A lesson from Flight MH-17

Hungarian writer Frigyes Karinthy wrote about the ‘Six degrees of separation’ – were we are all interlinked within five links of friendship circles. Maybe it is for this reason the current events in Holland touch me so much. 194* …  just a number .. until you reach that moment that you know someone (or as many others, no someone who knows someone).

grief in the shape of many a hearse

Suddenly a plane shot to bits above a volatile part of our planet, becomes personal, suddenly John Lennons’ ideal in ‘imagine all the people .. living in peace’ seems even further away and unobtainable. How can there be peace, in a situation like this, how can there be rest for weary souls, how can there be justice when politics are involved, how can there be One Who is called Love? None of it makes sense at that moment of impact, it is all so Ecclesiastical.

The Dutch nation called for a day of National mourning, and the Bible tells me to join in, but how? They’re asking for a minute silence, ‘cause what word could bring comfort? What song could be sung? What on Gods earth can re-unite those families with loved ones?

People are shouting for justice, for sanctions, for some sort of retaliation … well .. for at least .. something. But politicians are watching the financial markets and families are soon left to grieve alone. Worldcups will still be planned and gas will still flow.

Facebook and Twitter, remind me of family gatherings and friendship circles that will never be the same again. Smiley faces in group pictures, that will never be replicated. Joyful people, now mourning their vast loss. Words of Black Eyed Peas are ringing in the none numb parts of my brain – Where is the Love ya’ll?

Well for me .. it is Love, hanging His Son on a cross.  Love, tearing Himself apart .. that to me is Love. I don’t have clever answers or insights into this mess, all I have is Father .. with arms open wide, all I have is His robes, soaking up my tears, all I have is Jesus ….

*(194 is the current number of Dutch people on board flight MH-17, a total of 293 perished)

Lessons learned from a snow storm ...

Before we knew it (even though the news reporter had warned us with some very cheap graphics and some over dramatic words) the heavens opened and deposited so much snow that traffic came to a standstill, 20 minutes journeys turned into two hour tours of survival. The stuff just kept on coming, and combined with the freezing temperatures - the roads did turn out as treacherousness as the weather man had foretold.

During the night the heavens decided to dump some more on us and the news reporters of course loved it - more dramatic stories of knife-jacked lorries blocking motorway exits, causing enormous tailbacks. Abandoned cars, causing dangerous obstructions all over town, with other cars sliding into the ones left in the road - crazy times.

The schools had to close down as staff nor kids could possibly make it to the premises in a safe manner. Kids happy, parents less so. Sledges, wellies, hats, gloves and scarves came out and the kids went their happy way into the white yonder. Than it hot me, how come adults can not adopt the attitudes of their younger fellow human beings. Why not enjoy that which can not be changed .. we were warned it was coming. Have we as adults forgotten how much we used to love snowball fights and creating creatures slightly resembling snowmen? Are we so caught up with the work ethos that we do not know to enjoy the snow days .. with our kids.

I read on one Facebook post (as almost all statuses mentioned the horror and the joys of the newly heralded ice age) how one mum was informed that she had her client list cancelled and how she was given the day of, and in her words: School just text, closed tomorrow!! My birthday will be a snowday with my family!! That's the spirit, surely we could all adopt that for the few days a year (even though snow costs the economy millions) you can not put a price on family time, family joy, family togetherness. Enjoy yours, whilst you still can.

Lessons from Sermon prep

Am speaking at a lovely church tomorrow and in preparing I thought of the people that might be there, what if they emailed me before hand so I could be more specific in the delivery of the message. What would they say?

Dear Preacher, 

I am a member of your audience and I sit before you in silent desperation. I am a mother of a good Christian teen-age girl who just told me that she is pregnant. I am a husband whose marriage is falling apart and no matter what I do I can’t seem to stop it. I’m a child who has tried so hard to win the affection of my Dad, but all I hear from him is how many times I screw up. I’m a senior citizen who sees that my life is coming to a close and I’m worried and scared…not knowing if my life has made a difference or if my future is secure. I’m a father of three kids and the doctor just told me that my wife can’t possibly live more than a couple of months. I am a widow who sits alone in my home so lonely yet no one seems to care. I’m by all accounts a successful man who has gotten everything he has wanted in life, but it hasn’t been enough. I am blue and depressed and I don’t even know why, but I can’t go on living like this any longer. I am a parent who raised my kid in the church but now my child is so far away from the Lord we can’t even discuss it anymore. I am single and have just invested all I had in a relationship and the person walked away without ever looking back. I’m a wife whose husband rarely speaks to me, and I can’t remember the last time he held me. I feel so lonely and abandoned, even in my own home. Oh, you can’t see my desperation by looking at me. I’ve learned to hide my feelings so deeply that sometimes I can even fool myself. The people who sit on either side of me would be surprised to know that I walk the floor each night and cry. I can imagine the shocked surprise of those sitting with me in the pew if I told them that I had considered committing suicide… Or maybe they wouldn’t be shocked at all, maybe they have too.

So preacher, when I sit in front of you on Sunday morning, I don’t want to hear your thoughts on the analyses of transubstantiation or another exegesis on a fine piece of scripture. I don’t want to hear the latest Christian joke that came into your inbox … and I don’t want you to share a few thoughts that you gleamed from the night before. I don’t want to hear about the latest book on pastoral counseling and I don‘t want to be begged for money for missionaries or the world’s hungry. Preacher, I hurt. I feel empty and useless, with no where to go. 

My question to you is the same that the king asked God’s prophet Jeremiah, “ Is there any word from the Lord?” 

ok, I get it, I think ... better get started and listen ... Lord speak, your servant is listening