My flesh trembles in fear of you; I stand in awe of your laws.
Psalm 119:120
Some say, “The fear of the Lord” equals deep respect. No. Though “terror” goes too far, “deep respect” does not go far enough. “A deep trembling joy and wonder” has been suggested. I think this is closer. Of course, the big challenge is not in agreeing on a definition, it is in re-orienting our heart. We do need to tremble in His presence. By the way, this section of Psalm 119 teaches that the fear of the Lord is realized through His Word. God is not who we hope or imagine Him to be, He is who the Word reveals Him to be.
Wonder: Reflecting on creation can elicit awe in the Creator. Did you know there are 350,000 different kinds of beetles? Beetles! What kind of God lavishes His world with 350,000 different kinds of beetles? And have you thought about rain since the last time I brought it up? Seriously! The wheat fields in Kansas get plenty of water because God warms the Pacific Ocean, thereby turning water into steam – which is 1,600 times lighter – and then blows those molecules a thousand miles inland, where He causes it to drop water on the wheat fields. Do you have any idea what it would cost to pipe or truck water into Kansas? By the way, did you know that there are three trillion trees in the world – which is about 422 per person?
The COVID File: Given the likelihood that COVID will not be the last pandemic, we navigate this piece of Monday morning quarterbacking, How the West Lost COVID, by David Wallace-Wells. It may interest you. Those attempting to tutor me in science (Did you know there are more elements than earth, sky, water, and fire?) say the article is helpful. They also rue the political comments at the end, and suspect Wallace-Wells overreaches on a few points, but otherwise give him a thumbs up.
Two Pastoral Observations: 1) Medical advances can make medical ethics, especially end-of-life ones, complicated. Here is a good (not perfect, but good) question to keep in front of you during these decisions: Am I prolonging life or postponing death? 2) Remember, when spending time with someone in deep pain, your goal is to express love and support while saying little. And under no circumstances should you say: “I know how you feel;” “everything will be all right;”“if you have more faith everything will work out;” or, “God told me you’ll be healed.”
Verbing: A college roommate who prided himself on being a “grammar geek,” not only encouraged me to care more about commas and semicolons, but he also suggested the fate of Western Civilization hinged on it. I’ve been thinking of him as I watch grammar rules cast aside. In recent days it’s been the “verbing” of our language. I had quietly resigned myself to “friending, sexting and greening,” but then I heard about a virus that was “virusing,” a man busy “husbanding,” and some people who were “small grouping,” This “gerunding” has got to stop.
Give it a Go: Legalism is an ugly thing, but I wish everyone would give it a try. Why? Because only those who have tried really hard to be really good know how really bad they are. Many think we sin because we’re in the wrong place at the wrong time. No. We sin because we are sinners. It’s important to understand what we are up against, otherwise we might think we can be rescued by a coach or an example instead of a Savior. Think I am wrong? Give legalism a try.
Dictionary Entries: My tongue in cheek request for entries to help Orwell update a Dictionary got some response. However, I couldn’t determine whether the entries being suggested – e.g., boy, equality, justice, spiritual, etc. – were serious or sarcastic. I am giving up on the project, but before I do I want to whine about the words liberal and conservative. (Note: I am not whining about these positions or the people who identify with them. I am expressing my inability to know what they mean. I’ll illustrate with liberal this week and take up conservative later on). I was taught that a liberal: advocates for private property, free trade, a market economy, the rule of law, and freedom of both religion and the press. At some point, however, it stopped meaning those things and started referring to those who advocated for government solutions, egalitarian outcomes, and globalization. In recent months, I read about liberals demanding an end to free speech, which seems, uh, very “illiberal” of them. Which is it? And for the record, I only grow more confused when the words “leftist” and “progressive” get mixed in. And that is before throwing in capital “L” Liberals – i.e., those who embrace the doctrines of a theological school that grew up in the 18thcentury. What does liberal mean?
Problem Solved: When Douglas Coupland made the term Generation X famous, he was not looking ahead. Gen Y and Gen Z followed, but then we were out of letters. Some tried to steer us back to titles aka Baby Boomers, consequently we have Millennials, iGeners and Tweeners. But it can be hard to keep the cohorts straight. Be encouraged. I am now seeing references to Generation C (as in COVID). It looks like the naming process has been reset with plenty of room to run.
Without Comment: 1) Hate crimes against Asian Americans have spiked since COVID; 2) Estimates for the global cost of the pandemic are starting to be calculated. The number appears to be between eight and fifteen trillion; 3) polyamory and polygamy are gaining acceptance.
Closing Prayer: My dear Lord, though I am so very weak that I have not strength to ask you for suffering as a gift, at least I will beg from you grace to meet suffering well when you in your love and wisdom bring it on me. Let me bear pain, reproach, disappointment, slander, anxiety, suspense, as you want me to, O my Jesus, and as you by your own suffering have taught me, when it comes. Amen. (John Henry Newman – 1801 – 1890)