Hark it, you Baptist!

things that never get smaller:

-healthcare insurance coverage prices

-sin

-women's purses

-apparently, the universe

things that never get larger

-children's level of wide-eyed amazement at things that adults are simply too busy to give more than a passing thought to.

like Christmas.

it can't get larger because it's already maxed out, and it only shrinks as they "mature."

i was walking through the front yard of a friend (because it's shorter than walking all the way around to the walkway) and the strap of my favorite, $3 Brasilian purse snapped.  that night was when i realized my standards have changed when it comes to purses.  back when i first started carrying a purse and bought a real, adult purse, the one i got appealed to me and was just the perfect size.  it held everything i needed it to.

that list of things i need to have held in a purse has expanded, and now that i must go back to this purse, it is no longer big enough. this is a crisis of epic proportions, and necessitates the purchase of a purse that can hold everything i need for a nuclear war evacuation crisis. if the trend continues, and this purse break, i'll just have to upgrade to a suitcase.

the full list of necessities is too long to bother with.  it's like the Christmas list of things to do, most of which has already been eliminated as "sooo not happening."  i actually did a christmas card/letter, which was as adult-ish and organized as i could get this year. there is only so much i can get together before i snap.  sadly, the snapping of my mood happened a few hours after the snapping of the purse. i tried so hard, but i couldn't push it any more. 

there are some times and seasons that are harder for me to get on board with.  holidays are one of those times and seasons.  i'm psyched out for all you guys surrounded by happiness,  happy family members and happy foods and your favorite ad-free Pandora stations. that's not even sarcastic- i really am.  but i have no real concept of that.  that happiness fluctuates, flickers and then fizzes out.  it takes all my energy to keep it going, and once it's gone- that's it.

i'm tired of waiting for things to change, to get better, for people to stop being jerks, for walls to be torn down instead of built, for children to stop dying, for innocents to stop paying the price for evildoers, for money to grow on ficus trees, for Chip and Joanna Gains to come redo my house … the list goes on.  but i'm tired of waiting.  it's been years since i had any semblance of a happy holiday with my family all together.  don't even bother giving me the "no family is perfect" speech.  duh.  i know that.  but some have deeper ruts and potholes than others.  i'm so, so, so grateful for the 2 or 3 families that "adopt" me each holiday, and for a job where i can work and get paid to do what i love and be around my work family for the times i can't be with anyone else.  but even still, i spent most of the holiday time waiting- for the holiday time to end.  i'm sitting in Panera, which is jam-packed and hotter than a sauna, and i'm the only one sitting alone.  (and the 3 year old sitting facing me next table over has a scary-hideous doll.  i might even have nightmares over that thing.)  3 people i know have run over to say hi, then left because they are with friends and family and barely remember anything about me- which gets super-awkward super-quickly. 

i digress.  waiting for all those things to change seems pointless.  it's impossible to fathom any of those changes occurring.  that's what that is- a list of impossibilities. 

and then i went to church.

i love stories that start (or continue) that way.

i think it's become the new "thing" for pastors to choose some of the least appealing Bible verses ever and create sermons that expound on their usefulness and rich meaning hiding in those unending verses on ritual laws, sacrifices and genealogies.  if you tell me Matthew chapter 1 is your favorite passage, i'm going to call you a liar to your face next time i see it.  not that i'm knocking this new "thing." in fact, it may only be because this sunday was the third, fourth or twentieth time i've heard a sermon on Matthew chapter 1 that i did get something new out of it.

confession moment: i lost Jesus Points when i inwardly rolled my eyes as the pastor read every. single. name. in. all. 17. verses.  all of them. Saint Matthew did not even record all of them, either, i don't think.  i hate how grateful i am for that. i'm a bad Baptist- sorry.

but then i listened.  i listened to another list of impossibilities.

there are 47 names total, if i counted right, listed in verses 1-17. this doesn't count 14+ other persons referred to, but not named (Judah's brothers -11, Jeconiah's brothers- 2+, and Bathsheba). of those 47 names, i can easily count at least 15 inconsistencies, improbabilities or impossibilities.  and that's only Joseph's side of the genealogy, and only the names and situations i'm familiar with.

1. let's start with Abraham.  this guy is a fossil. one foot in the grave, the other on a 99-year old banana peel and -BAM!- he's a brand new dad.

2. Isaac.  technically, Abraham's second-born son who carried the promise despite a half-brother who could have sought revenge, and his dad's incredible wealth, and a near run-in with his dad's knife on an altar, involving a father-son retreat, a whole lot of questions, and a divinely appointed/visually impaired (?) ram.

3. Jacob. another second-born son, a class-act jerk/liar with a death threat…frankly, he just about deserved it. he got away with a limp, and an awareness of how close he came to being murdered slowly and painfully.

4. Judah.  son of Leah, who Jacob married BY ACCIDENT.  the scammer got scammed, big-time.  and the girl whose dad thought of as too ugly to find a husband (not even kidding you) became the mother of Judah, whose name means "praised one" because this time she said "this time i will praise Yahweh." instead of seeking favor from men, who clearly had morals anywhere but where they were supposed to be, she gained joy from the One who sees not as man sees.

5. Perez.  ummm, eww.  so he was born, it was gross, don't read this to children, moving on.

6. Boaz.  his mom was a hooker who was graciously spared the death sentence placed on every single other soul in her city (except for the family she begged mercy for).  not only was she granted her life, but also a family within God's chosen people and a prominent spot in Jesus's family line.

7. Obed.  his mom was a chick with major resolve and loyalty… from MOAB.  Moabites were not known for their faithfulness to Yahweh or their morals.  intermarriage was not supposed to happen, but this one did and was blessed beyond belief.

8. David.  greatest, coolest, most popular king of all began his days as a shepherd.  the runt of the litter (he had, like, 7 thousand brothers.  or 7.  either way.) and was practically forgotten by his dad.  good thing he was a hottie, or he'd have nothing- NOTHING- going for him.

9. Solomon.  also not the best family-friendly story, but nonetheless used by God. an awfully unholy relationship meant he was born.  later on, following his dad's example, he won zero "world's best dad" mugs. trophies and plaques from round the world, but his home life was a mess of rather epic proportions.

10. Bathsheba. not even mentioned, probably a Hittite and possibly a pagan.  it is unclear how much of the affair was her fault, but after losing the resulting son, God gave her another one- Solomon, the wisest and richest king of all time, everywhere.

