A Time to Listen. NO HUNTING ON SUNDAY. Such a Time as This. Update.

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A Time to Listen

“In today’s world it seems everyone is quick to share an opinion. With the current turmoil over race relations, should we be doing more sharing or more listening?

Few times in U.S. history have we witnessed such an explosion of turmoil, anger and division. A nation that has proudly presented itself to the world as the “land of the free” finds itself reeling in shock at the nightly displays of mayhem, rioting, looting and wanton destruction.

There are virtually no voices trying to justify or minimize the brutality of George Floyd’s murder. There are many voices supporting peaceful demonstrations while decrying the rioting and senseless violence (which so often erupts amid attempts at constructive protest).

There are voices calling for an end to racism, for peace, for greater accountability and better training of police, and for criminal justice reform. And sadly, there are even voices hurling blame at one group or another, voices fanning the flames of anger and voices screaming at anyone who disagrees.

If there is anything America never seems to lack, it’s voices.

Social media has given massive platforms to anyone with an opinion, regardless of its validity or how it’s expressed. If you can think it, write it or say it, you will have no limitation on sharing it with the entire Internet universe.

To be fair, this blog is not that different, so why should you pay any attention to it?

For one reason, because I’m not seeking to tell you what you should think. I’m just asking a question.

But to understand the question, we need a little background from a source most people aren’t considering right now. It is the biblical book of Job, one of the oldest stories in written literature. The book tells Job’s story and offers many thought-provoking lessons.

The tragic experience of Job

As the story unfolds, Job, a very prosperous man, suffers a series of sudden and tragic personal catastrophes. In one day he loses all his children and possessions, and is left with virtually nothing. As if that weren’t enough, in short order he is stricken with a painful and debilitating skin disease that leaves him sitting in a pile of soft ashes for relief.

His wife, who has obviously lost everything too (except her health), is so distraught at her husband’s suffering that she tells him he would be better off dead.

But most important of all in Job’s story is that he was described as a righteous man whose life pleased God (Job 1:8). Not only were all of his physical blessings stripped from him, but he also felt like he had lost the most important relationship in his life. How could God allow this to happen after Job had worked so hard to live his life the right way? (Job asked questions of God, but never cursed or rejected Him, Job 2:9-10.)

At this point, Job is visited by three of his friends. We should probably put quotation marks around “friends”—but that’s getting ahead of the story.

"...let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath..." - James 1:19  Job’s friends are so shocked by his appearance that they are speechless for a while. But after hearing Job’s lamentation about his condition (Job 3), they each shared with him their opinion and advice. They were convinced that God would not allow this to happen to Job unless he was guilty of some major hidden sin. They accused him of everything they could imagine, and each time Job showed he was innocent.

But the “facts” didn’t shut them up. They were so convinced that they were correct, so totally convinced of the rightness of their own arguments, that they just kept bludgeoning the suffering man with useless advice.

Finally, in frustration, Job said to them: “Miserable comforters are you all!” (Job 16:2).

They were all so eager to share their opinion that no one seemed to listen to Job, or to really seek God’s perspective.

Could we be guilty of the same thing?

Do we listen?

I’m a white man. My parents tried to teach me that racial prejudice was wrong. But my parents were products of the 1930s and ’40s, and their ideas of racial equality were far from what we would accept today.

How much do I really understand about the experience of men and women of color in today’s America? Am I quick to give my voice—my opinion, my perspective—without first listening?

Let me repeat that—really listening. Listening to understand. 

When I was in my late 20s, I had a black friend who was a few years older than me. One day as we were talking, he began to share some of his experiences as a young black man growing up in the 1950s on the border of Arkansas and Mississippi. I had no idea such things happened in this country. After all, they didn’t happen in “my world,” where all policemen were my friends, neighborhoods were safe, and life was generally lived without much fear.

Through the years, other men and women have shared their stories with me, not out of anger, but to help me understand. I will be forever grateful to all of them for trusting me with their experiences and helping to open my eyes.

I now find myself a little slower to offer good-sounding platitudes until I take the time to listen and try to understand first.

Have you ever sat with someone who feels abused, marginalized, frustrated, angry, hopeless and just listened to understand? Really listened, without (or at least before) offering your perspective, solutions or experiences? For that matter, how many of us have spent time with a police officer and asked him or her what it is like to be a first responder on the front lines every day?

Instead of being “miserable comforters,” like’s Job’s so-called friends, maybe it’s time to do a little more listening and a little less sharing of our “humble” opinions.

We just might learn something.”  From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/a-time-to-listen/?

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NO HUNTING ON

“As a sportsman, I was disappointed when, upon moving to North Carolina, I encountered the "Sunday law."  No deer hunting on Sunday.  Period.  As a Sabbath-keeper, this has brought me no little consternation!  I will not hunt on Saturday, and according to the laws of the State, I may not hunt on Sunday.  That leaves Monday through Friday – not ideal for getting in quality hunting time.

But far beyond my own personal pain, this brings up a bigger question: "Why rest on Sunday at all?" Most Christians believe that "Sunday rest" originated in the Bible. What honest truth-seekers are shocked to find is there is absolutely no biblical command to rest on Sunday. None. So, why do some rest on Sunday if the Bible doesn't command it?

Good question.

