A murky, yellow-tinged blackness hung low over the city. He recollected that stars, and sunrises and sunsets, and untainted air, and silence were not for city dwellers.”
–Zane Grey (The Call of the Canyon)
“For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, And a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations,” Says the Lord of hosts.”
–Malachi 1:11 (NKJV)
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When we built our house in San Antonio the view to the west was magnificent. I would often stand outside and watch the sun go down over the ridge. The sky moved from brightness of red and orange and yellow, moving as the sun finally disappeared to a rich, deep purple. We were one of the few houses in the area; there was relatively no clutter. The fields were full of wildlife, especially doves.
Then came progress. Houses were built, some along the ridge, but the setting of the sun was still visible. Then one day I noticed a structure being built. It was huge and it all but destroyed my view of the ridge, spoiling not only the view of the sun when it set, but also destroying the atmosphere that was creating by the setting of the sun.
I’ve walked in cities. People tend to look down, even more so now because they have a phone in their hand. Even if they would look up they could not see the rising or setting of the sun. The monoliths are huge and they block out all but a few rays. The concrete and asphalt heat up from the rays that do strike them, and a person almost wilts because of the heat.
Most cities are full of smog; they are dark, dingy, and dirty because of it. Man may try and declare an “ozone day”, but the haze remains. If you’ve ever been to Denver you can see the dirty brown layer that covers it. Thank goodness the winds will come in to blow it away, but until they do that layer of smog looms over the city.
Add to that all of the noise. That’s one thing I really appreciate about where we now live–the quietness. Nature is there, the quiet is there and when I sit out on the back deck in the morning writing and reading my devotions, I feel that God is there. Seldom is there any man-made noise. Oh, the crows fly by and give off their caw-caw, but that is nothing compared to the sound of truck, cars, horns, beeps, and whistles of the city.
In the city, man has made his artificial stars, moon, and sun with the lights of business, factories, cars, and a sundry other things. When we were building our house a man who was delivering material said he could not stay out here in the woods because there were wild animals. But I say, that is more comforting than walking the dark streets of the city at night, for there is the worse form of beast–the wildness of man is seen.
Month: August 2019
Echoes From the Campfire
A man can have a little bit and feel rich, or he can have a lot and feel poor.”
–Elmer Kelton (The Time It Never Rained)
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
–Matthew 6:24 (NKJV)
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In my earlier years I spent some time learning how to tie knots. I figured that a person might not know when a certain knot by become useful. Over the years, I’ve forgotten some of them, but then again, I’ve have been able to use some of them in my work and journeys. There is the legend of the Gordian Knot. It was said that whoever could untie this particular knot would rule the world. On the scene, Alexander the Great. The crowds grew around him watching if he would be able to untie the knot. He walked up to it, looked it over–then took out his sword and slashed the knot in half. That’s one way to untie a knot. Hmmm, perhaps you have gotten frustrated and cut a rope, shoestring, or other item that has been tied and instead of untying it, you simply cut it.
I came across this story last week, I don’t know the author, but there is quite a bit of common sense in it. I know, that is something that is rare today–common sense. Actually it is a prayer:
“Dear God:
Please untie the knots
that are in my mind,
my heart and my life.
Remove the ‘have nots,’
the ‘can nots’ and the ‘do nots’
that I have in my mind.
Erase the ‘will nots’,
‘may nots’, ‘might nots’
that may find a home in my heart.
Release me from the ‘could nots,’
‘would nots’ and ‘should nots’
that obstruct my life.
And most of all,
I ask that You remove from my mind,
my heart and my life all of the ‘am nots’
that I have allowed to hold me back,
especially the thought that I am not
good enough.
I pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen.”
–unknown
Hmmm, do you have a naughty mind; I mean to say a knotty mind? A mind that looks like the backlash of a fishing reel? The mind is a tangled mess because of who you are, what you’ve read, what you’ve done, where you’ve been. Let the Holy Spirit take the sword of God’s Word and slash through it, removing the “knots” and straightening your mind, focusing it on Him.
The Saga of Miles Forrest
It was in the late afternoon when we finally were able to get the women delivered to Silverton. Two of the ladies thanked the teamsters for the ride, but ol’ prune face walked away in a huff. On the trip Lyle told me that they had seen two men riding up toward Molas Pass. They waved at each other but the two men didn’t stop to converse.
I fully expected to have to spend the night and most of the next day in Silverton, but upon arriving I saw that the train was still in the station. Tying the horse to the hitching rail I hurried to find the conductor. Fortunately, he wasn’t hard to find as he was standing near the engine discussing something with the engineer.
“Steam is built up, we’re ready to roll,” I heard the engineer say as I approached.
The conductor nodded and turned, almost bumping into me. “Excuse me, Marshal. We’re running late and need to get this train moving on down the tracks.”
“How long?” I asked.
He made a gesture I believe all conductors make, he looked at his watch. “No more than ten minutes.”
“Hold a seat for me; I’ll be aboard!” I exclaimed as I hurried off to get the horse back to the livery.
I saw a straw-haired boy helping a lady with a little stool so she could climb up on the first step of the rail car. I wondered where the porter was, then saw him coming with, what I assume, were her bags. He moved to the baggage car while I watched the boy wait for a tip. Poor kid, there was none coming.
“Hey, you!” I hollered at the kid. “You work for the railroad or are you free-lancin’?”
Taking a few steps toward me he shouted back, “I don’t work for the railroad. Somethin’ I can do for you, mister?”
“You got a name?” I asked closing the gap between us.
“Samuel Tucker, but most folks call be “Straw” cause of my hair,” he rubbed his hand through it and smiled. “Ma’s always onto me sayin’ it looks like a bale of straw done busted open.”
