The Education of Jesus

There are passages in the Bible which may lead us to assume that Jesus was uneducated. However, a thorough knowledge of the educational system in Galilee, along with a clearer understanding concerning the cultural prejudices in Jesus’ day, may help us to see where the New Testament reveals Jesus’ scholarship.

When we read passages like John 1:46 along with Acts 2:7, which question anything good coming out of Galilee and then points out that the disciples are all from Galilee, it’s possible that these statements reflect the kinds of biases that exist in many communities where loyalty to a location brings out competitive ridicule against those in another location. We do this today between High schools, football teams, colleges, cities. One officer told me that when he drives through Auburn, Alabama, he washes his car at the first car wash he comes to after leaving the city, because he doesn’t want any Auburn dust on his car.

The Judeans probably thought of themselves as sophisticated and cultured, while they looked upon the Galileans as uneducated bumpkins. The irony in this is that it was actually Galilee that had more exposure to other cultures, while Judea’s geographical location was more shielded from the outside world. Galilee had many urbanized communities and Judea was largely made up of a rural environment.It doesn’t help us remove our beliefs about Jesus lack of education when we read such passages as John 7:15 which reports of some Jews who were amazed at the teaching of Jesus, considering that he hadn’t studied. However, the importance and quality of education in Galilee was held at a much higher standard than Judea. The Bible only reveals Jesus’ life at birth, at the age of twelve at the Temple, and finally upon his active ministry around the age of 30. According to ancient rabbinic teachings and writings, the education and life of a Jewish boy in a society like Galilee would have been clearly set until the age of 30 for someone possessing the education and anointing to become a sage, like Jesus.

In Jewish antiquity there is a passage that teaches what a Jewish child will do beginning at age 5 when he will be ready to study the written Torah, at age 10 he will study the Oral Torah, at thirteen he will be ready for his bar mitzvah, at fifteen he will study legal knowledge, at eighteen he will be married, at age twenty he will pursue a vocation, and at thirty he is ready to enter full vigor (my paraphrase of Avot 5:21 from the Mishnah).

Even today, biblical education is still more important than going to the synagogue. And this is not because school is more important than worship, but because Jews do not separate education of the Torah from worship. They believe them to be inseparable. In fact, they believe that studying the Word of God is among the highest forms of worship.

Jesus would have spent many days studying and memorizing the written and oral teachings of God and the sages. As we are told by Luke, after Jesus had been discovered by his parents at the Temple, “Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”

Again, it is very likely that the assumption of the Jews in John 7 was based on local discrimination, rather than a statement of fact.





In His dust,
Johnny

Writer: Capt. Jonathan Gainey was born in Jacksonville, FL in June, 1969. He has been married to Staci, the daughter of retired Salvation Army officers, for twenty years and they have four children ages 18, 16, 12, and 4. Jonathan was commissioned as an officer in June of 2002, and is currently serving in his third appointment in New Bern, NC, USA. He is working on a Masters of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and is the creator and manager of the Flocks Diner website, where his passion for learning and teaching is expressed and shared through writing and a weekly podcast.

THE BIBLE; EDITED TO BE MORE CONSERVATIVE

Lo and behold, the Bible has gotten too liberal, according to a group of conservatives. And it needs a little editing. That's the inspiration behind the Conservative Bible Project, which seeks to take the text back to its supposed right-wing roots.

Yes, even scripture is not orthodox enough for the modern conservative. Not that it's the fault of the author(s), exactly. The group cites a few reasons why the Bible is too progressive: "Lack of precision in the original language ... lack of precision in modern language" and "translation bias in converting the original language to the modern one."


So how can the Bible be conservatized? The group has proposed a Wikipedia-like group editing project. Some of the ideas would only bring the translation closer to the original. But others would fundamentally change the text.