The answer is right in front of our faces. In fact, the newspaper in our hometown recently ran a story, "Pray or play?" with the answer. On page 8E of the article, the editors reproduced the widely recognized edict by the Roman emperor Constantine in 321AD. It reads thus:

On the venerable day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country, however, persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits because it often happens that another day is not suitable for grain-sowing or vine planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost (The Charlotte Observer, January 10, 2009).

So, where did "rest on Sunday" come from? A Roman emperor? Certainly not the Bible. In fact, if we honestly look at Scripture, the only day ever spoken of as a rest day is the seventh. Take a look at a few examples:

"Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest" (Exodus 31:15).

"The seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it" (Leviticus 23:3).

"The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work" (Deuteronomy 5:14).

Interestingly, resting on the seventh day of the week was commanded as a way of following God's example. He rested on day seven after the six days of Creation. Christians who observe the weekly Sabbath – by worshipping and resting – are acknowledging the Creation many millennia ago!

"Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God … For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it" (Exodus 20:9-11).

So, which day do you rest on? We challenge you to ask yourself "Why?" Is it because of tradition, traced back to the edict of an unconverted Roman Emperor? Or do you obey what you find written in your Bible? (For additional help in your study, be sure to read our free booklet, Which Day is the Christian Sabbath?)

Sabbath-keeping is actually the wave of the future! The book of Isaiah foretells a coming day when all nations will observe God's Holy Days, including the weekly Sabbath. That prophecy is found in Isaiah:

"'And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,' says the Lord" (Isaiah 66:23).

I'm looking forward to that day, when people everywhere will worship – and enjoy the revitalizing rest of the Sabbath – together in harmony and unity.

Until then, you may find me hunting on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday – but not on Saturday.

And – at least in North Carolina – never on Sunday.” From: https://www.tomorrowsworld.org/commentary/no-hunting-on-sunday

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Such a Time as This

“God called you during a unique time in mankind’s history, and He will help us accomplish our roles.

Transcript of YouTube: https://youtu.be/ne7jWuRf2PI

[Steve Myers] We certainly live in challenging times. There are tumultuous things going on all around us. But it’s not unique. These types of occurrences happen throughout history. Biblically speaking, I think of the example of Queen Esther. You probably know the story, the Jews had been taken into captivity. The Persian king ruled the world, the empire at that day.

Well, Queen Esther was a Jew. Her Uncle Mordecai encouraged her at a critical point when an evil advisor, Haman, wanted to kill all the Jews. He convinced the king to make an edict, that it was okay if they did that. Who was going to stand up and defend the truth, defend the Jews, save the Jews? What could Queen Esther do? You couldn’t even approach the king without an invitation.

Well, Mordecai confronted Esther and told her this was her time to stand up, to stand strong, to exhibit her faith. And in the book of Esther, here’s what Mordecai says to her, “If you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place. But you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this, for such a time as this.”

For such a time as this, well, Esther certainly stood up, she heeded Mordecai’s advice. And ultimately, the Jews were saved, for such a time as this. Well, we live in such a time. We live in a time where we must stand for the truth. We must not accept the things that are against God. We must stand for the truth of the Word of God. And that’s gonna take courage.

That’s gonna take a faith, and we may feel maybe a little like Esther did it first, that we can’t do it. How can I stand up against the odds? How can I maintain my faith in God? How can I have the resolve, the commitment to stand up, no matter what, no matter what challenges I face, to stand for the truth, to stand for righteousness, to stand for the faith that God has given me?

We’ve gotta put God to the test and put our faith in Him, because there’s no doubt we all will face times like this. And we need to turn to God and look to Him for His guidance, for His confidence. He lives in us, and we can draw on the power of God’s Holy Spirit to do what’s right, no matter what. We’ve been called for such a time as this, to be that shining light to this world, that no matter what any qualities are going out there, we stand for what’s right.

We do what’s right. We live what’s right. We strive to think what’s right, no matter what. And so God gives us the means to be able to do that because we have not been given a spirit of fear, but we’ve been given the Holy Spirit, a spirit of power and love, and right-thinking, sound thinking, wholesome thinking. And so we can be that shining light in this dark world, and we don’t have to fear. We don’t have to fear the Hamans that are out there in this world.

Yes, they stand against us, but with the power of God behind us, we can stand true. There’s a great passage over in Isaiah 41:10, it says this, “Fear not, I am with you.” That’s God telling us that. “Be not dismayed for I am your God, I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Now, we know we can’t do it on our own. We have to put our full trust in God. So let’s do just that because we live in difficult times, but perhaps we’ve been called for such a time as this.”    From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/such-a-time-as-this

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Update.

We are really not too hampered by the Covid 19 rules here. We must be muzzled when in buildings, and no gatherings of a lot of people, but going to the stores as usual, though definitely distancing in the stores.

My injured daughter was moved out of the hospital to rehab, and we hope and pray that she will continue to improve.  I can’t visit her because of the Covid thing though.

The masked beautician trimmed my hair and it seems to be business as usual there.

Animal Control trapped 4 of the stray cats, so that just leaves 3, but they are not trapping here any more because they don’t have room for them. One of the remaining ones, “Sox”, a tabby with white feet, we are going to try to socialize and have him fixed and vaccinated, so he can be our official apartment mouser.

At my check-up at the doctor’s office, we distanced and wore our masks. He is going to research some things and see me again in a couple of weeks.

As usual, Sherry and I prepared for the Sabbath School Bible study on Friday morning, and as we missed the fellowship of the good folks at church we asked if we could be there for it. There weren’t many there, and we all “distanced”, but it was great to be around them today.