"HE CAN JUST BUGGER OFF!"
8 November 2006
“HE CAN JUST BUGGER OFF!”
Our youngest daughter Tracey was married to Coby on the last weekend in October. The ‘chapel’ was the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, looking over to the Bridge and Opera House. The reception was on a boat called (appropriately) Vagabond Princess. The weather was perfect and we had a blast.
There were lots of interesting things happening as always happen when whole families and group of friends intersect in a place of goodwill. Let me tell you about one amusing moment in the lead up to the day.
On the weekend before the wedding, Rosemarie, my wife arrived home from Tassie with a vicious stomach bug that took many days to shake. Two days later Tracey herself was struck by the same bug and finished up crook almost up to the wedding. On the Tuesday before the nuptials our eldest daughter Kerry, on holidays in Port Macquarie, rang to ask for her GPs number because she and the kids were unwell too. The next day, our Canberra daughter Michelle (Bridesmaid), called to say she’d been diagnosed with Glandular fever.
A day later Michelle was in Sydney with us and I told her it seemed as though the Devil didn’t want us to be able to celebrate the wedding. Her answer? “Well, he can just bugger off!”:
You might find the language offensive but you have to admire the spirit of her answer and the Spirit from whom it came. Wrapped up in that straightforward earthy language is some great theology. She was right on the money. What was it the Apostle Peter said to Jesus’ followers under siege?
“Resist the devil and he will flee from you”.
May the Spirit of Jesus anoint your life.
Pastor Fred
Extra note
All of the above was written in a rather humorous tone. It becomes more poignant and pointed because of something sad that happened after the wedding. Coby’s friend Chris Stokes, who was best man, was found dead in his bed in Colorado four days later! This news brought deep shock to us all, especially the young couple. And in those first intensive hours after such sad news that exclamation of my daughter about the devil – well it gained new import.
Maybe “whispers the tempter”, “God doesn’t love you as much as you think! Your celebrations aren’t quite applicable are they?”
If the Devil would have us believe that this occurrence is a sign that God’s blessing has been diminished – well, he can just bugger off!
We’re sad about the death. We shall still celebrate the marriage. And the Lord Jesus who blesses it.
You know, such defiance becomes the followers of Jesus Christ. And perhaps you can see why worship of our God, is, in so many ways, an act of defiance.
Bye
Fred
Just a reminder, that you are free to use this material, send it on to anyone else.
“HE CAN JUST BUGGER OFF!”
Our youngest daughter Tracey was married to Coby on the last weekend in October. The ‘chapel’ was the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, looking over to the Bridge and Opera House. The reception was on a boat called (appropriately) Vagabond Princess. The weather was perfect and we had a blast.
There were lots of interesting things happening as always happen when whole families and group of friends intersect in a place of goodwill. Let me tell you about one amusing moment in the lead up to the day.
On the weekend before the wedding, Rosemarie, my wife arrived home from Tassie with a vicious stomach bug that took many days to shake. Two days later Tracey herself was struck by the same bug and finished up crook almost up to the wedding. On the Tuesday before the nuptials our eldest daughter Kerry, on holidays in Port Macquarie, rang to ask for her GPs number because she and the kids were unwell too. The next day, our Canberra daughter Michelle (Bridesmaid), called to say she’d been diagnosed with Glandular fever.
A day later Michelle was in Sydney with us and I told her it seemed as though the Devil didn’t want us to be able to celebrate the wedding. Her answer? “Well, he can just bugger off!”:
You might find the language offensive but you have to admire the spirit of her answer and the Spirit from whom it came. Wrapped up in that straightforward earthy language is some great theology. She was right on the money. What was it the Apostle Peter said to Jesus’ followers under siege?
“Resist the devil and he will flee from you”.
May the Spirit of Jesus anoint your life.
Pastor Fred
Extra note
All of the above was written in a rather humorous tone. It becomes more poignant and pointed because of something sad that happened after the wedding. Coby’s friend Chris Stokes, who was best man, was found dead in his bed in Colorado four days later! This news brought deep shock to us all, especially the young couple. And in those first intensive hours after such sad news that exclamation of my daughter about the devil – well it gained new import.
Maybe “whispers the tempter”, “God doesn’t love you as much as you think! Your celebrations aren’t quite applicable are they?”
If the Devil would have us believe that this occurrence is a sign that God’s blessing has been diminished – well, he can just bugger off!
We’re sad about the death. We shall still celebrate the marriage. And the Lord Jesus who blesses it.
You know, such defiance becomes the followers of Jesus Christ. And perhaps you can see why worship of our God, is, in so many ways, an act of defiance.
Bye
Fred
Just a reminder, that you are free to use this material, send it on to anyone else.
posted by PastorFredVeerhuis at 3:26 PM
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