He looked worse than that, with torn breeches and a ragged, dirty shirt. “Does your Pa know you’re down here workin’?” I questioned.
“Look, Mister! If you need somethin’ done, jist tell me,” he said with some attitude, then quickly adjusted and apologized. “Sorry…Pa’s broke his leg in the mine. He’s, he’s not in good shape.”
I looked him over again. “You’re too much of a man for me to call you ‘Straw.’ Alright if I call you ‘Sam’?”
He stood a little straighter. “See that horse over there?” I asked while pointing. “That roan with the single stockin’.”
He nodded. “Here’s a dollar to take him back to the livery for me.”
“Dollar!” he exclaimed. “Why that’s only worth a dime!” he said, then looked at the rail car where he had helped the woman.
“It’s worth it to me,” I replied. “Let me ask you another thing. What’s your Ma think of you workin’ here?”
Shuffling his feet he answered. “She don’t like it much, but we have to eat somehow. I’m too young an’ small to get a job in one of the mines.”
I heard the whistle blast from the train. I had to hurry. Reaching in my vest pocket for my coin pouch I pulled out a silver dollar, hesitated while looking in the pouch, then pulled out a double-eagle. “Here’s the dollar for the horse, and I want you to get a doctor to see about your Pa,” I ordered, handing him the two coins. “Tell Doctor Winder that Marshal Forrest sent you. Then use the rest of the money to get some food.”
The whistle blasted again, I had to run. “See ya, Sam, I’ve got to make that train.”
It was just starting to move as I grabbed hold of the side rail and jumped up on the steps. The car was packed and the only seat was across from the lady that Sam had helped. I tipped my hat, and sat down.
“Mister, you are a fool!” she snapped.
“Excuse me,” I was somewhat stunned by her blunt statement. She was not an old woman, but maybe in her thirties, not bad looking, but very much in need of a smile.
“He’s nothing but one of those hoodlums, a piece of riff-raff, preying on the tender consciences of his betters,” she huffed.
“Ma’am, I noticed that he helped you.”
“Only hoping that I’d give him a dime. No, my good man, you’ll see. One day he’ll be one of the town drunks, waiting for that next handout,” she harped, making me irritable.
“Ma’am, if you’ll pardon me sayin’, but I recollect that the good Lord told us to be helpin’ the down and out. Why, even a cup of cold water given in His name is a blessin’,” I stated.
Her face turned red; all I got from her was a hardy, “Hmpf,” then she turned her face toward the window.
I reckoned it was going to be a long four hours down to Durango. After she turned away from me, I took the time to stand and look over the passengers. There had been a couple of times I had been surprised on a train and I didn’t want any suspecting characters to go unnoticed.
Sitting back down, she glanced momentarily at me. She must have noticed the badge under my jacket on my vest. “You an officer of the law?” she questioned.
“Yes ma’am, Deputy United States Marshal Miles Forrest,” I replied smiling.
“Hmpf, then you should know better,” she huffed and turned back toward the window.
I pulled at my moustache, then smiled a good thought. Molly would be surprised that I came back a day early. Then another thought struck me. The two men on the road, were they heading back to Durango? If so, I’d beat them back by a good day.
Echoes From the Campfire
The bigger the hat the smaller the herd. Do all yore braggin’ with yore actions.”
–William MacLeod Raine (The Fighting Edge)
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I hate those television commercials where they show the photos of abandoned dogs. They pick the most wretched cases to show so that you can have pity on them. Possibly one of the most terrible feelings is that of abandonment. One thing for sure–God will never abandon us. If there is anyone doing the abandoning, it is us of God. God is near; we need to learn how to seek Him and for Him to teach us how to live.
“Nearer, still nearer, nothing I bring,
Naught as an offering to Jesus my King;
Only my sinful, now contrite hear,
Grant me the cleansing Thy blood doth impart.”
–Lelia N. Norris
This Monday morning let us take a look at the rest of Psalm 27 (HCSB) and look what David wants from the Lord.
7 – Lord, hear my voice when I call; be gracious to me and answer me.
8 – My heart says this about You, “You are to seek My face.” Lord, I will seek Your face.
9 – Do not hide Your face from me; do not turn Your servant away in anger. You have been my helper; do not leave me or abandon me, God of my salvation.
10 – Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord cares for me.
11 – Because of my adversaries, show me Your way, Lord, and lead me on a level path.
12 – Do not give me over to the will of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing violence.
13 – I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.
14 – Wait for the Lord; be strong and courageous. Wait for the Lord.
We live in a time of abandonment. Parents have abandoned their children to a large degree. They have abandoned them to video games, to television, to their phones. Instead of being with them they turn them over to a phone or videos for babysitting chores while they go on with their life. Deadbeat Dads, they may live at home, but they are not really there–they have abandoned their children. Probably the greatest abandonment we hear from much of the population is that of abandoning the child in the womb.
David is feeling abandoned in this Psalm by the Lord. He cries out to the Lord. When he begins to seek Him, he finds that the Lord is there, waiting, wanting to help. David wants to be taught by the Lord, he wants to be directed by the Lord, he wants God to teach him how to live. God wants us to talk with Him–to seek Him–to be personal with Him.
Ahh, but look at the last two verses. David is certain! He is certain that the Lord is good. He is certain that the Lord will be there beside him. Then there seems to be something strange thrown in; something that we all too often are not very good at–waiting. Sometimes it takes courage to wait, in fact, patience and courage often go hand-in-hand.
Would that we would adhere to the advice of A.B. Davison, “Man’s best plea is always an echo of God’s promise. He who has bidden his servants to seek will not hide his face when they obey him.” The problem for us is two-fold: first we often don’t truly seek, and second, we don’t wait.