Oil to soothe, refresh.

It sounds idyllic, even exciting when we read about the Shepherd’s leading, and safe keeping. But the journey for the sheep can be a far cry from the ideal. Along the way are irritating shrubs that leave seeds and twigs in the fleece. Parasites lie in wait to jump on board for a free ride, meal and the fun of being an irritant. Eyes can become inflamed by dust or the sun’s brightness. It is in these moments the sheep appreciates the Shepherd’s care. The oil he pours soothes plus deals with the bugs and clears the eyes and refreshes the face.

In what way was David applying this imagery to his relationship with the Good Shepherd? How do we? This is especially important for us to understand as we are dealing with the spiritual, not literal experience. The journey aspect is easily understood. We get weary. Parasites latch onto our soul and annoy our spirit.  Our spiritual eyes can be inflamed by the dirt of the world and the heat and smoke of opposition. How does our unseen Shepherd apply the oil of His grace and compassion to our life?

The sheep must be in a secure setting as intimated by the set table. This allows the Shepherd access to the person a.k.a. the sheep. In psalm 19:8 David defines one of the ‘flasks’ of oil. ‘The commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes.’ Why are there ‘blighted believers?’ The teachings of God’s Word have been resisted or neglected, not applied. It is no use singing ‘open my eyes, Lord …’ if you won’t open His book. When you read and heed His word Proverbs 15:30 is activated. ‘The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and good news refreshes the body.’

Grief is another factor which contributes to cloudy eyesight. This is something we will all experience. Some will see through their tears the hope we have because of Christ’s triumph over death. Such comfort will keep the eyes clear and healthy. As Paul told the Thessalonians ‘so [do] not grieve as others do who have no hope.’ On other occasions a person may feel as though he is the victim in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Life’s spitefulness and unfairness assaulted him and left him in a bad state. How does our unseen Shepherd minister to such a person (who may well be you or I)? How does he pour His oil into our wounded heart, mind and body? Through a man or woman equipped with the necessary resources.

Why was the Good Samaritan travelling with the ancient equivalent to our first aid kit? He must have been a much travelled person and had learnt to be resourced to meet the unseen emergencies. The Lord wants to equip us with His grace, wisdom, compassion and practical skills to help others in their crises. It is costly in both the learning and then the applying of what was needed. Why would anyone really enter upon such a venture? For the Lord’s honour and His compassion which dwells within and compels a follower to care. I often wonder if the victim ever met his benefactor. Does that really matter? How fortunate are those assaulted by life to have someone known or unknown who becomes their Good Samaritan.

Part of the spiritual first aid kit requires the renewing power of knowing and obeying the Good Shepherd. As Jesus put it, He knows His sheep and they know Him. We only get to know Jesus when our relationship is put under pressure. Theory must be replaced by practical experience which only happens when you do His specific will. The bruises from attempting and failing are pleasing to the Master. The oil of His pleasure and its soothing power is able to be applied by His Spirit. Out of such a ministry we can truthfully bear witness to the character of the Shepherd. What psalm 100 says becomes more than a theological statement. It takes on the personal dimension of witnessing to your own discoveries of knowing Him and His anointing. We are the ‘sheep of his pasture’ and wear His brand.

To be continued.

©Ray Hawkins March 2016.

Help! I need Patience.

The older I'm getting, the more intolerant and impatient I realise I'm becoming. I can make excuses such as lack of sleep, various aches and pains or other people get on my nerves, deliberately.

 How then can I handle Paul's love chapter in 1 Corinthian 13? It opens with 'Love is patient.' That's enough to irritate me. Other aspects are fine, well mostly. We may wonder why he begins with this aspect rather than another. To appreciate his reason we must read the preceding chapters. There we discover a congregation infected with inferior and superior   attitudes mixed with unbelief, ungraciousness or ignorance.

To be fair, these believers had been saved from out of a most immoral, religiously defiled society. The grace of God had transformed their destiny. Now it had to be allowed to penetrate their attitudes, worldview, personality and temperament. This would require an understanding of God's call upon their lives, honesty about themselves and mercy towards others. Such an outlook requires spiritual maturity, nurtured by God's word. The patient facet of Love must flow from knowing God's character. He is holiness and He is love. What we are unable to be and offer, our Lord longs to supply. 

