OnFire Encouragement Letter

Hi Folks:

What an interesting weekend. The moving truck came on Saturday. They couldn’t back it into the driveway, so they had to ferry our stuff using a smaller truck. They wrapped up at about 1:30am, and had a few things to load on Sunday morning to finish.

Then it was church on Sunday for Father’s day. During my message, an older man with a history of heart trouble got up to leave and was holding his chest in pain. A possible heart attack? We called the ambulance to be on the safe side since he also lives alone. He is fine, but has been diagnosed with angina.

After that, we drove to Moncton and met the moving truck on Monday morning. It was a much shorter process to unload, thankfully. During the process, however, the loading ramp collapsed. Thankfully the mover received only a few scrapes. Later a speaker fell and grazed his head. Prayers for protection are always wise.

A number of people met us at the house. My mother and step-father came from PEI. A number of people came from the church and brought soup and treats. My aunt, who also lives in Moncton, came over, too. It was great to see everyone and to share the beauty of our new gardens with them. They really are very nice. Jan spent a little time weeding while we were there.

We left the house full of boxes to return to Shelburne last night so that I could do a funeral Tuesday. I should be tired, but a number of people are praying and I think that’s why I’m feeling pretty good. Thanks for your prayers.

I haven’t had much time to look at Joseph, but I have some thoughts after Father’s Day.

Finally, note my email address is now onfireletter@gmail.com

Blessings for your week.

Troy

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In 1 Corinthians 4:15-16, Paul writes to the church in Corinth, “Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me.”*

Corinth was an interesting place. With 400-500 000 people, the city was a political, cultural, religious, and economic centre. It was located on a narrow piece of land between the Aegean Sea and the Ionian Sea, with natural harbours on either side. To save a dangerous journey in perilous waters, cargoes and sometimes even ships were hauled 6km overland through Corinth on a limestone road.

East met west in Corinth. The customs and religions of both worlds came together in a cosmopolitan, multi-cultural atmosphere. In other words, a person could find every type of problem and sin, in quantity, in Corinth.

The issues of the city were the issues of the church. In a city where thousands of prostitutes worked in hundreds of temples, it shouldn’t be surprising that marriage and sexuality were issues Paul had to write to them about. In a city with a sophisticated Roman legal system to resolve matters, Christians fought with Christians and thought nothing of taking things to court. With so many different ideas floating around, it wasn’t much wonder that there were divisions in the church, or that people thought nothing of mixing their religions.

As I read Paul’s words to prepare for Father’s Day, it occurred to me that our world is a modern Corinth. The issues that affected them affect us. Divisions abound. Pleasure and indulgence are the gods of the age. People love to mix their own religious concoctions. We live in a modern Corinth.

What do we do with this?

The clue is in Paul’s words: “though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers....Therefore I urge you to imitate me.”

Wealthy families in Paul’s day hired people to watch and teach the children. They were pedagogues, servants who taught children. There is a big difference between an instructor and a parent. It is a rare teacher indeed who regards students with the same heart-felt concern as their parents.

Paul he was no mere teacher, but a father in the faith. There were lots of people who could teach them, but not many who cared for them as much as he did, not many to demonstrate holiness and purity with their own lives. Paul pleaded with them to follow his example.

We can be like Paul, people worthy of imitation. This is easier said than done. My hope and prayer is that my life matches up to what I say, because if it doesn’t, I can be pretty certain that the boys will do as I did, and not as I said. What a humbling thought!

Lots of instructors, few fathers. Lots of people to teach, few who live up to what they teach. May we be parents in the faith and not just instructors.

I hope this helps. Be OnFire,

Troy

ON FIRE is a weekly letter of encouragement by Troy Dennis. To be added to or removed from the ON FIRE list contact him at onfireletter@gmail.com  Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com This letter published June 18, 2008. *New International Version, copyright 1973, 1978 by the International Bible Society.