Sunday, August 8, 2021
Just Another Sunset
Which is Everything.
For It Is God’s Promise Fulfilled.
Isaiah 25:5
For you have been a refuge to the poor, a refuge to the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rainstorm and a shade from the heat. When the blast of the ruthless was like a winter rainstorm, the noise of aliens like heat in a dry place, you subdued the heat with the shade of clouds; the song of the ruthless was stilled.
Luke 1:51-52
He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly.
Words of Grace For Today
God definitely favours the poor, those in distress, and those lowly in life.
God provides the refuge, shelter, relief from the storms of the wickedly ruthless. God lifts up the lowly that they may not be so low as not to be able to live, and live abundantly.
God definitely does not favour those who cause others distress, those who are ruthless, those proud and haughty, nor the powerful.
God subdues the ruthless who are like a blast of heat or a blast of a wintry storm (snow and ice or rain, it matters not). God stills the song of the ruthless who think they have won so they sing their songs. God knows theirs is not a song to have sung by anyone. God scatters the proud with the terror of their own thoughts, the turmoil in their own hearts. God takes down those who are powerful and cruel.
There are many who camp for months on crown lands, never removing after 14 days their equipment, or they play a game and move every 21 or so days to a different campsite, so it looks like they have not camped in the same place. They are proud. They are hard on the land. They are sure that they are entitled to special treatment; they do not have to obey the laws.
There are many who come for a weekend, or 4 to 7 days, maybe even 14 or 28 days, and they camp with a wonderful view of the water, a mere 2 or 10 or 15 metres away. Perhaps they are oblivious to the proper care of the land and water, that camping is allowed but not within 30 metres of any body of water. They come in large motorhomes, in huge 5th wheel units, or long bumper pull campers, or short motorhomes or even tents. They claim the right to enjoy the water up close and to party and have open fires and drink at all hours and walk between campsites drinking.
Then there are those who bring quads and side by sides, who erode the fragile roads, plow through the brush, and make noise at all hours with their engines. And the partyers blast their loud music into the wee hours of the morning.
It is hard work to respect the laws and respect the land. Moving every 14 days, leaving crown land for 3 is expensive. Setting up and tearing down is not simple or easy.
What does God do about these proud people who destroy the land and water for their own ease and enjoyment.
Nothing.
God sends enforcement people from time to time; but they do little.
God sends educational people even less often; and they do precious little.
The Devil sends bullies and they simply rip up the place.
We thank God, that the storms of evil are calmed, if not all, then the ones that would steal our lives and our safety from us. We thank God that many of the people who come, even if they disrespect the laws and the land, do show a minimum of respect for other campers, and we are able to survive.
It’s not very high that God has lifted up the lowly homeless campers, yet it is high enough above the rock bottom of sure and quick death that there is always another sunrise to enjoy, another rain storm cooling away the searing heat, another snow storm laying down enough for skiing, another sunset to close out a full day, and always another gentle, kind person to speak to.
These are God’s people, doing God’s work of providing refuge. Are you one of these?
Or are you one that blasts others to get ahead?
God provides refuge. That keeps the grave at a distance. That keeps alive the promise of new life each day. That enables us to be God’s people for others, providing them refuge.