A New Toy For A Grown-Up...

What happens when a child, especially a boy, receives a new toy, whether it would be for Christmas, his birthday, or just because good old Mummy or Daddy just wanted to treat him? Yep, you guessed correctly - he would continue to play with it until the novelty begins to wear off. How long it would take for the novelty to wear off is entirely dependent on the boy and how he feels for the toy. It could be as quick as a few hours or as long as several months. However, there is always something exciting when something new comes into his possession.

Only there is no difference between a boy and a man, except that the man's toys are more expensive. Well, most of the time. Sometimes a freebie can work wonders. Like within the last couple of weeks I downloaded Google Earth Pro onto my laptop. For free. An excellent idea during this time of Coronavirus lockdown, when I can take virtual journeys whilst seated on our lounge sofa.

And as the whole of page 20 in today's Daily Mail newspaper is emblazoned with the HM Government words, STAY HOME SAVE LIVES screaming at me - as if I was such a blithering idiot if I even consider stepping outside the front door just for a moment - virtual travel is something I can amuse myself on.

But with a difference. This is a virtual trip down Memory Lane. And so as I zoomed in on 39th Pier, not far from Fisherman's Wharf, both on the northern coastline with its continuous row of harbour piers continuing on to the east coast of San Francisco, facing into the Bay. Then other names such as Union Square and Russian Hill, along with Coit Tower and Nob Hill, all come onto the screen as I reminisce on my last actual visit to the city in 1995. Then, as I zoomed in to a rather accurate detail of Vaillancourt Fountain - considered to be the city's ugliest monument and hated by many - such an image has conjured up my own fondness of it whilst stopping to admire and to take pictures.

Vaillancourt Fountain, San Francisco. Stock photo.

It was an Autumn Sunday morning, I recall. The weather was nice, clear sky, warm early morning sunshine. And quiet, empty streets. Therefore, having hired a bicycle from the reception desk of the backpacker's hostel where I had a small, two-bed dormitory to myself, I took great pleasure in riding through Market Street, as straight as it could be, from the hostel to Vaillancourt Fountain, then on to Pier 39 and beyond.

And not to forget Golden Gate Park, where I arrived late afternoon. Having parked the bike by leaning it on a tree without locking it up, I went to check out a waterfall, Huntington Falls, man-made indeed but looking as natural as any cliff-face interrupting a river course. When I returned to where the bike was, there was this chap gazing at it. I asked him what he was doing. When I confirmed that it was mine after asking, he called me a fool for not securing it, as he was just about to make off with it. Had he, less than a couple of seconds later, had I not showed up by then, there would have been repercussions at the hostel with the forfeiture of my passport unless I used my credit card to reimburse for the loss.

The guilt I felt for my negligence remained with me for many years afterwards, even causing sweat to break out. And the worst thing is, I was due to fly back home the very next day! If there was such a thing as divine intervention, this incident could qualify as one good example.

And so I relive the experience as I travel through on this virtual journey. And the new toy will continue to allow me to revive memories as I have also browsed through the Grand Canyon, hiked also in 1995, and around the Pacific coast of Australia, where I travelled along in 1997. And so I can go on.

And now, with this lockdown in place, I can be very grateful to God for allowing me to travel when times were good. But at the same time, I can also thank God that I have made no bookings for this year. Therefore I can't help but pity one of my Christian friends, Andrew Milnthorpe, who has made a booking to visit the Amalfi Coast in Italy with Oak Hall later in August. So he tells me, having set his heart on it. Someone may argue, why not simply postpone until next year? Ah! But that's much easier said than done. Because I know how I would feel if I were to be in his situation. Especially if there's no guarantee that it would be safe to travel even then. I would be very frustrated indeed, and perhaps angry too. I would look for someone to blame, as anger must have some outlet. 

And who would I blame? Most likely the posh boys, those public school and grammar school students who flew out to Northern Italy during the Spring half-term break, for a skiing holiday, and then return with one, maybe two, three or four, infected whilst boarding the aeroplane for the flight home. Then I can imagine the moist, virus-ridden rancid breath inhaled by fellow passengers sitting close by. Then the air current within the fuselage, circulated by the jet engines, would spread the virus out further among the other passengers mid-flight. How many were already infected by the time the plane lands is anyone's guess.

It would be easy, even safe, to say that the pandemic which has already taken more than 20,000 lives here in the UK and has placed the whole country under lockdown, is caused mainly by middle-class holidaymakers who can afford to travel other than, and in addition to, the normal Summer break. After all, that was the only way the virus could make it all the way to Britain from China. By air. Supposing I was still single and booked a Round-the-World backpacking trip, comparable with the 1997 trip and already paid for with hard-earned cash, and then this happens - yes, I'll be fuming!

