The Shadows o Ben Lomond

THE SHADOWS O BEN LOMOND

 

Upon white pillow ma grey heid

No far fae gabbin wi the deid

Aroon ma bed ma faimily stauns

A’ greetin as they haud ma hauns

 

But me Ah’m runnin up the brae

Tae catch the sun at the break o day

And watch the light dance on the loch

Fae the shadows o Ben Lomond

 

 

 

 

Leave me go, don’t haud me back

Let me go runnin up that track

Beneath ma feet yon bluebells squeak

 Their fragrance lifts me tae the peak

 

Aye me Ah’m runnin up the brae

Tae catch the sun at the break o day

And watch the light dance on the loch

Fae the shadows o Ben Lomond

Whit’s that that’s tuggin at ma airm

Ah know it disnae mean me herm

For Ah must go up yon great height

Tae see the loch at the mornin’s light

Aye me Ah’m runnin up the brae

Tae catch the sun at break o day

And watch the light dance on the loch

Fae the shadows o Ben Lomond

 

 

 

 

Well, ma faimily, Ah love ye a’

But noo it’s time an’ Ah must awa

Tae scale the ben, an Ah cannae be late

The Keeper o’ the Loch has set the date

Aye me Ah’m runnin up the brae

Tae catch the sun at the break o day

And watch the light dance on the loch

Fae the shadows o Ben Lomond

Politics

Politics

 Voting is compulsory in Australia. Therefore, unlike Scotland where the citizens are free to reject the candidates in an election simply by staying at home, Australians have to drag themselves to the polling booth in order to ‘spoil’ the ballot if they wish to reject all the candidates! Yes, some are not happy with politics and others would substitute ‘politicians’ for ‘Cretans’ in the adage ‘Cretans are always liars’ Titus 1:12. Why would politics cause some to speak so? It might be a whole range of issues including economics, taxes, national roads, abortion, marriage redefinition, refugees and a whole lot more. We try to vote in politicians who share our views on these and such-like issues. Therefore Western political systems depend on the honesty of their political candidates.

Some would claim that an honest politician is an oxymoron. But is this a fair assessment of Western politicians and politics? Well, it doesn’t help the cause of politicians when we see them never directly answer any questions when being interviewed. No doubt they ramble on about their ‘talking points’ out of fear of the ‘gotcha’ questions whereby some interviewers purposely set out to trip them up in their speech. Thus the derogatory term ‘spin doctor’ has been used of certain politicians.

Should Christians give politics a wide berth? I know of at least one Atheist who thinks Christians ought not to become politicians because they cannot separate their religion from their politics! One can only wonder at the arrogance of this sort of anti-Christian view of politics in light of the fact that there is still a Christian majority in most Western nations![i] However, and more to the point, it is thanks to Christianity that we have democracy in the West in the first place! If it is true that the West was built on the back of Christianity then that which is contrary to it would be sand in the gearbox!

Lenin, Marx, and Engels introduced Atheism into Western politics with their different forms of Socialism in which the citizens ultimately serve the State rather than God, by which the God-given rights of the individual began to give way to the imposed will of the collective. (Some Christians still buy into various shades of Socialism!) Then came the ‘thought police’ in the forms of the KGB and SS etc. in the 20^th century. These have morphed into the Political Correctness (PC) movement of the 21^st where it is now difficult even to discuss issues without being demonized for disagreeing with the narrative of ‘mob thinking’!

The West was built on the Westminster-system of politics which in turn was built upon Biblical principles. Presbyterianism still clearly displays those biblical principles. There is an ‘issue’ (or a motion). There are those who speak for the motion and those who speak against it. There is a moderator (or referee). After the issue has been discussed sufficiently by both sides it is then put to a vote. The majority wins. This is Western democracy in practice! It is Christianity in politics! No one is shouted down and drowned out by ad hominem attacks! This is freedom of speech!

Because of this system we tend to have a two-party system, i.e., those with left wing views of the issues and those on the right. Yes, some politicians are Independents but they too tend to be either left or right on issues. Always remember, “The first one to plead his cause seems right, until his neighbour comes and examines him." Proverbs 18:17.

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[i] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_by_country

 

"CHRIST MOMENTS"

“Christ Moments”

I love those “Christ Moments” I experience sometimes when I am running. They usually happen in the quietness of the morning. It doesn’t happen often but it’s when I become conscious of my own breathing and notice that each breath is in perfect rhythm with my footfalls. For a moment my running is virtually effortless at which point my subjective thoughts notice and begin to ponder the presence of the Triune God. He is “the God who holds your breath in His hand.” (Daniel 5:23). It is He who gave humanity its very first breath, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7) and if He takes “away their breath, they die and return to their dust.” (Psalm 104:29b.)

In line with the Bible the Atheist Carl Sagan used to say that we are made of the “star-stuff”, or as the line from the old song says, “We are stardust.” (Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young).  We are made of the same material as the rest of creation, “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.” Psalm 33:6.

By “Christ Moments” I mean those little flashes we sometimes get of Christ’s Kingdom, i.e., the Kingdom of Heaven as He has revealed it in His breathed-out Word, i.e., the sixty-six books of the Bible. The Spirit is the “breath” of the Father and the Son (who is also known as the Word). In the future form of the Kingdom of God, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them … there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain.” (Revelation 21:4b).  “They shall run and not be weary.” (Isaiah 40:31b). Thus, “Christ Moments” are when the presence of God is experienced when your spirit/breath is (spiritually and physically) aware of the presence of the Spirit/Breath of God. It happens when the subjective (you) meets the objective (God). It is the eagle being lifted by the thermals. “Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles.” (Isaiah 40:31a).

We are not deists! We are Trinitarian. Each person in the Godhead interacts with the Others. God interacts with His creation. He interacts with us. Pay attention to Him! The moments are fleeting, but they are Christ moments! It is us experiencing His “already but not yet” Kingdom. Precious moments. I cherish them! 

(I elaborate more fully about "Christ Moments"  in my 2011 hardcover book "From Mason To Minister" in a chapter by the same name, i.e., "Christ Moments", p. 174.) See - http://www.nordskogpublishing.com/book-through-the-lattice.shtml