1. Framework against Liberal Bias: providing a strong framework that enables a thought-for-thought translation without corruption by liberal bias
2. Not Emasculated: avoiding unisex, "gender inclusive" language, and other modern emasculation of Christianity
3. Not Dumbed Down: not dumbing down the reading level, or diluting the intellectual force and logic of Christianity; the NIV is written at only the 7th grade level[3]
4. Utilize Powerful Conservative Terms: using powerful new conservative terms as they develop;[4] defective translations use the word "comrade" three times as often as "volunteer"; similarly, updating words which have a change in meaning, such as "word", "peace", and "miracle".
5. Combat Harmful Addiction: combating addiction by using modern terms for it, such as "gamble" rather than "cast lots";[5] using modern political terms, such as "register" rather than "enroll" for the census
6. Accept the Logic of Hell: applying logic with its full force and effect, as in not denying or downplaying the very real existence of Hell or the Devil.
7. Express Free Market Parables; explaining the numerous economic parables with their full free-market meaning
8. Exclude Later-Inserted Liberal Passages: excluding the later-inserted liberal passages that are not authentic, such as the adulteress story
9. Credit Open-Mindedness of Disciples: crediting open-mindedness, often found in youngsters like the eyewitnesses Mark and John, the authors of two of the Gospels
10. Prefer Conciseness over Liberal Wordiness: preferring conciseness to the liberal style of high word-to-substance ratio; avoid compound negatives and unnecessary ambiguities; prefer concise, consistent use of the word "Lord" rather than "Jehovah" or "Yahweh" or "Lord God."

Among the words to be eliminated: "government." A conservative columnist at Beliefnet described the effort as "just crazy ... like what you'd get if you crossed the Jesus Seminar with the College Republican chapter at a rural institution of Bible learnin'."

Read more at: HUFFINGTON POST

‘Uncle Dick’ died yesterday.

Yes; after a long life of service to God and man, Envoy Richard Collett OF, of the Preston Corps, Melbourne, Australia was ‘Promoted to Glory’.

There will be many people who will write the official eulogy for this great man, but there are very few who will know everything about ‘Uncle Dick’. For me that does not matter it’s what I know and remember, that will sustain me in the times of discouragement and encourage me in the times of excitement and when all is well. ‘Uncle Dick’ had the unique ability to put people at ease and just by his manner show them what they could become. Since he went to the retirement village I called in when I could and he used to say that I came in like a whirlwind with enthusiasm and energy, but I just so appreciated his ability to foster in me the overwhelming emotion that I want to be like him. He truly was the consummate ‘Christian Gentleman’ and despite all the people that I have met and had contact with he is possibly one, among a small handful, who I want to be like.

When I go to the funeral next week’ I will wear my white ribbon and I will be full of emotion and will represent my family who knew him and loved him also. I am sure that there will be tears, but my overwhelming emotion will be one of joy for this man who did more for me than all the sermons that I have ever heard. By his very presence, he made me feel far more important than I ever could be, and opened my eyes to the possibility of being more than I could even hope to be.

In my ‘middle age’ I used to say to my kids I have two ambitions and they are to be ‘Old and Wise’, and almost unconsciously, I now think that my ambition was based on what I knew of the life of Uncle Dick. And the Scripture that talks about Job’s death as being ‘old and full of years’, or ‘aged and satisfied with days’.

Farwell Uncle Dick! The sadness of your passing is going to translate into a burning desire to be like you. There will of course be only one Uncle Dick but you have built positivity into so many lives that your influence will never die. The Faith that you exuded in your diminutive frame was legendry and belonged to the giants of our faith.

Of all the accolades that any of us can have poured over us is that we simply ‘knew Uncle Dick’.

If you haven’t got an ‘Uncle Dick’; go and find one, but better stil, l and you need to be one!


Fletch
Peter Fletcher
Former
Australia

Clean Hands

A difficult passage to interpret is that of 1 Timothy 2:8. At first, it appears to be a clear-cut directive from the desires of Paul that worshipers are to be holy. But a closer look into Paul’s first century context and social nuances reveals that there is much to be learned behind our English translations.

My own translation reveals some details of the original intent, and commentary is required to hear the passage as Paul would have meant it and as his original audience would have received it.

“Therefore, I want men in every place to prepare themselves for ministry without impurities in their hearts or minds.”

