The Old Guard
Praying (or more accurately trying to pray) today, departing from routine brings me to the pantry at a wierd hour - and one thing leads to another and i find myself at a bible study... with the average age being about double mine.
There was something about the adults, grandfathers and grandmothers, doing bible study... mm... nay just doing life.. that opened up a new world to me. Ive never seen anything like it before. Never.
To hear the 60-something compliment his friend's wife with a bit of flattery on her youth (and snappy return), to see everyone in total comfort with each other... no standing on ceremony and handshakes, no business cards, no awkwardness about chairs and seating positions, just talk like family, 'give the doctor a second helping', 'no don't hes already too fat, im praying for him', and laughs all around.
We studied Gen 50, the death of Israel and Joseph. Comments around the room which were in the vein of 'Hey but how come he knows when we die' and themes of 'a life well lived'. It slowly sunk in as I watched the father of one of the couples that this was faith, and he would go into eternity in a very real way, soon, with these words on his lips.
Just sitting there and watching them... awesome, sobering, a little sad, but inspiring too.. Lord, I thank You. I choose to acknowledge You in this. You know that this was part of what I need.
By the way I was blubbering to myself just watching people have lunch I guess something must still be not right inside. For life to end like this, seems such a long way off now. But I pray it will. For all of us on this journey.
An aside, at ground zero and left with a stunted mustard seed worth of faith.. am reading this:
http://www.rzim.org/publications/essay_arttext.php?id=13
Perhaps that will turn out to be timely manna for the day.. foundations...
There was something about the adults, grandfathers and grandmothers, doing bible study... mm... nay just doing life.. that opened up a new world to me. Ive never seen anything like it before. Never.
To hear the 60-something compliment his friend's wife with a bit of flattery on her youth (and snappy return), to see everyone in total comfort with each other... no standing on ceremony and handshakes, no business cards, no awkwardness about chairs and seating positions, just talk like family, 'give the doctor a second helping', 'no don't hes already too fat, im praying for him', and laughs all around.
We studied Gen 50, the death of Israel and Joseph. Comments around the room which were in the vein of 'Hey but how come he knows when we die' and themes of 'a life well lived'. It slowly sunk in as I watched the father of one of the couples that this was faith, and he would go into eternity in a very real way, soon, with these words on his lips.
Just sitting there and watching them... awesome, sobering, a little sad, but inspiring too.. Lord, I thank You. I choose to acknowledge You in this. You know that this was part of what I need.
By the way I was blubbering to myself just watching people have lunch I guess something must still be not right inside. For life to end like this, seems such a long way off now. But I pray it will. For all of us on this journey.
An aside, at ground zero and left with a stunted mustard seed worth of faith.. am reading this:
http://www.rzim.org/publications/essay_arttext.php?id=13
Perhaps that will turn out to be timely manna for the day.. foundations...
posted by DarkRed at 3:40 pm
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