The Lake Angel! (?)

CROSS PURPOSES # 102

24 October 2007

Few in Australia will have been untouched by the tragedy of a little 2 year old boy named Dean whose body was found, in a suitcase, in a pond at Ambervale – South West Sydney this week.

My instinct is that the ‘tragedy’ is not only about the death of Dean and the shocking disposal of his body. It embraces, also his parents, grandparents, wider family and the children and community where his body was found.

There is just one aspect of this I want to place before you. The SMH (October 24 2007) has a headline on page 5 “AMID GRIEF, FAMILY FLOATS A TRIBUTE TO LAKE ANGEL”. Inside the article there’s a note to say that Western Sydney residents are calling for donations to establish a ‘Lake Angel’ trust fund to honour Dean with a plaque by the pond.

Why did it catch my eye? Just a week or so ago there was an item in the local rag about a much loved mother who had died – and her two daughters spoke of her as “an angel watching over them from the nearest bright star”.

That theme, of declaring someone to have become some sort of guardian angel upon death has become frequent in a time of angelic spirituality. Especially so with babies and toddlers. It seems obvious that the death of a loved one often drives those left behind to think of the future of the departed one in a ‘good’ spiritual way! It must surely comfort people.

Nevertheless it troubles me – especially so when it is a christian or a christian family that that speaks this way. Why? Consider the two verses from scripture below:

“What are angels then? They are spirits who serve God and are sent by him to help those who are to receive salvation”. Hebrews 1: 14 (GNB)

“God’s Spirit joins himself to our spirits to declare that we are God’s children. Since we are his children, we will possess the blessings he keeps for his people, and we will also possess with Christ what God has kept for him…” Romans 8: 16-17 (GNB)

My issue? Simply this: God declares those who put their trust in his Son as Saviour and Lord to be his children! We don’t become angels – we already are children who share the inheritance! The Lord has all the angels he needs – and they exist to serve him and us.

Let’s not rob those who die in faith of the dignity and joy of their high status!

Be Blessed. Jesus is Lord – and he’s the big brother of all who trust the God of Calvary and Resurrection.

Pastor Fred

“No loans from Jesus – just a gift”

8 August 2007

Hi Guys, another contribution from Rene

Earlier this year I found myself thinking back to a sermon I heard quite a few years ago by an Anglican priest. He had been a schoolteacher earlier in his life and he told a story about a particular experience he’d had. Not long after starting in his new appointment an older more senior teacher approached him for a loan of £10, which he promised to pay back next payday.

The senior teacher promptly did pay back the money, but a couple of days later approached him again for another loan, another £10, which he again promised to pay back next payday. Only this time the loan wasn’t paid back on time. It eventually was, but the priest told of how much he had anguished over it and wondering if he would ever get his money back, so much so that he decided he would never again lend money, but would give it away if he had it to give. His reasoning was that if he gave something away, it was a gift, and therefore he had no reason to expect it back, and therefore no cause for anguish.

I loved that story, and decided it would become my principle also. Over the years God has blessed me with the means to give to others in need, and that Anglican priest is absolutely right. If you give it away, you have no thoughts of expecting repayment, and consequently no anguish about any outstanding debt owed to you. I’ve followed that principle ever since hearing his sermon, except once – just once.

Someone came to me a few years ago – someone I like, a good bloke – asking if I could help him out. He could no longer service a loan and was faced with repossession. Now, I like this fellow, but from what he had told me about himself, and the opportunities it seemed he’d been given during his life, I formed the opinion that he had not been as financially responsible as he might have been. It’s a big thing for me – financial responsibility – organising your life so that you can pay your bills on time, pay your taxes, your rent, your mortgage, or whatever. So I decided I wouldn’t give him the money, but rather, I’d lend it and he would repay me in monthly instalments over a period of two years.

Well, not long after, he fell behind in his repayments. He’d catch up, but then fall behind again, first one month, then two, then three, and all the while I anguished about what was owed to me, and I thought some very uncharitable things about this fellow – whom I liked and counted as a friend. In the end we renegotiated a repayment schedule of smaller instalments to be paid over a longer period. But I was determined the loan would be repaid in full – not so much because I needed the money, but because I believed my friend needed to learn financial responsibility. There was a principle involved, wasn’t there?

