(Moved from another blog… it really belongs here.)

I was listening to D.A. Carson on Mark 5, and he talked about Jairus and also the woman with bleeding. Carson pointed out that it was the unnamed socially low woman with bleeding who was commended for her faith, not Jairus, the synagogue ruler. In fact Jairus needed for his faith to be propped. When people told Jairus that his daughter was dead, Jesus was like “Dont worry. Just believe.”

Honestly, being a type A type of person, I could resonate with Jairus’ weak faith. So I prayed to God asking Him to prop up my faith. To make a long story short… what is interesting about the Jairus incident is that “when power went out from” Jesus, He put everything on hold to ask around who touched Him. Then Jesus spent sometime talking to her. What would it have been like for Jairus, when this was taking place. He was probably pining away… aaack… my daughter… come on. Lets go! Lets go ! Lets go! Nobody likes delays.

Nobody likes interruptions either… {can this thought work???}.

Moving on… I had to drive 2 days straight these last two days, to get from NY to Chicago. I had to work in Chinatown, Chicago at 6:45pm. I listened to Carson as I drove. As I drove through Ohio, I kept thinking of all these things that I needed to take care of. At somepoint, I just said, shove it … I am reasoning in a fleshy manner, rather than leaving it at God’s hands. As I drove, I also calculated the time it would take for me … if I went to campus, dumped my stuff and then took the train to Chinatown, versus going to Chinatown straight right now. Going to Chinatown straight would have made the most sense, however after being on the road for so long, I just needed a breather, and so I decided to drive to campus. I figured that I had just enough time to take the 1-1/2 hr train to Chinatown. Just enough.

So I decided to go straight to campus… and low and behold took a route that had massive construction, and hence the traffic slowed down to a crawl… Aargh … an interruption… a delay! Now I was Jairus!

So, I on and off pined away and prayed… ack! Eventually, I calmed myself and said… “I asked God to prop up my faith… ” Just trust in Him. “Don’t be afraid. Just believe.” To get

I got to campus, refreshed myself quickly, did some quick organizing, took a quick breather and then jumped back into my car and headed for the train. It looked like things were going to work out. I still had enough time to make it. Just enough. It would be cutting it close… but there was just enough time.

I went to the train station and waited there. Three of my friends from school were there. I started to talk to them. They were headed for the symphony. The train came and I boarded. After a little talk, I realized something. I opened up my bag, and aaaaargh!!! the DVD’s that I needed to use, were not in my backpack. Someway… somehow… I do not know how… I had left them in my car. I thought for sure, I had them in my backpack… I did not. So I excused myself and promptly got off the train. Aaaackkk… Another delay… I ran-walked to the car, and got my DVD’s out and then made my way back to the train station. Now I had to wait for the next train, which would not be there for another 20 minutes. Calm down Jairus I said to myself and prayed again and again.

Then I remembered something. Jesus actually didn’t make it on time. He was actually delayed. The girl died. Sooooee… even if I was late, things still could work out alright… “Don’t be afraid. Just believe.” So once again I calmed down… and to get my mind off this, I forced myself to think about some other things… which worked. So what if I was just 15 minutes late…

Moving, I deboarded at Union Station, Chicago… and had to walk some distance to catch the Red-line … I did not even look at my watch. I was too afraid. Then I got lost trying to find the red-line. To make things worse, two people gave me the wrong directions to the red-line. It was definately past 6:45p now. I reminded myself that Jesus was always with Jairus, and that He was with me, and if He was with me, then all will be well.

Anyway, I found the red-line. It zipped me to Chinatown. I went to the center, where I was to teach English as a Second Language. I walked in and guess what??? Nothing had even begun. My students were still straggling in. And also apparently, the class was to begin at 7:15 – not 6:45. Moreover, today was just an orientation… not actual teaching. Just getting to know one another…

Jairus’ faith has been propped. I asked God to prop it. He did.

Which has led to another thought… interruptions are God’s way of working in our lives. When God interrupts or allows an interruption… everything will work out just fine. Jesus was interrupted by the woman with bleeding. He did not sweat it. He was not bothered one bit. The interruption led to delays. Delays can be a part of God’s plan.

Hmmmm… even the Lazarus situation… Jesus delayed going to Bethany.

(Moved from another blog… really belongs here.)

It is interesting to see how God interrupts in on the lives of people. Its interesting to note what the similarities are across these situations, and what are not. It seems to me that quite often when God interrupts in on the lives of people, it means something is about to go down… perhaps a call, a task, a promotion, a special blessing, … or I don’t know… something of that sort.

Looking at the Bible;

- God interrupts in on the life of Abram(a pagan at the time?) and tells him… “Pack U’r bags and go.”
- God interrupts in on 90+ year old Sarah … “Guess what? One year from now, you’ll have a baby – easy.”
- God interrupts in on Joseph after years in a dungeon … “Ok. Dreamtime – Go talk to Pharoah. You are being promoted.”
- God interrupts in on Moses after years and years of desert life, with Zippy… “I’ve got a task for you Moishe. Go talk to Pharoah…” “Oh… and by the way… he wont listen.”
- God interrupts on a young David… you are now annointed King… promotion time.
- God interrupts in Daniel… dreamtime… Go interpret for the King… promotion time.
- God interrupts in on Saul/Paul … Guess what you’ve got it all wrong… you cant kick against the goads buddy.

