Virtual Empathy

#1543              Virtual Empathy

"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"

1 Corinthians 15:55

            Many have inquired about the absence of their blog from this writer.  This writer has been very ill. We still do not know the exact problem.  As a doctor myself, I often said to a patients "But I don't know how bad you hurt". When you have so much pain that you are nauseated and so miserable, laying, sitting, standing, you know that you have something very wrong.  The fact of the matter, as much as we hate to admit it, once you have had cancer in spite of that often heard phrase, 'cancer-free', one never gets rid of cancer.  The horrific history of this disease, moving from place to place.
            At a time of stress, stress usually brought on by people (as I discussed in another article my beach house was recently destroyed by movie studio renters).  For one who is totally dependant (totally blind, 100% disabled war veteran).  We live in a mess and learn to depend entirely on God.
            If you have not learned it yet, life on earth is very much like living in a big hog pen.  We learn to survive the messes around us...brought on mostly by others. Oh, if it were only like the mess my mother would describe in our living room or yard when her children got messy.
            One day, I thought I was going to die. God told me to call EMS.  Two very fine young men put me in the vehicle and I received very good care at the local emergency room but, they, like my regular primary care, even then specialist at the VA could not find, or would not tell me, what is wrong.  So, I stay in the mess until things get better or worse.  Is that not like much of our living physically, politically, and spiritually?  Once, in my church, many years ago two very old female saints were talking and I overheard what they said.  One of the old ladies said to the other, "It won't be long now".  The other said "I can hardly wait".  In not just visualizing, but realizing, the penalties of old age we can say with the apostle Paul "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"
            Our kinsmen redeemer, Jesus Christ carried to the cross not only our rotten sins but every sickness you see, I believe that Jesus heals (Isaiah 53)  The apostle Peter, looking back assured us "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." (1 Peter 2:24) .
            For a world of unbelievers both in the church house and out people who are so stupid that they trust modern medicine more than they trust the creator of the universe.  The very power that through the stars into space, raised Lazarus from the dead, available to us, they do not believe. Whether God chooses to heal me now or later, I will be healed.  The great California preacher, Dr. Gene Scott, my age, prostate cancer. He believed sincerely that God would heal him; died believing.  I have said to all sick people, "Jesus paid it all".
            In my lifetime, I have seen the blessedness of Christianity become very cheap.  So many on pews, just think they are at another civic club meeting. The ambience of the worship service is forgotten.  God expects us to worship Him as "real" believers...quietness, verisimilitude, humbleness .  Beyond comprehension, worship services on radio, TV, down the street, people laughing and clapping, making a beggar of God...begging (believers) to attend services, giving tithes and offerings for God's work.
            This writer had wanted his entire life to worship at the Baptist Tabernacle in Atlanta. On the staff of an Army Hospital in Alabama, I drove to Atlanta, stayed overnight at the YMCA so looking forward to services at the great edifice.  My heart was broken as I sat in the building those in attendance so loud and boisterous no spirit of worship.  Even when the great choir came out and sang, in a messed up pretenders, I knew that everyone then, as now, were "mostly" just going through the motions.
            I still remember that country church where my family, my parents families for many generations (church built 1874) worshipped in spirit and truth). I still remember the shoe scraper on the bottom steps in a time before paved roads, walkways.  They were so careful about not tracking mud or dirt into the sanctuary.
            At every sermon, graduation address, meeting of any type where I have spoken before a Baptist group, I have always brought out the fact of my first image as a child (I must have been about 2 years of age) my young mother, on her knees, washing other saints feet at our church.  Christianity is serious business. Where did you get yours?  Jesus, who made water (H2O), who made dirt was serious enough, humble enough to wash his own disciples dirty feet.  In most Baptist churches today, it is not considered politically correct...so afraid of offending someone to even have a cross in sight.  Baptists and Catholics, voted 64% for the most anti-life (pro-abortion) anti-family (pro same sex marriage) world leader to ever run for public office anywhere AND evangelicals as well as non-believers expect to escape the wrath of a righteous God.
            Was it possible that a 17 year old boy (Joseph), arms and legs bearing the shackles of slavery, could have been so immunized by faithfulness in God that he could set the example of true faith OR, a 16 year old shepherd boy (David) so inoculated with the power of God that now, 4,000 years later we still hold up these young men as examples of the trust which God requires of those who take the narrow way (Matthew 7:14). 
            From nothingness to somethingness "The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge." (Psalm 46:7).  The most real matter to permeate human existence, and we take it so lightly.  God does not need us; we need Him.  AND we need Him in life, health, sickness...bad times and good times. Most of all, at sunset.