Then I read some notes in relation to Jesus’ trial and crucifixion – notes about Jesus not accusing his accusers, not demanding his rights, not protesting about his mistreatment, not anguishing over what others owed him, but instead calling out “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”

A little voice was saying to me, “René, look at how much you have in your Super Fund. Look at the investments and assets you have.” “Yes Lord, I know – you’ve been very good to me. The balance sheet shows lots of assets and no liabilities. But Lord, with respect to my friend, there’s a principle involved here, isn’t there?”

“Mmmm”, said the little voice. “Yes, principles. But what about the principles you’ve failed to live up to over the years, René? What about the principles you’ve disregarded – and we’re not talking about a piddling little loan repayment are we?” Ouch!

“And, by the way, your friend hasn’t actually disowned his debt to you, has he? He’s never walked away from it; he’s committed to paying it back – he’s just a little behind, that’s all. And those assumptions and conclusions you’ve drawn about your friend and his situation, are you sure they’re correct? Are they fair?” Ooh! Double ouch!

Jesus doesn’t have any problems with loan repayments. He’s cancelled all debts. With his blood he has paid out all that was owed. He, who had done nothing wrong has compensated for our wrongdoing. When he was numbered with the criminals, he didn’t demand his rights or call a lawyer to set him free. He didn’t accuse his accusers or point out how foolish it was for them to think him a lawbreaker. He didn’t protest that he was being mistreated or judged improperly. He didn’t call down the wrath of God to punish those sinners. Instead he prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

When others took away the few possessions Jesus had and sorted through them before his eyes, he didn’t fight to hold on to what was his. He didn’t prove they belonged to him by waving receipts, or identification numbers, or loan agreements in their faces. Instead, he called on his Father to forgive them.

His response to those who mocked and insulted him was to purposely turn aside their anger with a softer answer: the only and ultimate answer for sin – a word of forgiveness. It put my attitude towards my friend’s debt into proper perspective and I was able to cancel his debt.

The effect was immediate; the Anglican priest was right. The anguish associated with wondering if I would ever be repaid evaporated. You see, if it’s not yours to expect back, there is no reason for anguish. A gift is a gift, after all, with no conditions attached.

Such is Christ’s gift of forgiveness and eternal life. He doesn’t anguish over debt, because he knows what he has to give can never be repaid. That’s why grace is a gift, not a loan.

René van den Tol
Sydney Lutheran Parish

19 July 2007

Lost and found on Sydney Harbour

CROSS PURPOSES # 90

18 July 2007

Hi Guys

This week's Cross Purposes comes to you courtesy of René van den Tol

The parable of the Lost Sheep in Luke 15:4-7 reads as follows:

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbours together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

This parable was the Bible text for a sermon earlier this year, and in the process of my sermon preparation it became a reality for me on Sydney Harbour. You may recall the visit of the ocean liners Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth 2 to Sydney in February. I took my boat out on the harbour to have a look.

Well, I motored to Circular Quay and it was absolute mayhem. Boats everywhere. I manoeuvred to a position quite close to the QE2 when someone came across behind me and clipped the back of my boat. Very soon after, the motor started to run erratically, and a few minutes later it died – and I nearly died with it. There I was, bobbing like a cork on a choppy Sydney Harbour. I gave everything a quick check. The fuel line and electrics still appeared connected. I turned the key – again, and again, and again. Nothing. The motor was completely dead.

By now I’m drifting in the one direction I didn’t want to be drifting – straight towards the QE2. As well as all the people in the boats there were thousands more watching from the shore. Four or five helicopters were circling overhead – most probably television crews. I made sure I kept my sunglasses on and I pulled my cap down further on my head. I didn’t want to be recognised. I could picture the news reports. Local idiot from the Lutheran Church slams into the side of the QE2. His only excuse – “The Devil made me do it.”

I tried to start to motor again. No joy. “Lord, I don’t need this. Deliver me. Ple e e e e e ease!!!”

At that point I could see myself in the parable – like the lost sheep wandering about aimlessly in the wilderness, I was drifting hopelessly on the Harbour, bleating for the shepherd.

After my big silent “Ple e e e e e ease” to the Lord, a fellow came past slowly on my port side and in desperation I called out, “Mate, I’m in trouble, my motor’s dead, can you give me tow, please?”

He did more than that. He backed up, and with his mate they secured me alongside their boat and we slowly motored to where the other boats had positioned themselves at a safe distance from the QE2.