So what is similar…

1) All of these interruptions were unexpected. As far as Moses was concerned, desert life could have been it for him. As far as Joseph was concerned … after so many years in the dungeon … maybe he would be there forever. As far as… David was concerned… maybe he would be a shepherd for life. Why him ? and not the zillion other shepherd boys? Why his family and not so many other Israelite families?

2) All of these people, prior to their interruptions, seem to have been reliable people. Abram and Saul were both pagans… but they got their jobs done. David… was a young shepherd, but he seems to have been competent at that. Joseph in the dungeon… he found favor in the jailers eyes…etc.

Does God invest in slackers? Would you? I’ve been told, that when you disciple someone… you do disciple someone with potential. Actually, God does invest in slackers… Samson. God knows what He is doing, though. However, if you cannot be trusted with little, you cannot be trusted with much.

When I say, slacker, I am referring to lazy people, not to people with some sort of inability, but whose heart is in the right place.

3) These interruptions are exciting and momentous.

Dissimilarities???

1) These interupptions are not necessarily a joy ride. Saul became blind. David … woohaa! I am King! Yet it would be another 10+ years before he would actually be a practicing King. In the meantime, his life would be lived out in the desert, running from Saul.

2) These interruptions involve believers and unbelievers. Abram/Abraham, Saul/Paul.

3)

Mark – action photographer… snap snap snap… He just takes you from scene to scene. Details ??? ehhh…. Just the facts maam!

Luke – Dr. Luke – details??? Is there anything else? It wasn’t just the wind or a hurricane that blew the boat – it was the Noreaster… and how like a doctor to be up and about details. I want my doctor to make precise surgical cuts at the precise place… and not miss. I want my doctor to be able tell me the details about the medicine I am taking – its nature and how often to take it. I don’t want him to get it wrong. So if your read Luke or Acts carefully – you will notice all sorts of things. These details may seem trivial, but they are not. They point to the historicity of the Bible.

Aside: And how like Luke – to be recording the Virgin birth. It’s one thing for any Joe Blow to record this… but how much better that a doctor recorded this? That says something.

Then there is John – the professor… his mind is in the clouds… pondering the grand things… “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…” John probably is a quiet guy. Until of course you press one of his hot buttons… ask that theological question and… his head lights up and then … then you cant get him to shut up. You talk to him about anything else … the NFL, a television show, and he probably will be on the quiet side. Hit that hot button and…

And theres Matthew … he is probably a non stop talkative guy. Yak Yak Yak. Always searching for ways to explain things. If you cant understand something one way – then he will look for another way… Lets try a parable or lets try a story of something that happened in Jesus’ life. Yak. Yak. Yak…

If these four guys lived in a house together. Mark would probably be in the garage. He would be a handy man type of guy. He needs things to do. Gotta keep moving. John would probably be in the office – i.e. his study… a little in isolation. John needs space… especially thinking space. Matthew would be in the living room. Talking talking talking. Luke – he probably would also be in the living room, but he really would be where ever the people are. If they are in the living room. He will be there. If they are in the kitchen, then he will go there. However unlike Matthew, he probably will be listening, listening, listening… being attentive to the details.

I have been wondering about the role of art and literature in shaping our moral beings…

I think that we all have some sense of God. From there we have some sense of good and bad, right and wrong, innately. *

The arts & literature force us to cultivate this sense of morality.

*Work on distinction later.

1. Christ is treated like a King by the crowds during the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.

A few(?) days, He is crucified by that same crowd.

2. Paul is hailed as a god, Zeus, by the crowd, when he heals a paralytic in Lystra.

No to long after he is stoned by that very same crowd.

Emotions mean nothing. We all get excited at the start of a project. What truly lasts calls into attention all of our being, mind, soul, feeling, emotion, reasons, etc…

… and God’s hiddeness & silence…

Omnipresence…

work on later.

What is the difference?

If someone is selling something, and I take one and tell them that I will pay them later, then I owe them $$$.

Or if I borrow $$$ from someone, then I owe them that $$$.

Now while that person is owed some $$$, it does not mean that they deserve that $$$.

When does a person deserve something?

It seems that a person deserves something, when there is some kind of meritorious work in the discussion.

If I study hard for some exam, then I deserve a good grade.

It also seems that if you deserve something, then you also are owed that something. The reverse is not true.

If matter did not exist, could we distinguish light from darkness?

I suppose the response would be that light is made up of matter.

I don’t know what memes are… but I probably should look it up… Anyway … a thought to analyze later …

For better or worse, the genes of a culture are its sacred books. Without genes, what results is a loss of identity, existential ickyness, and culture-less-ness or some sort of a generic culture.

Example : Aurangzeb
Counterexample : Japan… no?

Of course you have to probably define or lay out what culture is, and that’s a pain in the lower extremities.

“A slave, Aristotle says, is someone who is by nature not his own, but another man’s property.”

—————————————————- Another example – modal stuff

[1] It is a necessary truth that if I know there is a fly in my soup, then there is a fly in my soup.

[2] But even if I know that there is a fly in my soup, it is not a necessary truth there is a fly in my soup; I can fish it out.