Huntington Falls. I nearly had my bike stolen near here.

Hold on! Round-the-World backpacking trips? Aren't they done mostly by graduates on a gap-year? Does that make me middle class, too? Not at all. Because for the 1997 RTW trip, I worked hard with my hands, running a window-cleaning business, and saved up hard. Only then did I walk into the appropriate travel agency, Trailfinders in Kensington High Street, to lay the money down. No credit was taken, despite holding a credit card can be perceived by some as a sign of status. However, many graduates travel for much of the year, maybe even for a whole year, and may include some work. In 1997, I was out of the UK for just seventy days exactly.

Therefore let's assume that I have booked and paid for a very similar RTW backpacking trip for this year. I'm almost ready to take off. Then this happens, a national lockdown due to a viral pandemic, and the cancellation of all flights. Then a hard slog to get a refund, which is made much more difficult by an overlooked void within the small print. 

Oh, the fury! The rage within! The cursing and the swearing aimed towards those responsible in bringing the virus into the UK in the first place!

Or the forgiveness, which in a case such as this one, can only be supernatural.

Forgiving someone or even a group of people is vital not only for a healthy walk with God but also for physical health and wellbeing. Forgiving is important enough when Jesus taught his disciples to pray, Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. (Matthew 6:12.)

This was recited from infancy at school without fully understanding it. Yet no one had said anything on what Jesus had said immediately afterwards, which was, For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive your trespasses. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14-15.)

I once heard one of our Elders preach on Matthew 6:14-15, especially from verse 15 quite a few years ago, implying that if God is not going to forgive your grudge against others, then you will lose your salvation. But it says here that your Father will not forgive your trespasses. Which brings me to ask: How can God remain as my Father, if I'm destined for a lost eternity? The theory of eternal hell for those who refuse to forgive others is full of flaws. First of all, it violates our adoption into God's family through faith in Christ. Secondly, the imputed righteousness of Christ becomes invalid. Therefore, if God no longer sees me as equally righteous as his Son, then how could God remain as my heavenly Father and me as his adopted son? And thirdly, it is a denial of God's omniscience, that is, He does not know what's going to happen next and is also capable of making mistakes, that is, having chosen a "dud" gift for his Son, according to John 6:44 and 17:6.

Yet despite these flaws in the theory, there are many good and sincere Christians who accept Matthew 6:15 to mean a loss of salvation. It's one of those problems which arises whenever one reads hell into verses which aren't appropriate. This looks to be one of them.

Later, Jesus gives a parable of the Unforgiving Servant in Matthew 18:21-35. This servant has always been a bit of a mystery to me, not on his final destiny but on why he had such a cruel attitude on his fellow servant, who owed him the equivalent of a few pence. Earlier, his master reminded him that he was in massive debt, owing to his master a vast amount of money, and unable to pay back, he was threatened of being sold along with his family. So the servant begged for extra time, and his master released him from the debt. 

When he should have jumped with joy and gave his fellow servant a hug and to tell him to forget his small debt, instead he bullied his colleague to pay him what he owed. Soon afterwards, his master had him condemned to prison until his huge debt is fully paid.

I can deduce a couple of thoughts out of this:

First, the servant's release from his massive debt has left his attitude unchanged. Instead of jumping with joy with a fervent love for his master, he began to bully his colleague. This shows that forgiveness of past sins is not sufficient enough to redeem the soul. For this, imputation of the master's own character was needed for a full changing of the servant's heart, along with adoption as a son and heir to all what the master owns. All this comes with a full regeneration of the servant's heart to become a new creation, with which he would have gladly released his fellow servant.

The second idea is based on what Jesus had said immediately after his model prayer, recorded in Matthew 6:9-15. Here, Jesus refers to God as your Father not forgiving your trespasses if you don't forgive the trespasses of others. I don't believe that the master/servant relationship of Matthew 18 is the same as the Father/son relationship as recorded here. But the same principle can be applied in both cases if the forgiveness is applicable in this life without affecting our eternal destiny.

The unforgiving servant.

All forgiveness is done here and now, in this life. Actually, it has been proved throughout history that unforgiveness is detrimental to both health and wellbeing. Unforgiveness leads to bitterness and anger as well as a multiple of illness and early death. When I forgive Fred Bloggs, I don't forgive for Fred's sake but for my own sake. By forgiving Fred, I would free myself from such burdens and enjoy a much more of a fulfilled life which involves a better relationship with God. 