Another vision came to mind, this time of the lost sheep being found by the shepherd, being lifted onto his shoulders, and being carried back safely to the fold.

After being secured to the other fellow’s boat, we propped right under the Harbour Bridge to enjoy the fanfare and I was able to take some photos. My boatie friend even offered me a beer, and when it was time to go he offered to tow me to his boat ramp at Gladesville, or to radio the Maritime service to come and tow me back to Roseville where my car and trailer were parked.

I settled for the second option, and while he was on the radio I took a closer look at my motor and noticed that the electrical connection wasn’t quite seated properly. It must have been slightly dislodged when I was clipped earlier. I gave it a tap to knock back into place, turned the key, and the motor started. I thanked the guys for their help and I was on my way.

God calls all of us to be shepherds to his people, particular the lost sheep. But sometimes we take up that call without the necessary humility that Jesus always showed, but rather with an attitude and air of self-righteousness and superiority that tends to be judgemental of others.

We need timely reminders, that we too are sheep who lose their way and get lost. On that evening on Sydney Harbour I received a timely reminder that I can get as hopelessly lost as anyone, but that in Jesus I have the perfect shepherd – the true shepherd, the only shepherd – who is always patiently trying to tell me that I am his sheep, and that when I get lost, he’s going to look for me. And when he sees what I’ve done, he turns to the Father and says, “Father, forgive him, for he doesn’t know what he is doing.”

Jesus gently reminds you that you, too, are his sheep and that he tirelessly searches for you every time you get lost. He is your shepherd. He is our shepherd who gave his life so that when we lose our way he can call out “Father, forgive them, for they do know what they are doing.”

René van den Tol

Shit Happens, Grace Surprises!

CROSS PURPOSES # 73

2 February 2007

SHIT HAPPENS, Grace Surprises!

A troublesome episode from my early life. I’m six and a half. Brother Leon is just five years old. We’re out in the backyard, “cutting firewood”. Leon has his hand on a piece of wood that I want to chop. “Move your hand,” I say. “No,” says he. I chop anyway. He screams. I recall an image of a V shape in his hand. Then blood spurting. He runs inside, terror manifest in his scream. Pandemonium. White nappies reddening as they are wrapped around his hand, trying to stop the bleeding. Oldest brother sent running up the street to call the ambulance. Mother distraught and threatening me with the police. Me mortified and terrified. So scared. Out the back gate and up the lane, re-emerging to watch from a hundred and fifty metres away. Ambulance arrives, men with uniforms. The police? I don’t know, and I’m too scared to get closer and find out. Eventually they all leave and I slink home. There’s nowhere to hide. Leon’s been taken to hospital. One fearful and angry mother, and a lot of brothers and sisters who don’t know what to say to me. Isolated, lonely and lost. Oh, so lost!

Father comes home. Hears the story. No immediate response. Goes about his chores and then gets into his daily bath. I’m the only one in the bathroom with him. I’m dying inside. Shattered to silence. That silence, on his part as well, is not broken until he’s just about ready to hop out. Then he turns to me and says, in Dutch, “Weet je wat je gedaan hep?” Translation: “Do you know what you’ve done?” I indicate “yes”. I don’t think I said it as a word. More silence. A long, painful silence, during which shame and guilt seem to find their way into my deepest places. Finally, after what seemed forever, he speaks. “Je ben genug gestrafd.” Translation: “You have been punished enough.”

I remember those words as if they were spoken yesterday. I also remember that the meaning didn’t sink in because I continued to wait for the inevitable. And waited. I knew perfectly well what I could expect. Rage and anger, then a hiding, followed by the withdrawal of parental affection and approval. But he didn’t follow the script. “You have been punished enough.” He was leaving it at that. Forgiveness, pure and simple, cutting through the shame and humiliation. Forgiveness cutting through the layers of shock about what I’d done, what I’d caused, and about what I’d discovered I was capable of. I’m not clear anymore about the time frame of my appreciating what his forgiveness meant, but from that day onwards I sensed, deep inside, that he understood my pain, fear and shame. There was a sort of security with him and, in spite of what I’d done, there was space for me in his heart. And you know, he never ever once mentioned it again. It was done and gone. Shit happened … grace abounded … and surprised. Not luck, but willed, freely bestowed grace.

