Hidden things and purity... how to make this happen

The question is asked in the Good Book, "How shall a man keep his way pure?" I wonder if that's a question that's beyond normal conversation in these days. Maybe more are thinking about their superannuation. How shall a man keep his 401-k? Or how shall a man keep his children safe at public school? Those questions might be more an American consideration today. They say that there are more mass murders in the US than days of the year, at least so far in 2024. The world stopped to notice gun violence the other evening when candidate for president Donald Trump was shot in the ear at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Safety, gun violence, terror-- those are topics of late, but not purity.

Even so, the question is there in the Good Book, so it warrants some thoughtful discussion. After all, there are some for whom purity does matter. A few years ago the world stopped in a Covid-heartbeat and watched as trauma, lack of information, viruses, governmental mandates, jabs, and school and work closures trampolined the planet into a financial crisis, and many nations or metropolitan areas are still reeling from that season. I still wash my hands a different way in these days. When I use public restrooms, I still take an extra paper towel with which to exit through the closed doors, rather than use my freshly washed hands. Purity of hands...that makes sense.

On the pickleball courts, at synagogue, at church and other social contexts, more people fist bump than shake hands. That's leftover from sports and Covid. I haven't seen what they labelled 'social distancing' any longer, but I do know of folks who still prefer to sit apart from others, especially as Covid seems to be resurging this US summer in certain states. Ah, for purity.

Leonardo da Vinci is known for many inventions and artwork, but this quote of his about purity speaks for itself. "Iron rusts from disuse; water loses its purity from stagnation... even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind." That speaks to me. Seems that a bit of activity is required for us to have purity of soul. In other words, purity is not stagnant; it's not a characteristic that is settled in an ingenue or old man; it's demanding our attention.

The Good Book had an answer to that question. It's found in the Psalms. The longest psalm in the Bible. 119. And in verses 9- 11 we read this: 

 "How can a young man keep his way pure? 

      By keeping it according to Your word.
With all my heart I have sought You;
      Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
Your word I have treasured in my heart,
     That I may not sin against You."

That advice seems colleagial with Da Vinci. Somehow keeping our way consistent with the Word of the Scriptures and 'treasuring' it in our heart will prevent impurities from lodging within us. The word translated 'treasure' is the Hebrew word "Tsafanti" from the root meaning 'to hide.' Hiding is an activity I employ with my grandchildren, and it launches a game where each of them tries to hide the coin or the die behind their ear or my ear, and they laugh out loud for the pleasure it gives them. Whatever else is included in the verb, it's clear that hiding is an active word. Reading the Bible is a good enterprise and is itself active, but I think the author (King David, et. al.) is intending something else.

God is often the one who is hiding. In fact, the game of hide-and-seek might have been played by God long before my siblings and I found it in the 1950s. 

For instance, Moses records this from God's lips:

“Then My anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide My face from them, and they will be consumed, and many evils and troubles will come upon them; so that they will say in that day, ‘Is it not because our God is not among us that these evils have come upon us?’ But I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they will do, for they will turn to other gods." (Deuteronomy 31.17-18)

   

The ancient Jewish prophet Job who had plenty of personal and family troubles, said to God, 

“Why do You hide Your face 

And consider me Your enemy? (Job 13.24)

But whether we are or he is hiding, the issue is not that activity, but rather hiding something in our heart.

The word is hiding in the heart of the psalmist. How do I make that happen? Hiding in a bush in a game of tag is easy to see. Hiding 20,000 in a Swiss bank account is a little harder, but still able to be done. How do I hide God's word in my heart?  I believe the key is understanding the word 'meditate.' To mull things over, to ponder, to focus one's thoughts on, or to reflect. That's what I hear when the word is used. And that's the way to hide God's word 

Reading the Good Book is fantastic. Memorizing passages helps get the Word very accessible to you, and then meditating on those words, one word, one phrase, one idea at a time is hiding it in your heart. 

How shall a man keep his way pure? Meditate on the Word, one day and one word at a time, and God will continue to speak with you throughout your day and purity is a (super)natural function of this enterprise.  Five times in this one psalm we read this word (119.15, .27, .48, .78, .148) and each time it's the conclusion of the psalmist. Bury the word deep in your soul, and it will have its desired effect. It's not only knowing the Hebrew or Greek; it's not academic; it's personal and restorative. 

The apostle James said, "receive the Word IMPLANTED which is able to save your souls." (James 1.21) It's the meditated word which implants in the heart and can save (restore) our souls to God's original plan. 