Then again, I do see a difference between someone who had his holiday plans ruined by a circumstance caused by the want of pleasure by another, whom he has never met, and a petulant servant who wants his money back from someone he had lent. I think it's much easier to release a debtor than it is to forgive a group of people for initially stealing away a holiday to fulfil their own desires. I wonder whether that was the reason why the unforgiving servant received a greater punishment, whether in this life or the next, simply because he willingly made the wrong choice. But with the heart regenerated by the Holy Spirit, to forgive is made possible for all circumstances.

Problem in receiving comments.

To all my readers.

I'm aware that some of you have sent comments to my post forums but has failed to be published, with no fault of your own, nor mine either. Having checked my settings, it does look as if there is a fault in the website itself. I hope Google will get this fixed as soon as possible.

Thank you, and keep reading.

Frank E. Blasi.

Illness - Christians Not Immune.

Within the last few days, I was pouring through Paul's letter to the church at Philippi when I came across a little-known character by the name of Epaphroditus. He was sent by Paul and Timothy from Rome to the coastal city located on the eastern tip of Macedonia. It was while still in Rome itself that he fell ill, "almost to the point of death" according to Paul's own testimony (Phillipians 2:25-30.)

There was a good chance that Luke, the physician, might have been there with them, according to 2 Timothy 4:11, and with prayers and supplications, Luke might have helped the sick believer back into recovery sometime before the apostle sent him on his way to visit the Philippian church. Unfortunately, we are not told of the nature of Epaphroditus' illness, but going by Scripture, it looked to have been a bacterial or viral infection rather than an external injury.

What was the treatment of illnesses like so long before the advancement of modern medicine and the rise of the National Health Service? And with the supposed non-existence of antibiotics? It was on our 12th anniversary trip to the Greek island of Kos, of the Dodecanese, that some light was shed during a trip to the Asklepieion ruins, where around 400 BC, Hippocrates practised his medicine, and it was also the birthplace of the Hippocratic Oath, still taken today by medical students. When we visited, I was surprised at the Roman walls on one side of the site. Apparently, they were the remains of hospital wards where patients were kept in during their course of treatment, which included the taking various herbs reputed to having medicinal properties to hasten recovery.

Bust of Hippocrates.

But the main feature of this ancient hospital were the temples of worship, one on each level of the three-tier edifice. The upper level held the temple where patients with a terminal illness can go to and pray to his specific deity for a heavenly afterlife or even for miraculous healing. The sites on the other two levels were also for patients to pray and offer sacrifices for their healing. What I find remarkable is the parallel between this ancient establishment and the multi-faith chapel featured in all major NHS hospitals of our day. Medicine and religion were bedfellows back then as they still are, to some extent, at present. The head photo of this Blogger page features partially-restored pillars of a Roman temple at the Asklepieion, with my wife standing between them.

Therefore, it comes as no real surprise that Epaphroditus received medical care, most likely, in the form of medicinal herbs prescribed by Luke. And this, coupled by prayer, making his path to recovery with hardly any difference to that of Hippocrates and his form of healing at Kos some four centuries earlier.

Except for whom to pray to.

I am wondering whether Luke, who is the author of both his Gospel and Acts, had received his medical training from the students and followers of Hippocrates. Since he was a Greek, I am even pondering on whether this great man of God had even trained at the Asklepieion. Too bad that I had never attended a theological college or seminary to have learned more about Luke's background. As such, I can only speculate. But on one issue I can be more certain. For Luke to qualify as a physician during his pre-conversion days, he too most likely had to take the Hippocratic Oath, just as today's graduates do. The only difference lies that throughout ancestry, the names of various pagan deities were included in the Oath. Since then, this has been omitted from the rest of the Oath. Those were some of the details we learnt during our visit to the Asklepieion archaeological site.

I can understand why some Old Testament saints fell ill from time to time. The ancient tent-dweller Job was one good example. King Hezekiah was another. He was a godly king of Judah who fell ill, seriously enough to cry out to God when he was told of his imminent death. Back then, the Crucifixion with its atonement for sin had not yet taken place. But even after the Crucifixion and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, if Epaphroditus' experience had anything to go by, then having the righteousness of Christ imputed does not make the believer immune to illness, an issue which may be more difficult to understand.

In support of this, I can cite more believers as examples. Timothy is one. According to 1 Timothy 5:23, this lover of God had frequent stomach problems throughout his life, and apparently had never experienced real healing, not as far as I know, anyway. Here I'm beginning to see a similarity between Timothy and my wife Alex, whose sufferings remain ongoing to this day. With the drinking of wine to replace water, Paul was not a medical student, but Luke, who most likely was with them, probably advised them on this matter, who in turn might have learned from the writings of Hippocrates.