I have to acknowledge that sometimes shit happens and you can’t see grace to bless yourself. In fact, the crap stuff inevitably comes along in life to everyone. It’s just that in my life much of the bad stuff that occurred also seemed to initiate something good as a result. Maybe every cloud does have a silver lining. I can agree, in part, with Professor Robert Spillane who said, in a panel discussion on happiness, “Life is essentially a shitheap. The only reason to keep going is to find those little jewels in the heap.”1. I’d want to add that life is often rich and abundant, and that the precious gems are often found in large numbers buried in the dung.

One of my friends says he’s only ever grown when life has been rough and tough. That’s when he’s been stretched and had his horizons and heart expanded. I happen to believe that there is an Almighty and that he is behind all this. Mind you, sometimes there’s a pretty big lag time between the bad stuff and a good outcome. And sometimes the good outcome is not the one you originally thought you needed.

This book is, by and large, the story of how I have experienced the reality of grace, in the midst of inevitable turmoil and trouble, in and through the four great institutions of my life: my birth family and my dad in particular, the Roman Catholic Church, my wife Rosemarie and our children, and the Lutheran Church in Australia, especially the local parishes I’ve had the privilege of serving as the incumbent reverend.

When it comes to forgiveness for our own children I’ve always tried to emulate my father. Strange it has been that the more serious an episode was, the less anger accompanied it. And once forgiveness was spoken, or indicated, the matter at hand was never mentioned again. No account keeping. No “historyonics” down the track. Along the way I like to think I’ve come to enjoy good relationships with my kids. Maybe such forgiveness is part of the reason why. That, and the fact that I learned to apologise to them as well!

Having such a dad as I did was not luck. I think of him today, years after his death, as God’s gift to me. So I reckon that what most of us call luck would be better described as grace incognito – grace unrecognised.



Fred

For more information about this book from which this is the first chapter send an email to info@ferryhousepublishing.com

Hanging on by the skin of my teeth!

17 January 2007

Hanging on by the skin of my teeth!

Hi Guys, Fred here. First time in 2007. Hope you are all well.

I have no idea where the phrase “by the skin of my teeth” comes from. Maybe one of you can tell me. I do know what the phrase means. It means that we are barely surviving. One more trauma, storm, setback, could knock us over. The phrase is used by farmers hoping to see out a draught. Or by businessmen wanting to survive an economic downturn. Or by families under pressure who wonder about the future. Or by Pastors who realise they mightn’t have the inner resources to keep going. Or… Or… write your own scenario!

I’ve recently discovered for myself what it’s like to “hit the wall”. It’s all been a bit of a surprise at a conscious level. However, somewhere deep inside I knew it was coming and, believe it or not, I welcome it.

You see, normally when we consider “one more storm” we think in terms of things moving to a position of hopelessness. However if you and I can approach our struggle from the point of view of faith then our position can never be hopeless.

Sure, the feelings are all there. Frustration, pain, maybe rage, often fear, certainly grief – all with a sense of desperation – or not understanding. However, if Jesus is Lord then he knows about this battle and, indeed, experiences it with us. I might feel as though I’m gone – but in him I am never gone. It might seem as though I hang over the abyss, with no help at hand – but as David found, ‘underneath are the everlasting arms’.

There’s a lesson to be learnt here. When things go well – when you’re cruising – and life is good, its easy to have faith, to believe that God is for you. It’s another thing to trust, and keep on trusting, when it seems all reason for trust has evaporated. Such faith is a gift. That gift must be put to work in a crisis. And that’s my / your choice – to keep on trusting, regardless of circumstances. That’s also how you build your spiritual heart muscles.

I’m reminded of something William Willimon said:

“There’s nothing the devil hates more than a person who continues to trust, when circumstances dictate that trust should cease. That person is beyond Satan’s reach!”

Hey now. Look at Good Friday!

Have a blessed week.

Fred

The law of downward nobility

Hi guys – a short “thought starter to go!” I’m still in the process of settling and sorting post holiday. What I’ve got below helps me see where I’m coming from, where God is coming from, and where the voices that tempt us come from.

It is interesting to reflect on the Isaiah account of Satan’s fall in heaven before Adam and Eve. Isaiah 14: 13-14

You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly on the heights of Zaphon, I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High”.

Just as interesting to see the “hooker” that the Fallen One used to get through the defenses of Adam and Eve. Genesis 3:5

“…you will be like God…”

Ever after, as water flowing from the same polluted spring, the children of Adam and Eve have been placing self at the centre of their lives. There is an inevitability about it. That’s what pride is – and even feeling sorry for yourself is putting self at the centre.

