Today is U.S. General Election Day – first Tuesday of the month after first Monday of month. If you do not vote, you will be agreeing to abide by the results of the election. If you do vote, you will be doing your part as an American Citizen, and as a citizen of your state, county, etc. Some elections in recent years have been very close, making the vote of one person very important in calculating results. When all the votes are counted and the results of the election announced, you will have a huge honorable feeling, knowing you have done your part.
According to John Greenleaf Whittier, you will be asserting yourself as a sovereign among royal peers.
The proudest now is but my peer,
The highest not more high;
To-day, of all the weary year,
A king of men am I.
To-day, alike are great and small,
The nameless and the known;
My palace is the people’s hall,
The ballot-box my throne! John Greenleaf Whittier
At the close of each Tuesday blog I will write about the presidents, in the order of their service.
The musical, “My Fair Lady,” has a scene in which Eliza Doolittle half-sings and half-shouts, “Words, words, words!” She is sick of words that have no purpose or meaning.
Words are interesting. They come, they pass through, they go their way. Such a word I’ve heard on TV as several old movies made their way to my home screen. It is the word, “swell.” In the old movies it sounds off in its form as an adjective, and means “excellent,” or something like that. There was a time when we used the word like that and heard it just about every day, but it is very seldom heard or spoken these days. Language is always evolving, changing, and morphing into new expressions.
Some say that “swell” was replaced by “cool.” Maybe so, but that’s not heard as much as it used to be, and it had to develop as the word, “crazy,” faded away.
A few weeks ago, I heard someone say, “problematic.” Since then I must have heard it dozens of times. It seems to be the popular word to use now, but it is not always used correctly. Words can come and go in popularity, just like celebrities.
Language changes. The Bible that was translated from Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic made its mark on the world. It was so popular that use of that version is now a test of orthodoxy in some circles. But, just think for a minute about the time that has elapsed since that translation, known as the King James Version, came into being. That version came out in 1611–four hundred eight years ago. Unless you want to master the ancient languages and translate the original words as you read, you rely on the works of scholars who have tried to translate the Bible into modern words.
I have a preacher friend who is so proficient in Greek that he can use only the Greek New Testament when he preaches. He does not read aloud the Greek, but translates into English as he reads. I know of no one else who does that. I certainly am not able to do it. Instead, I rely on many translations as I study the Bible.
I miss the days when quoting a scripture verse word for word was popular. Everyone knew whether it was being quoted correctly. Today, the quotation may come from one of many translations. But that’s the way it is.
Someone asked, “Will we know one another in Heaven?” That question, I believe, was answered by the apostle, Paul, when he wrote a letter to Christians in Thessalonica about their loved ones who had died. Here’s what he wrote:
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
Look For Me
– by Rusty Goodman
sung by Tanya (Goodman) Sykes
When you finally make your entrance to that city
Of jasper walls, and bright gold avenues
As you behold all it’s beauty and its splendor
Remember there’s just one request I make of you
Chorus:
Look for me, for I will be there too
I realize, when you arrive, there’ll be so much to view,
After you’ve been there 10,000 years, a million, maybe two,
Look for me, for I will be there too
As you go down your list of firsts, there’s no question
You’ll want to see your loved ones waiting there for you,
And when you feel you’ve shared your story with the last one
That wants to hear you tell just how you made it through
2nd Chorus, sung after 2nd verse:
Look for me, I’d like to hear it too
I realize when you arrive, there’ll be so much to view,
After you’ve been there 10,000 years, a million, maybe two,
Look for me, for I will be there too
Psalm 138:1-3 is an expression of thanks to the Lord for release from captivity. As I read it today, I like to think of it as my thanks to the Lord for delivering me from the captivity of sin. Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” Reading from The Message translation, here is an expression of what well may be our gratitude for the precious salvation given to us as a free gift from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ:
“Thank you! Everything in me says “Thank you! Angels listen as I sing my thanks. I kneel in worship facing your holy temple and say it again: “Thank you!” Thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness; Most holy is your name, most holy is your Word. The moment I called out, you stepped in; you made my life large with strength” (Psalm 138:1-3 MSG).
On a special day many years ago, I accepted Christ as my Savior. Ever since that day, I have walked with him, sometimes stumbling but He always lifts me up. I have learned to trust Him. The hymn below expresses that trust in the Lord which all of us should have every day.
Trusting Jesus
Words, Edgar P. Stites
Music, Ira D. Sankey
1876
Simply trusting every day,
Trusting through a stormy way;
Even when my faith is small,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.
Refrain:
Trusting as the moments fly,
Trusting as the days go by;
Trusting Him whate’er befall,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.
Brightly doth His Spirit shine
Into this poor heart of mine;
While He leads I cannot fall;
Trusting Jesus, that is all.
Singing if my way is clear,
Praying if the path be drear;
If in danger for Him call;
Trusting Jesus, that is all.
Trusting Him while life shall last,
Trusting Him till earth be past;
Till within the jasper wall,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.
This song incorporates portions of Psalm 137 and Psalm 19. It was popular in the disco era and has the sounds of Jamaica and Caribbean islands.
In 587 B.C., Israel was conquered and people were taken into captivity. They were moved en masse into Babylonia, where they felt they could no longer sing the songs they had sung in Zion.
The captivity was sad, but the return after 70 years was marvelous. The words of this song quote those who said they could not sing while in captivity, but the music itself literally rings with an optimism that comes through in the music.
See the story illustrated:
By the Rivers of Babylon
Sung by Boney M
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down
Ye-eah we wept, when we remembered Zion.
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down
Ye-eah we wept, when we remembered Zion.
When the wicked
Carried us away in captivity
Required from us a song
Now how shall we sing the lord’s song in a strange land
When the wicked
Carried us away in captivity
Requiring of us a song
Now how shall we sing the lord’s song in a strange land
Let the words of our mouth and the meditations of our heart
Be acceptable in thy sight here tonight
Let the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts
Be acceptable in thy sight here tonight
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down
Ye-eah we wept, when we remembered Zion.
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down
Ye-eah we wept, when we remembered Zion.
By the rivers of Babylon (dark tears of Babylon)
There we sat down (You got to sing a song)
Ye-eah we wept, (Sing a song of love)
When we remember Zion. (Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah)
By the rivers of Babylon (Rough bits of Babylon)
There we sat down (You hear the people cry)
Ye-eah we wept, (They need that ???)
When we remember Zion. (Ooh, have the power)
November 5, 2019 (Tuesday)