The world is rocking back and forth

When you spend two days sailing on the Auckland harbour, it gives you the feeling of being a priveliged citizen of our world. Our world, where if you own a computer you are in the top one perecent of the human race, in terms of wealth at least.Some would say in other things also. I would not. Would you?

Think back to 1st century AD, when the mountain of Vesuvius, covering and cementing the city of Pompeii in ash within seconds. Almost all the citezens seemed to have ignored any warning of impending doom, if there was any. We see the solid remains of people sitting at a table together playing dice, cards or eating and talking together perfectly preseved in human shape statue. Some figures are standing, some sitting, some lying. All are frozen in time, presented to us as a memorial of those who died two thousand years ago and a caution to those living. Pompeii had a water stuply system more advanced than that of New York in 1987, not only watering Pompeii but also the surroundung cities. And in one day it was gone, left to us, the surviving world, as a warning. To be ready.

He will come like a thief in the night.

blogging

So things have been happening in my life, been away on holiday, camping. We left just the day after the herald screamed from the front page "cyclone warning". Didn't stop the Fletchers. Not us. Lets just say it was rather wet though.

So, not letting that put a hole in my head, heres some thoughts:

Do you agree that often when we run away from God he seems to step back from the picture. Maybe for weeks we have been on the verge of rebelling, aching to go off the path we know is right...then bang, we leave, run, run and at last stop. And THAT is where we find him. Why do I find him in the places I try to hide from Him? Maybe he knows me that well...

I was talking to this man on Queen street, in Auckland at 1:30ish in the morning and I mentioned it to him. He was with this Maori guy who was wacking away at his guitar and singing christian song in Maori, accompanonied by his friends. He said he hung out with that group not because he was a christian, but because he had nothing else to do and 'it was a bit of light fun'. Anyhow he said right away he agreed with me about God finding us in the times when we run. He told me about such an experience and told me how he had been in prison, the lowest point of his life, and then his room mate gave him this book to read. It was called the Bible Code. It seems to have had a profound effect in his life, and now he obviously believes that God is real, although he doesn't seem to have made any concrete discisions.

Stuff over the last two weeks thats been through my head

Im just back from camp at Mototapu Island (which is connected to Rangitoto Island) and recoveing from overtiredness, injuries and heaps of fun. I was a leader at this Scripture Union camp, my role was the ADJ - the MC and camp rules guy, a very new experience for me, but I adapted well, to my suprise. It was an Intermediate level camp, campers aged 10-13, and it was great to see some desicions from the kids to turn to God.

Anyway heres some tnings which have been running round my head the last few days and I've dabbed down on paper:

The First of a year
The first day of a year often recollects our vision of life, the stranded thoughts of a just past Eve come together to conform with the reality and conginuity of life,
thnough our Dreams still lead us on.

Recent Readings
The reading of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness has inspired for me an intrest in the power of the beauty of words, and the author's ability to dictate the mood and tone of his or her peice of art.

The Power of One and Tandia have revealed the strength behind a strong and livable, though tragic storyline. Very good reading.

The Sea
The water lapped at the shore, shrinking out and falling forward again and again and again. It is much like a broken rhythm or a lazy off beat of Nature's sympathy for us, the wicked mankind.

After all the Sea is Nature's strong example of it's long lived endurance, destroying rocky shores and leaving them as soft sand. The sea is always moving, alsways stretching futher and futher towards our land founded homes, an ancient and much forgotten threat. The rising and falling dynasty of the tides give the world a warning of its savage power by presenting us with it's sickly soft sand, or as we say 'our beaches'. These are the fruit of her endless work. Ah the savage power, the savage sea.

Know then thyself, presume not God to scan:
The proper study of mankind is man,
ALEXANDER POPE

Luke 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;