The following was passed onto me after reading yesterday’s post on age and wisdom. This report is exactly what I was talking about. Take time to read it and delight in it! I was humbled by this beautiful story and I rejoiced when I read the last line.
Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher
One of my favourite Mark Twain quotes is:
When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.For me this process of learning hasn’t finished even though now I am probably older than Mark’s father was. I am continually amazed how much wisdom older people have. The tragedy is, that unlike mark Twain, we as a society have been failing to listen to the our seniors for many years.
Readers of my blog know that I am a passionate advocate for young people but I am also an advocate for those who have experienced much and have wisdom to offer. Yes I have come across a few old fools who make sure that everybody knows their opinion – ad nauseum. But there are many more older people who have a quiet and experience wrought wisdom which has been nurtured through faith. All we need to do is ask. We have to ask because too often they have been told their opinion is not worth anything.
Job 12:12 asks
Is not wisdom found among the aged?
Does not long life bring understanding?
Think of the questions we need to ask our elders:
How did you keep your marriage working? What obstacles to faith do we need to keep alert to? What did you do that was particularly effective in raising your family? What mistakes did you make? What boundaries did you set on your children? How did you cope in the traumas of life?And there are many, many more questions. If we don’t ask, we won’t find out. If we don’t find out, we will be the poorer.
We tend to think of Calvin as the theologian but he was also a pray-er with a deep relationship with his God. After all, he was known by some as the ‘theologian of the Holy Spirit.’
I discovered a number of his prayers at Monergism.com. Below is one example taken from his commentary on Hosea:
Grant, Almighty God, that as thou hast not only of late adopted us as thy children, but before we were born, and as thou hast been pleased to sign us, as soon as we came forth from our mother’s womb, with the symbol of that holy redemption, which has been obtained for us by the blood of thy only begotten Son, though we have by our ingratitude renounced so great a benefit, – O grant, that being mindful of our defection and unfaithfulness, of which eve are all guilty, and for which thou hast justly rejected us, we may now with true humility and obedience of faith embrace the grace of thy gospel now again offered to us, by which thou reconciles thyself to us; and grant that we may steadfastly persevere in pure faith, so as never to turn aside from the true obedience of faith, but to advance more and more in the knowledge of thy mercy, that having strong and deep roots, and being firmly grounded in the confidence of sure faith, we may never fall away from the true worship of thee, until thou at length receives us in to that eternal kingdom, which has been procured for us by the blood of thy only Son. Amen.
Recently two videos have been recommended to me. Both (with the usual caveat that we read and watch material critically) are well worth watching and being challenged by.
The first was recommended by one of my daughters (an introvert) and she found this to be very affirming of her own character and traits. Teachers and pastors, I believe, will be challenged by this.
Susan Cain speaks about the power of introverts
The second is also a TED video and speaks of vulnerability. Brene Brown speaks of her own journey. Christians, I believe have a chapter to add to this story about the one who made himself totally vulnerable for us, but even by itself, it is a powerful image of our humanity.
A few years ago we lived in the UK for 16 months. What struck us was the distinctiveness of the seasons – the warmth and humidity of the Summer, the cold of the Winter and either the coming to life or the dying of Spring and Autumn.
Below are two videos taken from either end of a local street made up of photos taken approximately once every week (or so) over a year. This was not a technically precise exercise. (Click on the photos to be taken to the videos).
Stanier Square
Stanier - Other end
Even in a suburban environment
we have glimpses of God. We don’t have to go to the edge of the Grand Canyon or into the starry outback in Australia. The changes of the seasons, the springing into life of the trees, the blossoming of flowers, wherever we are, are all reminders of the divine hand of God.
I read with resigned sadness that Encyclopaedia Britannica is ceasing its print production after starting its life in Scotland in 1768, 244 years ago. In this time it has grown from a modest three volumes to 32 volumes in the latest edition. In its heyday the Britannica commanded a great deal of respect as it was filled with many scholarly articles in a world craving for knowledge and understanding. Today, with the internet and the over abundance of resources, as well as the increased level of education, that honour has diminished somewhat.
