Help For The Old Man

This is just a short story about how the Holy Spirit helped the character of "the old man."  It concludes with Psalm 133.

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SPEAKER_03 0:01

This is uh season seven, um, episode three. Um this is uh in this episode uh I'm going to read a um another short story I did. Just a couple of quick comments about the previous episode about uh the passion of Hosea. As I as I said, you know, people in the Bible are people. They have all the same sorts of uh emotions and reactions and things like you and I would today. And so for me, I I just can see, if I can say it that way, in my mind's eye, and how Hosea felt when he discovered what Gomer had gone back to doing, and how that had to have broken his heart. It had to have hurt him, it would any person. And uh and from that he then acquires how the Lord feels. The Lord put him through that on purpose, so that he, Hosea, would know how he, the Lord, feels about his people being unfaithful to him after how much he's done to love them. So it does it does uh get me when I realize uh that's really what uh what the Lord was doing in Hosea's life, uh, make him into who he was or make him into the person he wanted him to be with the message he wanted him to deliver. And as I noted, just take a moment and read Hosea chapter two. That is one of the most passionate passages in the entire Bible, and it came because of what Hosea went through. Okay, so with this this story, this is titled Help for the Old Man. And again, it's uh just um a short story.

SPEAKER_02 2:01

So here it is.

SPEAKER_03 2:05

It was a clear I'm sorry, it was a crystal clear night, so clear, crisp and clean that one felt like he could peer into the very throne room of the universe. And in such a setting the moon was full and bright, even seeming to be closer than normal. The stars also easily sprinkled their little lights. It was beautiful, giving one a sense of untainted tranquility, and yet in this moment of serenity in which everything seemed to stand in the quiet stillness of perfect peace, the old man was laid low by the weightiness of his heavy heart within him. Some several decades ago, hell was uncorked on him, in which everyone and everything he deeply loved was unjustly destroyed, wickedly taken away from him in a slow, agonizing process, and as a result, he wept oceans of tears every morning and every night, causing him to grow weary from his groaning. His tears flowed so frequently they seemed to become his food, food that was mingled with the ashes of all he had lost. At times, in his short snatches of sleep, he had dreams in which all he had been had had been taken from him, was at his feet in a pile of dust and ashes, which was then blown away by the wind, never to be again. He always awoke from such dreams, feeling tortured, tormented even. And to make his misery worse, people would say to him, like Job's arrogant so called friends, what sins did you commit? Or even more hurtful, where is your God? For which he had no answer, for surely his higher power had turned his back on him, ignored his constant cries for help, and abandoned him to his enemies. The old man had even stopped asking for help, for being ignored was an insult that stabbed him deeply, adding more surus to what was already beyond his ability to endure. Destruction and dejection, rejection and abandonment, their combined weights constantly crushed his soul and perpetually plagued his spirit. As the old man sat on his back porch with a cup of coffee and a cigar, looking out at this beautiful, silent night, he heard the back door open and knew it was his new wife checking on him. He turned his head and smiled at her. And as she drew near she said, Are you okay, honey? Knowing instinctively he was not. Lying, he said, I'm fine. She looked at him knowingly for a moment, and then bent close, tenderly cupped his face with her soft hands, gently kissed him on his cheek, and said smiling, You're not good at lying, but I understand. Do you want me to sit with you? No thanks, he said. I'll come in shortly. This time she planted a kind kiss on his lips, and then said with a firmness in her voice, I love you, and I'm with you no matter what. Looking deeply into her eyes, searching for and finding truth in her, he said Thank you. I love you too, more than I have words to express. She kissed him one more time, pressing her lips to his and holding them there for several seconds. Then, saying no more, she turned and went back into their house. Although the old man cherished his wife and her devotion to him, in a few moments he returned to his miserable memories, and as he took another sip of his hot coffee and a tug on his lit cigar, he suddenly, quite unexpectedly, had a vision. In this vision the old man saw a night not much different than the one he was experiencing, clear, crisp, clean, and made bright by the full moon and the flickering stars. As the vision focused, he saw a teenager sitting with his back to a tree. In front of him was a large flock of sheep, most of which were laying down in the soft grass, peacefully resting on their way to serenely sleeping as the night progressed. This teenager had a string instrument, and began to skillfully play it as he sang this a song from his heart, singing as if he were actually addressing a real person, someone he considered his closest companion, someone he knew was listening and enjoying what he heard. Yahweh, you are my shepherd, I lack nothing. You make me lie down in green pastures, you lead me beside quiet waters, you refresh my soul, you guide me along the right paths for your name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you, Yahweh, are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. This is of course Psalm twenty-three, and I'm using the name Yahweh because in the English translation of the Bible, the translators will capitalize Lord, all in caps, L-O-R-D, to indicate that in the Hebrew manuscript it's the name Yahweh. As this vision