Trophimus was another disciple who had suffered some illness, as mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:20. He was one of several believers who accompanied Paul on his missions (Acts 20:4) but the apostle left him behind at Miletus because he fell ill. Apparently, no prayers were offered, at least none were recorded, but Paul instructed Timothy to send greetings nevertheless.

Then there is the Apostle Paul himself, who was thankful to the churches in Galatia for giving him moral support for an illness he was suffering from, as recorded in Galatians 4:12-15. Apparently, it was at his eyes which followed his dramatic conversion in Damascus. Paul saw that his illness was "a trial" to the Galatians. In other words, it was offputting. If these believers were put off by the Apostle's eyes, this may indicate a mucus discharge, suggesting conjunctivitis. If this ailment has impaired his eyesight, then his need to write in large letters of Galatians 6:11 was necessary to see properly what he was writing. With his other letters, they were written by others directly under Paul's dictating.

An example of conjunctivitis.

This "thorn in the flesh" of 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 could be his referral to the same ailment of his eyes. I have a good longstanding friend who once disagreed with me over this during a discussion we had back in the 90s. He believed that "the thorn in Paul's flesh" was a mischievous person who was constantly following the Apostle, persistent in his harassing of him where ever he went. The disadvantage with this argument was that this tormenter would have boarded every ship Paul had sailed, as well as being present at every preach he delivered. All Paul had to do was to ask one of the ship's crew members to order the person to disembark at the first chance. The case of an ailment in his eyes, possibly conjunctivitis caused by either bacteria or virus, is far more plausible.

Experience with my wife's illness over the years, along with this present Coronavirus pandemic, has shown me not to be so independently minded which is part of my natural character, but to rely on God's goodness and mercy, thanking Him for all our provisions and not to worry about the future. Where worry is concerned, that is one of my obvious weakness, and it's tied to my quest for independence. But to be given the responsibility as my wife's carer is what I see is a privilege rather than a burden. Even then, I still panic whenever she suffers intense pain.

I can understand the opinions of some Christians who are into the healing ministry. First of all, let me say that they are my brothers in Christ, and therefore I love them and accept them as they are, sons of God and fellow believers. However, they will quote a command Jesus gave to his disciples when he sent them out during his own ministry, recorded in Matthew 10:8, that we were given authority to heal the sick and to drive out demons, that is to tell them to leave the person in the Name of Jesus, and to be healed in the Name of Jesus. The trouble with that is in the past when Alex was prayed for in this manner, it made things worse. As I see it, this kind of ministry looks to be very dangerous, and as such, I much prefer not to take part in it.

Therefore how can all the healings Jesus had performed, and by his disciples after his Ascension? Here is where those in healing had missed the point. According to the Bible, particularly in the New Testament, whenever a miracle is performed, whether it's to heal the sick and infirm, to drive out demons, even to raise the dead, or to supernaturally feed a large crowd - it's always done to bring glory to God. That is, to persuade people to believe that this Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, their Messiah, who will atone for their sin and rise again from the dead. A conversion of a person from sinner to saint always glorifies God.

And so the miraculous healing of a crippled beggar by Peter, recorded in Acts 3. The rest of the chapter and into chapter four records the explanation for the miracle and disputes over it by the Pharisees. The point of the miracle? To prove that this Jesus of Nazareth crucified is the risen Christ.

Then there a case between Peter and a female believer named Tabitha or Dorcas, depending on the language, Aramaic or Greek (Acts 9:36-42.) A devoted disciple of Christ, she still fell ill and died. Those in the healing ministry would point out that this is a classic example of compassionate healing. And indeed, it was. But the real purpose of the entire episode is found in verse 42, where it says:

This became known in all of Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.

Even Paul's raising of Eutychus, a young man who fell asleep during Paul's long sermon and fell from a ledge and died, was raised to life to glorify God (Acts 20:7-12.) With very long sermons, it's quite tempting to feel bored after a while and being late at night too, to doze off. It just shows how human they really were, and not spiritual super-giants! I know full well that if I was in that situation, I would have dropped off to sleep too. There is no record of new conversions recorded after this incident, but the interruption has kept his audience awake until daybreak and they were able to take Eutychus back home. It looks as though God allowed such an incident to occur for his audience to hear the word he has for them.

During these troubled times, when news of other 800-plus deaths with Coronavirus here in the UK within the last 24 hours, everything looks so hopeless as the NHS seems to be fighting a losing battle against the virus. Where is God in all this?

When adding everything together, I have come to this conclusion. And that is, to the unbeliever, illness and pandemics like our present one is meant for people to call upon God and fall at his mercy and to receive the eternal life for all who believe. How I long to see many, many people saved through the redemption Jesus Christ has already provided.