So, when Paul begins with the fact that love is patient it is a reminder of how Yahweh dealt with them.  Now He calls them to express their gratitude to God in extending a similar grace and love to others. Such a love bears the foibles, inconsistencies and annoyances of others. So easy to write and read, so exhausting to do, continually. How can we keep it up? Only through a growing relationship with Christ Jesus and walking in step with His word. Included will be drawing upon His word's wisdom about healthy habits. It is sometimes knowing your limitations and maintaining a type of distant relationship.  Call it spiritual respite care.

Patience feeds upon the hope that God is involved in the relational area through over-ruling, transforming, providing. In the Old Testament especially we can read of people and situations in which God did all that and more. The life of David is a great example on the way to becoming king. His trust in the promise of God kept him from yielding to revenge or succumbing to depression. Time and waiting and enduring situations or people seem to be the arch enemies of  patience. David wasn't perfect, he was however, keen to trust and wait. Yahweh was able, for David, and is able for us, to turn such enemies into forming a faithful patience within.

Being in impatient situations, and failing, allows God to draws us to Himself in Love. When we admit our failure, apologise for it, we find a new beginning. In return, God wants us to do the same for those who fail us, annoy us, don't understand us or reject us. Humanly speaking we may wish them harm. Belonging, as we do to our Lord we are required to express love, His love towards them. Love, however, is a call to express the humanly impossible, by treating others in the way God has treated us. In this aspect that means being patient.

           

Well, I guess I cannot use old age as an excuse anymore before our Lord. Time for me to practise what I'm writing. But please, be patient with me also.

 Ray Hawkins. Sept 2015.

Haunted by Lifeless Eyes

Peter Shurley is an Australian singer, songwriter and violinist. He presented a great concert at our church recently and sang a song called: Indian Girl. This came about through a visit to India on behalf of Compassion International, a Child Sponsorship Christian ministry. This young girl had just started school and was sitting in the front row when Peter began singing to the class. Her big eyes and apparent need stole his heart. He sponsored her. That was many years ago. Peter showed a photo of her at her University graduation. Wonderful

That song brought back vivid pictures to my mind of a visit to an African slum. We were on a short term mission trip and went to this slum area. There, sitting in a narrow lane, was this small child of indeterminate age. I know not her name. She said not a word. Beneath unwashed grime and dishevelled hair was a stained prettiness. It was however the eyes that captured me. They were lifeless. No sparkle, no tears or interest in who the strangers were, simply blankness. They shattered my heart and mind with sorrow and began to haunt me. These years since, they still haunt me.

Did she ever find someone to sponsor her and give her hope and dignity? Did this un-named slum girl simply waste away to be received by Christ Jesus in His Heavenly home?

The Christian Church has been rocked by revelations of child abuse by certain perverted persons in responsible positions. The bible is very clear about their condemnation and punishment by the Judge of the universe. The Scriptures are filled with warnings about violating the vulnerable and the young. It has an eternal sentence written in God’s statutes.

Fortunately there is another aspect to the Christian Church’s involvement with Children. It reveals the faithful care, protection, support and equipping of young lives through to adulthood. The difference is seen in many and varied ways. Perhaps most vividly for me is the contrast between the Indian girl who was sponsored and the African girl. I’ve also seen the difference it makes through the support given to such children in distant countries by my adult children (and others). One of the privileges in showing the heart of Christ within us to
children or adults is to see or hear they also put their trust in Him.

The eyes of the slum girl haunted me and still do. They also motivated me and others to reach out to care and share what we could to those similar to her. The following poem was stirred in me by the combination of Peter Shurley’s song and those eyes which haunt me still

I Cried Then and I Cry Still
We met in a Kenyan slum
In a lane with little sun
How old
I couldn’t tell.
My language she knew not
Hers, was unuttered
Yet I was shattered
By this African girl
Without a hope of happiness.
My heart ached for her sadness
I cried then
And
I cry still

Oh to have hugged her there
Told her someone cared
But all I felt
In my helplessness
A strange numbness
Yet prayed,
“Lord embrace her today.”
I cried then
And
I cry still.

Time have passed by since then
And still I remember when
We met in the Kenyan slum
In shadows cast by the sun.
But her face still appears
Unchanged by the years
Silent, sad and unmoving.
I cried then
And I cry still.

Lord
For children such as her
Deliver from despair
Through servants who share
Your tears of compassion
Your heart for redemption.
Then will we know
Tears cried then
Were
Not in vain.

Ray Hawkins July 5 2014