So it’s interesting to think about, and digest, God’s own solution to this utter distortion of his purposes (and of human hearts too!). Philippians 2: 5-11

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The sin of all sins comes from reaching upwards – which is rebellion, untrust, unbelief. It is wanting to be powerful!

The salvation which is the only salvation that works begins with the eternal Son reaching down – even unto death – our death. It has authority by remaining under authority.

So what’s life? Above all Christ Jesus is our Life!

And then? We reach downwards too – “Have this mind among yourselves” – And nothing disempowers the powers of evil as powerfully as lives that take up the Cross and follow Jesus! That’s the Law of downward nobility.

Bless you till I get functional again.

- Pastor Fred

Heart Songs

19 April 2006

Fred here with a post-Easter edition of Cross Purposes. I guess you have all enjoyed the Easter Break. I hope you are all refreshed too.

Something from the Doctor’s…
A couple of weeks back I was over at the Doctors and, as one does, I was flicking through an old ‘Time’ magazine when an article caught my eye. It was entitled “Heart Songs” and it started like this;

Just by listening through a stethoscope to the sounds inside your chest, a well-practiced doctor can tell whether a valve in your heart is leaky, you have a touch of pneumonia in your lungs or your heart isn’t pumping as much blood as your body needs. In many cases, a subtle change in the pattern of bodily noises can alert your physician to problems long before symptoms appear. Unfortunately, the art of auscultation, the technical term for listening to those sounds, is slowly dying. Seasoned physicians complain that their younger colleagues are simply more comfortable ordering high-tech – and more costly – computerised scans to make diagnoses.

The article went on to say that a Dr Michael Barrett, a cardiologist from Temple University, was thinking about this one day while fiddling with his new CD Burner. He promptly had good recordings of all the different heart sounds put on a CD and gave them to his students to listen to. The idea was that by regular listening to a healthy heart, and also the variations that come with heart murmurs, pneumonia, leaky valves or blocked arteries, the students would learn that their stethoscopes could be a very valuable medical aid.

When he checked with his students as to whether they were actually listening to the sounds they told him “Gee Dr Barrett, no one listens to CDs anymore. We’ve uploaded everything onto our ipods”.

The Doctor wasn’t daunted. He got hold of one of his computer savvy nephews and turned his heart recordings into ipod-readable MP3 files. This really clicked with the students who could now see the title of each “song” they played.

What fascinated me was that the students ability to diagnose heart murmurs jumped from 39% to 89% after listening to their ipods for 2-3 hours!

Why did this article (‘Time’ from Jan 30-31, 2006) grab me?
I wondered whether it was possible to think of that stethoscope stuff as a Christian. And one thing was immediately obvious – if you or I want to be able to diagnose what is NOT RIGHT in our hearts we must first learn what a RIGHT heart sounds like. Which means it makes sense to let ourselves be immersed in the rhythm of Jesus’ heart.

holy...just...integrity...truth...love...compassionate...mercy...grace

Once we know his heart, driven as it is by holy love for the Father, and holy love for the lost, we can properly discern our own hearts. Listed below are some of the heart truths we might hear with his stethoscope…

heart murmurs caused by greed, envy, hypocrisy, lies, dishonesty
heart palpitations caused by fear, worry, anxiety, refusal / inability to trust
racing heart caused by jealousy, revenge, hatred, ambition or lust
hardening of spiritual arteries – unforgiveness, resentment
hardening of heart – bitterness and stubbornness, criticism and judgement
heart muscle breakdown because of laziness and apathy
heart valve failure – from overwhelming selfishness
hole in heart at precisely the place where God is to be enthroned and where we talk to him.

That’s us! Like King David said “Create in me a clean heart O God!” Not renew the old one! Create a new one.

And God does! He creates a new heart for us. And he can do it because the heart which stopped beating on Good Friday, crushed with sin and shame, grief and sorrow, is restored whole on Easter Sunday. The thing is, when we get faith we get the heart as well, full of Spirit given and driven love.

We get a life – a heart transplant – and can live a life!

One other thing:

Someone asked our Dr Barrett how many times the students had to listen before they got it right. His answer – about 500 times! So how many times might we have to listen to Jesus’ spiritual heartbeat before we get it right? It’s worth thinking about!

Have a good week in Jesus!