For believers in Christ, God allows sickness, infirmities and illnesses to infect their lives. But as Paul had already explained, it's to keep us from becoming conceited. It's not necessarily a punishment for sin, as sin has already been dealt with on the Cross, and the imputed righteousness of Christ into our accounts makes us seen by God the Father as one with his Son. Rather, illness ravaging believers are part of the discipline God needs to bring us into maturity in Christ. And the Apostle Paul had quite a lot of suffering, not only from illness but also from persecution, flogging and imprisonment too. Conceit can be pretty difficult to quell!

Easter Joy and a Facebook Shock.

This morning I went out to buy our weekly newspaper (which has the best TV guide any newspaper can offer) and then went on my daily walks. Such walks being vitally necessary to replace the regular swim and reduced cycling schedules, especially those weekly eight-mile round trips to church and back. And to replace my weekly session at Starbucks with its lovely and creamy, calorie-rich cappuccino coffee. Therefore, whether my health/weight would benefit - gaining the first and losing the second - only time would tell during this lockdown.

It was a beautiful morning. The sunshine bringing out the best in colours, such as the glossy green leaves of the Rhododendron lining either one or both sides of the footpath, various trees in the full bloom of white flowers while others have just budded into leaf, the green lawns matted with a carpet of daisies, and the warmth of the air allowing me to go out in Summer attire, that is, in shorts and a coloured tank-top or vest.

Easter. Or as someone calls it, Resurrection Day. It's perhaps the favourite time of the year, with Spring Equinox not far behind and the days continue to lengthen and the weather bathed in the warm sunshine. And while this coronavirus lockdown continues with no apparent end in sight, I was actually wondering whether God is teasing us. That is to say, giving health and beauty to the rest of his creation whilst our own health remains under threat.

Or could it be, as the Bible indicates, that through the beauty of his creation, God is trying to speak to us, encouraging us to turn to him, having already reconciled himself to us through the Death, Burial and Resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ, to which this public holiday is all about? And so, for the first time since 1973, there is no church I can go to, nowhere to meet together to acknowledge and worship with fellow believers. True enough, throughout the years, there were some when I made off to the coast, particularly in the Bournemouth or Swanage area of East Dorset after finding a suitable hotel on a typical off-the-street walk-in method. And I was never disappointed. 

Indeed, over the years I have questioned whether our Lord Jesus was crucified on a Friday. The Roman Catholic Church has always taught so, and the vast majority of Protestant churches have always done so, too. But if there is any source that would throw the spanner into the works, it had to be the Bible itself. And to add to the apparent frustration, there is only one verse in the entire New Testament, Matthew 12:40, which are words spoken by Jesus himself, and it's not repeated in any other of the four Gospels. He was referring to the prophet Jonah in the Old Testament, who spent three days and three nights inside the belly of an unspecified marine creature after being thrown overboard from a ship whilst running away from God's specific command to visit the city of Ninevah, Jonah 1:17.

Here, Jesus makes a comparison. Just as Jonah was hidden from all life for three days and three nights, so Jesus himself will be "in the bowels of the earth" for the same duration. Of course, I want to go along with all other Christians and remember his crucifixion on Good Friday, as I grew up to believe. And every year, I always made an effort to attend a service on Good Friday But even from boyhood, with the assumption that the Saturday Sabbath is the very next day after his crucifixion, somehow I had an instinctive feeling that not all added up nicely. How I wished it did. Since a Friday crucifixion followed by a Sunday Resurrection does not add up to three days and three nights. Instead, his burial only adds up to two nights - Friday night and Saturday night.

The greater majority of Christians accept this without question. If all the churches taught this for nearly two millennia, then who am I to question it? Perhaps Matthew 12:40 is a copying error? If so, then how can I trust the rest of the Bible for being reliable? Indeed, an error of this kind, a quotation from Jesus, would mean that Jonah himself (or his biographer) erred when he wrote three days and three nights hid undersea. If Jonah had gotten it wrong, so did Jesus. Such doesn't lend much credit for inspiration!

There is always the idea that the High Day of John 19:31 was a reference to a special Sabbath, itself distinct from the normal Saturday Sabbath as being the first day of Unleavened Bread, a Jewish holiday lasting a full week gotten from Exodus 12:1-30. If this special Sabbath fell on a Friday, this would have meant two Sabbaths, Friday and Saturday, one after the other. If that was the case, that would mean that Jesus was Crucified on a Thursday, which was the Day of Preparation, when leaven was removed from every Jewish household across Israel and beyond.

Unleavened Bread.

