Watch mother wagtail feeding her chicks. The kids in the front are clearly on the lookout for mom. Note “dozy” at the back busy preening! Then mom arrives with the food. The reaction of the chicks, including “dozy”, is instant. Yip – I was very lucky to take the video. What a joy!
Month: May 2020
The Lesson of the Oak and the Bamboo
What survives a powerful gale? The oak or the bamboo?
And why?
And what is the take away?
Check below the picture!
Photo by Geran de Klerk on Pexels.com 
Photo by Emre Orkun KESKIN on Pexels.com
The oak goes down because it is rigid and unbending.
The bamboo survives because it is flexible and bends.
The take away
Learn to be flexible in times of adversity, like during a pandemic.
Keep safe.
Birds Sharing Secrets
Two “lbjs” sharing secrets at the bird feeder in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Do you think these “little brown jobs” (“lbjs”) are Bronza Mannikans? I am not sure. Look at the white stripes on the lbj on the right. Comments please.
White-eye
A White-eye about to enjoy a feast at our garden feeder in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. White-eyes love oranges.
Material Possessions in Perspective
They say the Lion and the Lizard keep
The Courts where Jamshýd gloried and drank deep:
And Bahrám, that great Hunter–the Wild Ass
Stamps o’er his Head, but cannot break his Sleep.
The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam by Edward Fitzgerald
Something to think about.
John Piper on the Coronavirus and Christ
I have just finished reading a new book by John Piper – “Coronavirus and Christ”.
The book is clearly written and reads easily.
It is packed with Scripture and source references.
It is full of insights and teachings relevant for us during these worrying pandemic times.
You can find out more about the book here. This is NOT a monetised link.
It is amazing that John Piper got the book written and published in such a short time. I can only assume that he felt called to do this and to get the message in the book out to as many people as possible, as soon as possible.
The book certainly conveys a sense of justified urgency.
I am sure you will find reading the book helpful during the pandemic.
In case you do not know. John Piper is the founder and lead teacher of desiringGod.org of Bethlehem College and Seminary. For 33 years he served as senior pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is the author of more than 50 books. (From the back of the book)
Two Faith Centring Articles
I honestly believe that reading the two articles below will strengthen the faith of any Christian.
Especially now during the (lets be honest) frightening pandemic.
Remember the saying “it’s where the rubber hits the road”?
The author of the articles, Dr Kathryn Butler, cannot be closer to the “road”. She is a trauma and critical care surgeon turned writer and home schooling mom. Currently she is out of retirement and serving in the ICU of an American Hospital caring for COVID19 patients. She lives north of Boston.
I suggest you read the first article first and then the second article.
The first article is: “If God Doesn’t Heal You” Click
The second article is: “Even in the ICU – Why hope will conquer death” Click
If you find the two articles helpful, please tell others about them.
Keep safe.
Question: Will God deliver us from the Corona Virus?
Will God act and deliver us from the Corona Virus as He promised in Psalm 91:3?
**********
May the contents of this post, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.
My prayer is that nobody’s faith is damaged by this post. I pray rather that their faith be strengthened.
Question:Will God deliver on His promise in Psalm 91:3?
Short Answer: Yes
Main Reason: We have Christ’s word for it.
REASONS
Start with Psalm 91:1-3 KJV
91 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
The definition of “pestilence” in a Cambridge Dictionary is “any very
serious infectious disease that spreads quickly and kills large numbers of people”.
The Corona virus (COVID-19) clearly falls within this definition.
Surely therefore it is reasonable to interpret the last part of Psalm 91:3 to read follows;-
Surely God will “deliver thee” from the Corona virus (COVID-19).
Is God doing that at the moment ( April 2020)?
Many, many people in the world are infected with the virus and will become infected. Many people have died and will die.
Many of these people will be committed Christians.
This may cause many people to sadly conclude that God is not delivering on His promise of protection against pestilence in Psalm 91:3.
Are they right?
It goes without saying that this is an extremely serious question which calls for prayerful consideration. .
My genuine humble opinion is that it is incorrect to conclude that God is not delivering on His promise of protection against pestilence in Psalm 91:3.
It may be useful to note upfront that verse 3 does not say God is delivering us, it states that God will deliver us. That is why it is not right or logical to use verse 3 to conclude that God is not delivering right now on His promise of protection against pestilence in Psalm 91:3. The word “will” tells us it is a promise about the future. More about this below.
Consider:
First, Scripture does not teach that the Lord always grants divine blanket protection for all believers in all circumstances (see website at end of post). Two thousand years of martyrs dying painful deaths confirms this. Remember: In the 23rd Psalm God promises to be with us as we “walk through the valley of the shadow of death. God does not promise to lead us round the valley.
Second, and here we come to Psalm 91:3. Lets look at it carefully:
Consider again the word “will
“Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.“
“will” refers to the future. So the verse is saying: Even if you get the virus and no matter what the virus may do to you, your eternal security remains secure. Ultimately God will save you from the “deadly pestilence”. Remember: The Psalms often “look forward to eternity”.
Note that the verse does not say when God will save us from “deadly pestilence”. It could be now, some other time during our lifetime or even beyond.
Remember: In this life God grants us not security from all human ills, but security in (Christ).
Hear what Jesus said about the eternal security He has given to us:
John 6:37-40 KJV
37 “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to
37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
This is why Paul wrote in Romans 8:35,37,38 and 39 as follows (COVID-19 added!):
Romans 8:35.37,38 and 39 KJV
“35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, not even Covid-19, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
There is no doubt that God will save us from COVID-19. We know not when or where. However we do know that final victory is certain and secure. We have Christ’s own word for it. In His farewell teaching to His apostles He said:
John 16:33 King James Version (KJV)
33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”.
May the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.
Praise the Lord
May the contents of this post, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, our strength, and our redeemer.
Acknowledgment
An article on the UK Apologetics Website helped me with this post. \Some phrases and ideas on the website have been used in this post. I recommend that you go to the website. Click here.
Here is the link to an excellent article about God and the pandemic, written by a Jesuit Priest. It is well written, well reasoned and clear. Above all it is honest. Click here. I came across the article after I had written the above post.
Speckled mousebird feeding
This beautiful photo of a speckled mousebird was taken in the garden of a good friend of mine in Port Elizabeth in May 2020.
What a long tail!
As can be seen from the photo, speckled mousebirds love fruit.
Here the mouse bird is enjoying a guava.
Professor Google tells me that mouse birds can be found all the way down Africa from around Ethiopia to South Africa. Read more here.
Is it ok to become disillusioned?
It depends what you mean by “disillusioned.
Let’s start with the word “illusion”. What does it mean?
One if the meanings according to Professor Google is that it is “a false idea or belief”.
Taking this as the definition, it follows that if you are under a an illusion, you believe something which is false.
For example you may believe that the moon is made of cheese. We can safely say you are under a delusion.
If you go to the moon (compliments of NASA) and find out that the moon is not made of cheese, your false belief is gone. You have been disillusioned. You are no longer deluded.
So, becoming disillusioned is a good thing!
These days people believe plenty of things that are false.
Not good!
johnbartels.com 