Scar Tissue

One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth forever… The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to the place where he arose… The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to its circuits… All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come thither they return again.

Ecclesiastes 1:3-11

We are a frail people with many warts. The race is ours, but how does anyone complete the journey without the Holy Spirit's guidance of faith in Jesus Christ. Then, as many days last year, this old, disabled veteran was going through the trauma and tremors of survival, in a world fraught with potholes. It was in a small, clap-board church, on the island of Samoa. A female, missionary preacher, advised me,  "Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee." I realized then, as I know now, that for the rest of my life I must depend on His strength.

It has been a long time. I have not seen an automobile in 50 years, but at one time I did drive. I well remember guardrails along the highways in dangerous places, keeping a vehicle from tumbling down a ravine. Even so, it happens-- injuries from war, disease, sin, wounds, abrasions and warts of every type. The body has a remarkable ability to heal itself-- regardless of the type of wound, to heal them, leaving tough scar tissue.

A precious fact of christian history, Mary, the mother of our blessed lord, went to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who, at an advanced age, was pregnant. Have you ever considered the length of the journey for a 13-year-old girl? She had to walk. Where did she sleep? What did she eat? In a marvelous example of love and concern for family, she realized that her cousin needed help.

If today's Christian church assembly has a physical need at all, it is to help those in need. How many wheelchairs do you see in your church? How many blind people with white canes?

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

James 1:27

What about the widows, single mothers, and "fatherless" children in your church, in your community. There are as many abortions, divorces, and children, without a father in the home, in the church as there are in the unsaved community. I have lived in my current home for about 50 years, since it was built. I have never had a Christian to come to my door about my soul, or even my going to their church. The only religious people who have ever visited my house, over and over, are Jehovah's Witnesses. One restaurant in this town had the nerve to tell me that they did not encourage disabled people to eat with them because it made their normal customers feel bad. I believe the same occurs in the church house-- I know it did at the last church, where I held membership (First Baptist Church, Wilmington, NC). Totally blind, an usher would not even help me find a seat. I learned over the years, that those who knew me, wanted me there, simply because of my ability to give money.

The best employees are handicapped employees. Disabled Christians, and others, need the fellowship and encouragement of church life.

The ticket to many ball games, in large stadiums can cost upwards of $250. This past weekend, at the Packers game, thousands sat in a stadium at -11 degrees wind-chill. They were willing to sit in the arctic cold, and pay that price, to watch millionaires run up and down a field. Yet, Christians, who say they believe that they will spend eternity with God, will not leave a comfortable home, ride in a comfortable car, to worship God in a comfortable building IF the weather is bad-- a few drops of rain. Surely, if they believe in the supernatural ability of God to know everything, they should know that God knows how much they believe in God, trust Him, desire Him. Even many of the worst among us actually believe that they will go to heaven when they die. Their goal is heaven when they die, but they want little to do with God's people while here on Earth.

It is inconceivable that anyone experiencing the healing, scar tissue from wounds, anyone who has read God's book, could believe in the killing of the unborn, the obscenity of same-sex marriage. If it is wrong for one man to marry another man, why is it not wrong for all men to marry all men? In doing so, the population would soon measure zero. God knew what He was doing, from the first family, to your family. How is it possible that denominations are afraid to put up guard rails against perversion? Sin, sickness, poverty, and warfare has always been with us. Jesus healed the sick. He told us that we will always have the poor with us. (Mark 14:7) He knew about political and religious deceivers. (Matthew 23:27)

You instantly know your relationship with God, by the way you deal with your problems. Go into any bookstore and you will find shelves of self-help books. Why not go to the one who gave us all the guardrails we would ever need. Who, after wounds, gave us renewed strength through tougher tissue.

The more you refuse to hear my voice
The louder I will sing
You hide behind walls of Jericho
Your lies will come tumbling
Deny my place in time
You squander wealth that's mine
My light will shine so brightly
It will blind you
Cos there's something inside so strong

--Labi Siffre