The Heart Matters

Toilet, toilet, and more toilets! I can’t seem to get away from the topic of toilets. My youngest two sons sing the praise of port-a-potties as they head out the door for school. They claim that they are the most amazing invention of all time!

Then I turn on the radio. Ugh….

For the second day in a row toilets have been making the headlines. This time it is the toilet in the International Space Station. How crappy is that? I mean – you are in the vacuum of space in this high tech tin can and there is no place to take a pee.  Don’t even think about number two.

Seriously, where do you go when the toilet is broken? Port-a-potties are out of the question. So where can a guy get some relief? In a space jar? And is it even possible to pee into a jar in space with the whole “weightless” and low gravity thing going down? Who wants human waste floating by while performing some experiment or taking a nap?  Just nasty, I say.

It is not as if you can go outside and take a leak on the bushes.  The whole vacuum of space thing ruins that option. Since the “bush” option is out, NASA has pulled together a team of scientists to repair the malfunctioning “head.” They actually have an entire team of scientists working on this round the clock.

I heard that the shuttle launch maybe postponed so that necessary replacement parts will make it to the space station. I guess NASA does not just have spare toilet innards readily available – after all this is a very special space commode. It is the most expensive toilet in the world.

The way the news agencies are carrying on you’d think that the poor astronauts haven’t relieved themselves for days – that they are all hopping around trying to hold it until the cavalry appears with the supplies to save the day – when in fact a toilet has been rigged and the team is using the Soyuz head until replacement parts for the Zvezda service module toilet arrive on the next shuttle mission.

The Soyuz won’t hold much so look out earth – one wrong or enormous movement and “there she blows,” so to speak.

The earth awaits – holding her breath – and nose. Will the replacement parts arrive in time? Will the shuttle mission save humanity from its own filth? Will there be a reenactment of the “big bang?” Will someone suffer a bladder infection since they had to hold it?

Oh, the possibilities! I guess I will just have to tune in tomorrow for another update on Space Toilets.

Additional Information

“Life is not fair, nor is it easy, nor should it be.” A frail, old man, suffering from liver cancer, told his young granddaughter, who was rather distraught that her watercolor paints had bled into one another, “Lisa, who ever told you that life was fair? Why are you so special that bad things should not ever happen to you?”

At the time I could not and did not understand the wisdom in his words. I was too caught up in my infantile rights and arbitrary rules. “Red paint should never be mixed into yellow,” I whined. “Black ruins all the bright colors and makes them dreary.” It was just too unfair and tragic for a five year old to comprehend. My paints were ruined. My world was dark. I might as well dig myself a grave and lie in it and wait for death.

Thirty-five years have passed since I last saw my grandfather.  He died when I was five. He died quickly – he lived with the cancer just 2 months. “How unfair.” I thought. He did not.

Reflecting back on that day, I realize that my grandfather understood something about life. Something I was too young and self-absorbed to understand. He realized that suffering is part of life and that no one can escape it.

He knew a lot about suffering. He grew up during the Great Depression. He served in World War II. He saw a lot of death and destruction in Japan as he was part of the occupying force. He had left his young “June” bride back in Stow. She was alone and missed him desperately. Her brother Francis had just perished in a mission somewhere over the Himalayans. Death and loss were part of everyday life. No one escaped suffering. Not one will escape death.

I rarely think about my grandfather. I barely knew him. He was the man with the pennies – who brought me the wonderful pink poodle bank. I still remember staring into the azure colored, jeweled eyes of that bank – the smell of old copper on my fingers – the approving gaze of happy, aging eyes. I remember the attack goose that chased me down the driveway and my grandfather swooping me up in his strong arms into safety. (I sort of have a goose phobia to this day.) My nose wriggles at the memory of little yellow puff balls brushing against my cheek and cheeping ever so sweetly in my ear. I recall his approval and the joy that his presence exuded.

Today my son Noah started the morning full of woe and sorrow.  You see, he had to pack his back pack. The thought of writing anything is just so unfair. No one could ever understand just how miserable and “hard” his ten year old life is. He proceeded to create a dark, vitriolic vortex of lamentations that is still hovering somewhere near the kitchen table. It began much like a dripping faucet and grated at my nerves.

Of course I was anything but sympathetic. Why have compassion for someone who has a great and easy life – most of the time? After all he has two parents who love him and an attentive, kind father. He had never had to change school systems and has brothers who genuinely care for him. He has the love of God and the Body of Christ. He has many amazing privileges and opportunities that most kids never have. Noah has a life of little suffering.

I found myself quite annoyed with my son – my woefully ungrateful son. My patience dissipated and I scolded him with a raised voice, “Is your life really so hard? Why do you start the day complaining? Where is the gratitude?” I was anything, but gentle.

That is why I thought about my grandfather today. He was so gentle and kind – to a whining, ungrateful child. He was compassionate towards me though I deserved condemnation or at least stern rebuke. I was so whiny and unthankful. I could care less about his pain or real suffering. I made many “swirling black holes of woe” in my youth. I can still create an occasional atmospheric disturbance of seemingly apocalyptic proportions.

Matthew 7:2

“For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.”

You see, this is the bane of the melancholic temperament. Criticism and ingratitude is not a gift of the Spirit. It is sin – born from selfishness and pride. I see Noah’s ungrateful heart so easily for I have one myself.