Philip Towner brings up a significant understanding from Paul’s first century world that is required by modern readers, if we are to correctly interpret his message to the Christian worshipers in Ephesus. In his commentary, New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Letters to Timothy and Titus, Towner shares that “ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ” (Engl. In every place) was heard as an echo of Malachi 1:11 by the ancient Jews of Paul’s first century world.

In their ancient Jewish tradition, Malachi 1:11 and 14 go together to form one cohesive thought as a quote from God that quarrels were to be settled before one begins to pray. That teaching was based on the ancient practice of the Israelite priests who were required to purify themselves with water before they could enter the Temple and minister to God’s people (see Leviticus 16). The ritual hand washing of a priest was a public act that symbolized the purifying of the priest’s inner self, giving the message to the worshipers that the priest was purified of any emotional or mental strains including anger or feelings of dissension toward another child of God.

Further insight to this passage includes the historical understanding that the citation of Malachi 1:11 and 14 specifically symbolized God’s turning toward the nations with mercy, and the pronouncing of his judgment upon impure worship in the temple, thus teaching the importance of how men and women are to conduct themselves, not simply as worshipers, but as ministers in worship.

Like the Jewish priests, if a Christian minster’s behavior was carried out with a backdrop of negative thoughts and resentment, the negative effect would impact those inside and outside the place of worship.

One final important note: Pauline worship gatherings were primarily done in house churches. And, because the atrium of a house, where the worship was done, was considered a public domain, house-worship was considered a public activity. Any negativity in worship, which was a public event, would have posed a problem for Paul, as he was concerned, not only with the effective and God-honoring worship of Christians, but also with the public perception of Christians.

The intention of Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 2:8 are to remind the leaders of Christian worship to forgive and be forgiven (to present themselves pure) before they attempt to lead God’s people in worship.

Works Cited:

Philip H. Towner, New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Letters to Timothy and Titus(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006), p. 203.

Carolyn Osiek and David L. Balch Families in the New Testament World: Households and House Churches (Louisville, Kentucky:Westminster John Knox Press), pp. 16-7.


In His dust,
Johnny

Writer: Capt. Jonathan Gainey was born in Jacksonville, FL in June, 1969. He has been married to Staci, the daughter of retired Salvation Army officers, for twenty years and they have four children ages 18, 16, 12, and 4. Jonathan was commissioned as an officer in June of 2002, and is currently serving in his third appointment in New Bern, NC, USA. He is working on a Masters of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and is the creator and manager of the Flocks Diner website, where his passion for learning and teaching is expressed and shared through writing and a weekly podcast.

Oh dear! I'm in the Daily Mail

Posted by Chick at 06:08 PM on September 27, 2009

I was intending to tell you about my retreat in Madrid. It certainly was an interesting time. Three things stand out: we had hours of great theological conversation sat in street cafes drinking coffee in brilliant sunshine we did the tour of the Bernabeu Stadium - home of Real Madrid - and even got to sit in the home team dug-out we got thrown out of a monastery when my mobile went off! But I'll have to return to that later, because something very surprising has happened. I've got a mention in the Daily Mail! (For those readers who are not familiar with English tabloid newspapers, the Daily Mail is - well, it's the Daily Mail. It's pretty far to the right of centre, it's not the most reliable source of news in the UK, and if you're ever seen with a copy you lose a lot of credibility with a lot of your friends!)

Quentin Lett's political column in the issue of the paper for 26th September, '09 has picked up on the fact that I've been invited to be the speaker at the service to mark the opening of the Conservative Party Conference which is due to be held in Manchester next week. The headline for the article gives a fair idea of the standard of penetrating journalism that follows:

Holy moly, the Tories have gone all happy-clappy

The happy-clappy thing is bad enough in itself. But the article gets worse. The bit that refers to me reads as follows:

The preacher will be a shavenheaded, ex-Salvation Army stalwart, Chick Yuill (his books include And God Created Sex).

As everyone who knows me is aware, I've long since lost my hair, and what's left I keep fairly short. But to describe me as 'shaven-headed' makes me sound like some kind of skinhead! He probably thinks I'm a soccer hooligan. And the reference to the fact that I've written 'And God Created Sex...' says everything about the kind of stories in which this newspaper delights.

