Stuff Michael Meeks is doing
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This is my (in)activity log. You might like to visit
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- Up early; played with leocad - which seems
to need some optimisation loving and some porting to gtk 2.
- J. up, off to Church, cleaned loos; marshalled
cars, talked to Alan for a while, back to the US soon. Helped
J. with acetates. Mario spoke on the church mission strategy,
and ripped us convincingly for turning up late.
- Out to the pub afterwards with Myriam, Simon and
Alan. A rather fine lunch. Back home late, phone S&A, who
phoned back shortly afterwards.
- Gordon sermon "A refuge in death"
Proverbs 14:32 - the Easter sermon:
- Gordon - could try making up some good
news; eg. the discovery of viable cold fusion, or
a vaccine for some disease such as HIV that plagues
millions; but it would
be only a shadow of the real good news: that Jesus
Christ gave his life for you; if you put your faith in
him, confess your sin to him, and acknowledge him as
Lord of his life - you have eternal
life; instead of some temporary cure.
- And what a life - no disease, sadness,
etc. Easter has nothing to do with chocolate eggs,
bunnies etc. but a
living hope.
- It's hard to remember this in daily life; we seem to
have an alergic reaction to thinking about death and our mortality.
In 1809 - 26 men and women got together to buy the site for Park Street
church. It was chosen for 3 reasons:
- 1. a view of Boston Common visible through
the windows - God's creation in your face.
- 2. The most busy cross-roads in Boston -
bringing faith into the work-place.
- 3. On the other side look out onto
the granary burial ground, to never forget the
urgency of the message, made more poignant because
it was an active graveyard.
- Unfortunately our forebears did not take into account
this amazing ability to keep death out of our minds, and
future generations would not only be able to look out and see that
cemetry without having a moment's pause, wrt. the brevity of life,
but in fact it would attract tourists by the thousands, who would
come and view those monuments and rather than thinking of the
temporality of life would:
- Look at the monument to Paul Revere, and think
'we must add a side-trip out to Lexington to retrace the ride
of that patriot'.
- They look out on the monument of John Hancock;
and rather than recognising the finality of death they
wonder if he was in the insurance business, and how much he had.
- They see the monument to Samuel Addams and rather
than crying out: "Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number
of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. "
Psalm 39:4 they think when will I have my next beer ?
- Some even have video cameras, running the whole time -
viewing the monuments. The monuments havn't moved yet - and they're
videoing it all. One day the monuments will move - and the graves
will open - and they better get out of the way; - with a trumpet call
the dead in Christ will rise first.
- At every turn we're confronted by the impermanance
of the things of this world; the brevity of life, and the certainty of
death. God wishes for us not a life of morbid preoccupation, but
honest attention.
- Some people work for 20 years of their life preparing for
a career cut short at 65; but won't give 15 minutes considering
eternity. Have you given thought to eternity.
- When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down,
but even in death the righteous have a refuge. Proverbs 14:32
- When not if, calamity comes; g/f abandons you,
you loose your job; the Dr. says "sorry, it's inoperable". The bible
doesn't claim any escape from life for the believer.
The same fire that makes the chaff smoke, makes the gold shine
- Augustine. The same test.
- The designation righteous / wicked - used consistantly
in scripture, rather differently to how one might imagine:
-
Psalm 10: In his pride the wicked does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God - They may be
living wonderful lives, may be Israelites, and have all the right
outward credentials, but no room for God.
-
Psalm 36: An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness
of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For in his own
eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin. - the
righteous also sin, but they detect their sin, and repent.
- The wicked are 'brought down' - the calamity causes a
woundedness inside, anger, profound unhappiness in the inner man. Was God
unkind in allowing such calamities ? - no the intention was to wake them up -
sometimes the only time we look up is when God knocks us on our backs.
- even in death, the righteous have a refuge - not
a refuge from death, christians die at the same rate as
non-christians: 100%. The difference is in death, the presence
power and promise of the resurrected Lord.
- Witnesses to the resurrection - people can be deluded
into giving up their lives for a lie; but no-one gives up their life
for something they know is a lie. The witnesses of Christ's resurrection
were torn limb from limb, savaged by wild beasts in the circus etc. for
their faith.
- United in Christ's death, we are united in his resurrection.
The promise of
Psalm 23 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they
comfort me..
- In obituaries, we often read "so and so was surrounded by his
loved ones at death" - but the loved ones can go no futher; beyond there
is a walk you walk alone - unless you walk with Christ, and his comfort.
- The resurrection of Christ is the assurance that God can raise
the dead; (not that really God could have trouble with that), the problem
is not that an omnipotent God can raise the dead, but that he would
want to raise me.
- The resurrection of Christ put to death for our sins
but raised to life for our justification (Rom 4)
a seal saying 'paid in full'. The price is paid, the debt is canceled;
you are forgiven.
- The previous minister - for 3 decades, in the last week of
his life - called on the Elders to come and pray with him in the last
moments of his life. He arranged to have himself fully dressed
in a suit - tie, clearly overawing them; the eulogies rolled in:
"just think: soon you'll be hearing 'well done good and faithful servant'",
or "just think what the Lord has done through you ... helping give Billy
Graham his start, ministering to millions ...", allocades coming fast and
furious. Finally brother David McCan spoke up - the youngest - "well Harold,
I suggest that when you see the Master, just say - God be merciful to me
a sinner"; and tears begain to run down Hawkingay's cheeks.
- Therefore having been justified by faith, we rejoice in the
hope of the glory of God. (Rom 5).
To live is Christ, and to die is gain - Phil 1:21.
Even in death the righteous will have refuge.
My content in this blog and associated images / data under
images/ and data/ directories are (usually)
created by me and (unless obviously labelled otherwise) are licensed under
the public domain, and/or if that doesn't float your boat a CC0
license. I encourage linking back (of course) to help people decide for
themselves, in context, in the battle for ideas, and I love fixes /
improvements / corrections by private mail.
In case it's not painfully obvious: the reflections reflected here are my
own; mine, all mine ! and don't reflect the views of Collabora, SUSE,
Novell, The Document Foundation, Spaghetti Hurlers (International),
or anyone else.
It's also important to realise that I'm not in on the Swedish Conspiracy.
Occasionally people ask for formal photos for conferences
or fun.
Michael Meeks (michael.meeks@collabora.com)