11. Uriah. i know, i know.  he's not even part of the lineage.  he *was* one of King David's best friends, had super-high rank in the legendary "Mighty Men"- until Dave decided to sleep with Bathsheba his wife, have him straight-up murdered and not think twice about it.  i love how even though he had no genetic contribution, it's his name mentioned, not Bathsheba.  he was faithful to his king, his country, and likely also Yahweh- faithful to the death and honorable to the end.  and his name is here, hundreds of years later.

12. Rehoboam.  an idiot who destroyed the empire Solomon built.  his dad was in the grave all of ten seconds before the bad decision-making began and he alienated 95% of his subjects, who subsequently rejected him. for some odd reason, he was not assassinated.

13. Hezekiah. spared miraculously from death by Sennacherib and the full might of the Assyrian army, then spared miraculously from death by illness.  stories like his are awesome, and rare.  read it. fun fact:  one of the most well-known prophecies regarding Jesus's birth (likely) came during that invasion of Assyria, when every Israelite was shaking in his sandals and puking from sheer terror.  Micah 5:2-5a says:

 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.  Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel.  And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.  and they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.  and he shall be their peace."

Micah 5:1 and 5:5b-6 both mention sieges and Assyrians and swords and scary things.

14. Babylon.  instead of simply killing the entire royal line after the Babylonian captivity, Jechoniah survives and so does his family line.  captivities are perfect times for bad things to happen, for people to get murdered, for rebellions to be squashed and for God to show His hand in incredible ways by not having any of those things happen.  the Babylonians were not a much better option than the Assyrians, but neither could defeat Yahweh's plan.

15. may as well bring it up, even though everybody knows it. Mary.  she was only half-way married, according to what i've heard of ancient betrothal customs of the day.  there was a legal contract (Step 1), but the actual wedding ceremony (Step 2) had not happened yet.  one source i read stated that because of this, the whole oops-Mary-is-pregnant thing was only a small scandal, instead of the full-blown, front-page news story it could have been, but still.  God said "it's time for Christmas" and He found Mary.  the fact that she had no idea what she was doing had no bearing on the situation.  God did know what He was doing, and she submitted.

*** 

the shepherds sitting on a hill that lonely night of unknown exactness were also tired of waiting.  they were bored out of their skulls, playing chess for the millionth time with each other, hopefully with their sheepies safe in the paddock for the night.  taking turns watching for stray wolves or bears or IRS agents, they all saw the most unexpected guy.   

he was shiny.

he was in the sky.

and he was SINGING.

and then all his shiny, singing buddies showed up too.

their waiting was over. 400 years of a whole lot of NOTHING, and now the time foretold had come.  and instead of busting into the royal palace bedrooms and priests' compounds and even the Holy Temple, the Herald Angels came to the shepherds, and they Harked. 

there's at least 15 reasons why Hark the Herald Angels Sing is basically my favorite Christmas song of all time forever.

1-14 are because that sight, on that night, is so incredibly incredible is blows my mind to smithereens and makes my pulse go up and my eyes tear up and.. and.. i can't understand how anyone can hear that song and not jump up and down and go tearing up and down the sanctuary aisles.  EVEN THE BAPTISTS.

like, COME ON NOW.  THERE ARE ANGELS SINGING RIGHT OVER YOUR HEADS. 

SHOUTING, " JESUS IS HERE!!!!  HE'S  FINALLY, FINALLY HERE!!! "

JOIN THEM!!!! 
WHY ARE YOU STILL SITTING?!?!

reason 15 is that there are few other hymns that contain so much theology from Genesis to Revelation that speak to what most humans feel, if you can bear to sing past the second verse (…when did churches stop doing that?).   because this post isn't long enough, i'm going to put all the verses here.  you may not have another chance this Christmas season, and that is a travesty.

Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King!"

Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinner reconciled.

Joyful, all ye nations rise- join the triumph of the skies

with angelic hosts proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem!"

Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ the everlasting Lord:

late in time behold him come, offspring of the virgin's womb.

veiled in flesh the God-head see, hail the incarnate deity

pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel!

hail the heaven-born prince of Peace, hail the Son of Righteousness!

Light and Life to all He brings, risen with healing in His wings.

mild He lays His glory by, born that man no more may die;

born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth.

come Desire of Nations, come, fix in us Thy humble home.

Rise, the woman's conquering seed- bruise in us the serpent's head!

Adam's likeness now efface, stamp Thy image in its place!

Second Adam from above, reinstate us in Thy love.

Hark! the herald angels sing, "glory to the newborn King!"

the social rejects of the day were the first to get the baby shower invitations. the poor ones, the bottom of the totem poles, the victims of a screwed up society who had even worse political scenery than we do-  God must thrive on possibilifying impossibilities, because the whole Bible's full of it.  somehow, out of a chronically depressing situation, hope came. no parties were thrown, no family get-togethers, no lunatics destroying the marketplaces with their insane bargain-hunting. 

the shepherds just had to go.  they may have washed up and changed shirts (if they had a spare), but probs not.  they had no gift but the gift of their simple, joyful acceptance of the fact that their Savior had come, and their delicious odor.  it fit in well with the barnyard scene.

if your life is full of impossible hopes and dreams, you are in good company. 

if you are lonely, and hopeful- or maybe unhopeful

or fearful, surrounded by enemies and under siege from all sides

or looking at your family/living situation and wondering what the snap is going on

or just waiting. waiting with your tissues in hand and your heart on the line

or aching for that healing

or still wounded by that serpent and his curse, suffering from the fact that we trace our lineage to Adam, through murderers, hookers, rapists, terrorists, rebels, and every other sort of sinner just like me.

Hope came, and it is coming again.  Emmanuel really is with us, even when we don't feel Him.  the Second Adam is doing everything the first one couldn't.  someday soon, the impossibilities will be no longer.

i do not have the voice of an angel, nor can i levitate above your head and shine.

what i can do is cry.  i'm shedding tears this Christmas because of several deep-cutting impossibilities that are weighing me down this season.  i'm not okay now, so you just need to be okay with that.  don't try to fix it- just let me feel this now.  don't worry- i know what's coming. the angels are coming again, and so is Christ, by heaven's highest adored, Christ the Everlasting Lord with more Light, Life and Healing that i can fathom.

some of these tears are tears of Hope.  i can almost hear those herald angels still, and that song is a beautiful, beautiful one.

and i just wanna keep harking for a little while longer.

the banana peel

i was chatting with a friend today over some tea, and somehow this dog i used to know came up in the convo.  i wish it had not.  this was not my least favorite dog, but it was nowhere close to my Top 10 either.  how this dog survived as long as it did is remarkable.  this was one of those creatures you could describe as "three paws in the grave, and the last one on a banana peel."  the amount of fur it shed was disgustingly impressive, it only moved out of necessity, and there were days when some doggy activities didn't count as a necessity worth moving for.  this dog, however, had a happy spirit that i've rarely seen in a living being with that many health issues.

