Yearly Archives: 2016

Well, I continue to read.  This is one of life’s enjoyments for me.

Part of my reading time has been in a book by Joel Thiessen – The Meaning of Sunday.  Joel is a Sociology professor at Ambrose University (my alma mater).

Here is a sentence you will find interesting – for your “tinker boxer” today (for those not acquainted with low German approaches to the English language – tinker boxer refers to the “thinking” box we call the brain).

Rational choice scholars should cease to naively equate and confuse the pursuit of meaning and purpose with unending and widespread demand for religion. (p. 117)

OK, I couldn’t resist making a small comment here!

In my upbringing, proving that life had meaning and purpose meant that everyone would naturally move towards religion – where ultimate purpose and meaning was to be found.  That just made common sense to us. 

Just because something makes sense to us (rational and objective), doesn’t mean that others use the same approach to sense.  There is no longer a common understanding of “common sense” other than an individual’s understanding of their own sense of truth is now “common sense”.  In other words, we no longer have a common definition of common sense.

For many, “sense” is to be equated with feeling, desire and love – intangibles found in the equation we call life.  Family, friends, job, recreational activity and volunteer opportunities make sense of the pursuit of meaning and purpose for many in life.  And that is often enough for those who live in this moment of time, for those who have no desire for an ultimate understanding of the eternity of time.

Just because we “prove” that ultimate meaning can be found in Jesus Christ does not mean that others will fall in line with us.  If anything, until they experience a sense of love, a desire for the unknown and an explicit display of the transformative power of God will they begin to tread the path Christians have trod.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around this year’s climate.

Today we had snow on the vehicles, rain in the air and above zero temperatures.  This is November.  Winter is, was and shall be on the way.

But, knowing the last year’s climate, the unexpected is expected.

What if we had green grass on Christmas day?  What if we went water skiing on January 1st (with a wet suit, of course)?  What if Spring sprung in February?

That is the conundrum of Saskatchewan this year.

And I love it!!!

I’ve been ready a bit about adoption in the Roman era – the time of Christ.

Both encouraging and discriminating.  And a bit confusing in relation to the Biblical concept of adoption.

The Roman practice was basically a male thing amongst the upper class.  Females were not often adopted.  Men were adopted for their ability to provide leadership and to network relational support from rivals or supporters.  This was not about making up for being childless – adoption was more about having to deal with the inadequate children you already had.

In other words, adoption was a power play in many cases.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around most Roman adoptions (at least those of the upper class).  A rich man would choose his protege/successor – then adopt them so that they inherited the business.  Not his children, but his adopted son/daughter would be the major beneficiaries.

Which brings me to my internal discussion points – that which goes on in my head. 

If God adopted the Jewish nation (Abraham) as his protege (Romans 9:4), and then God set the Jewish nation aside because of their disobedience (Paul actually argues in Romans that only the true followers were the adopted ones, the rest of the branch has been cut off from God, and Christians grafted in), and now Christians (particularly Gentile Christians) are the adopted ones, how does that work?

Because of our own inabilities/sin, does God chose not to adopt us?  Is the blanket covering of Jesus (his righteousness) given to his followers, in order that they might be considered as adopted children?   Are we adopted into “Christ”, who was himself the epitome of faithfulness within the line of Abraham?    Technically, is Christ the one who is adopted and we are merely subsumed in that adoption?  What does it mean to be a fellow heir with Christ?

And so the questions go on in my head.  Maybe I’ll have a few more (OK, I’m sure I’ll have a few more).  Such is the conundrum of spending time reading the Bible.

I was asked to prepare a blessing for the first meeting of our newly elected Town Council.  Below is the text of the prayer:

Town Council Blessing

Kindersley Council Chamber

November 14, 2016 – 5:00 pm

Heavenly Father,

We ask for your blessings to fall upon this chamber in which we stand.

We ask for your blessing of health, strength and clarity for these members who will sacrifice of their time and energy.

Give this council a strong sense of purpose. Bless our elected officials with the absence of gloom and doom, discontent and discouragement.

Protect the Mayor and his fellow council members from pride and self-interest. May generosity replace greed. May wisdom and prudence prevail. May the good of the community always be the driving force of planning and development.

Bless their thoughts with:

• visions of aid for the poor and unfortunate,

• strategies for the health and welfare of the community,

• cooperative opportunities with those who have available means.

May each one be equipped with wisdom, charity, ability and the will, as manifested in Jesus Christ, to spread love and compassion throughout our community of Kindersley.

AMEN