But the bit that really annoyed me was the reference to Hannah Atkins, an intelligent and gifted young musician and social activist, who is taking part in the service: Worshippers will be helped towards prayer by a 'social justice artist' called Hannah Atkins. Blonde cutie Hannah specialises in folktronica music, 'achingly simple and never easy to describe'

I'm tempted to ask when this sad man last visited planet earth! What kind of journalist writes sexist garbage like that and what kind of responsible newspaper would publish an article that describes a woman as a 'blonde cutie'? The bit about me makes me laugh. The bit about Hannah is just downright insulting and makes me plain mad.

(If you want to check out the whole article just Google Daily Mail Chick Yuill)

But here's the point of telling you this. The article says so much about how some people view the Christian Church. So I'd value your prayers that at the service I will speak courteously but courageously about the responsbility of the church in a democracy and about the relationship between the gospel and politics.

I'll let you know what happens.

And, as always - if you have been, thanks for reading this.

Chick Yuill

ON SAYING FAREWELL...

The ritual of saying good-bye to someone we love, generally known as a funeral, has once again caught our public attention as Senator Edward Moore Kennedy was mourned and buried. I was in elementary school when his brother John was assassinated, and I remember through the eyes of a child the days of shock and grief sweeping across our country. The continuous news coverage filled all of the channels on the television, and we watched the pomp and ceremony as a nation bid farewell to her president.

Those of us who remember JFK’s funeral procession as well as the subsequent deaths of Martin Luther King Junior and Robert F. Kennedy couldn’t help but think of those days as Teddy’s flag-draped casket peeked out of the rear window of the hearse as it made its way through the neighborhoods of Boston and on to Washington, D.C. Public leaders such as Kennedy belong to the people of America in both life and in death, as apparent by the hundreds of people who stood for so long to say their own farewells.

I told myself that I was watching the coverage of the funeral procession out of respect to Senator Kennedy and his place in our nation’s history. Yet as the family began to gather at the gravesite, I wondered if we should be willing to give these grieving people a private moment to make their final good-bye to husband, father, and patriarch.

While the media plan was to cover the internment to the final playing of Taps, a glitch of sorts occurred that gave an ironic twist to the night. The plan had been to arrive at Arlington about 5:30 p.m., but the procession was running late, so late that the sun was setting as the graveside service began. By the time the priest intoned the familiar words, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, the television screen focused on the flickering of the perpetual flame, as the cameras couldn’t pick up any other image in the dark. Perhaps unbeknownst to the family, the little ones were able to express their final good-bye to grandpa without the invading eyes of the nation.

This absence of light at the end of a sorrowful day reminded me of an idea that Joan Chittister poses in her spiritual memoir, Called to Question. She suggests that life made more sense before the invention of the lightbulb. “Without lightbulbs there were only so many things you could do in a day and for only so much time. When night came . . . you had to stop, take stock, sit in front of the fire, or sleep until the light returned.”

Oh. There was a time, even in my lifetime, when the natural rhythms of life as defined by the sun and moon regulated our day, whether on the farm or in the suburb. There also was a time, not so long ago, when the natural rhythms of life and death allowed for a sense of privacy both in the joy of birth and in the anguish of bereavement. While there were funerals and the accompanying culturally-defined wake, they were for family and friends, not the curious spectator intruding during a time of great sorrow.

Times have changed, and our claims upon those in show business, professional sports or politics have stripped away a level of privacy and consideration that all people are owed in times of overwhelming sorrow. How I wished that Michael Jackson’s children had been able to say good-bye to their father out of the public glare of the camera. Can it be possible that even in this world of mega-information, there are simply some things that are none of my (our) business?
Perhaps it was fitting that the shadows of dusk finally gave the Kennedy family the cover of privacy that they had relinquished so many years ago. Finally, in that darkening evening, there was an overdue moment of covering for Jackie, Caroline and John-John, for Coretta Scott King, and for every mother, famous or not, whose grief has been exploited by the flash of a camera. May you and those you love rest in peace.

