My Place 3

Line drying, May 19, 2010

Of all domestic tasks, hanging the laundry is the one that brings me the most satisfaction. First there’s the lugging of the basket of heavy, wet laundry up the steps and out the door. I like using my muscles and that uses every one of them. And then, there they are, hanging clean and bright, like coloured flags in the wind, all in order, sheets with sheets, big towels, then smaller ones, and finally the wash cloths. No perfumed fabric softener can compare with the smell of laundry freshly dried in the pristine Yukon air.

My home is on an old Canadian Air Force base, and each house once had a grey painted wooden stoop to reach the clotheslines-on-pulleys that ran from the front of the house to a big iron T-post at the edge of the street. There are a few of us who still use our front-door-to-street clotheslines, but more and more they are disappearing, strung in the backyard instead, or maybe disappearing altogether as the electric clothes dryer permanently takes its place, and children grow up never smelling fresh air dried clothing.

Draw Me a Diagram: 1 Corinthians 1

Did you learn to diagram sentences in school? It’s not something taught much anymore, but it’s a good way to learn grammar. Diagrams and charts can be a used for Bible study, too. I’d say that arcing, like what people do at BibleArc, is making a diagram.

I like arcing; I’ve arced my way through the gospel of John. But even before I learned to arc, I occasionally did simple diagrams of parallel statements within a passage help me understand more about how specific biblical words were used.

A few years ago, I did a series of post on the way Paul used the word called. In my study, I made a chart to help me understand how Paul used called in 1 Corinthians 1. The parallel statements are in verses 18:

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

and 23-24:

…but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Lining up the parallel statements we get this*:

the word of the cross/
the preaching of Christ crucified

folly to those who are perishing/
a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles

but to us who are being saved/
but to those who are called

the power of God/
the power of God and the wisdom of God

From this, I concluded that being called (see third pair of parallel statements) is closely associated with being saved. To quote the old post:

Paul statements equate being called with being saved. It is “those who are called” who are “us who are being saved.” This is a call that saves. This is a particular call, then, rather than a universal one, and a call with the power to save.

God’s call, as Paul uses the word here, is a call that always leads to salvation.

Next up, I want to show you the same kind of diagramming (or charting) done to two questions from Romans 9. But I’ll save that for another day.

*Reproducing the actual chart was beyond my capabilities back then. It still might be; we’ll find out.

Thankful Thursday

A few minutes ago, as I sat here beside the window, a fox loped across the front yard just a few feet from me. I’m thankful that I live where I often see wildlife as I go about my business. I’m thankful for my place, and for foxes, too.

I’m thankful for my youngest son, who tilled the garden for me. I’m thankful that both sons have enough—and maybe too much—work.

I’m thankful for youngest daughter who takes the pup for a run on the days youngest son has to work. The more exercise that dog gets, the better.

I’m thankful for rain yesterday and sunshine today. Perfect weather to green up the lawn.

I’m thankful for people who oversee things: countries, territories, cities, churches, households. God raises them up and puts them in place, and even though none of them do their God-appointed jobs close to perfectly, we’d all be worse off without them.

I’m thankful that “God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in [my heart] to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” I’m thankful that the same power that brought the whole of creation out of nothing by command is the power that shone in my heart bringing new creation there. (Yes, I took that from my about page, but that’s one of the biggies to be thankful for, so I feel justified in repeating it.)

On Thursdays throughout this year, I plan to post a few thoughts of thanksgiving along with Kim at the Upward Call and others. Why don’t you participate by posting your thanksgiving each week, too? It’ll be and encouragement to you and to others, I promise.