throat.  But again, you get the picture.

There we laid, for the next five hours or so until morning came.  I suffered because my child needed rest.  Was it a test? No, I don’t think so.  Was it a trial?  I’m still trying to figure out what that means in a biblical sense.  Was it a pain?  Oh my, yes!

I think of two things.

First, there are times when we must suffer through the pain.  We must persevere.  It isn’t that we triumph over it.  Heck, we might just be lucky enough to last through it.  We aren’t guaranteed a present victory, just a future hope.  So, I hope to teach my son that some things are worth suffering through.  No, pain is never pleasant.  But, pain can be outlast.

Secondly, it makes me think of what my Lord did for me, so that I may rest in him.  We are his children.  We have pain of varying degrees.  Some of us seem to have more existential anxt than others, but boy is it there.  We need rest, rest in the only one that can truly give it to us.  I am positive that his suffering to provide that rest to us goes far beyond our present circumstance.

Tim

On Greatness

Senator Ted Kennedy died sometime between yesterday and today.  It seems that the past five days or so have been filled with it…death I mean.

Though I’ve never been one to agree with many of Senator Kennedy’s political views, I have to give credit where it is due.  As a Senator, he has made quite an impact upon our nation.

Thinking of the Kennedy’s made me think of our “national families.”  You know, those families that have made public service their livelihood. The families like the Kennedies and the Bushes.  Perhaps some would even call these “Great American Families.”

In the midst of the deluge of media coverage of Senator Kennedy’s death, one of the man video tidbits of him caught my attention.  It is one where he is saying that he won’t run for President, even though it may mean that he never would run for the office.  He said that his life was given over to Public Service, which he was involved in with the Senate.

His life was given over to Public Service…  His life was given over to something greater than the individual… His life was given over…

I know nothing personal of the man, no more than anyone else watching the news that is.  But, that phrase caught my attention.  It made me think about what truly makes a man great.

Matthew 11:7-11 says:

⁷As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? ⁸If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. ⁹Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰This is the one about whom it is written:
” ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’ ¹¹I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

John the Baptist was a great man, as defined by Jesus.  Please, don’t rush over the first half of verse 11 just because you think the latter half is speaking about you.  There is much in that first 11a section and preceding.

He was great.  He had given himself over to something greater than himself.  He had given himself over to his God.  Completely, wholly, without compartmentalization.  We might say he was a zealot.  Jesus called him great.

He was given over to a mission, a task per se.  He was the messenger, preparing the way for Jesus.  His greatness wasn’t found in his possessions, likability, or fame.  It was in pursuing his God given mission.  He was great because he was obedient.

The last thing that I see is that he was utterly human.  I didn’t post the text, but the previous passages show a man in deep doubt, possibly even despair.  He was in prison, very close to death’s door as we later learn, and he sends some followers to ask Jesus if he was the “one.”

I’m not saying that he was great because he was so fallible.  Not at all.  However, I can’t use my own humanity to keep me from being obedient to God.  The latter half of verse 11 says that those considered the “least in the Kingdom of heaven” will be considered greater than John.  I’m sure that will be based upon our prioritization of God in our lives, and those same lives being lived in obedience to him.

Tim

Reconciliation, Intolerance of Lactose…and Law Enforcement

My stomach is having some issues today.  It could be lactose related, it could be medication related, it could have been a bad potato.  I’m not sure.  But, I’m quarantined at home until further notice.

The great thing is that I have time to think!  The bad thing is that I have time to think.

I’m still looking into Reconciliation.  What it is, what it isn’t.  While Forgiveness is part of it, it is not all of it.  Reconciliation always takes place in the midst of two or more, its never a solo option.  Reconciliation has been used to guilt people back into unhealthy relationships.  That is utterly horrid.  Reconciliation may mean that a relationship is mended, but it does not mean that the relationship has to be the same as it was before.

Again, while Forgiveness is a part of Reconciliation, it does not necessitate it.  Don’t let someone guilt you back into an abusive relationship.

Another thing I’ve been thinking about is:

Why do so many people hate Law Enforcement?!  That is just insane.  Yes, there are bad apples.  Hello, Police Officers are human too.  But, I will never assume the worse of any Officer for this simple reason.  Their job necessitates them to run to that which my survival dictates I run away from.  I have been blessed to know many fine Officers in my limited lifespan.  I love you guys and gals!

Personaly, I believe that Cop Hating should be labeld as a type of discrimination.  It seems to be similar to Racism, Sexims, Agism, etc.  People just can’t seem to rationally respond when Law Enforcement comes up in the conversation.  That has to be some sort of syndrome.

Again, too much time to think…remember?

So, here are my theological theories as to why so many people harbor ill feelings towards Law Enforcement.

1) We are all guilty.  From the day that our orientation towards sin manifests itself in an action of selfishness, we became Law Breakers in the deepest sense of the term.  We have an innate sense of this, something primal in our being.  When we see an Officer, we are just afraid that he or she might know something.  They are Justice personified…and we know that with out Grace and Mercy we are guilty.

2) They remind us that we aren’t God.  We are offended by God’s presence, because it reminds us of what we aren’t.  We want to be our own ultimate authority.  Officers, by their existence also remind us of this fact.  Law Enforcement is the only group that I know of that can legally limit or discontinue our personal rights.  They are a very real authority over us, and frankly that galls us!

So, on behalf of stupid people everywhere, I apologize to our brothers and sisters in Law Enforcement.  Yes, I’m stupid as well, for I suffer from the same orientation to sin.  Please know that any anger I show towards you signifies my own deep seated need for forgiveness, and does not reflect upon your character, integrity or honor.  Thank you for holding up the mirror of truth that reminds me that I’m not God.

Final thought of the day:

Lactose Intolerance is a pain…you can guess where.

Tim