every time i get through a shift like last night, i'm filled with the same kind of awe. nights like that are a present…gift-wrapped by Hades himself.  i seriously can't remember the last time so many things, so many alarms, so many babies, so many everythings all happened at the same time.  so you kNOW that's when the 3rd computer of the night shuts down, the isolette flashes "System Error 25" instead of working, my patients are crying, others' might be dying, and i am LITERALLY playing "Telephone" with the NNP and I.T. because the phone cord won't reach to the antagonistic computer we had to fix. no one died, but i thought about a lot of bad words, and i'm still praying for some of our patients who aren't out of the woods yet. 

this tea we were sipping was at the house of a more recent friend who has gone through quite a valley herself, and this tea party was hosted in the honor of her lost daughter, who i had only met once in August and was gone a week later.

thoughts and memories like these made me all the more thankful for this thing we call "life," but even more so for the Life that's coming.  i can't fathom how life can be so fragile and short, but yet so durable for decades.  i'd fail if you asked me to explain the kidneys to you.  i can plug in a new isolette, but if the d**n thing keeps alarming and shutting down right when 14 other things and people need my attention, i still can't figure out what to do.  besides prioritize that as LAST. 

but i have learned a few things, from people, circumstances, books, sermons and music.

-life is really like a banana (/banana peel).

it's weird, multi-dimensional, hard to describe, and often hard to handle.  most people get along fine with it, but then again not.  one will fill you up, but sharing it with the right person doesn't leave you any less full. there's never a trash can available when i eat bananas (those rare times), and it's just plain awkward walking around a stringy wad of browning banana-ness to find one.  

- your suffering brings others to God

i've listened to 5 months of sermons in the past 2 weeks, and the most recent centered on Namaan, a pagan idolater who was healed by Jehovah because of the Hebrew slave girl he "owned." even though her family and friends were likely all dead because of this guy, and she was kidnapped and pressed into slave labor through no fault of her own- she still cared enough about her master to tell him of the One she knew could heal him from leprosy.  i'm not that nice, i don't think, but it was nice to hear again the idea that God can do 10,000 things all at once even if i only know about 3 of them (John Piper).  and of the 9,997 other things going on, 9,992 have nothing to do with me (JD Greear). suffering in this life has a purpose whether you know it or not.

-your suffering brings you to God

this past week, i learned that 2 people in my life have cancer.  i immediately thought about that day in late march when i heard the words "you have a mass…. a large one." and then was directed to go to Memphis RIGHT AWAY to speak to an oncological surgeon.  i'd been awake for 24 hours by that point, worked more than 12 of them, and had been feeling rough for more than 300.  i'm just going to say i didn't verbalize any prayers for a little bit.  i could barely think.  all i could do was text a few people and have them pray at first instead. 

but a thing like that will change your prayers.  and increase them, in both intensity and frequency! 

there are other things that i have not yet learned how to appreciate in the same way, but at least for some of those moments i can see ways that i've grown closer to Him because of, not in spite of  those times.  just about the only thing i remember from a Bible study i did on Jonah was that God will never let anything happen to you that would make you trust Him less.  however it works… it works. just let it.

- learn someone's favorite color before their political party

this friend that we lost in August was a bright, cheery personality that i knew for a single day.  she was awesome.  i was finishing up breakfast with her family and some friends when i saw her doing dishes in purple gloves. based on that, her purple slippers and purple curtains- it was a pretty easy conclusion to make. 

there are some things that are more important than huge debates about things that divide us.  if i want to feel like i know somebody as a friend, i'll ask about their favorite color, or hobbies or pets.  even if you disagree strongly about a serious issue, that conversation isn't going to go anywhere if you see them as a target or competition rather than a human being with a brain and heart just like you.

make connections, don't make them impossible.

-everybody's a theologian

every person capable of thought has an opinion or belief about God, whether a deity exists or not, what it is like if it does, and how it interacts with the visible world.  time for everybody to stop treating the subject otherwise.  faith and science intersect in too many points for continued blindness. it's going to continue- i'm not stupid to think otherwise- but it shouldn't.  and given the enormity of the issue's implications, it's worth spending time to figure out what sort of theologian you are.

-time is money, but it doesn't come with a credit card

for almost every home renovation, recipe and health topic out there, you can find at least 29,003 DIY pointers, suggestions, hacks, gizmos, gadgets or guys to help you out.  it all comes down to which you want to keep more of: time or money. 

but while banks are relatively forgiving when it comes to unpaid balances, life is not.  you can't take any of tomorrow early, and you can't keep more than a memory of yesterday.  when the timeline runs out, that's it.  whatever calendar square you're dancing on right now is the one you've got to fill up with what's most important. 

-stop the passive aggression

life is too short.  say what you mean. if you can't say it without being mean, then don't say it.  i promise you won't regret it.  if a song touches you, sing it out- loud and proud.  if it doesn't then maybe it's not worth listening to. being assertive is healthy; being manipulative or forceful or jerky is not.  be open, friendly, honest, fearless.  if you always speak the truth *in love*, you have nothing to truly fear.

-the past is important.  so is the future.

the "stuff" that happens here on earth has a reason, regardless of whether you know it.  at least one reason is that this whole thing we call "life" is really just the preface to more LIFE than could fit in our combined caffeinated imaginations.  we are getting practice for the Life coming up!! when the banana peel gives me a final slip, it's not the end.  it's the end of a few things, like your chance to decide where  you'd like to spend the new forever (hence, the point on theologians), but not the End. it's a brand new beginning that itself has no end.

it's like the song, but not obnoxiously irritating…

there were more.

but then THIS computer shut down, and i have to pack for yet another trip.

i have enjoyed being able to find something each day of November so far to be thankful for, and being able to share them is even better. this banana peel of a life is slipping away, but while it's here, i'm glad i get to share even this little bit with you! 

a Sea of Can'ts vs. the River of Can

"and so we come to it at last… the great war of our time."

if you give me almost any situation, i will give you a relevant quote from The Lord of the Rings.  i had a great conversation late last night with some Bible study companions, comparing Christian-themed movies and their book originals.  these two had seen the new Ben-Hur movie and enjoyed it, though they admitted the original was better (duh.  i remain a skeptic of ANYONE who thinks he can just "re-do" CHARLTON HESTON's BEN-HUR.  WHAT!?!?!)

but LOTR i admit to be a masterful rendition of the books, and they are my all-time favorite go-to movies, and very quotable, when you've seen them as often as i have ;)

but at this moment, i am almost shaking-in-my-boots scared. i am daunted by the seemingly impossible battle ahead of me.

i have been fighting skirmishes for a few months, chipping away with all my human strength at an increasingly spiritual obstacle.  it's like trying to take down a steel-enforced concrete wall. and i am not Aragorn, that studly, sword-wielding octogenarian.  i've done what i could- i stripped the old wallpaper, i scraped away ancient paint and tore off drywall with my bare hands.  i made a whole lot of mess, but less true progress than the mound of trash would indicate.  the steel rebar and concrete are just as solid as ever, and my tired bleeding fingers are no use. 

if this battle were WWII, i'm playing the role of France.

