R.P. Nettelhorst's Blog, page 70

Righteous, David-Style

These are the last words

of David the son of Jesse.

The God of Jacob chose David

and made him a great king.

The Mighty God of Israel

loved him.

When God told him to speak,

David said:

The Spirit of the LORD

has told me what to say.

Our Mighty Rock,

the God of Jacob, told me,

“A ruler who obeys God

and does right

is like the sunrise

on a cloudless day,

or like rain that sparkles

on the grass.”

I have ruled this way,

and God will never break

his promise to me.

God’s promise is complete

and unchanging;

he will always help me

and give me what I hope for.

But evil people are pulled up

like thornbushes.

They are not dug up by hand,

but with a sharp spear

and are burned on the spot. (2 Samuel 23:1-)

God doesn’t love us because we’re good. David was good at killing Philistines, but he was not good at raising his children: Amnon raped his sister Tamar; Absalom killed Amnon. Then Absalom rebelled against David, precipitated a civil war, and both he and many Israelites on both sides of the issue died in battle. David committed adultery with Bathsheba and then saw to it that her husband was killed in battle. Just before he died, like a mob boss, he told his son, Solomon—the crown prince born to the woman he had committed adultery with—to settle accounts—old grudges—with everyone who had ever wronged him. But at the end of his life, David looked back on it all and said that he had been a king who obeyed God and did what was right.

How can we reconcile David’s life with his claim to righteousness? By remembering that all human righteousness is nothing but filthy rags and that salvation is by grace: the consequence of Jesus’ death on the cross. David did not need to fear the wrath of God because God’s wrath had been—or in David’s case—would be directed at the ultimate sacrifice. David was forgiven and declared righteous by God. That’s how David could know he was a good man: his goodness was in Jesus, not in himself. It’s the same way we know we’re righteous today.

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Eat Up

Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “Allow us to detain you, and prepare a kid for you.” The angel of the LORD said to Manoah, “If you detain me, I will not eat your food; but if you want to prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the LORD.” (For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the LORD.) Then Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “What is your name, so that we may honor you when your words come true?” But the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why do you ask my name? It is too wonderful.”

So Manoah took the kid with the grain offering, and offered it on the rock to the LORD, to him who works wonders. When the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar while Manoah and his wife looked on; and they fell on their faces to the ground. The angel of the LORD did not appear again to Manoah and his wife. Then Manoah realized that it was the angel of the LORD. And Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, for we have seen God.” But his wife said to him, “If the LORD had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these.” (Judges 13:15-23)

God is not a bean-counter. He is not a bureaucrat shuffling forms, concerned that all the paperwork is in order, every box filled in. And he’ll repeat himself over and over if need be.

Samson’s father Manoah was a member of the tribe of Dan. His wife was sterile and thus unable to have children. But one day an angel appeared to her and told her that she would have a son. She told him that the angel said he had to be a Nazarite from birth. Manoah then asked God to send the angel back again with instructions on how to raise him. So, the angel returned, repeated to Manoah what he had said to his wife—who was never named in the story. Manoah then offered to give the angel a nice meal. Unlike the angels who had come with Yahweh to Abraham and ate a nice meal with him, this angel refused, suggesting instead that he offer a burnt offering to God—which he promptly did.

This, despite the fact that he was not even a Levite, let alone a descendent of Aaron. But God accepted his offering, anyhow. Manoah was understandably frightened, fearful that he would drop dead for having seen God; his wife reassured him, pointing out that they’d already be dead if that had been God’s intent, and besides, God had accepted the offering and given them a promise about having a son, which would be hard for him to accomplish if they died.

God seemed more concerned with attitude and sincerity than he did with the details of the law: a reminder that the law boils down to two things: loving God and loving people. Do that, and the details will take care of themselves. God is more concerned with people than with rules.

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Short Story for GISHWHES

Since Saturday (August 9, 2014) was the last day of GISHWHES for this year–and due to popular demand (okay, my sister-in-law Misti Williamson asked for it)–here is the 140 word short story I donated to the one team who asked for it:

First Contact

by R.P. Nettelhorst

Lost, hungry. And his dad would ground him over the dented warp coil. But at least they weren’t pressing charges.

An ugly local pushing a shopping cart stopped and lifted a purple toy up to its face. “Do you know him, Elopus?” The universal translator descrambled its words. “Is he one of your relatives?”

Loton smiled. “I’m looking for a good restaurant.”

“Misha, Queen of England, at your service.” Misha bowed extravagantly. “And this would be my loyal retainer, Elopus.” It patted the furry stuffed animal.

“A robot?”

“When a mommy octopus and a daddy elephant drink lots of whiskey—” began Misha.

“I just need some food.”

“Don’t eat out much—got my crown jewels, but cash is tight.” It rummaged through its cart. “Like a scepter?” It held up a bent coat hanger. “All yours if you’re buying.”

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Pluto’s Five Moons

Next summer, New Horizons will arrive in the Pluto system.

