Monthly Archives: May 2021

Thoughts while sitting at the meeting of the RCUS Synod

God sends encouragement from unexpected places.

Sometimes a spark of light radiates from an unexpected place and you sigh and remember that God has not forgotten his church.

I can’t believe this guy is still talking.

Photographs irritate me. We all look about the same as last year. Couldn’t we just change the caption?

I think it is about time to crawl out of the miasma of denial, bite the bullet and admit it: Air Supply is awesome.

I can’t believe this guy is still talking.

There has been several comments and committee reports that mention how we need to become more proficient with technology – social media, zoom, conference calls, etc. It is hard to imagine how we can make this possible with so many delegates that haven’t figured out how to turn their phones to silent.

We just heard from the host church that there is currently no running water. He encouraged us to make good decisions with that information. Our president just said, “If it is yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown flush it down.” Out of every possible thing that we could have expected our president to say during this meeting, this one never once entered my mind.

Prolonged sitting and overcast, humid weather is not good for fibromyalgia. My body feels as if it has been run over by a truck.

I miss my family. I miss my wife. I miss my church.

Abba is also awesome.

I can’t believe this guy is still talking.

Speaking of unexpected things, the Synod struck a blow for Christian liberty – perhaps without even intending to. The hand of God has been with us.

Sometimes a light radiates, the glory of Christ is glimpsed through the gathering clouds…whatever the future brings, the Sun of Righteousness still shines, and he has healing in his wings.

When one plays Beethoven, one is struck at how important the silences are. I believe that everyone would benefit from listening to Beethoven.

Knowing when to wrap things up is a remarkably useful skill.

Take note?

Take note.

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Filed under Random thoughts

Jesus touched the leper

Do you get that?

Does that sink into your soul?

A leper was unclean. He was untouchable. To touch a leper was to make yourself unclean.

They were cast out. They were driven from society. The were not allowed in the Temple.

And Jesus touched them.

(Mark 1:40-41)  40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
  41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.

And when he touched them, they became clean. And he took their uncleanness upon himself.

And then the Romans and the Jews and the World dragged him outside the camp, with all of our uncleanness, and crucified him – along with all of our uncleanness.

Think about that. Jesus touched the leper.

Who are we afraid to touch? Who are we afraid are too dirty for us?

If you think that someone is too dirty, then you do not yet understand. Read it again.

JESUS TOUCHED THE LEPER.

The greatest sorrow that crushes our soul is the sorrow of uncleanness. Being driven away; being hated; being considered unclean.

Too dirty, too sinful, too seductive, too “other” for all of us clean people.

Do you feel like you just showed up at the feast and you are filthy? Do you feel that in your soul?

Your soul crumbles under the weight of your uncleanness. You are unclean yourself. What you have endured left a film of stain on your soul that you just wish would go away.

How you long to be one of the normals! To just live and shop and eat and drink and love as if you didn’t have a huge, ugly sign attached to your neck: UNCLEAN. DON’T TOUCH!”

Jesus touched the leper.

Jesus touched the leper.

Stand up straight. Lift up your eyes. strengthen your knees.

You are the circumcision of God. You are clean. You are in his presence.

Because Jesus touches you as well.

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Filed under Gospel, Hope