Devotional 12-1-15

Infinitude

“Are we there yet?” ”Have I studied long enough?” “Is enough of my room clean (so I can go out and play)?” Questions we have either asked or heard asked from our children. Questions with a quasi-quantitative answer but really more of an answer out there circling infinity. When I was a late-elementary-school-er, my dad, my brother and I were preparing on a summer day to churn up some homemade ice cream. We had the salt, the ice, the mix and the contraption used for such an endeavor. Everything was prepared, and I was selected to give that handle its first turns. I asked my dad, “How many?” His reply; “Go for 10.” I perched myself on the low stool next to the ice cream maker and with my scrawny 10 year old arms gave that handle a full 10 turns. Proud of myself, I popped up, ready to give the next one a Go. Dad turns and looks at me quizzically, “What’s wrong?” “Nothing.” I said. “That’s was 10.” He smiled while shaking his head (back and forth in the NO direction not up and down in the YES direction) “10 MINUTES! not 10 turns.” Holy moly, I thought. Back the truck up! TEN MINUTES?? How many cranks was that that? Who knew? Is this what I had signed up for?

As we study the Bible and piece together its stories to make our stories, we can get lost in time. Bible scholars tell us that actual time is possibly irrelevant – it’s the story that counts. Forty days and forty nights doesn’t mean 40 and 40 > it means a REALLY long time. How many times should I forgive? Seventy times seven! That does not mean that number 491 is in trub-bull. It means more than you can count. It means infinity. It means forgive as you have been forgiven. When asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus responds with a parable. He tells of a man, representing a people, helping another man, also representing a people. Two groups locked in bitter battle and hatred. Yet the story is of grace and compassion and of greater good.

I’ve said this before, and I stand by it now > Facebook makes me crazy! So many are sure that their position is the only position. Lies are told about each other’s political parties. Declarations are made about the ‘only’ definition of marriage, life, Godliness and so on. But one must dig through a lot of dirt to find a little gold, and here is (for me) the nugget: it is a picture of the nativity – worthy of gracing any Christmas card – with the caption, “As you prepare to celebrate Christmas, remember THIS was a middle eastern refugee family.”

I guess Mary, Joseph and the baby were lucky that the neighboring governor and /or mayor hadn’t had time to put up the No Refugee Allowed sign.

This my friends IS what we signed up for. Forgiven-forgiving. Welcomed-welcoming. Helped-helping. Loved-loving. Received-receiving.

May God bless you and your home this wonderful Christmas season.

Steve Matthews