Jesus died at the same moment when all the Passover lambs were slain, to be roasted and then eaten later that night, which was by then the first day of Unleavened Bread, a special Sabbath or High Day which was a Friday. Maybe that was why the apostle Paul called his Lord Jesus Christ "the Passover Lamb" of 1 Corinthians 5:7.

This seems to be a worthwhile study, and from it, I personally accept that Jesus was crucified on a Thursday, to die shortly before nightfall on that day. But this is something I need to keep for myself - or just share on this blog. I know that such an idea will be resisted by just about every Christian believer who either know me personally or who reads this blog. In the face of universal church authority, I would be perceived as just an oddity, a quack, one of those nerdy types who is off his rocker and therefore fully deserve by them to be ignored and not taken any notice of.

Maybe that is not as bad as it first looks. To God only am I accountable. If advocating a Thursday crucifixion will earn a stern rebuke from Heaven...

So be it. At least I can explain why I believe what I believe. But my biggest concern is that thereafter, no one will take my blogs seriously enough to bother reading them. I would be categorised as quackery, probably on the same level as believing that a small phial of water can be classed as holistic medicine, even if there is only one molecule of elixir in the entire phial, to give healing benefits.

Holistic medicine or not, for me, the historicity of the Crucifixion, and the timing of his death, his duration of burial and his Resurrection on that early Sunday morning even before daybreak is very central to my faith. Even Paul knew this by writing that if Christ had not risen, then my faith is in vain, without a purpose - 1 Corinthians 15:14. With our health under threat with a coronavirus infection with my beloved on special high risk, then believing in the historicity of Christ's final moments is absolutely central, allowing everything else to fall into proper perspective. And that includes the possibility that he was crucified on a Thursday, or the fifth day of the week.

It comes in as very supportive and edifying when in such a time when due to the lockdown, all dentists in our area have shut down and shortly after, Alex develops a severe toothache with pain spreading upwards towards her cranium. Earlier in the week, her pain was so severe that she begged me to phone 111. They believed that her condition was severe enough to warrant an ambulance. After the paramedics had found out that she overdosed (slightly) on both Paracetamol and Oramorph, they insisted on a trip to A&E where she will be further assessed. Due to the pandemic, I had to remain at home, for the first time ever. About six hours later she arrived home by taxi after being discharged without treatment, endorsing our opinion that the trip was a waste of time and effort.

Fortunately, her dentist has gotten through to us from his private mobile and prescribed antibiotics. As she gets closer to halfway through her course, the pain still comes and goes, but (with the help of painkillers) it's now less intense. The whole point of this episode is the timing of this entire scenario. It's as if she's a victim of some spiritual trickery or mockery, to make our lives as miserable and stressfully hard as can be. But her own faith in God is to be commended, much having been taught by me over the last twenty years of marriage and her more recent commitment to read the Bible.

Daily reports on nearly a thousand deaths with Coronavirus in intensive care each day, here in the UK, I find so distressing to the spirit. With the world looking so dark and grim, the Easter holidays should be a good time, a reminder that the light of Christ is shining, and God commands that all people everywhere should come to repentance and receive the eternal life which is on offer to all those who believe. If only Easter would shout all the louder! If only people would see the light of Christ with his arms open to receive them, and run to him, even from the fears and anxieties this pandemic is bringing. Yet what do I find?

A discussion about Brexit on Facebook! And that with the typical Brexiteer's insensitive response: To hell with Brussels, we are leaving at the end of the year, end of! This was amid a discussion whether, due to talks delayed by the pandemic, the intermittent period should be extended into next year, or should it still end on schedule without an agreement between London and Brussels? The Brexiteer has expressed his opinion that he couldn't care less about the talks. To him, nationalism is all or nothing. To be honest, I was shocked to read this during these sorrowful times.

Cry! Cry! Cry unto my soul, cry! Somehow, in this present distress, I don't think this is the right time to discuss such an issue. Why not? Well, let's see. Up to a thousand patients confined in intensive care have lost their lives with coronavirus each day here in the UK alone. That alone is very distressing. I think of the many families who have lost their loved one. I try to put myself into their place. I imagine my beloved wife lying in intensive care, unconscious, with a ventilator pipe connecting a machine to the inside of her trachea. She lies there alone, longing for my company had she remained conscious, but the hospital still forbids me to be by her side. Then her liver gives in. Immediately the nurse notices that her cardiac monitor is displaying a straight line and emitting a constant hum. The doctor arrives to give confirmation. Presently, I receive a phone call from the hospital, a very apologetic message to inform me that I'm now a widower.

This could be real. The NHS has informed her that she is on the high-risk category due to having cancer. At present, she remains at home under a shielding programme. But one mistake from me, who is allowed to go out for essentials, could still pass the virus to her.

