COVID 19 Testing – We were 6 hours from home, 10 minutes from the church where our recently departed friend’s funeral was to be held, when our phone rang. The call was to inform us that on Sunday, three days previous, we had been exposed to the COVID 19 virus. A gentleman who sat right behind us, and with whom we had visited for several minutes after the church service, had been diagnosed as having the virus. This presented a dilemma, especially since I was to say a few words and read some scripture at the funeral. What to do? Go on and not say anything. Hardly. We felt it necessary to notify the family of the deceased lady of the situation. Parking in the lot of the church we called the daughter and informed her of the just learned situation. We all agreed the thing to do was to not come to the funeral, so we left and made the 6 hour drive back home. Ok, so now we’re home and know we’ve been closely exposed. With several events on the calendar in the next few days, what do we do now? Do we have the virus? Should we be tested? Quarantine ourselves? How long do we wait to find out? After several days of quarantine with no symptoms, Mitzi woke up with a terrible headache which lasted about 18 hours…one of the possible signs of infection. Now it’s time to get tested. So we find the nearest clinic and go. “Sorry, we can’t do it today. Out of time slots. Come back tomorrow.” Checked the other clinics online…same story, no appointments available. So now, do we have the virus or not? What do we do? Get tested? Wait and see if we have anymore symptoms? Just hope and pray for the best? It occurs to me that many people live their lives that way when it comes to a saving relationship with God. Do I have it or not? How can I know? Is there a test that will tell me? What are the signs? Sadly, many people have the belief that one really can’t know at all until after death. A standard answer in Latin America when we asked people about their standing with God was, “You can’t know for sure.” We may get a test for COVID, or, we may just wait and see. However, there can be an assurance of the relationship with God. The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1Jn 5:10-13) because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

"This blog may contain sensitive content. In general, Google does not review nor do we endorse the content of this or any blog. For more information about our content policies, please visit the Blogger Community Guildelines." So reads the warning preceeding the opening of this blog. One has to click that he/she wants to continue to open the blog. I'm not sure how the assesment that it may contain "sensitive content" was made. I doubt that the blog police actually reads every blog. If "Google does not review" the content of blogs, how do they know it might contain what they call sensitive content? More likely there are certain words that raise an alarm and key the warning. First, I hope the blog does indeed contain "sensitive content". My purpose without doubt is to appeal to the reader's senses. To cause thought and examination of the content is at the heart of my posts. My hope is that a reader will contemplate and consider the ideas and thoughts offered. Secondly, no post I present will ever contain foul or obscene language. I would like to say that it will never contain "hate" language, but the truth is that in the culture of today, the line of hate language is ever-changing. One never knows what someone will consider hate language. Unfortunately, for some, if you disagree with them on a "sensitive" issue and state it openly, you have entered into the forbidden realm of "hate language." However, while I may disagree with some views on issues, I will purposely attempt to not be "hateful" or mean spirited in my remarks. I cannot control how anyone reacts to a dessenting view, but as a follower of Christ, I hope they will never feel rejected or "hated" as a person because of my disagreement. Thirdly, my purpose is to be informative, inspirational, encouraging, and/or thought-provoking. I could hope all those would be achieved, but that's expecting a lot. Through the means of Biblical scripture with proper application I hope to direct thoughts to living life in the world we have and perhaps changing our little part of the world through example and application of Biblical truth. Finally, avoiding "sensitive content" is to ignore the issues of life and truth.

Hope. Recently read a line that caught my attention. The character in the novel I’m reading said, “I was high on hope…” There was nothing spiritual nor religious about her feelings, but it did remind me that hope can be very potent in its effect. A dictionary definition of “hope” is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. I’m not one to quibble with the dictionary, but it seems to me that, while hope can include expectation and desire, it also may include a desire without expectation. For instance, I may desire to lose 20 pounds in the next 3 months, but I don’t really expect to achieve that. As of this writing, the Tennessee Vols will be playing Alabama this afternoon. I hope that the Vols win. But in reality, hope without expectation is mere wishful thinking. Hope can be motivating. On the other hand, loss of hope can be devastating. Loss of hope can lead to all kinds of acts of desperation…or a complete cessation of action…giving up. The line was, “…high on hope…” It implies a positive feeling to the point of being uplifted, encouraged, light-hearted, and at it’s extreme, even unrealistic. Being “high” on drugs is characterized by lack of reason or rationality…out of control of oneself. But let’s not go to the extreme. Generally, a sense of hope is a positive thing. “High on hope” can be a good thing if the hope is accompanied by reasonable expectation. So, being high on hope can be an exciting place to be. But just as hope can cause a “high”, it can also have a calming effect. We have somewhat of a paradox. Does it make sense that being highly hopeful, with expectation of fulfillment, can allay anxiety? I believe so. The Bible is full of hope…but not in a vacuum. The hope of the Bible is not just wishful thinking or an exercise in positive thinking. There is an object of that hope…a reason for the “highness” of hope. That reason is God. But not just in the fact that there is a God, rather in the knowledge that He is a God of action. There’s even more hope than the fact that God created. Not only is God sovereign, He is also loving. He has acted upon that love in the providing of a solution to our sin problem, our lostness, our separation from a personal relationship with our Creator, caused by our rebellion. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (4) to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, (5) who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (4) to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, (5) who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1Peter 1:3-5) The words, “living hope” indicate that the hope we have is not a dead, lifeless, without grounds feeling. It’s a hope that we can expect to come to fulfillment. At once, that is both exciting and calming. In times like these, hope can be that which keeps us from despair.

Dark World / Bright light While much of the world adopts the label "progressive", and lauds the ever developing "freedoms" to live by whatever their desires dictate, the world grows darker by the day. I don't have to enumerate the various issues that invade our daily existence. You are very aware of them...which is the point of this short statement. While the darkness of the world should be of great concern to followers of the Christ, it should not be surprising. Man is fallen in nature. Without redemption, he will live in sin. The scriptures speak clearly of the debased mind which will rule absent the transformation which comes from a relationship with God through Christ. There are no new sins. They may be more exposed and take different forms, and even be openly celebrated now, even "legalized", but nothing new has been discovered. Interestingly, sadly, many of these issues are openly discussed, promoted by media and the so-called "arts", accepted and adopted by much of the public, and now have become huge political issues. With this exposure and open acceptance, the world becomes "darker." Bright Light - So what should the Christian reaction be? Dismay? Discouragement? Defeat? Hardly. It is sad, for sure, but we certainly shouldn't be shocked or surprised. In fact, it could be viewed as a great opportunity. It's in the darkest room that a light shines the brightest. The contrast between darkness and light is greatest when the light is brought into a dark place. The light of righteousness will be more noticeable when contrasted with the darkness of sinfulness. As believers, we should certainly not welcome the "progressiveness" (read, "degeneration"), but we should take advantage of it by making sure our "light" is visible to our "world". (Each of us has a "world" in which we exist.) “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. (Mat 5:14-16) How can the world know truth if they have no light? We allow our light to shine by not "placing it under a basket" and being open and clear about our loyalty to the teachings and principles of God. Our light shines most brightly when we not only declare our beliefs, but most importantly, live by them.