Dear...
'Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed...'
Ecclesiastes 11:6
"By
the light of the silvery moon," this I am familiar with, for it was the
title as well as theme song of a movie by Doris Day back in 1953. And
those were the days(unintended pun) of a "can do" America, strong and
vigorous after leading the free world out of the ruinous second World
War. Maybe today a more apt description should be 'penny wise, pound
foolish,' not because America is foolishly thrifty, but rather
horrendously profligate.
"Silver cord??" A quick check on the net provided some strange
explanations including that of the New Age theory of the literal cord that links our soul to our physical being.
This
is too esoteric for me, and better to come to the grounds that our Lord
is leading me to, so will leave the cord behind, and stick to the
"silver."
'...and if you look for it as for silver and search for
it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the
Lord and find the knowledge of God...'
Proverbs 2:4-5
Silver
has an affinity with me. For back in the early 1990s, I used to make
good lunch monies trading it between $3.50-4/oz. After a prolonged
absence, I recently renewed my acquaintance with this shiny bright
metal, but must admit it is no longer the svelte damsel of the past, now
weighing in at $28/oz. Have I gone bonkers to pay 8 times from the
price of my previous fruitful dalliance?
Let me now move from the carnal plane to that of the spiritual.
'I acquired male and female servants.... Yes I had greater possessions....I also gathered for myself silver and gold....'
Ecclesiastes 2:7-8
'Then
I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I
must leave it to the man who will come after me. Who knows whether he
will be wise or a fool?..'
Ecclesiastes 2:18-19
Silver
and gold might still not be fully back in fashion. But it's equivalent
be it in paper monies, equities and other treasures many have aplenty.
Accumulating wealth is a tough obsession to discard, hanging on to it in perpetuity is nigh impossible, for life is finite.
Is
it not better to give it away? In giving, we retake control from our
earthly treasures that have enslaved us. In giving, we receive this joy
that God meant for all to partake.
Be careful for nothing; but in
every thing by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the
peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts
and minds through Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:6-7
It has
been a week since I stepped out and exhausting it has been, but as an
older non Christian friend who had taken a similar plunge to go where he
believes shared, one's spirit gets a new sense of purpose and with it,
comes the vigor. But more than one's understanding, I know Who to turn
to in this journey of faithful obedience, and on a wing and prayer, that
is how I am living my walk post Merrill.
- Acknowledging God's
grace is indeed suffice for the day much as the day is evil, sets the
tone when the darkness of the night gives way to the early light of
dawn.
- Coming to our Lord for a time of communion in prayer and
in His living Word refreshes, reassures and realigns one's focus for
the day.
- In learning to be still,
one sense His will and with the wisdom garnered from a life that seeks
Him with my all, one learns to do what honors Him, at every forked road
where our selfish carnality and the selfless example of Christ likeness
meets.
'He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver.
Nor he who loves abundance with increase......The sleep of a laboring
man is sweet whether he eats little or much. But the abundance of the
rich will not permit him to sleep.'
Ecclesiastes 5:10, 12
A
dear friend of mine has at most a couple more months. He is torn
between distributing his provisions now or clinging on till near the
end. Provisions one cannot bring with us. If it is precious metals,
definitely impossible, having recently lugged quite a few kilo worth of
the white and shiny stuff to attest to the burdensome task. Do they take
checks and credit card in the afterlife? I doubt it and am not sure if
the present
financial crisis of the living has permeated that of the dead? Foolish
meanderings this might be, but as King Solomon, rightly put it, all is
vanity.
'Oh, how great is Your goodness. Which You have laid up
for those who fear You. Which You have prepared for those who trust in
You in the presence of the sons of men!'
Psalm 31:19
God
calls us all to be a holy and living sacrifice. The path that I am
taking might not be lined with silver and gold, but it is a sure path
filled by His presence, and truly if God our Provider is with me, His
provisions matter not. In stepping out of the box of my own
understanding, into His presence, joy, peace and awe will be my constant
companions.
'....all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have
not made our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from
our iniquities and understand the truth.'
Daniel 9:13
God
blesses
Eng hieang
(27 June 2012)
An afterthought - Silver towers
A
dear friend this morning reminded me of the days when retired pastors
and Christian workers, who have served our Lord were given a place to
stay in the church or Christian schools that they served. And their
maturity and experiences were invaluable to the community.
Like the
'throwaway' society that we have become, the aged, even if they are
able, are considered dispensable, and sadly, it seems to apply to many
of our once spiritual leaders, who are left to fend for themselves.
Interestingly,
God is always prescient and I just read in the Wesley Tidings last
night, a sharing by my pastor who reminded all that "grey hair is a
crown of glory, it is gained by living a godly life."
(Proverbs 16:31)
We
will all grow old eventually. If we do not value our seniors,
especially our spiritual mentors, we are effectively bringing our own
future
worth down. But more importantly, the Christian faith is an
experiential relationship with our Living God. And God uses the fathers
and grandfathers to teach the next generation. Are we depriving
ourselves and our children of these living storehouses of God given
wisdom?
"Silver Tower" is an apartment in town that has gone
enbloc and has been torn down. What remains is the signage which stared
right at me this morning as I drove back from this morning's discussion
on the aged but able.
If I was to add an 's' to Silver Tower, and
transform it into "Silver Towers" indeed the silver haired with their
God given wisdom can be a towering influence upon the next generation,
to ensure that we do not repeat the mistakes of the Israelites, who turn
away from God their Provider, in the midst of their provisions. Europe
today is a reflection of a once blessed Christian continent degenerated
into a in the main, godless society, now wallowing in
misery.
'Riches do not profit in the day of wrath...'
Proverbs 11:4
Do
join me in praying and pondering upon how we can be used by our Lord to
provide for and harness the God given gifts and experiences of this
silver haired generation.
Silver is God given wisdom, gold is as our character refined by Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment