More on Violent People

29 May 2016

Dear Phyllis,

I was very surprised that the response for last weeks letter was overwhelmingly negative. Admittedly to say that “God loves violent people” is a bit of an extreme statement. But I couldn't imagine how anyone could misconstrue that remark. Paul was over the other day and we had a reasonably warm exchange about that subject. Paul said, “Hitler was a violent man. “Do you mean God loved him?” To come up with such an absurd interpretation exceeded my ability to imagine. But I was wrong. Many people completely misread my theses. In spit of. a cautionary note I add – “and I am not talking about red necks with shot guns”. But that didn't do it.

In spite of our hot exchange Paul and I are on the same page. He knows exactly what I am talking about and agrees with me. But he added, “violent is an extremely negative word. You should have used a different word”. Okay, I'll buy that. Tell me the right word to use. Righteous. That word is so far off the mark it isn't in the ball park Zealous. Closer but still a long ways off. You tell me. I don't l know. I can't come up with one different word that expresses what I am trying to say. The illustration that I used was Phinehas spearing the couple through the stomach pinning them to the ground. That certain;y was a very impolite act. If you don't call it violent what word are you going to use? The significant thing was, God was so pleased by what he did that He made a unique covenant with him, and we see 1000 years later God still blessing the descendants of Phinehas, and Jeremiah and Ezra are illustrations.

To me the bewildering thing is where was Moses, Aaron, and Eleazar? When that man of Simeon did such a defiant blatant thing of having sex in public, it is hard to imagine Moses or the other two not stepping forward and taking extreme measure. But when they stood by and didn't move something inside Phinehas blew and he violated all the protocol by going past his elders and taking matters into his own hands. And God blessed him an a way that is seen no where else in the Bible.

I tried to write a defense of my thesis but it was in such a cynical spirit a gave up on it. I will drop he subject and say no more.

This past week has been a weird one. I have been battling death all week. That is an extreme statement and not accurate. Rather than battling death I have been courting death. I feel the devil is trying to kill me through lethargy. I have never been so lethargic in my life.

Seven years ago I was riding a Chinese train from Urumqi to Xian. The only ticket I could get was third class seat sitting straight up for 34 hours where I couldn't lean back and rest. I got on the train at midnight and sat up right for two nights straight and an honest day and a half. The battle was fatigue. For 34 hours my body craved to just lye down flat, but I couldn't. Last week was exactly like that trip from Urumqi except, unlike the train, I could lay down. And I did – all week. There was just something in me that demanded I lay down flat in bed all day everyday. Physically I am not sick. I am just dead. I have no apatite and have eaten very little food. Sleeping all day is not good for a good nights rest at night. And there has been a battle of lying there for hours awake at night. From lack of exercise my body is starting to shut down. My legs are terribly weak. It is a challenge to walk up stairs.

For years I have boasted that I had endless energy never had a problem working 12-14 hour days. I have been on bone crushing trips to Laos, Cambodia, and other places where young folks have flamed out. But now my tank is bone dry. I have absolutely no genki (energy) whatsoever.

I don't know what the problem is but Jesus has promised to quicken my mortal body (Rom. 8:11). That is exactly the problem. I need to have Him quicken (make alive) my body. If He doesn't, (what an awful thing to say) I don't know what will happen

Hopefully I will see you next week, bill