JoAnn Shade

Major JoAnn Shade ministers with her husband Larry as the corps officers and Directors of the Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center. She received a B.A. in sociology from S.U.N.Y. at Binghamton, a M.A. in Pastoral Counseling, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Ashland Theological Seminary in June, 2006. She is a prolific writer, lecturer, and busy counselor and has contributed to this blog since its inception.

Learning to Lead ?

Maybe I'm learning to lead.

Maybe not.

In recent weeks, God has been teaching me things I thought I knew. But guess I didn't. He's been impressing (sometimes impaling) me with his truth about what it means to lead the flock of God. It's a demanding role, but even more so because to lead in the church means servanthood. The last shall be first. Yeah, yeah, everybody knows that. I certainly thought I did. But God has lately been demanding a new level (depth?) of servanthood from me. He has been teaching me that:

the leader must be first to humble himself (or herself);
the leader must be first to empty himself (or herself);
the first to swallow his pride,
the first to admit wrong,
the first to confess,
the first to surrender his rights,
the first to let go of the need to be right,
the first to wash feet,
the first to forgive,
the first to take the log out of his own eye,
the first to initiate,
the first to be poured out,
the first to suffer,
the first to be crucified,
the first to lay down his life for the sheep.

Of course, in none of these areas are we ever actually FIRST. Jesus was first. First in loving us. First in serving. First in all of it.

It's fairly easy to be humble when you might be praised for it (oh, don't worry, I get the irony). But it's hard to humble yourself with little or no expectation of reciprocity from others. But that's what the Christ-ian leader is called to. It's what I am called to. If you're a pastor, it's what you are called to.



Bob Hostetler
Former USA NHQ

Latvia Update

Latvia's people need your help...

On several fronts in the 'western' world one sees signs that we are on our way out of the economic crises. But, not in Latvia. Unemployment grows daily, schools and hospitals close on the grounds that there is no more money available.

In many of our corps they've had to double their efforts in providing meals, even though the government fiscal support of Salvation Army has been sharply curtailed. One fears what the winter will bring.
However, it's not a hopeless situation. Many have been in touch with us asking how they might help. And all can assist in helping us; even small gifts provides great help.

The Salvation Army operates 17 different programs in Latvia; corps, social work institutions and childrens homes.The Commanding Officers of the Riga II (in photo on right), Russian speaking Corps, Captains Andrej & Rina Konovalov (left).

In the preceding article you'll find a description of the project the FSAOF has committed to support fully.

Bank account information:

R/O Pestisanas armija
Bruninieku 10a, LV-1001, Riga
Office phone: +371 67310037
Reg. Nr.90000158170

Account: LV31NDEA0000080011705
Bank code: NDEALV2X

Lts. Rut och Peter Baronowsky, Regional Commanders

HUNGER COMES IN MANY FORMS...

Glad and I visited The SA Commanders in Riga, Latvia last week, long time SA colleagues and recently commissioned Lieutenants (at age 55+), Peter and Rut Baronowsky.

Our hosts drove us through Latvia's capital city, Riga. It's a city of stark contrasts; soaring contemporary architecture mixed with a charming old town, and block after block of Stalin era apartment buildings still hiding the reality of poverty and ethnic tensions between Latvians and their former captors, the Russians, thousands of them born in Latvia and knowing no other home. Our all-too-brief visit opened our eyes and hearts to a number of immediate needs.

Lieutenants Peter and Rut Baronowsky, Latvia Regional Commanders, are seen together here with the Commanding Officers of the Riga II, Russian speaking Corps, Captains Andrej & Rina Konovalov. Showers, food and clothing are provided free to all nearby residents and the homeless (see in background - newly constructed shower, washer/dryer buildings on left).