Not that God has not been working on my heart of unbelief, He has. But, it is an active step of faith on my part. I must go before the Lord daily and ask him to change this hurtful way in me:

Psalms 139:23-24

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.

2 Corinthians10:5

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

This is the great struggle for the melancholy – for both my son and I. Yet, there is certain hope for us in this battle against the flesh:

Philippians 4:8

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

So, what I am to do about my melancholic son? Be more gentle that is certain. Encourage him to focus on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and worthy of praise. I need to get my eyes off of what is false, tarnished, blemished, ugly, unseemly and unworthy of praise. I need to model these things in my life and to seek change from the Spirit. I need to take this to the Lord.

Additional Information

I recently came across an article that postulates that the author of the Book of Hebrews is not Paul, Luke, Barnabas, Apollos or Aquila, but rather the author is Peter.

Before reading this article, I laughed, “Peter, you must be kidding me.” But then I hesitated as I have been studying the Petrine epistles. The Books of 1Peter and 2Peter are quite amazing in detail and are so full of rich theology that I just had to read this article with an open mind.

The Authorship of the Book of Hebrews is an article written by Jeffrey S. Bowman. In this excerpt, Bowman first refutes the authorship of Paul:

Guthrie in his volume “New Testament Introduction” states: “Most modern writers find more difficulty in imagining how this Epistle was ever attributed to Paul than in disposing of the theory.” [1] Guthrie continues and lists five arguments against a Pauline authorship. Summarized they are as follows: 1. The anonymity of the book is not in keeping with Paul’s pattern. 2. Differences in style. 3. The absence or lack of Pauline spiritual experience. 4. Theological differences both theoretical and practical. 5. A different historical position of the writer than Paul. [2] One can also find similar arguments against Paul or a student of Paul’s authorship of Hebrew in the research of many able New Testament scholars. Books by Milligan, Zahn, and Allen & Grensted are of note. [3]

Bowman further demonstrates that Paul was the Apostle to the Uncircumcised while Peter was entrusted as a Pillar of the Church and his Ministry was to shepherd the Jewish flock.

The language that Paul uses in his letters is geared towards Gentiles, non-Jews, while the language in Hebrews is Hebrew-centric.

Examples from his article:

Bowman calls Peter the “Forgotten Apostle of the Circumcision.” He then proceeds “to observe ‘fingerprint patterns’ consisting of style and vocabulary” and then to look into Hebrews and draw a great connection.

The parallels between the Petrine letters and Hebrews are strong. Although Bowman lists many, here is a sampling of those passages that carry similar imprints:

PETER	HEBREWS
I Peter 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.	12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.10:2 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
I Peter 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.	5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant
I Peter 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.	11:26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.
I Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.	6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come.
I Peter 3:21. The like figure [antitupon] whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.	9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures [antitupon] of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.*** note *** The greek word [antitupon] only appears in these two passages.

These are just a few of the “finger prints” that Bowman points out to us. I have got to say that this is most intriguing and so encouraging for someone like me who can so easily identify with Peter – brash, head-strong, broken and Spirit-filled Peter.

In Acts 1:20 -22, we see that it was Peter who was quite familiar with the scriptures. It is Peter who quotes from Psalms and convinces everyone that someone needs to take the leadership position that Judas forsook:

“For,” said Peter, “it is written in the book of Psalms,
   ” ‘May his place be deserted;
      let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and,
   ” ‘May another take his place of leadership.’ Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

Peter was an amazing man. Earlier in John 21, Jesus reinstates Peter as the one who will shepherd his flock. It is quite evident here in Acts that Peter was no longer one who lacked both restraint and discernment. He immediately gets down to work – work that glorifies Christ. Peter can no longer be identified with the frightened coward. He now speaks with power and authority. He is now both bold and courageous.

Once he was filled with the Spirit, his giftings became even more evident and fruit producing. In chapter Acts 2, Peter takes the lead and speaks, relying heavily upon the scriptures. He persuades 3,000 men (plus women and children) to come to Christ at that time. Later, Peter and John are arrested for speaking with such authority and mighty command of the word. Peter gives an amazing defense and turns the tables on the religious leaders of the day.  Peter, filled with the Spirit, was able to do amazing things. He was able to confound those who would not believe or be moved by the prompting of the Spirit. Peter was a man who knew his word.

From the speeches in Acts and from the Petrine letters, we see that Peter could have indeed written the complex and theology rich letter of Hebrews. Christ understood that the church would be build upon the Rock, Petras. It was not only Peter’s amazing faith that Christ saw, but it could also have been Peter’s deep love and understanding of the Word.

Perhaps no introduction was necessary for the author of Hebrews. Perhaps it was “a given,” as all knew who Peter was and that he spoke with God inspired authority. Peter was the Rock upon which the church was built.

So I thank you Mr. Bowman for writing such a wonderful article. I know that no one can know for certain who wrote this book. From now on though, it delights my soul to consider and titillates my mind to think that it was Peter who composed such a mighty work.

Perhaps Hebrews was to the circumcised as Romans was to the uncircumcised. Perhaps Peter was just as an amazing theologian as Paul was. Who can know just how amazing it is to be filled and empowered through and by the Holy Spirit? Who can fully comprehend?

Peter used his gifting so well. I can only hope that someday the Lord will use and refine the gifts that he has given to me. Please read this article by Bowman. You will not be disappointed. You may even become inspired by both the Holy Spirit and by the Word.

Additional Information