…and it's nowhere near D-Day.

if this were Middle Earth, I'm Rohan.  saddling my lil' ponies to go take on mountainous cave trolls, elephants the size of castles and orcs beyond number.  oh yeah, and un-killable demonic Nazgul warlords in plated armor atop flying, toothy dragons.

for the people who don't know, i just last week was released from the local hospital after 7 days/6 nights of feeling horrible.  the obstacle: some sort of GI obstruction, caused by "we don't know/care" what.  the treatment for any of the causes is the same: do nothing, except an NG tube.  unless something explodes, in which case do emergency surgery and hope to stay ahead of the sepsis.

if i were BFFs with the Pope, i'd text him now and tell him to saint my friend, who was there right by my side for all of the worst of it (me…on Phenergan and Demerol… and still hurting and barfing) and checked on me every single day, despite her full-time job (nursing, of course). she earned every one of the jewels in that heavenly crown waiting for her.  no one other than an RN needed to see the Sad, Broken Zombie in that bed.  in trying to describe how i felt that i must have looked, that's the best way i could think of.  Sad Broken Zombie. a creature not even Will Smith would attempt to heal.

the night before i came home, i had a short, but relieving, conversation with another title-less saint, outlining every one of these skirmishes i hadn't recovered from, and how this incredibly large speed bump couldn't have come at a more confusing, and expensive (!!!), and irritating, time.  i was so tired (not eating or drink for a week will do that to a person), and i hadn't ever been able to celebrate the incredible healing i'd just had, without already beginning to worry about things at home, around the yard, at work, in the bank account, and abroad that were storming at me, demanding my attention.

and then an idea came out in that phone call- and after every prayer, every consideration about it, the answer seemed less hazy and more definite- this was a distraction. 

an "uncomfortable" one. 

a stupid-expensive one.

but a distraction.

all this fuss… to keep me occupied.  as huge as that was to people, who still look at me like i'm about to collapse and die, i really feel convinced by now that there is a force out there that is bound and determined to keep me away from this ultimate fight that all my past struggles and battles have been leading up to.

the hugeness of this battle is finally dawning on me.

and scaring the ever-lovin' snot out of me.

back at "work" at church, before preparing the papers and crayons for the Cubbies class, i ducked into the darkened sanctuary to prepare me for a few minutes. i sat before the altar and told Him all the "can'ts" there were in my army.  i was out of wizards, energy, soldiers, strategies, pep talks- everything.

i was surrounded by a formidable foe, under siege and running low on resources.  i felt sympathy for even a jerk like Denethor, who wilts at the awesome, terrible show of Mordor's might on his doorstep. similarly, i felt renewed kinship with King Hezekiah, poking his nose over the wall to see Sennacharib's army sprawled out like a horde over the countryside.  i could only do what he did- run into the Temple and cry like a small child.  this is why we have a healthy supply of tissues in the front pews.

there are a few less there now.

i told Him the Can'ts… and i asked please… for even one Can-  just one.

and i opened my Bible to catch up on my daily readings, as i was a day behind and my Type A just can't handle that well.  i foolishly expected nothing. at least, nothing from a reading as dry and monotonous as Ezekiel under "September 6."

and i found this:

then he brought me back to the door of the Temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side.

going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep.  again he measured a thousand, and led me though the water, and it was waist-deep. again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that i could not pass through, for the water had risen.  it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through.  and he said to me, "son of man, have you seen this?"

then he led me to the bank of the river. as i went back i saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other. and he said to me, "this water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea; when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh.  and wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. for this water goes there, that the water of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.  fishermen will stand beside the sea.  from En-Gedi to En-Eglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets.  its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.  But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt.  and on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food.  their leaved will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary.  their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing."

Ezekiel 47:1-12

the above is the ESV; i read it this afternoon in the NLT, which automatically translated "the sea" as "the Dead Sea."

it's called that because… it's Dead.  DEAD.

that's a pretty picture, yes- but you notice what's NOT there? 

ANYTHING ALIVE. (except the photographer).  there are no trees.  no grass.  no animals. i question whether even bacteria or parasites could survive.  because the salt content of the water is no high,  people float when they try to swim, and most humans become dehydrated just by looking at pictures like this.  it is about 9 times saltier than ocean water.  drinking it would be a) disgusting and b) probably fatal, if you were physically able to hold down enough of it.  on average, it receives 3 inches of rainfall per year.  the Jordan River flows in.  nothing flows out.  there are smaller pools of water.  oh yes- and quicksand pits.  let's not forget those.

if that's not a Can, i don't know what is.

in three paragraphs, God simply told me what He is able to do with all of our Can'ts.

He doesn't just sidestep them.

He doesn't even "undo" them

He obliterates even the memory of them.

the Dead Sea, which is deader than anything dead you could compare it to- will one day (in this vision, of prophetic and symbolic importance, not necessarily physical) be so full of life that people, animals and plants will abound.  everything touched by this water coming from the sanctuary will be ALIVE.  diseases and illnesses will be healed, empty cavernous losses will be filled, dreams will be fulfilled.  the blessings will extend not only to humans, but to animals and even plant life.  enrichment like this patch of earth has never known will descend, and this place that is only known as a dry crusty curiosity will become the spa vacation hotspot of the world, where Main Street is lined by an all-you-can-eat buffet line of trees, boasting the widest assortment and variety of fruit available worldwide.