Six soldiers were recently enrolled with more recruits soon to join the ranks. "The two Cadets currently in training, and two of next year's accepted Candidates, came from Riga's homeless population. Having served in very similar circumstances in Russia and Ukraine I recognized many programs / projects needing immediate and urgent support. Following several hours of fact sharing by them I learned of a need to which we immediately sensed the Spirit leading us to commit personal resources and possibly those represented by those in our fellowship, the FSAOF. Here’s a portion of what they shared with us in a recent e-mail…

“A new Sunday morning in Riga, Latvia. The autumn’s arrival is evident; darkness comes earlier as we near summer’s end. The sun no longer brings the same warmth… we will soon embark on our first winter as Regional Commanders in one of Europe’s poorest and coldest countries.

Many of our soldiers, and most of our clients, live in circumstances where water, heat, electricity and toilet facilities are non-functioning or non-existent. We visited among others, the corps' leaders in Liepa, a small town near Skangal, an estate which was given to the Army by the family of the late Prime Minister of Sweden, Olav Palme. The social work of the Liepa Corps includes a 'soup kitchen' and clothing distribution. The Corps feeds 80 persons twice weekly. Asked who feeds them on the remaining days of the week - the Corps leaders responded with some amazement at our naivety, 'there are no others helping them at all; The SA is their salvation '! There is no organized sponsorship in this part of Latvia aside from ours'. Swedish Officers and volunteers began working here just a few years ago. At our SA property Skangal, once a headquarters for the Russian army, the buildings have been restored and converted into a modern residential school and home for 20 deprived children. The farmland is once again yielding a good harvest, some of which is sold and some of which is used at Army centers in other parts of the country. The renovated property also serves as a camp / conference center. All SA work is supported from abroad and rarely sufficient, with word from THQ in Sweden that financial support will soon be further reduced. "
--------------------------------
THE FSAOF's role

Near Skangal lies the village of Sarkani, consisting of two apartment buildings. where, during Soviet occupation years, the military lived there. Today the buildings are abandoned and most apartments lack water, plumbing and electricity. It's in this environment that many families end up. No one would willingly seek to live in such depressing circumstance; they have no other choice. In Sarkani there are no shops and no food to purchase. The only thing available to buy is when a man in one of the apartments sells alcohol. Many of the adults (parents) are alcoholics and children are left to fend for themselves. Included in the number of children are 18 school age children.

The SA provides programs several times a week for both children and adults. In the summer of 2009 the children spent their holiday at the Army's childrens camp at Skangal; "we think we've arrived in heaven", was the immediate comment on arrival. The rapid changes that many developing countries experience can affect children more than most, as they have virtually no means to effect positively on their circumstances. Children need security, care and education in order to develop and be able to make use of their natural abilities. Unfortunately, all too many children live in dreadful poverty in Latvia and in reprehensible conditions.


We all receive many solicitations asking us to become sponsors of this sponsored charity for children or that, many of them affiliated with Christian groups, and no doubt doing admirable work. However, we don't always have or make the time necessary to examine closely the effectiveness of their work, both as it relates to the distribution of resources and the practical needs actually being met.

The FSAOF feeding program will be officially coordinated by The SA with oversight by the locally appointed officers. The project will be the sole (soul) responsibility of the FSAOF, meaning that the quality of the education and physical well being of the school children will have a direct correlation to our giving and God's blessings. In addition the children are fed spiritually in a weekly Sunday School and through after-school activities.

A recent unannounced visit to Sarkani on the Officers’ free day found them not spending quality private time, but instead providing quality time with the children of the village playing in the fresh air and sharing Bible stories followed by a nourishing snack - feeding indeed! Here is an opportunity for us to contribute directly to a project that we know in our hearts, from experience, provides solid, admirable work, with no hidden or added overheads. All monies donated will be earmarked specifically for the SA work in Sarkani and will be distributed and accounted for directly by the Regional Commanders, Latvia.

In brief, the project seeks to support school lunches for 18 children who currently attend school, but are not provided any lunch, and often no breakfast. Instead they sit and watch other children eat – are children of alcoholics and rarely have meals provided even at home - meals come in the form of leftovers found in garbage bags / cans.

