daily life as life goes on . . .

My reading today was in the Book of Exodus – the part where the Israelites have crossed the sea and are in a transitional phase.  Not unlike a time where you are not sure what is going to happen tomorrow (a blatant hint that I’m talking about our current time).

Exodus 15:26 say,  “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”

Somehow over the years I have equated this to the passage that rang through the early 1970’s – when the Canadian revival took place (II Chronicles 7:14).

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Humbling means stepping back from aggrandizing activity.  Silence is a part of that – not trying to be the defending voice against accusations that are all too true.  Praying is a street that runs two ways. 

So, we entreat and request.  We listen and obey.

We are into another round of COVID restrictions in Saskatchewan.

Of interest is interpretation.

Let’s start with another province first.  I read an article on a Manitoba church that had a service like the old drive-in.  The writer mentioned that this was against the health order – to have a drive through or drive up service.  But is the drive in service the same?  Who does the interpretation?  I read the health order and this case is not directly addressed.

Now, in Saskatchewan we have strict rules on gatherings.  A public gathering is only up to 30 people.  At least for a worship service.  But do you have to wear a mask?  Is this a private space with only members in attendance?  And what about school playgrounds?  Is the outdoors and physical distancing enough not to require masks.  Read the regulations and you can find loopholes where the stitching has not quite caught up with the need for a tight fabric.

And we are back to moral choice and interpreting the legislation’s crafters intent – hopefully for the good of all!

Great synthesis – from my brother-in-law, Tim Barton.

To worship is to give honor, reverence, and worth-ship to God.

God doesn’t come to worship us; we come to worship God.

I wonder . . .

In a day when mental health is featured, how was this featured years ago.

We had asylums that provided care for the extreme.  We had mother figures that told us when we were out of line (and somehow maintained a “caring” composure).  We had jobs that had strict rules to give guidance on right and wrong.  We had peer pressure to put us in line.  It was all about the “common good” – probably better labelled the culture’s mores and the enforcement thereof.

At least, that’s the stereotype.  We were also told to climb the ladder to self-actualization.  We were led to be rebels, to find our own person.  We were to become who we deeply felt/desired/knew we should be.

Mentally we placed the definition and control of right and wrong on our own shoulders. 

Instead of on an outside standard, determined by trusted others!

The term faith was passed to the back of the bus.  Meanwhile, the driver of the bus became us.

And we didn’t know the road, or the engine, or the passengers, or the causes of route failure.

We were trying to drive while trying to figure out how to drive, while having to ask ourselves how to drive when we weren’t experienced in driving.

Seems to me like a formula for the failure of our mental capacities?  And a few other capacities??