Source SPACE.com: All about our solar system, outer space and exploration

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Overcome Fear

“Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory.

“No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.

“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:3-9)

Fear comes easily, suddenly, and without any effort or practice. It is often the smart response. Hope is a bit harder to make happen and can seem foolish. Moses was dead, and the Promised Land remained in enemy hands. Joshua was overwhelmed. He was scared. Not only did he face the burden of leading armies into battle against a powerful enemy, but he also had to face the Israelites whom he knew would be quick to compare him with the recently-dead Moses. How could he ever hope to fill those shoes?

But God appeared and reassured him that just as he had been with Moses, so he would be with Joshua. And since God would walk with him, he had nothing to fear. Fear exists in the land of doubt, in the shadow of trouble. God relieved Joshua’s doubts. He promised to relieve his troubles. He told Joshua that he loved him and would stand with him. Knowing that he was not facing the future alone, Joshua’s courage was restored.

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Provision

Israel moved in and lived in Amorite country. Moses sent men to scout out Jazer. They captured its villages and drove away the Amorites who lived there.

Then they turned north on the road to Bashan. Og king of Bashan marched out with his entire army to meet Moses in battle at Edrei.

God said to Moses, “Don’t be afraid of him. I’m making a present of him to you, him and all his people and his land. Treat him the same as Sihon king of the Amorites who ruled in Heshbon.”

So they attacked him, his sons, and all the people—there was not a single survivor. Israel took the land.

The People of Israel marched on and camped on the Plains of Moab at Jordan-Jericho.

Balak son of Zippor learned of all that Israel had done to the Amorites. The people of Moab were in a total panic because of Israel. There were so many of them! They were terrorized.

Moab spoke to the leaders of Midian: “Look, this mob is going to clean us out—a bunch of crows picking a carcass clean.” (Numbers 21:31-22:4)

God is not a penny pincher: he likes to give the unexpected bonus over and above his obligated promise. God also gives and takes away. What had belonged to one people, God took and gave away to the Israelites.

On the East side of the Jordan river, before the Israelites entered the land, God gave them some bonus territories. Traveling north from the desert of Sinai, the Israelites faced new obstacles on their way to the Promised Land. First, they came upon the Amorites and their king Sihon. Their request that they be permitted to travel through the Amorite territory, sticking to the recognized trade route, was rebuffed and Sihon led his army out to attack the Israelites. They were defeated and Israel continued moving north. First, he let them conquer the Amorites and their king, Sihon. Then he gave them Og, the king of Bashan, as “a present” after Og led his own army out to do battle with Israel.

The city of Jazar was probably located near the modern day capital of the nation of Jordan, Amman. Bashan is a plateau of southern Syria to the east of the Sea of Galilee. Edrei would be just a bit south of Bashan, and east of the Jordan River, in the modern day nation of Jordan.

God told Moses not to be afraid of them. Yes, they opposed Israel. Yes it was a large army. But the outcome was never in doubt: God defeated their enemies. What brought an end to the Israelite fears and filled them with confidence had the opposite effect on the Moabites, who lived to the east of the Dead Sea. God’s reassurance to one, can cause terror to another: and in the case of the Moabites, well-deserved terror. Ultimately, their king, Balak, would die at the hands of the Israelites.

God gives abundance to his people, not just the minimum they require. We are obligated to provide food to our children, but we enjoy giving them more than just bread and water.

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G.I.S.H.W.H.E.S.

On Saturday I was asked to contribute a small thing to this year’s G.I.S.H.W.H.E.S. (The

Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen): a 140 word science fiction short story. The Facebook page for the scavenger hunt describes it as:

An annual global scavenger hunt hosted by actor Misha Collins and his unseemly cohorts.

Sprung forth whole and immediately deranged from the twisted mind of Misha, GISHWHES now lives and breathes in the global community of GISHWHESHEANS. We abhor all things boring and status quo and embrace all things bold, unnerving, quirky and made of kale.

GISHWHESHEAN has 4 mottos. These mottos change in content and number frequently and irregularly based on the Jupiter moon Ganymede’s cycle and the tea leaves regularly read at the bottom of a cup drunk by this dude named Wallace at Bakker’s Brew Coffee House in Battle Mountain, Nevada:

Motto 1: Death to normalcy!

Motto 2: If we’re not GISHWHES, who will be? Really. Do you know anyone who would actually do this? If so, let me know. I want them on my team.

Motto 3: We make art because cool people can’t.

Motto 4: My life and my art for Miss Jean Louis! That sassy **tch!

According to Wikipedia:

On the first day of the week-long competition, a list is posted on the GISHWHES website with over 150 different tasks for competitors to complete during the hunt, which Collins and his friends, including co-coordinator Jean Louise Alexander, have devised prior to the beginning of the competition. Teams then submit photos or videos of themselves completing the prompts at the contest’s website, receiving points for each item completed. While literal interpretations of prompts are preferred, judges will sometimes award points for especially creative responses. Prizes for the team with the most points at the end of GISHWHES have included a trip to Scotland for a slumber party with Collins and a trip to Vancouver for a “Viking surprise”.