In order to ensure the immediate effectiveness of this project, donations are being processed. Our current funds allow us to provide meals for up to 20 weeks. We need an additional $4000.00 to cover all costs through the spring of 2010. All donations are welcome and will be acknowledged. No donations are insignificant and all are gratefully received. AN ANNOUNCEMENT DETAILING WHERE AND TO WHOM THE CHECKS ARE TO BE MADE OUT WILL FOLLOW SHORTLY.

Some of you have asked what else can be done to assist. How about FSAOF PROJECT 2010? We are researching the possibility of a FSAOF mission trip project during the summer of 2010. To date we have no set itinerary / duration or project in mind. However, we expect it might include re-furbishing / painting SA property, camp / retreat work and leadership seminars. To that end please share in a private e-mail to me at selmoscow@aol.com your interest, possible availability, and those areas where you believe you might be most effective. It is expected that any participation will largely be at your own expense; details will follow.

You can read about the many activities at the Latvian SA's website in Latvian, Russian or English.   Bank account information: R/O Pestisanas armija Bruninieku 10a, LV-1001, Riga Office phone: +371 67310037 Reg. Nr.90000158170 Account LV31NDEA0000080011705 Bank code: NDEALV2X

Grace, Major Glad and Dr. Sven Ljungholm
Active and Former serving in the Exeter Temple Corps, UKT

PRECIOUS LORD, TAKE MY HAND...

Nettie was in the last month of pregnancy with our first child. But a lot of people were expecting me in St. Louis. I kissed Nettie good-bye, clattered downstairs to our Model A and, in a fresh Lake Michigan breeze, chugged out of Chicago on Route 66.

However, outside the city, I discovered that in my anxiety at leaving, I had forgotten my music case. I wheeled around and headed back.

I found Nettie sleeping peacefully. I hesitated by her bed; something was strongly telling me to stay. But eager to get on my way, and not wanting to disturb Nettie, I shrugged off the feeling and quietly slipped out of the room with my music.
The next night, in the steaming St. Louis heat, the crowd called on me to sing again and again. When I finally sat down, a messenger boy ran up with asp; Western Union telegram. I ripped open the envelope. Pasted on the yellow sheet were the words: YOUR WIFE JUST DIED.

People were happily singing and clapping around me, but I could hardly keep from crying out. I rushed to a phone and called home.

All I could hear on the other end was 'Nettie is dead, Nettie is dead.'

When I got back, I learned that Nettie had given birth to a boy. I swung between grief and joy. Yet that same night, the baby died. I buried Nettie and our little boy together, in the same casket. Then I fell apart.

For days I closeted myself. I felt that God had done me an injustice. I didn't want to serve Him anymore or write gospel songs. I just wanted to go back to that jazz world I once knew so well. But then, as I hunched alone in that dark apartment those first sad days, I thought back to the afternoon I went to St. Louis . Something kept telling me to stay with Nettie. Was that something God? Oh, if I had paid more attention to Him that day, I would have stayed and been with Nettie when she died.
From that moment on I vowed to listen more closely to Him. But still I was lost in grief. Everyone was kind to me, especially one friend. The following Saturday evening he took me up to Madame Malone's Poro College, a neighborhood music school. It was quiet; the late evening sun crept through the curtained windows.

I sat down at the piano, and my hands began to browse over the keys. Something happened to me then. I felt at peace. I felt as though I could reach out and touch God. I found myself playing a melody, once into my head they just seemed to fall into place: "Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, let me stand, I am tired, I am weak, I am worn; through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light, take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home."

The Lord gave me these words and melody, He also healed my spirit. I learned that when we are in our deepest grief, when we feel farthest from God, this is when He is closest, and when we are most open to His restoring power.

And so I go on living for God willingly and joyfully, until that day comes when He will take me and gently lead me home.
-Tommy A. Dorsey-

Thomas Andrew Dorsey was a black gospel songwriter. He had been a blues band leader until after he became a Christian. This story has long been circulated incorrectly as a tribute to Tommy Dorsey, the swing band leader of the same time period. He was also the writer of "Peace in the Valley" along with many other gospel songs.

What a wonderful story of how God CAN heal the brokenhearted!
Beautiful, isn't it? I thought so anyway.

Phillippian Jailer blog...