Why not try it today? Take a word like Colossians 3.17 or John 20.31 and let it loose in your heart after you memorize it. I wish you success. And purity. And God's life to flow in you. Today. 

Signs in the sky (COVID, Solstice and the Great Conjunction) and what's normal?

Signs

It would be nice to be normal today, but it's not. 

Solstice: Today is 21 December, the summer solstice here in Australia. It's the longest day of the year. That is, there are more hours of sunshine and daylight than any other day of the year. It should be warm and wonderful. But it is raining here in Sydney and the temperature is ranging from 19-22 degrees. For those reading this in the US, that's a moderate temperature. I'm hopeful that the rain clouds dissipate so that at 11 pm I along with all the sky-watching community can see the almost juxtaposition of Jupiter and Saturn. We are, after all, 9.6 x 10 to the negative 5 light years away just now from Jupiter.

Great Conjunction: The two planets of Jupiter and Saturn move into proximity every 20 years or so, they say creating this Great Conjunction, but tonight they will be closer than they have been since 1623. From what I read, the two planets will be separated in the sky by a minimum of 6 arcminutes. And I guess that's pretty close. I've read many websites of late with people pointing to the sky and conspiracists talking about 'signs of the times.' After all, they cite Yeshua, the Jewish messiah, whose final 'sermon' in Matthew 24 has mention of signs at least three times. (See below for references) Astronomers title this conjunction the "Christmas Star." Nothing normal about this conjunction. 

The Canberra Times reported on this phenomenon yesterday: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7062721/could-the-great-conjunction-be-the-christmas-star/ 

COVID: But as far as distancing diminishing, that's not going to happen anytime soon with Sydney residents. Due to the COVID outbreak at the Avalon Club and the entire Norther Beaches peninsula, some are in lockdown again. Today NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced "15 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases were recorded in the state, all linked to the Avalon cluster on the Northern Beaches which now totals 83 cases. Over the weekend, the Northern Beaches area was placed under lockdown and restrictions increased in Greater Sydney until midnight on Wednesday. Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory also confirmed border closures for residents from the Greater Sydney area. Even Canberra and WA said 'no' to Sydney residents.

I guess we Sydney folks will be only sitting amongst ourselves, again, and separated from many others and many events we would have otherwise enjoyed. No Carols in the Domain. No dancing at weddings. No Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race (First time cancelled in 75 years!) and maybe no Test Cricket against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground starting early in 2021.  Nothing normal about all this!

My friend Darren wrote this to his church family today on the Lower North Shore: "2020 has seen many people experience a declining number of relationships and increasing isolation. All of society recognises both the sadness and the serious health implications of this phenomenon. Without being alarmist or fundamentalist, eternal isolation is an apt description of hell and the only cure for this is trust in the saving work of Jesus."

We have to be distant from one another at this time, but that's only in the physical. Please, let's draw close to each other on the phone, on Zoom, and any clever ways we can.

We have to have Christmas without many normal services. But that first Christmas Star, the one over Bethlehem, the one the magi followed, led those kings of the Orient to a place where a little Jewish baby was cradled. Nothing was normal about that era. Kings from the East coming to find him "who is the King of the Jews?" (Matthew 2.1) After the Messiah was born, an edict went forth from the king of the area (Herod) demanding that all Jewish baby boys had to be killed.  Nothing normal about that. Shepherds in the fields watching over their flocks; an angel appeared and led a chorus of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest." Nothing about that scene was normal. 

Is this a sign of the last days? Not really. But it is a moment in history, here in Australia and around the globe for people to consider how to be close, even with presents under trees, and mad final dashes to the shops for that must-have gift, I want you to know that no matter what day or days this turns out to be, that God is on the throne; He knows the end from the beginning. 

He's not startled by COVID nor by border closures. He's not frustrated nor wishing for us to be distant from him. 

He longs for us to draw near to him. 

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews said, "God is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Yeshua (Hebrew for "Jesus"), since Yeshua always lives to make intercession for them." (7.25)

The Messiah's half-brother said, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." (James 4.8)

Do you feel distant from God? Just turn back and call upon him, even now. He is listening. You can have Christmas without singing and without carols on television, even without prawns, and without your relatives from interstate, but you can't have Christmas without Yeshua. Without him, there's nothing normal about that!

--------------------

Citations about the Last Days:

Matt. 24:3   As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Yeshua privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

Matt. 24:24  Yeshua said, “For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect."

Matt. 24:30 Yeshua said,  “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory.