Rumours of more earthquakes... will you be shaken?

The increasing intensity of earthquakes literally shake our world. The recent Chilean 8.8 Quake and the 9.1 Sumatran Quake in 2004 that generated an Indian Ocean tsunami have both impacted the Earth's rotation and shifted it's axis. These small shifts in the axis may seem insignificant in themselves but the implications to the world's weather patterns and gravitational forces are significant. It's a bit scary.

The devastation we see in the aftermath of these events is also frightening.  The horrific mess that Haiti has found itself in - not only for the colossal  loss of life and infrastructure by a country not politically in shape to respond to such a disaster, but the utter desperation each Haitian finds themselves in... no fault of their own.  Without the support of fellow human beings prepared to step in, the disaster would be beyond unbearable for those affected. And as an aside, just because Haiti has dropped out of the sensationalist news cycle, doesn't mean we should give up providing greatly needed support - see Frances Frangipane's recent article, Whose Test Is This? It's a bit scary.

And if you think you are in a country that is immune to earthquakes, and it won't happen to you... well, there is no such place. In Australia, we don't seem to have many earthquakes... or do we? In the last 7 days we had 4 reasonable sized quakes; NW Alice Springs, NT 2.8, Mt. Martha, VIC 2.3, Ulladulla, NSW 3.0, Nelson Bay, NSW 3.3 (See Recent earthquakes measured by Geoscience Australia). They only get reported on the news when they can film a building crumpled or when someone dies. It's a bit scary.

So why all this doom and gloom, Peter? Well, it is a reality check. I know I need it sometimes to shake me out of my comfortable lifestyle and my warm & fuzzie western world thinking... because that is a bit scary! What would happen to me if such an epic Haitian type event smashed into my life... and I hope personally it never does! But if it did occur, would I be ready? How can I be ready?

A psalm of David. LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy mountain?  

Those whose walk is blameless, who do what is righteous, who speak the truth from their hearts;   who have no slander on their tongues, who do their neighbors no wrong, who cast no slur on others;   who despise those whose ways are vile but honor whoever fears the LORD; who keep their oaths even when it hurts;   who lend money to the poor without interest and do not accept bribes against the innocent.

Whoever does these things will never be shaken. 

Psalm 15

Immediate proof is found with the Haitian Christians. Again, Frances Frangipane had this to say:

We talked about how, in the days after the Port-au-Prince earthquake, in looking for human interest stories, media reporters actually filmed these Haitians praying and worshiping God. There the Haitians were, singing hymns of praise to God. One clip I saw showed hundreds of Christians in absolute defiance of the surroundings, singing and marching in a field. With uplifted hands, and faces that beamed their trust in God, these Christians demonstrated the power of faith. As best as I could tell, they were mostly unaware of the cameras. Yet, the secular news media had become a virtual stage upon which God showcased the faith of His people. It was powerful.

Like Job who, in spite of his sudden and catastrophic loses, bowed low before God in worship (see Job 1:20), so our Haitian brethren showed the world a similar depth of character. Certainly, their collective heartache and loss were as deep as any in Haiti, yet the anchor of their soul, unmistakably, was Jesus Christ.

Depth of character... now is your time to prepare. Psalm 15 is a good place to start.

Mealtimes - we was brung up proper!

Friday night was the end of the week. My mum always prepared and cooked great meals. But this was Friday night! Take-away was the highlight each fortnight. Take-away food was limited to fish and chips, no pizza shops, McDonald's , KFC, Subway or Nandos.

Just good old, plain fish and chips. And our shop was a posh one because all was wrapped in butcher's paper and then the outer wrap was a news paper. And, hopefully we got the 'funnies', cartoon strips, on our news paper to read.

We would sit out in the middle of the back yard, on the grass, unwrap our treasure and ravenously consume all until only the paper and some salt remained. The laughter and playful banter would last much longer.

A simple delight we looked forward to.

But no longer. Today, take-away is a common meal to the average family. A typical quick lunchtime meal. Even when we 'go to the shops' and mealtime approaches, take-away is a quick choice. Choice - have you noticed all the competing outlets gnawing at your senses and ready to lighten your wallet.

A.W. Tozer, in his book, "In Pursuit of God", wrote:

Before the Lord God made man upon the earth He first prepared for him by creating a world of useful and pleasant things for his sustenance and delight. In the Genesis account of the creation these are called simply 'things.' They were made for man's uses, but they were meant always to be external to the man and subservient to him. In the deep heart of the man was a shrine where none but God was worthy to come. Within him was God; without, a thousand gifts which God had showered upon him. 

But sin has introduced complications and has made those very gifts of God a potential source of ruin to the soul.

Our woes began when God was forced out of His central shrine and 'things' were allowed to enter. Within the human heart 'things' have taken over. Men have now by nature no peace within their hearts, for God is crowned there no longer, but there in the moral dusk stubborn and aggressive usurpers fight among themselves for first place on the throne.

In today's world, our fast and ever changing world, we are caught up and swept along in a torrent of easy choices that we pay for dearly. Not only do we have to work harder and longer to afford this lifestyle, but we pay through the loss of health. Obesity is on the increase, heart attacks, clogged arteries, kidney failure, depression and a whole myriad of exotic diseases that are becoming more common place.

We glare at the thought of our processed genetically modified food as we feast our eyes on that next mouth watering treat we just gotta buy and gulp down as we rush on towards our next destination.
 
When was the last time you freshly prepared a well cooked meal, sat down in peace and savoured the delight of gentle conversation?

A time where there is no rush to finish the meal to watch the favorite TV show, SMS a friend, play the latest on the Playstation, Nintendo Wii , X-boxes, video game, 999 channels on SKY, Foxtel, video/dvd  films, or update your status on the iPhone, Facebook, Twitter, Friendfeed, LinkedIn, Plaxo, MySpace, Plurk, or just play or trawl on the Internet and chat rooms!

The sit-down, well prepared meal, made with love and dedication, has now become the simple delight to look forward to. Maybe it needs to be fully rescued. A mealtime for the family. A sit down, let's enjoy each others company and not be in a rush to be somewhere else, time.

Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.
2 Timothy 2:7

What's for dinner tonight?

Don't know which way to go? Here's an idea...

Freeways get upgraded and are constantly changing to accommodate the burgeoning population of Melbourne. I haven't been through the maze of reconstruction between the Bolte Bridge and Montague Street until recently.

As I returned from the airport after dropping a friend off, and chatting with my wife, as one does, the familiar road seem to change before me. I missed some of the signage because my conversation was more intriguing.

In a moment of confusion, I wasn't sure that I was in the correct lane or indeed on the right path for my exit. I couldn't see clearly. With heavy traffic all around and big unforgiving trucks flanking me, my options were greatly limited.

Have you ever been in a place where you don't know which way to turn?

Either you panic or you can draw deep from within your soul a sense of calmness and peace... with a clear head a good decision can be made. All else must be put aside... the conversation, the trucks, lack of signs... a prayer of "Help!" and the way forward is made clear.

In everyday life, we must make decisions. Critical decisions need to be weighed a little longer and deeper.

For me, Jesus modelled a brilliant way:

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.  Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!"  Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come."
Mark 1:35-38

Notice two things here. 1. Jesus "went off to a solitary place, where he prayed" and 2. As a result, He took a change in direction, "Let us go somewhere else... preach there also" and clarity of vision, "That is why I have come".

It is good to have the habit of setting time aside to think and pray. Whatever works best for you. For me, I enjoy the early morning before the distractions of the day set in. When important decisions need to be made... I have a place already prepared to work on it. What do you do?

Oh, and if you are wondering about how I survived the changed freeway... suffice to say, I'm back home to tell the story ;-)