Being a bibliophile, I love my Britannicas. I have three sets: A Replica of the first edition, the 9th edition (C19th – pictured) and the 15th edition (from 1975). The truth is, however, I use them very little nowadays. Just as a lot of my Bible study is done from behind the keyboard, with computer programmes and online resources, so is my research. The online Britannica gets more use than the print edition. More often than not, the volumes are used as weights for my wife’s paper making. Today I use my iPad for quick reference and to read books because the public library or book store is “too far away”. I am part of the blame for the printed Britannica’s demise.
But still my emotions stir with this news because I love the feel of a book and turning its pages. Then again, the Scribe might have said the same about unrolling the scroll, or the artisan about chipping into a stele.
As a Christian, it is amazing to reflect on this change in “technologies” over the years. The Bible, too, has been part of these changes. However the Holy Spirit has never been bound by technology. From word of mouth, to Kindles and iPads, the Word of God has continued to spread, inform, challenge and change people over the centuries.
At our staff devotions this morning a colleague showed us a graph of the Bible references between the Old and New Testaments. It was a clever pictorial representation of which OT book and chapter connected with the New. In other words, all those references in your Bible have been connected visually. This doesn’t contradict what I said in yesterday’s post about looking for meaning where it is not warranted. In fact, it shows how the meaning and intent of Scripture is beautifully linked. If you are a visual person, this could be a valuable representation of the Word for you. It doesn’t remove the need to read Scripture, however it can add to our appreciation of it.
Chris Harrison has a variety of charts of various aspects of Scripture. http://www.chrisharrison.net/index.php/Visualizations/BibleViz
On our first overseas trip together in 2003, my wife and I travelled to the USA. After visiting our daughter in Davis we started our long road journey. We had arrived in LA and it was not love at first sight. San Francisco was a more likable city, but it was a city and we hadn’t travelled all this way just to see another city.
It was when we arrived at the Grand Canyon that we finally had a “Wow!” moment. Our original intention was to take a peek and drive on, after all we were on the great American road trip. But we were mesmerised. We couldn’t move on. We couldn’t take it all in. I remember my wife saying it was bit like comprehending God. You could look at parts of the canyon but it was impossible to comprehend the whole.Ultimately we drove 16000 kms over 5 weeks. We traversed the continent twice. But our visit to the Grand Canyon was the highlight.
Nine years later these days are still a stand out moment in our travels. From the grandeur of the scene to the coyotes calling across the canyon at night as we lay in our tent surrounded by snow, it was the best introduction to travel we could have had.
Finally, as a person of faith, it was another amazing glimpse of the omnipotence of God.
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1&2
I inhabit an office that also contains two computer geeks. They speak a language that is mostly alien gibberish. However, whenever the computer breaks down it is great because I have immediate help at my left elbow. They give me the best service in the school.
Today they were rabbiting on about a “potentiometer”. My imagination went into overdrive. Great! They have discovered an instrument that can measure a student’s potential. What a handy tool! If a student has no potential then I don’t have to waste my effort. If a student has hidden potential the machine will tell me. The “potentiometer” told me so.
Fortunately for my students that is not what a potentiometer does. (If you want to know – go to Wikipedia.) God does not treat us like that. We have all been created with potential. We are all unique and special. We have a place and purpose to fulfill.
Psalm 139 reminds us that we are special to our Creator: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Verse 13 is just one of many that extols our uniqueness. God created each of us with special potential. We have been “wonderfully” made.
If we have moments of depression or self doubt – Psalm 139 is the antidote. God, our heavenly dad, reminds each of His children of their importance and rareness, as well as their place in His eternal family.
In the midst of this world:
“You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.”
Isn’t this a reason to rejoice!
Travels from Ur 