Teams consist of 15 members who may come from different countries. Individuals may prearrange teams or sign up individually, in which case they are randomly grouped into appropriately sized teams. As of the 2013 contest, signup costs ran $19 per person with participation fees going towards Random Acts, a non-profit run by Collins that aims to encourage random acts of kindness.

Buzzfeeed.com had an article about the response of authors to the request to contribute a short story. They asked me the day the scavenger hunt began on August 2. I enjoyed getting to contribute. I thought it was fun. In fact, the whole scavenger hunt reminded me of being back in college and some of the fun things we used to do. And besides, this is for charity: it’s a good cause.

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God Takes Care of Us No Matter What

He told them, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Tomorrow is a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you want to bake, and boil what you want to boil, and everything left over set aside to be kept until morning.’”

So they set it aside until morning as Moses commanded, and it didn’t smell or have any maggots in it. “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a Sabbath to the Lord. Today you won’t find any in the field. For six days you may gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.”

Yet on the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they did not find any. Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep My commands and instructions? Understand that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day He will give you two days’ worth of bread. Each of you stay where you are; no one is to leave his place on the seventh day.” So the people rested on the seventh day.

The house of Israel named the substance manna. It resembled coriander seed, was white, and tasted like wafers made with honey. (Exodus 16:23-3)

“There’s nothing to eat!” say our children when they can’t find the one food item they are craving. Soon after, they may complain that we hate them and have ruined their lives if we don’t immediately go to the grocery store and get it. Perhaps it’s not so odd that God called his people the children of Israel. They complained about their hunger. Not necessarily an unreasonable thing to do. But one day rather than simply announcing that they were hungry, or asking how much longer before supper, they were sullen. They believed that they would never eat again and that in fact God had brought them to where they were for the express purpose of making them die a miserable death. It was one thing to be hungry and let someone know about it. It was another thing entirely to accuse that someone of evil intent.

Despite that accusation, however, God fed his people—just as a parent we will feed our sometimes bratty children because, bratty or not, they are our children and we love them and want what’s best for them: we want them to be healthy and happy and to lack for nothing. God felt the same way about his people as we feel about our kids, however annoying they might get—and even when they break the rules. We don’t starve our children or fail to care for them just because they come in past curfew or “forgot” to study for their history test. And God’s a better parent than we can ever hope to be.

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Point of View

The LORD said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go from here; indeed, when he lets you go, he will drive you away. Tell the people that every man is to ask his neighbor and every woman is to ask her neighbor for objects of silver and gold.” The LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, Moses himself was a man of great importance in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s officials and in the sight of the people.

Moses said, “Thus says the LORD: About midnight I will go out through Egypt. Every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne to the firstborn of the female slave who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the livestock. Then there will be a loud cry throughout the whole land of Egypt, such as has never been or will ever be again. But not a dog shall growl at any of the Israelites—not at people, not at animals—so that you may know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. Then all these officials of yours shall come down to me, and bow low to me, saying, ‘Leave us, you and all the people who follow you.’ After that I will leave.” And in hot anger he left Pharaoh. (Exodus 11:1-8)

How you perceive God’s actions depends entirely on your point of view. God rescued his people from Egypt and set them free. The Israelites had no trouble seeing how much God loved them and cared about them when he slaughtered the first born of Egypt. The Egyptians and especially their first born, probably didn’t see it that way. One action gave rise to two points of view and two radically different interpretations of God.

The same fire that warms also burns. How you feel about the fire will depend on whether you’re warming your hands on a cold night or if you’re being burned at the stake. The fire, however, has not changed. It is doing exactly the same thing, no matter how you feel about it. So with God. God is love. Whatever he does he does because of love. He loves the world. And yet, when God showed his love, Egyptians died while Israelites rejoiced and were set free. God does not change. His behavior is always motivated by love. Love is all he expresses. But how we feel about what God does is up to us and our relationship with him.

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ATV-5

According to Space.com:

The ATV-5 mission carries a video camera to document the breakup of the vehicle as it re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere. Cameras have often been put aboard spacecraft to document the performance of components. For example, a camera inside the second stage of the Saturn V rocket documented the jettisoning of the first stage of the vehicle. The ATV-5 mission will mark the first time that a camera has witnessed the atmospheric breakup of a vehicle from the inside.

The ATV-5 mission was launched on July 29, 2014, but will not arrive at the International Space Station until August 12, 2014. This final ATV is loaded with more than 7 tons of food, water, clothing, spare parts and scientific gear. The cargo vessel itself weighs 13 tons, so the fully loaded ATV-5 is the heaviest payload ever lofted by an Ariane 5.

Source SPACE.com: All about our solar system, outer space and exploration.

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