learning not to trust everybody

My grandchildren live with me. Lily is almost five months old. She has rubbery legs which are always kicking, and eyes bluer and rounder, larger than you expect. Her dark hair is wavy now that's it nearly long enough to cover her ears. She has an older brother, Lucian, who is over three and study on his legs which are always running, everywhere, down the hall, through the kitchen, and even to bed. Mostly he has been very gentle and kind to her and she is smitten with him and can watch him with his colorful Jedi sword for hours. She coos and chortles and laughs when he pops back around the corner of the kitchen, after hiding from her. But today, left a lone for a few moments, he, angry at her fussing, did something to her, hit her or pinched her, and she cried that angry, hurt, startled cry. Red faced,howling that someone she loved had mistreated her.

She finally was comforted. But she was wary now of her brother at the supper table. And he was ashamed, and not very happy, not his usually, chirpy, bubbly self. In time, they will work out their peace. But for me watching, it was the serpent in the garden. A reminder that we live in a fallen world where we are disappointed and worse, where we disappoint others.

How wonderful it is that a solution has been found. God comes to rescue us from our falleness and to restore us in our relationships to Him and to others through the sacrifice of His son on our behalf. And He brings us the vision of a world that has been restored, every bit of it. From the ecology, to its institutions of civilization and to the arts and culture. All of it redeemed. One day we will see that "peaceable kingdom" where the lion lies down and sleeps between the paws of the lion, and a little child like Lily will lead the wild beasts like Lucian plays with Margit's retriever. Trust is restored. May that day come quickly.

Fellowship Offerings

I wonder if I have ever truly brought God a "Fellowship offering"? I don't know how I've missed it all these years, but I never remember hearing a sermon on these offerings specified by the Old Testament. (Ex.29 and Lev. 7) Highly personal, these were not required or specified as to time or day--they were totally volitional. Like an outpouring of love and worship to Almighty God for His goodness, these sacrifices were for three situations. One was a sacrifice of Thanksgiving, which we hear about in song mostly, and it was to be offered, and consumed in one day. It couldn't be a left over...It makes me think that my thanks giving to God should be a daily worship experience. Often it followed God's deliverance from danger, or His healing an illness, or His provision. The second category of Fellowship offerings was the payment of a vow. Possibly Paul was bringing an offering as repayment of a vow to the Temple in the account in Acts. I have heard people promise to serve the Lord, or to do certain things. This offering seems to be thanks that God has empowered someone or allowed them to perform or see certain things. And then--the FREEWILL offering. This is like the "love gifts" my very poor mother used to sacrifice to give my brother and I when we were grade school kids. She would leave a gift on our pillows or in our school bags--a special treat, ceramic parrots (reminding us of a favorite parrot we had loved in Brazil) or stuffed bunnies. "Just because I love you" she would say. No reason. No day. no obligation. Just because I love you. And I think that these offerings are like that! Now days we just think about money when we think of offerings...or grave solemn offertory music played by pipe organs, But maybe the offering of time, talent, or presence in someones life could be offered to God --just because we love Him. The joy of our fellowship just makes you want to "jump"--or SOME thing! Shout a word of thanks! pay a vow with joy; give of yourself to others because you Love Him! Bring those fellowship offerings in!