THAT'S what God does when you say "can't-too salty."  

and yet, despite the parties and celebrations happening along the shores of the newly Un-Dead Sea, the passage even ends with Ezekiel looking back, following the river lined with trees as it gets shallower and shallower, down to a trickle- back to the source:

the golden Altar, beyond which lies the Most Holy Place, where God Himself resided between the cherubim wings, overshadowing the Mercy Seat. 

the one place humans couldn't even survive being in, until one friday evening when the dividing curtain was ripped from top to bottom. 

not physically visible anymore, but you can't leave God's presence without being changed.  there's nothing magical about our representative table in the sanctuary, or even our sanctuary itself.  my feet were still completely dry on my way out the doors- but i felt like i had just swum in a refreshing river and had lost a backpack full of can'ts in its flow.

this battle will happen. and i am not looking forward to it,  necessarily. i'm marching to "Arabah," the land of the Dead Sea, where i have stashed more can'ts than i care to face.  so much deadness that i have allowed to sit and fester and wallow and do whatever else those salt piles and quicksand pits do.

but somehow, spending just a little bit of time "getting my feet wet" inside a quiet sanctuary did way more good than any "treatment" i got inside the hospital (don't get me wrong- the doctors were chums, the nurses excellent and food better than i expected).  that whole week took my eyes off the mark.  the others cares and concerns did too, just to a lesser extent. 

being right there at the altar, the symbolic source of all forgiveness and life eternal, brought my eyes right back to where they needed to be.  it's not on the battle.  it's not on the can'ts.

it's on the One who turns the can'ts into Cans and Wills. the battle of my time is about to begin in earnest, but i already know the outcome. 

it's a beautiful, beautiful sight, too.

a lament for Orlando

ugh.

i just really feel the need to tell the world that i have a sinus infection.

it's hard enough for me to think some things through, but when you've got gelatinous boogers twanging on all your brain cells, it really does something to things like cerebral functioning, temperament and personal tissue preferences.  there are some thing you just shouldn't get store brand when you are sick.  1-ply (anything)= hatred. 

our mission team to Brazil hadn't even made it past Washington DC before every tv in the airport was throwing us a barrage of updates and opinions and news conference clips regarding the latest massacre, this time in Orlando.

i had feared this very thing- the transition between a week of seeing what God is doing in other countries and in the lives of our friends (and ourselves)… and coming back to America, where things like politics, work drama, societal obligations, errands and the cat all compete for my attention.  

and then i went to a Bible study.

after a great dinner, we sat around an irregularly shaped coffee table and opened our notebooks, clicked our pens and flipped our Bibles to the… saddest and most depressing and mournful book EVER.

Lamentations, man.  Lamentations.  

it is exactly what it sounds like.  it is a collection of the prophet's (historically, and therefore here, Jeremiah's) laments.  his whines. his groans. his poetically penned complaints. no, really- every chapter is written as an alphabetic acrostic. he's got skill, even in grief.

you might say, like i have before, "why on earth?"  why would that ever be included in the Bible?  why was he so frickin' upset? why didn't God tell him to hush up?

and also, "why should i care? how can that ever make me feel better?"

here's why.  just bear with me and my snot-saturated brain for a bit.

here's the layout of this situation that was all up in Jeremiah's face:

he was a part of the nation of Israel, which had for all practical purposes split into Israel (10-ish tribes) and Judah  (1-ish tribes, depending on land, of which the Levites didn't get any, and also the fact that Ephraim and Manasseh were both from the same son of Israel. yeah, i know.  there's really 13 tribes, but one of the 12 sons got a double share, and then one son inherited the priesthood instead of land, so everything shakes out alright). 

anyway, ALL the tribes had… failed.  epically.  this was the origin of the "you had ONE job!!" line.  their ONE JOB was to show how great their God was.  they didn't even have to "do" much.  HE WAS RIGHT THERE.  LITERALLY. PHYSICALLY. VISIBLY. RIGHT. THERE. every nation had seen and heard and wondered at the HUGE things this "Yahweh" was doing. there was a temple where His presence resided, 24/7.  seriously, all the Jews had to do was point.

every time they forgot Him, He gave another gracious reminder of His eternal, all-powerful presence.  then they were good for about 6 months.  possibly a generation, if they were truly impressed.

He made a covenant with them.  "follow these rules, be different from the pagans, and I will love, cherish, protect, bless, multiply, thrill, fulfill you. break the covenant, and I will punish you."

they agreed.

then they forgot. 

then they flat-out ditched Him.  turned their backs on the Deity that brought them through fire and water, and started praying to carved rocks and chiseled wooden pillars.

the One thing that set them apart as a people was the one thing they spurned.  they looked across to the Moabites and Amorites and Ammonites and Hittites and Hivites and Philistines (and yes, they sound like congested people named them all)- and they said, "eh- that's not so bad. it's just a little different. no way would God really have a problem with me doing this."

enter the prophets.

this tiny little subset of Jews were called individually to alert their fellow men of the coming danger.

because God did, and does care.  it's not ultimately about the "things" the people were doing.  it's simply because He is HOLY. He is so much greater and better and stronger and more perfect than our minds can fathom that He can not be around sin, much the same way that light simply cannot ever coexist around darkness.  even a little candle will shatter gloom.  the very nature of light, or holiness, is such that it is forever separated from darkness, or unrighteousness. it's why He made that covenant.  it's why He made the sacrificial system and a non-deadly way for His chosen people to come near Him, live in His presence, speak to Him "as a man speak to his friend" like Moses. it's why He said, "don't be like them" - because they were… they were evil, folks. evil. before you blame God for taking out those nations, research "Molech"-just not during lunch.  and every time His people chose evil over Him, He patiently waited, He nudged, He reminded, He spoke through prophets- everything to get their attention first.  He did everything before punishing- if that's not love, i don't know what is.

well, they didn't listen to Jeremiah, just like they didn't listen to any of the other prophets.

and because God is holy and just and always keeps every single promise, He held to the covenant.  He left His temple. and punishment came.

and Jeremiah wept.

this is not the "oh boy, this hurts" crying.

this is the hopeless, despairing, pain-beyond-words-or-tears-or-breath crying. 

the armies were coming.  the cities were under siege. the chosen people were literally starving to the point of cannibalism. and they still chose to seek favor and help from their carved rocks and chiseled wooden pillars, rather than receive the forgiveness freely offered by God through the prophets. 

guys, i was convicted. and this ain't the germs talkin'.

working through such a depressing 22 verses hurt. it still does.  if my throat weren't sore, i might be weeping right now.

this nation- my nation- has forgotten and rejected God as surely as Israel did all those thousands of years ago.  i know America isn't God's chosen people, but even His Church within America seems to be floundering a bit.  our ONE JOB is to display God and His love, mercy, justice, forgiveness, power, glory… His HOLINESS. i need to be as broken as Jeremiah over the state of this country and what it is costing our souls. i am surrounded by lost, hurting, spiritually confused people and i... i have been called by God to be a witness. and i have failed.  i have retreated.  i have caved to pressure.  and now i see judgement on its way, and i should be weeping a whole lot more than i have been.