But thanks to Easter, she would be one of the fortunate ones. At her passing, she would be in the arms of her Lord in Heaven. As she enters glory, all her pains would be over. Over for eternity, along with all the other problems the stresses of life had thrown at her. She would enjoy her final victory. It would soften the terrible blow I would have suffered at the news and the easing of the dread by Christ's presence from a very lonely existence, especially if our church services are still grounded by the pandemic.

Thank you, Lord God, for sending your dear Son as a once-and-for-all-time sacrifice to atone for our sins. And after three days and three nights confined in a rock tomb, you rise victorious from the dead, defeating both sin and death, and enabling us to receive eternal life through faith in your Son.

Thank you, Lord, for Easter.

A Word of Encouragement...

In many ways, I can be thankful for being a UK citizen, having been born here, even from wholly Italian parents who were both post-war immigrants. For example, we have the National Health Service, or the NHS, a free-to-the-point-of-use institution readily available to offer treatment to all kinds of illness, disease and infirmities. And we live under a democracy, a system where all its governing policies are directed by the will of the people, in direct contrast to a top-down dictatorship. And we enjoy the freedom of religion, unlike in Islamic countries where if someone was to differ in opinion would result in flogging, imprisonment or even a death penalty.

But no country is perfect as, in a fallen world, such idealist perfectionism cannot exist. And as such, for example, our densely-populated land contributes to air and sea pollution, mainly from transport and discarded waste, which many say is adding to climate change. But at least, on the good side, there is always a shop nearby (or in my case, two superstores) where groceries and other essentials can be bought and stocked up. And water, fuel and electric power are as easy to use as turning on a tap or plugging into a socket. And a more recent innovation is the Internet, with which I'm now able to express my thoughts into worldwide public readership, which was nothing but a dream, a product of wishful thinking only up to a generation ago. 

But does all this really make us feel happy and content? No doubt, many are happy. But anyone can feel sad, lonely, depressed, helpless, even if their homes are well-stocked with everything they need and their bank balance is reasonably healthy. As one U.S. medical doctor once wrote, most illnesses and diseases, including cancer and heart failure, are caused initially by excess stress, worry, fear, hatred, bitterness, resentment, and prolonged anger. If all this is true, and this doctor received plenty of support from his colleagues across America, then it's no wonder that over here, the NHS has been stretched to its limits throughout the past few years.

Like one recent afternoon when my beloved developed a severe, stabbing pain at her chest region, close to where she had cancer. It was not long after her chemotherapy treatment had ended, and we both suspected that this pain may be connected with her cancer treatment. So an ambulance was called and she was taken to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department of the same hospital where she was being treated for her cancer. I was horrified when we were confronted with a long line of gurneys lining the corridor leading to the Majors cubicles, all of them each occupied by a patient waiting to be seen and treated. Therefore, it was several hours before she was seen by a consultant, although much praise goes to the team of nurses who looked after all the patients in the queue whilst waiting.

Of course, if an elderly lady or gent fell down the stairs and fractured a bone in doing so, that does not mean that the patient was in any negative mood at the time of the accident. He or she could have been in a more jovial mood before the fall. But I couldn't help thinking that the majority of patients in that queue are there as a result of an initial upset mind, some of them stretching over many years. Fortunately for my wife, the cause of the pain was not too serious and wasn't connected with the cancer treatment.

And so, it's this present Coronavirus pandemic which has, in a way, brought me to my senses on how fortunate we all are compared to previous generations. To read or to hear that several hundred more had died of the disease each day is very distressing. For the rest of us who might have had a very mild form of the illness, along with those who haven't had it (yet) - the suppression of our personal freedom is something of a culture shock. To be told by the Government to stay indoors and not travel to the coast or to a national park, especially under a burst of warm Spring sunshine, is certainly not the British way of living! Neither is the long queue outside the superstore doors or to stand or sit not less than two metres apart. Thus, a friendly or respectful handshake, let alone a hug, is seen as equally dangerous, as if risking a bite by a dog infected with the rabies virus.

As the pandemic takes hold across the land, churches are no longer meeting together physically at a given venue. Instead, "virtual services" broadcast live on the Internet has replaced proper services. Scripture quotes begin to appear frequently on Facebook. Of all quotes, it looks to me that Psalm 91 is the most often quoted. It details the great protection given by God himself to anyone who trusts in him. It contains the verses:

A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

Psalm 91:7-8.

