Part of my Australian family have just returned to Perth. Cost prevented the entire family returning for a visit so my daughter, son-in-law, one granddaughter and one grandson arrived. Our daughter has not returned to her country of birth for fourteen years. Some of you reading this will understand how wonderful it was to have her back in New Zealand.
It is not fourteen years since we have seen her, as we have been funded to Perth by her three times over the years. Having her home is something different though.
On at least two occasions my daughter has been included in a dream that occurs to me from time to time relating to our children. Both dreams take place sometime after I have died, and I am watching them during their lives following my death. A great sense of loss, sorrow and almost overwhelming despair settles over me. My family are continuing with their lives, as you do, and my despair is not that they are shattered and unable to cope without me, but that I have lost them.
While my daughter was here on this occasion, she was perusing the plaques attached to the inside walls of St Luke's, the church I attend. One of them was remembering the presentation of a Union Jack flag to the church by the Senior Armed Forces Padre at the time. It was the Padre who had conducted my daughter's marriage ceremony. In my dream, this last time, I could see my daughter holding a photograph of the plaque and remembering its association with this recent visit. The sense of lost and sorrow was incredible; not my daughter's sorrow, mine.
Interesting.
Has anyone else experienced anything similar?
Wednesday 26 November 2014
Monday 18 August 2014
Why David?
Whilst growing up I attended Sunday school. Mostly it was on a part time basis as we lived on a farm in the country and there was an inability to get to town for church and Sunday school after milking. The only real impression I had of King David of the bible was the killing of Goliath. That impression was solely that one act. I did not relate King David to the son of Jesse. (At that time I did not know who Jesse was either.)
When I got a bit older, and was drifting away from Christianity, I occasionally read the bible in some forlorn hope that if I did so then God would help me pass some exams that I was required to sit. I failed. I did read about David and Bathsheba however.
Many moons later I came back to Christianity and I have now read the bible through several times. Now, of course, I can put two and two together. I 'get' the messages and know that David wrote some of the psalms and that Solomon was his son.
The initial thing that grabbed my attention, however, related to David's actions when he lead his 600 men in pursuit of the Amalekites after they had attacked Ziklag and carried away all the women and children. (1 Samuel 30:1-25.) David and his men chased after the Amalekites. They were weary, tired and dispirited and when they reached the brook of Besor, some of the 600 stayed there. They were too exhausted to go on. 200 of them stayed there while David and 400 went on. To cut a long story short, David caught up with the raiders, and freed his wives, his soldiers families and all the animals and goods taken by the Amalekites.
When David, his men, and the freed families arrived back at Brook Besor some of the 400 who had gone on with David, objected to sharing the 'spoils' with those who had stayed at the brook, too exhausted to go on. David then said, "My brothers, you can't do this with what the Lord has given us! He kept us safe and gave us victory over the raiders. No one can agree with what you say! All must share alike: whoever stays behind with the supplies gets the same share as the one who goes into battle."
I have shared this at several services in 'Old Folks Homes' as generally they also are too exhausted to go on. They have fought the battle but they also will reap the rewards. Actually they still do fight the good fight in many ways. They pray. Those who pray are generally at the forefront of the Spiritual war.
However, to a degree, I digress.
As I age, as time goes by, I find I am drawn back to King David. His life is our life. He had our failings and we can have his triumphs. He points me towards my Lord.
After years of unbelievers asserting that there was no historical record of King David I smile to myself at the evidence now coming to hand proving his existence. Not that I ever doubted.
New Zealanders will be interested in the fact that our soldiers were at Brook Besor during WW2.
When I got a bit older, and was drifting away from Christianity, I occasionally read the bible in some forlorn hope that if I did so then God would help me pass some exams that I was required to sit. I failed. I did read about David and Bathsheba however.
Many moons later I came back to Christianity and I have now read the bible through several times. Now, of course, I can put two and two together. I 'get' the messages and know that David wrote some of the psalms and that Solomon was his son.
The initial thing that grabbed my attention, however, related to David's actions when he lead his 600 men in pursuit of the Amalekites after they had attacked Ziklag and carried away all the women and children. (1 Samuel 30:1-25.) David and his men chased after the Amalekites. They were weary, tired and dispirited and when they reached the brook of Besor, some of the 600 stayed there. They were too exhausted to go on. 200 of them stayed there while David and 400 went on. To cut a long story short, David caught up with the raiders, and freed his wives, his soldiers families and all the animals and goods taken by the Amalekites.
When David, his men, and the freed families arrived back at Brook Besor some of the 400 who had gone on with David, objected to sharing the 'spoils' with those who had stayed at the brook, too exhausted to go on. David then said, "My brothers, you can't do this with what the Lord has given us! He kept us safe and gave us victory over the raiders. No one can agree with what you say! All must share alike: whoever stays behind with the supplies gets the same share as the one who goes into battle."
I have shared this at several services in 'Old Folks Homes' as generally they also are too exhausted to go on. They have fought the battle but they also will reap the rewards. Actually they still do fight the good fight in many ways. They pray. Those who pray are generally at the forefront of the Spiritual war.
However, to a degree, I digress.
As I age, as time goes by, I find I am drawn back to King David. His life is our life. He had our failings and we can have his triumphs. He points me towards my Lord.
After years of unbelievers asserting that there was no historical record of King David I smile to myself at the evidence now coming to hand proving his existence. Not that I ever doubted.
New Zealanders will be interested in the fact that our soldiers were at Brook Besor during WW2.
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