The truth is no longer hiding in a secret room.  When it comes to doing God’s will it is not humans who carry the torch.   The death angel seems to have penetrated the great walls of corporate and civic greatness as well as the pews of evangelical ignorance. Spoiled brats and silent watchdogs are the heritage of a nation that thought it could set up lamb-like powers (kind and gracious) and speak like a dragon (slanderous and destructive) and not pay the price.  Loving a country more than one’s life is ridiculously stupid and the things we do not allow – those forbidden attitudes and behaviours –  are no sign of love.

Blinded by white clouds

11) Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon. 12) He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. 13) He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. 14) And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life.

Revelation of John 13:11-14

This beast that is  like both dragon and lamb is not fairy tale secret apocalyptic.  This is an end-of-days nation that will rip to shreds every precious framework for human success and longevity, all the while publishing its love for God and country, and its admiration of despots, and bigots.

People who love God in this age should not think they can get away with dissing the people for whom Christ died.  The love that Christian faith exhibits will shred the barriers of race and culture.  We can make the same mistake of passing on the other side – too holy to be seen with – like the priest and Levite (Luke 10:30-37) sinners, the sick, the wounded and outsiders.  Man, “Go and do likewise” is a rebuke in very gentle language that still needs to be heeded.

Love misplaced again

Despite the many pleas by the apostles to love in sincerity and without pretence we still find ourselves chained to a “chosen people” status as if the treasures of heaven that  can bring purity to people.   I suppose that the presence of that love in our earthen vessel that sends us to the lost, sick and dying is too surprising (new!) to be real.  In reality, one has to ignore  the fact  that a holy and spotless Lamb did really hang out with humans,  each one lost and sinful).

Money traps the saint

That saying about money “answering to everything”  is deadly accurate but also equally ineffective.  Its accuracy comes from the writer’s use of a participle to describe the preparation as pretty much the status quo.  The idolatry is all too evident.  They get laughter from food  (bread), joy from wine, and they fall back  on the “fix-all” silver.

Men prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and money is the answer to everything.

Ecclesiastes 10:19