the thing with the prophets, and God's judgements, and all that stuff nobody likes to talk about it that it is just impossible to have a true concept of His holiness and a warped concept of sin.  they go hand in hand.  to minimize one is to minimize the other.  you can't take God seriously and in the next breath say, "my sin's not so bad."  because sin is a direct affront to His holiness.  more than that, to wave off sin is to show straight-up contempt for Jesus' sacrifice.  the epitome of love, mercy, grace, justice, humility, perfection- and sinners blow it off.  "my sin's not so bad; thanks for the gesture, Jesus, but i'm a pretty decent person and i don't need your sacrifice."  when we itemize sin, when we compare ourselves, when we apply our own standards to ourselves and hold it up to God like it's some great accomplishment...all of it...all of it takes the camera off God and focuses on us.  try as we might, our souls are never gonna be a pretty picture apart from Christ. we've deluded ourselves into thinking we can dress up the outside and be okay.

i have heard many times that a main deterrent to Christianity is that while Jesus and His teachings are pleasant, God and His punishments-particularly of the ancient non-Israelite nations- are simply intolerable.  they shout "God is love" as if they really understood that phrase and stalk off in anger.  could you appreciate a God who didn't take Himself seriously, who didn't punish wrong, who broke His word and was so small and weak that human brains could completely understand Him? no, really- think about that for a sec before you answer. they ignore the atrocities those people were committing, in flagrant disobedience to God, and say Love wouldn't punish it. God IS Love- but His perfect Love is included as a part of His majestic HOLY character.

they, just like the ancient Israelites, have forgotten His holiness. we as Christians have snuck into the background and hidden from these hard questions because we don't always know the answers- we have forgotten, too.

it hasn't happened overnight.  the Jews didn't collectively wake up one Tuesday and say, "Hey- here's an idea.  let's ask that Asherah pole for some rain, good crops and many many children."  but what was once "wrong" became "weird." before too long, "weird" became "different." soon after, "different" turned into "acceptable/normal/okay/celebrated".

but unlike Jeremiah, we aren't weeping.  we've become callused to words like "abortion" or "Obama" or…

or "lie" and "pride" and "gossip" and oh yes, i just said all that.

we've downsized our "little" sins. we've blamed those who struggle with the "big" sins.  we've got them all ranked and ordered, so we know just how upset we should be. 

the problem is that ALL OF THIS takes our focus off God.  if we were doing our job and upholding His holiness, i think several things would happen.

-we would recognize that our sins are every bit as bad as anyone's from Orlando, whether inside the club or outside. murderer, hater, liar, thief, gay, glutton, abuser, gossip/slanderer...if you sped on your way to work, you broke the law.  if you can't even handle state laws, how on earth do you reckon you're just fine with God's laws? quit calling a wicked gunman "God's judgement on gays" unless you're ready for God's judgement on your sin, too.  NO!! just no. man, that makes me so mad- i almost feel like my fever's coming back.  STOP IT!!

-we Christians would recognize our part in America, and that we share some of the blame for these atrocious sins happening every day across the nation while we creep back into our tiny little comfort zones and block it out. we need to speak out, fight evil, uphold righteousness, be involved in this country and do more than we are to represent Christ.

-we would get over our pride and reach out. reach out to everyone. even if 99% of the ones you reach out to choose to remain trapped in their blindness, if you hold that flame up someone might just see their way to the path leading to eternal Life. BE THE CHURCH.  the Church is the Holy Spirit's dwelling place, the arms and feet and eyes and heart of Jesus.  BE THAT. not the loudmouths who so full of anger and pride that they can't recognize the hurting souls all around them.

-we would weep.  we would weep for our families, our friends, our coworkers and our neighbors who don't/can't/won't see God and His truth.  we would weep for our LGBT community and the sin committed against them.  yes, i think that lifestyle is wrong and outside God's will, but God is lovingly waiting for them, not targeting them.  no, God was not caught off-guard by the massacre; even though it was wrong, it is a part of God's plan that uses people's evil to show His contrasting holiness.

because the whole point of the Gospel is that because of God's holiness and our utter inability to perfectly maintain His standards, there was a Plan already in motion.  He wants to be with us.  He wants us to love Him. so He took a "risk" a gave us free will to follow… or to flop.

God knew we'd flop.  He knew that sheep and goat sacrifices were not a long-term solution to our daily sins.  so to maintain His holiness, keep His covenant and punish sin- but ALSO to not destroy the objects of His affection (that's us, people)- He sent Jesus. 

those who accept His sacrifice are forgiven.  that's it.  clean slate. there is no "ranking" of sinners or penance to be paid.

those who refuse it will take the punishment themselves.  the Jews got a taste of it- the temple forsaken by God, they were left alone and destitute. hopeless and without anyone to even hear their parched cries. 

the Gospel is a word of hope, however.

even though the critics, and many Christians… and i… forget, even something as tragic as a massacre is not outside God's plan.  His greatest victories often come through the most troubling of crises.  our lack of understanding does not negate His omnipotence,  or His ability to turn the whole situation around for good.  this is a dark time for us, for our nation and specifically now for our LGBT community. we as Christians ARE GOD'S TEMPLE that is not forsaken, the visible presence of God- and we have ONE JOB.  let's do it! let's fall down and weep with those who weep.  let's proclaim the news of hope like Jeremiah.  let's hold up a flame and light the way to the Cross, where His holiness is fully satisfied, were darkness disappears, where Hope is eternal and where all God's chosen people find the comfort, love, forgiveness and peace that can only come from Him.

1 am theology (when my trump card trumps Trump's)

i'd like to go on record here and say that i do not consider myself an authority on anything at all.

maybe at work, i can answer questions and explain bilirubin and IV fluids and labs and feeding schedules to parents, but even there i am surrounded by decades of nursing experience that far exceeds my own.

so i take this seriously- at least as seriously as i can- especially because of the timing on a few of these conversations i've had. 

the most recent one was last night, as a nurse that i respect and love and look up to for many reasons, just asked my opinion on this YouTube video.  it was a curiosity question, and i highly doubt she thought i would make it all the way through this 1 hour, 2 minute and 13 second recorded conversation. she was a trigger for the "2 am theology" post some months back, too.  i need to watch out for her ;)

she would freak if she knew that i was listening to it again right now.

my soul is laughing right now.  mostly funnily, but also dear-me-i-hope-not-ly.  i will admit that things about it have nagged at me WAY more than they should have.  i say this here, because i'm now proofreading and i feel SO MUCH BETTER now that i've typed this all out once, made it through to the second, better half of this post and am now at peace with this mess.  if i've piqued your curiosity enough, keep reading.  if you can't hear the name Donald Trump without crying or puking, skip to the " *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^" down a ways ;)

i'm even embarrassed to say which YouTube video this is- that's how weird this is.

but i'm going to- for a few reasons.

