It's that time of year...

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My bible study group said that I should rant about this online. I said I wouldn't. But, now, I'm sitting here staring at the screen, wondering what to write about, and I think I might just do it. So, here it is...

Two Sundays ago, Dr. Bingham spoke at church about Noah's ark (Genesis 6, 7, & 8) and used it as a backdrop to talk about God's patience. I wasn't paying a huge amount of attention (this happens a lot due to my ADD...my brain just wanders and I can't bring it back even when I want to. Sometimes, it even wanders for awhile afterwards while I'm doing other things. It makes conversation difficult at these times...) to his sermon, but I guess part of my brain took notes on some of it. I have realized over the years that one hears a lot of the same themes over and over again in church. An important part of his message revolved around recognizing God's patience, both with those who sin and whom we wonder why they haven't been judged yet and, as he then later made clear was important in order to understand the answer to the first one, with us.

Tuesday night, Brian was talking to us about 1 Peter 1, and he talked about how Christ is not just the means for our salvation, but also the means for our vindication. In case you are wondering what the definition of vindication is exactly...

vindication – noun

1. the act of vindicating.
2. the state of being vindicated.
3. defense; excuse; justification: Poverty was a vindication for his thievery.
4. something that vindicates: Subsequent events were her vindication

vindicate – verb

1. to clear, as from an accusation, imputation, suspicion, or the like: to vindicate someone's honor.
2. to afford justification for; justify: Subsequent events vindicated his policy.
3. to uphold or justify by argument or evidence: to vindicate a claim.
4. to assert, maintain, or defend (a right, cause, etc.) against opposition.
5. to claim for oneself or another.
6. Roman and Civil Law. to regain possession, under claim of title of property through legal procedure, or to assert one's right to possession.
7. to get revenge for; avenge.
8. Obsolete. to deliver from; liberate.
9. Obsolete. to punish

I guess the point is that not only is Christ the means of salvation for those who believe in Him, but he is also the one who will excercise judgement upon his return. The two topics, while being spoken about at different times by different people, are, in my opinion, connected. The reality is that Christ is coming and that, when he returns, he will save those who believe in him and all others will (no ifs, ands or buts) perish. We may wonder sometimes why people seem to get away with horrible things and how God can allow it to be. But, He is allowing us all the opportunity to come to him. He is having patience with those who are doing these horrible evils just as much as he is having patience with us.

So, onto my rant...

As I was driving home from work today, I found myself noticing a small circle of cloth ghosts strung around a tree as if they were having a "cloth ghost" seance or something. Tomorrow is Halloween, and maybe it shouldn't surprise me to see stuff like this. The thing is though that it really bothered me. How many people put crap like that up in their yards? I've enjoyed the holiday before, and I particularly enjoy dressing up on that day (I love the silliness of it). But, where is the line we need to avoid crossing into actually getting into a pagan celebration? When one is putting up things like this, is one not actually supporting pagan things? Maybe we should ignore Halloween altogether. I don't know if that's good either. I don't mean to sound this judgemental about it. The point is: I was mad about that display. It was so innocent seeming, and yet encouraging of a more or less occultish practice. For a very brief moment there, I found myself wondering "How can God allow these things to happen so rampantly!?"

It was only a minute or so later, as I was trying to remind myself about how great God's grace is that He is so patient with us, that I found myself getting angry at some guy for tailgating so close behind me. I hate tailgating. I don't mean the football party kind. I mean the kind where, as you're driving along, some idiot is hovering about 3 feet off the rear bumper of your car. I generally treat this by just barely "slamming" my brakes. In other words, I slow down sharply and make sure they have a good dose of my brake lights. I do this with my eyes on the mirror and just long enough that I see them begin to pull up short. Then I know I have their attention. (I try to be pretty careful) Of course, I then speed up really quickly to put a little bit of distance between us to see if they get the point. Usually, they do. the thing is though: This makes me really freaking mad. For me, it is as bad as if someone cuts me off. As least then, they are being blatant in their stupidity! Here, it is so often out of ignorance. Tailgating is so dangerous and stupid!

It was about at this point that I began to recall and think about Dr. Bingham's message a couple of Sundays ago and Brian's topic last Tuesday night. How amazing is the patience of God!! How beautiful is his grace!! That I am saved through the blood of His only begotten son. That I who deserves death and justice am protected from His just wrath by that blood. That is so cool.

Equally cool though, even though it's not as apparent to all of us all the time, is the fact that He has had the patience to let me come this far so that I can come to Him and be saved. That He has waited for me to realize my need for His grace. That same patience is also why He waits for them, too. For the idiots who tailgate as well as the ones who put cloth ghosts around a tree. It's not just them though, it's also me when I am so angry that I slam on my brakes or find myself wishing for a moment (in a total act of hypocrisy) that God would strike down those people with the cloth ghosts. I should not be thinking and acting that way any more than they should. It's so cool that he has such patience with us. I don't know how to say it in any other way.



Before I go...

I read this article a few minutes ago. It stuck out to me because it reminds me so much of my Dad. He's been doing this for at least 10 years or so. Most likely even more. Does that mean he started a trend???

Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

1 Peter 1:17-21