It's the same kind of wording which is also found in Psalm 139:19-24, and within many other psalms, where David in particular, cries out for vengeance upon the wicked and to let them face justice whilst, at the same time, prays for his own deliverance from his enemies, the forgiveness of his sins, and his own salvation. Indeed, anyone reading such psalms can be forgiven for accusing him of a kind of self-righteousness, a Pharisaic attitude involving self-piety whilst judging and cursing everybody else. 

King David the Psalmist.

However, the evil people he's referring to are haters of God with a seared conscience, and since they are without any moral guidance, are out to exploit and steal from others, especially the defenceless poor, forcing them to suffer loss, bringing on physical and mental pain, and even be killed, while the villains are benefiting and getting rich from their victim's spoils.

Yet I can identify how David might have felt. The sort of people who annoy me most are scammers, those fraudsters who trick their victims into parting with their hard-earned savings by using sophisticated methods, usually over the phone, to deceive. And thus gathering wealth by dishonest means, causing their victims, mostly senior citizens, to suffer agonising losses. Then these thieves go on expensive holidays, party, and buy top-of-the-market cars such as the Lamborghini. Like David, I too wish them to be brought to justice.

Wishing such scammers to be brought to justice is one thing, but for the believing saint, will he be fully protected by God from any threat or affliction? Is Psalm 91 a guaranteed protection against general suffering?

Last Sunday, a preach at Ascot Life Church was delivered through the Internet, focusing on Psalm 91, probably as a result of the constant appearing of this psalm on Facebook. The question was: Will God really protect from all harm those who trust in him, worship and depend on him? Yes? - Er, No. And he was absolutely correct.

I have only my own testimony to prove that true believers are not immune to harm. Where the hospital has risen to the point of being our second home, one has only to read 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 and 6:3-10, where Paul the apostle lists his sufferings, including being flogged, while he was on his mission to preach the Gospel and form new churches across the Roman Empire, and visiting other, already established churches, particularly in the Macedonian area of northern Greece. In turn, Hebrews 11:35-38 lists the sufferings many Old Testament saints had to endure as they ministered to the ancient Israelites, even to the point of being stoned to death.

Then there is the case of Job in the Old Testament. He lived approximately at the same time as Abraham, and like the Hebrew patriarch, Job was a righteous man with a strong and reverent faith in God, who showed hospitality to strangers and always interceded for his sons, lest they fall into sin. He could be classed as a Bedouin, a man who lived in a desert tent, yet he was also very rich, possessing many flocks and herds.

Then one day all his livestock was stolen from him by a gang of marauding bandits, with only one shepherd left to tell him of his loss. Soon after this, another arrived to announce that all his sons were killed by a collapsing roof of the house where they were partying. Yet, when his grieving wife and mother advised him to curse God and die, his response was to rebuke her, telling her not to be such a foolish woman, and then acknowledged that God has every right to give and to take away. Soon after this, he fell ill, and his ailment worsened to the point where he was at death's door. Yet he did not waiver on his faith. 

During his distress, three friends arrived at his tent to grieve with him. At first, all four sat in silence. Yet when a discussion between them eventually arose, neither could understand why such a righteous man had to suffer such intensity as he did. As Job began to protest his innocence, the three friends began to accuse him of some secret sin or willful wrongdoing. Yet while all four agreed that God's thoughts are way above any human thinking and utterly beyond reproach, yet amid his sorrow, intensified by the accusations thrown at him by his three friends, he declared:

I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end, he will stand upon the earth.

And after my skin has been destroyed yet in my flesh I will see God.

I will see him - with my own eyes - I, and not another.

How my heart yearns within me!

Job 19:25-27. 

When reading such testimonies, whenever we are going through distress, and both of us have been through many such occasions, Job is always the one who has set an example. Other than Jesus Christ himself, whenever Alex is lying on a hospital gurney at A&E, Job often comes into my mind, especially during the long wait before the consultant eventually arrives.

When considering all these things - the suffering believers have to endure, then how truthful is Psalm 91 when it promises full protection from every kind of calamity which befall unbelievers? Last Sunday's preach has shed some light on this, which I have found to be helpful. The ultimate victory of Psalm 91 lies in our eternal state, an eternity in God's presence in Heaven.

As I write, a definite pattern emerges. The pattern is this: When a believer in Jesus Christ crucified, buried and risen, has to endure sufferings, whether physical, mentally, or emotionally, they will always end in victory for the believer.

Final Victory.

Therefore, does God offer protection to the believer against all adversity? The answer is a resounding Yes, but it applies to the soul and spirit. For once the sinner confesses with his mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, and believes in his heart that God has raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9-13) - he becomes a new creation, a child of God, forever adopted into his family. Yes, the body will die and goes to the grave, but the spirit and soul will go to be with Christ.

Once saved always saved.

And physical death is the believer's final victory.