1) there *could be* nuggets of truth hidden in there.  i have found vague hints, and i've only put a few hours of my life into this

2) i am very much not an expert on anything related to politics.  i would love input (except for a reminder on how much time i've probably wasted on this endeavor - i am fully aware)

3) if you should watch any part of this, just the first few seconds just might make it all worthwhile.  i nearly died laughing at the first image, and the humor has sustained me for many hours already.  please, click on this link if ONLY to see this image:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqwFWD_Htfo

okay good.  now close that tab and delete it from your browser history.

so here are two parts to this post.  the first are questions or concerns i have regarding this, and the overall political landscape that have supposedly come as a "word from God" to this guy Mark Taylor.

the second is what i've been thinking, learning and hearing about concerning what i know beyond doubt is a word from God that came to a guy named Jeremiah.

because i'm hoping like fury you did NOT listen to the whole hour-plus-long thing, i'll summarize.  if you DID listen, and i got it wrong, please let me know…. mostly so i can judge you for listening to it, just like i'm judging myself right now.

basically, this man was told he had an angel assigned to him, to reveal truth.  then he received a "prophecy" that:

1) Donald Trump (i know… i know…) was "anointed" by God,

2) that he would be the next president and would win by a landslide

3) he would restore America to its former greatness and would "return what was stolen" and restore it sevenfold,  the dollar would be stronger than ever, 

4) that the evil people worldwide would "quake and shake" because they'd know they'd been found out, to which the Holy Spirit says, "Ha! no one shall stop what I have started", and finally

5) several other confusing and convoluted things.

he is absolutely sure that this is a word from God because:

1) this prophecy, which came on April 28 2011, is related to both WWII and the Kentucky Derby.  "Gonna Have Another" won 2 out of 3 in 2011.  this is because God decided His people weren't ready, said "Oops-let's just wait a few years" and worked in this horse into the Plan instead.

1b- the horse Secretariat is a symbol of the end-times church. it's winning of the Triple Crown would be the sign for the Church to arise.

in 2015, American Pharoah won the Triple Crown- on D-Day.  that's when God told this man to "re-write" Eisenhower's D-Day speech and address it to the "Lord's Army."

i wish so badly i were kidding.  those few of you who listened to this, that pain you are feeling is also mine.  there is not enough alcohol and Excedrin in this great state of Tennessee to wash it away.  the coffee and pecan roll from Panera is helping, though.

2) because he's done such an excellent job of exposing the corruption in the government. this is him "splitting the kingdom of evil wide open." (my first thought here: yes, everybody is corrupt.  nobody "exposed" his own corruption, because it's so blatantly obvious.  he flaunts it to the world and acts proud of it.)

3) even though religious people accuse Trump of being "mean", well, Jesus called people names, too.  [personal note: this hurt me.  comparing Trump to Jesus hurt me. part of me hopes i'm not dancing on the line of blasphemy by saying anything about Jesus He wouldn't want me to, even if i don't believe it to be true…]

4) every time people attack him, his poll numbers go up and their ratings go down.  this is God saying, "this is a warning shot; do not touch My anointed." which is why, just like Judas Iscariot hung himself, Cruz and Rubio exposed their flaws and had to drop out.  (my first thought: ummm, woah. again… comparing Trump to Jesus.  i want to cry- not sarcastically.  i want to cry. truthfully, my soul is cringing within me.)

5) this prophesying man has been isolated from the entire world for a decade because of a thyroid and hormone imbalance.

oh yeah.  he said that.  you just have to wait to the end for that tidbit.

according to this prophecy, America is NOT under judgement, only its systems (political, financial, immigration, the New World Order, etc).  America is going to see a mass exodus of evil, scheming, liberals and be full instead of Christians, so that God can use this country as a launching place for the end-times harvest of seeds.

and Trump is God's anointed for bringing all this about.  his wall is going to boot out those lousy immigrants and establish the border, which, as the show host suddenly thought of- is because of that Bible verse where God establishes boundaries.  CLEARLY, God wants Trump to build this racist wall and preserve "His country's" border. (my first thought:  Trump is PART OF THAT financial system that is under judgement…

second thought: just no.  so much no. this wall idea needs to die a quick but painful death)

here are a few of my concerns.

1) the Holy Spirit does not say, "Ha!"

He just doesn't.  the idea that God would re-work His entire plan only after realizing His people were just not quite ready is simply not true.  i do not care who you are.  i do not care about your budget or your credentials.  you. can't. stop. God Almighty.  yes, our actions do matter and they do change circumstances, but God is outside time and has everything planned- even your future mistakes.  don't think the Holy Spirit has to think up comebacks like, "Ha!"  (yes, that is a quote from this man quoting the words of his "prophecy"). 

2) this ethnocentric worldview screams of a misguided theology that too many people share.

America is NOT "God's chosen people."  America is NOT the last Christian country.  America is NOT the Promised Land. America is probably NOT about to waltz into its greatest time ever.  those who hope so are, i think, about to be super-duper disappointed.  these "seeds" that this guy speaks of Trump re-harvesting and bringing back to America?- yeah, he's talking directly about money.  MONEY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE END-TIMES HARVEST.  OH MY FLAMING WORD, AND A THOUSAND TIMES NO. 

America has done good things in this world. very great things. 

but God's chosen people are those who have put their faith in him.  we are indeed chosen to continue His work, but not as "America." God doesn't see His people according to our man-made geographical lines, and evidence from worldwide Christ-followers indicates that God is moving and multiplying His people a jillion times faster in almost every other nation than in America.  God's harvest is going to be priceless souls- priceless because their cost is the very life of Jesus Christ, which He paid to break the unbreakable curse and save the un-save-able. 

"Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Son, Who has been made perfect forever." in the world, but not of it, folks. please stop equating America with heaven on earth.

3) the harvest is not necessarily something to look forward to- it is a warning to be continually aware of. it is a call to action, and urgent mission with eternal consequences.  the harvest means the sickle is coming.  the sickle cuts down the wheat.  then the wheat is beaten out- the grain to the storehouse, the chaff to the fire.  the end-times harvest refers to souls- saved ones to Heaven, lost ones to eternal fire and condemnation.  to be thinking about the value of the paper dollar instead of the eternal destiny of millions… well, frankly that disturbs and disgusts me. i can't believe anyone would reduce this all-important command from God to a flippant promise of money coming our way.

4) this guy has been isolated from all of society for a decade.

yes, i am returning to that.

there are valid health conditions, debilitating ones, that require some isolation.  this one?  i seriously think that he needs therapy.  a different kind than what he's getting.  if all this is coming from what he sees from the media, even religious media, and from his own interpretations from the Bible and not from a pastor or church body or a properly medicated body/mind, then i have to question this. 

5) the Devil is the best deceiver ever. in fact, it's one of his most popular nicknames.

this Mark backed up his validity as a prophet by saying God has also revealed to him a specific date of a probable terrorist attack… but i guess didn't feel confident enough to tell us what that day is- only that he's "working with some people" and that God's people need to start praying that God thwarts it. 

this stinks of deception and (i think) pride/self-glory. 

6) the implications of this "prophecy" are contradictory to what i feel God is saying in other ways.

if it is true that God has anointed Trump to be His tool in America, then it seems that God would be telling us to vote for him in November.

HOWEVER:

every Bible verse that has anything to do with politics tell us as Christians what to look for, support and vote for in our leaders (both spiritual and political).  none of those verses suggest that i should support hypocrites or bullies or racists or open liars or those who disrespect [everyone] and cheat on their wives or worship money and show no concern for vulnerable lives and the helpless and poor that this country was founded to welcome and free and comfort.

i don't think my vote should be wrestled away from me in the name of "the lesser of two evils."  regardless of electoral votes and percentages, my vote says something about what i believe to be true.  i don't think Trump is true.  i don't think i can rightly vote for him.  i do not judge anyone who does- at least not as an alternate to Hillary Clinton.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2016/march-web-only/should-christians-vote-for-lesser-of-two-evils.html?&visit_source=facebook )

i'm so sorry to put you through all of that.

but i really had to vent and throw all that out there, because it really has been on my mind since i first heard it.  it has interrupted sleep and distracted me so much i'll never get anything done until i post this.  typing it out usually helps me process, and posting it not only increases my internet presence but also means that someone out there may be able to offer insight that i lack, give a different perspective and correct me when i am wrong (i hope you feel free to do so- i welcome it and need it).  i didn't even get to mention the part where they talk about Nebuchadnezzar's vision of a cross to "conquer under" and his stopping of Christian persecution… (there weren't Christians back then…)- which not even Google has a response to.

but i already was mentally writing a post in my head, and this fit too perfectly with it.  and rather than spend a whole post talking about Trump (because seriously, i am not ready to hospitalize myself again) i decided to make one really long post and be done with it. 

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

recent decisions from this country's current "commander in chief" have already rocked the religious minority, and even led our pastor, and then our LifeGroup leader, to deviate from their teaching plans yesterday.  if you go to my church, you would clearly see just how big a deal that is.   Obama's illegal and insulting and...godless… decree regarding bathrooms and gender identity and his lofty opinion of his authority are alarming. serious reflection, prayer and action from His people (not "Americans", "HIS PEOPLE" within America) are necessary. 

but even more necessary is the message we received yesterday.

these words are from God.  I know this.

they came from another isolated man- one distanced from the world not because of an untreated medical/psychological condition but because of the unmistakable call of God upon his life to go out into the world and call everyone who would listen to repent before the coming judgement. 

his name was Jeremiah.

instead of promising wealth and prosperity immediately in the future, he promised a coming judgement.  he very clearly stated why this punishment was coming, and then he also gave explicit instructions to follow, for anyone who wished to survive the advancing army horde of pagan Babylonians.  it involved surrendering openly, willingly going into captivity and then settling down. 

because they were going to be there for a while.

it was to their benefit that they accept this and make do.  live their lives. become involved in the society they were placed in.  build houses. get jobs.  raise families.  all in the knowledge that the land they were in was not their permanent home and that they should always look ahead to their restoration.

this was not a popular message, not even with the attached promise that is on almost every refrigerator door magnet in the South: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you. you will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I have sent you into exile." Jeremiah 29: 11-14 ESV.

regarding Trump, and Obama, the parallel seems clear to me, as are the glaring differences  to this Mark guys' "prophecy."  yes, God used "changes" to work His will and His plan may seem to have changed- but humans didn't thwart it.

His people are His, no matter what modern-day nation they dwell in.  American national boundaries have nothing to do with it, and no "i'm gonna build a wall.  a big wall" threat is going to… just no.  forget the wall already!!  please!!!  gaaaaahhhh! 

we are in a type of exile now… yes, even American Christians.  this land is our wilderness, our temporary captivity, makeshift camp.  we'll be gathered, yes, but not to this desert-  to a land flowing with mercy and holiness.

His people are His, no matter what society is doing around us.  we are called to be active in the places He's put us, to be praying for those leading us (guilty… so, so guilty) and to be proclaiming God's truth, even when we are faced with opposition and ridicule- which is a given.

His people are His, no matter what comes our way. it will likely be tribulation and persecution that will bring His people back to HIM (not "America"- GOD!!!), not money.  the Church's most dramatic growth is occurring in the most anti-Jesus atmospheres.  Nebuchadnezzar was not exactly the most humble of emperors, and Babylon is not where we would think of planting a Baptist conference center.  but God knew that this would be the place where His people would "re-find" Him as he refined them. 

the "prophets" who came along and declared that Jeremiah was a liar… didn't fare too well.  they were false.  they spoke just what the rebellious Israelites wanted to hear, and tacked the Lord's name on it.  they willingly deceived the people (though they asked for it, and then got it).

and then they died. 

and not peacefully. 

the Devil used false prophets to lull people into a false sense of security.  those who were unaware, or just plain spiritually lazy, fell for it because someone told them "God told me."

my security is not in the shaky electoral process or any physical thing.

my security is solely in the rock-solid Jesus.  and He's given us hundreds of pages of His written revelations that tell us all we need to know right now. 

His people are His, no matter what.

there is a promise of hope and the best Day IS indeed coming. it's even better and far more glorious than anything this world could dream up.

instead of the twisting and writhing my spirit did (twice, now,) listening to YouTube (don't even think about reading the comments underneath….), i was filled with peace, hearing eternal words of Truth.  God is not worried in the least about who is about to become elected.  He knows and it's already part of His plan.  

Obama may have "a pen and a phone" and a failing grade in human biology and genetics, but God has a throne. 

Trump has YouTube.

i have a Savior.  and free access to Him 24/7- even when the internet is down.

i look forward happily, not towards November, but even farther ahead to the day when all His true people are gathered from the nations, kneeling together around that throne and celebrating our Eternal King, the Lord of Hosts, the Almighty, the Always and Forever Alpha and Omega.  when every true prophecy is fulfilled and every last soul harvested.  when our Promised Land isn't a promise anymore but a reality. 

Amen, and come quickly, Jesus!