Vacancy

Perhaps I should put an advertisement in the paper. “Grandparents available” There must be some little ones out there who need the love of grandparents. Perhaps there are some young folk who need the support from older folk. We have so much to give. I am just not sure where the advertisement should go. In the Pets column? Used goods for sale? Collectors items? Employment wanted?
We don’t have any good references either. Our son did not approve of us as grandparents. He thought we spoiled the children, and allowed them to watch too much TV, and gave them the wrong food.. He and his wife never took our advice for the children, and thought we had old fashioned ideas about nutrition, and medical matters and education.
We weren’t the best parents, but the proof is in the pudding, I say. Our own children are beautiful, healthy people, good citizens with fine morals. A parent couldn’t ask for more.

Lost and Found

When he was here on earth, Jesus told us a story about a man who had a hundred sheep. One of the sheep was lost, so the man left the ninety-nine to go and search for the lost sheep. In another story, he told of a woman who lost a coin and searched everywhere for it. Strange how we value those things which are lost to us. In yet another story, Jesus tells of a man who lost one of his sons, too. The young man had left his father and his home to live a ‘good’ life. When he came to his senses, having spent all his living he went home to his father, who was overjoyed to receive him again.
In these stories, Jesus was teaching us that we are lost to God, and he is longing for us to return to him. He will not rest until we do.
As Christians, (people who have been lost, but have returned to God,) it is our work here on earth to point the way to God to others who still haven’t found him.
Luke 15:10 “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Lucille

I remember a story I read from ancient history of a man called Jacob who held twelve sons. His second youngest son was taken from him, and we are told that Jacob could not be consoled. He had eleven other sons, but he could not be consoled. My only son has gone to live in Australia, and I feel just the way Jacob felt. I cannot be consoled. We have a beautiful daughter named Lucille who is living with us. I do not know how we would have coped without her. She is always cheerful, always chirpy, with these comical little actions which make one laugh through the tears in spite of oneself. Lucille has an extraordinary gift of being able to direct my attention to the cross of Jesus in every situation. On the cross, God gave his only Son to die for my sins, so that I could be reconciled to him and he could be my father. One day he will take me to be with him in glory. There I will be forever, along with all the people I love. In that place there will be no pain, or tears, and the bible tells us, no more sea. That means no more separation. My son will be with me again, for eternity.
Rev 21: 1-5 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. Here will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Still grieving......

Like most people our age, Noel and I’ve been through some bad times. Times where you couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. Times that filled us with despair. Our only son with a life threatening disease, the death of loved ones, divorce, the ugly spectre of alcoholism, my daughter’s life threatening injuries from a car accident, my grandchild born with a serious heart defect, broken relationships and much, much more.

It’s a bad time now – the hardest, we think. We have lost our three precious little grandchildren. They have gone forever. No more wet little kisses, or hugs, or happy squeals of delight.
No, they are not dead, they are well and alive and happy living in another country. But they are gone from us forever. If we do see them again, they will have grown, as children do so quickly, they won’t know us, and we won’t know them.
Those who know something say that we are grieving, and that grieving has several stages – sadness, anger, disbelief, listlessness and depression. The stages come and go in any order and are sometimes repeated. It does help to know. Its true, too, that time does heal. We know this from our past experiences. So we’re just biding our time, spoiling ourselves and each other, taking it easy.

The Academy Awards

I watched the Oscar Academy Awards on TV last night. I always watch it. I am not sure why. I guess its the same sort of fascination as those motorists who stop to see the gory details of a motor accident. At best, I spent some two hours in which I hardly thought of my grandchildren at all. It was a welcome relief. I find the pomp and splendour of the grand ceremony with the beautiful ladies and the dashing gentlemen and their contrived efforts to perform their crowning acts to show sincere love and gratitude to the world at large very entertaining. The accolades and praise of the fellow actors towards the nominees, and the well rehearsed performances and acceptance speeches are deserving of their own awards. The trend this year, as in the last, was to defend and campaign for the rights of homosexuals and lesbians. In both seasons, the movies as well as the actors campaigning for these deviants received nominations and awards.
On a more positive note, I did notice that everyone, man or woman, old or young was careful to thank his or her parents and to pay tribute to them. It was rather touching.
I wondered this morning how the recipients of the awards felt today when they woke up and saw their much coveted, much strived for golden statuette – the Oscar. Their dreams have just been realised. There it was, everything they had worked and played and paid so hard for. How awfully small it must seem! I can almost understand, then, the drive to begin the long struggle all over again to win the next award and the recognition it brings. I wonder how many people remember last year’s winner?

As Christians, we also strive to win. But our prize is an everlasting one that will bring eternal glory. And we are certain that we will win, because Jesus Christ has conquered all on our behalf.

“Do you not know that in a race al the runners run, but only one gets the prize: Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” 1 Cor. 9:24-27

Christians live a double Life

1 Peter2:9
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
Christians live a double life. We have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and King, and owe him all our allegiance. He has another country indeed, another world, planned for us. He is busy building his kingdom right now. Sometimes, here on this earth, while we are with other Christians, or reading and studying his word the Bible, we get a foretaste of that kingdom, and there is no language for us to adequately describe the joy, the love, and the thrill we feel.
In the meantime, we have to live here on this earth, with all its ugliness and cruelty and disease, and death. Many of us have beloved family sharing our lives who don’t know anything about our Christian life, and who cannot comprehend what we are going on about. Of course, there is much to be happy about in this world, too, because God is so good He has given even those who hate him the best things of the world to enjoy. His Creation, little children, love for one another and much, much more.
But in the new world he is building which we are eagerly waiting and working for, the troubles and joys of this world will not be able to compare.
God’s word to us teaches about a place where there will be no more death, or crying, or disease, no more goodbyes or pain or sorrow. We will all have new healthy bodies, our loved ones around us, and best of all, we will see Jesus in all His risen glory.
Why then, must we stay here? Why the long wait? God created the first world in seven days. Why is it taking so long for him to build the new world?

2 Peter3:3
“First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.” 4 They will say “Where is this ’coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation: 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgement and destruction of ungodly men. 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance”.

A mountain too High?

I have had asthma for some 20 odd years now. The condition has steadily deteriorated and has now become COPD or COAD. Chronic Obstruction of the Airways Disease. One of the unpleasant symptoms of this disease is emphysema – which is scarring of the lung tissue, caused by excessive coughing. I find it difficult to breath on the best of days. It becomes especially difficult if I catch a cold, but apart from this, I lead a pretty normal, happy life, just slower and a little more sedentary than I would choose.
I caught a cold on the day my son left with his family to go and live in Australia. That was a Friday. By Sunday the cold had turned into a lung infection and I needed to see a doctor for antibiotics. (COAD causes a low immunity system)
On Wednesday the specialist put me into to hospital so that I could have steroids intravenously to open my lungs.
I am home now, having been given as much steroids as my little body could bear. If my condition deteriorates this weekend, I shall have to go back for another bout of steroids.
When my son told me that he would be going to Perth to live, I thought that it would be something that I could not bear. It would be a mountain I could not climb.
I can’t help fearing, with this latest setback in my health, if that isn’t proving true. Is it possible that my poor weak mind and my broken heart are making me ill? If so, how can I make myself stronger? Is there a way to grieve that does not affect one’s health?

God is in control

Habakkuk is basically a recording of a conversation between the prophet and God. Habakkuk is complaining because God doesn’t seem to care about what is happening in his country. The crime and injustice is rife. If God is in control, why doesn’t He do something? In fact in chapter1:12, Habakkuk’s second complaint is that God himself has appointed his wicked government to execute justice – and they’re failing.
God does answer Habakkuk. He says he has seen the awful goings-on, he is doing something. He is raising a force from Babylon to overrun Israel, an army of terror and fierceness not seen before. This army will severely punish Israel’s leaders for their injustice. History tells us that this did indeed happen and that the Israel was completely destroyed by the Babylonians.
God is always in control. Perhaps something like this happened in the history of our own country. During the Apartheid government I know that many people, like Habakkuk, and including myself, were crying out to God about the many terrible injustices suffered by the people. God answered our prayers and that government was removed, and thanks to God’s great mercy, in a very peaceful way. God is surely in control now, and as Christians we have complete confidence in His wisdom and power for His plans in our government today. We are not afraid, and do not need to run away.

This awful South African situation

I was reading the writings of Habakkuk who was a prophet in Israel hundreds of years ago. He was complaining about the ruling government in his country, and wondering why God wasn’t doing anything about it. The complaints looked very similar to many that I have heard today in our own government here in South Africa. What is God doing about it? Doesn’t He care?

3 Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong?Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.
4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

It never really bothered me before. I am one of the privileged few here. I have employment, my own house, and more than enough money. But one of the reasons my son and his family went to Australia, is because of our corrupt government and their mismanagement. So now I am concerned. Our governments shortcomings have impacted on me, personally. I need to know what God thinks, and what He is going to do about it. More about this tomorrow.

What's it all about?

I read a story in the Bible about a couple called Elimelech and Naomi. They had two little boys and lived a long time ago in a country called Israel. Israel was called the promised land because God had led the Israelites there to become a great nation, and to be His special people under His rule.
But there was a great famine in the land, and Elimelech and Naomi decided to emigrate to the neighbouring country of Moab. It was sad that they had to leave Israel, to leave God’s people and go to a country which did not know God. They had to leave their parents too. But it was a good decision. They had their two boys and their future to consider.
The bible doesn’t say it, but they must have had a good life there. They boys grew up and married there. But then I read that both Elimelech and his sons died. Naomi decided to go home to Israel. Ruth, her daughter-in-law went with her.
Such a tragic story. Elimelech’s parents never saw their son or grandchildren again. Naomi went home a sad, bitter widow.
Back in Israel again, Naomi and Ruth survived by gleaning corn. Ruth met the rich owner of a field where she was gleaning, and they were married. So the story ends happily enough.
I wondered at the point of it all.
It turns out that later Ruth became the grandmother of David, who was God’s chosen king for Israel. From the line of David, Jesus, the saviour of the world was born.
God, who knows and plans everything, had planned to use a young, Maobite girl to be the progenitor of His Christ, and so he allowed Elimelech and Naomi to emigrate to Moab.
My son Duane was a pastor in our church here in Durban. He has left God’s people and God’s place to go to Australia, where the people do not know God. It was a good decision, he had to consider the future of his children. I know that God has a plan for that family too.

Seven days ago my only son moved with his wife and three children to Australia, Perth.
Such a simple, matter-of-fact statement. So what? Thousands of families have emigrated from their own countries to seek a better life for themselves.
But this is my son. My grandchildren, my life, and I have been left behind like an empty shell.
What do Grandpa's and Grannies do without Grandchildren?
What shall I do now? What shall I think about? How shall I live?
Are there any other parents out there who have been left behind? What did you do? How did you cope?