faded, another came into focus. In this vision the old man saw what looked like the same teenager, but who was now much older, and wearing a simple king's crown on his head. The old man slightly smiled at what he was seeing, for this king had stripped down to his undergarments and was behaving quite unkingly like, as he danced with all his might at the head of a procession. Directly behind this unkingly king were four men carrying a beautiful ark on poles. The unkingly king, who was none other than David, son of Jesse, led the procession to a place he had purchased for this purpose, and where he had erected a tent to store this tremendous treasure, the ark, with the very presence of Yahweh upon it. 2 Samuel 6, 12-23. The old man then saw that this David, as well as some of his friends, such as Asaph, the sons of Korah, prophet Nathan, spent hours and hours in this unique tent that would one day replace the Holy Spirit empty tabernacle of Moses. That's Amos 9, 11 through 12, or Acts 15, 15 through 18, in which the actual presence of the living God was manifest, and where they were inspired by his spirit to become prolific songwriters who sang songs such as, As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God, when can I go and meet with this God? Psalm forty two. The old man was tenderly touched by what he saw and heard, and what he saw and heard reminded him of something that had happened many years before, something that was one of the most momentous events in his life. However, amid his very personal and present angst, this memory from a bygone time now seemed silly and senseless, even useless and meaningless. And yet, at this moment, when he wanted to flush this memory, tossing it too into the trash heap along with all the other hopes and dreams, the old man couldn't help recalling how this experience began when an attractive young woman showed up in a Sunday morning service in a congregation where he had been one of the pastors. The old man remembered how after a few weeks of attending services, this attractive young woman came to him and asked if she could make an appointment to talk. Then at the appointed time, when she arrived at the old man's office, she sat down and started her story by saying, I was a paratrooper in the army. The old man said, Wait, wait, wait. You were a paratrooper in the army? Yes, she said. He said, You're kidding with me, right? No, she said. He said, You train to jump out of airplanes to kill people? Yes, she said. The old man recalled how he had thought to himself as he tried to reconcile two opposite images. Maybe I'm just being a chauvinist, but I can't fathom this beautiful woman with someone who jumps out of military aircraft to kill people. Beauty pageant contestant? Absolutely. Airborne paratrooper? No way. The old man remembered the young woman then telling him that she had left the army because she had had an affair with her commanding officer, something she knew was not only a seriously forbidden and illegal act in the military, but also and most importantly, as far as Jesus was concerned, sin. She told the old man that even though she had wanted to make a career out of the military in order to put an end to this very bad choice on her part, that she chose to exit the military and to move to this city and another state to get away from her commanding officer. But she told the old man, her ex-commanding officer found out where she had moved to and was now traveling to where she was to see her, driving all night and showing up at her apartment door, wanting to spend the weekend with her, and of course, have sex with her. She told the old man that she knew this was wrong and she tried to resist him. But no matter what she did to have nothing to do with him, he kept persistently pursuing her by calling her, sending her cards and flowers, and telling her he loved her, even though he was married and had children. And because she couldn't get him to stop his pursuit of her, she came to the old man for help, hoping he may be able to do something to get this man to stop his hounding of her. The old man recalled that he decided to send her ex commanding officer a letter on church stationery, which he did twice, and in which he asked him to stop his obsessive chasing after this young woman, explaining that she did not want to engage in such sinful behavior with him any longer. When the young woman informed informed the old man that her ex commanding officer still did not stop his stalking of her, even offering to leave his wife and children, and even after the old man warned that he would contact his commanding officer, because this man refused to leave this young woman alone, the old man had no choice but to follow through with his warning about command contacting his commanding officer. The old man recalled that he began the conversation saying, I'm one of Julie Jones' pastors. Do you know her? Yes, responded the colonel. Fine soldier, I was sad to see her opt out of the service. The old man then told the colonel the reason the young woman had left the military and what her ex commanding officer was doing despite being asked twice to stop. Being completely unaware of the situation, thus surprised by this news, this colonel said, This man and I are both deacons in the same church. Then he said sternly, on the voice and tone of a high ranking officer, please tell Miss Jones that I assure her that I absolutely will take care of this, and that she will have no more problem with this man who is under my command. The Colonel made good on his word. But this man never again troubled the young woman. Then, some many months later, as the old man remembered, he noticed that there was a young man sitting next to the young woman in church, and week after week the old man saw them sitting together, each time a little closer. So it wasn't much of a surprise when over a year later they both came to the old man, telling him that they wanted to get married and that they wanted to do, wanted him to do the ceremony. The old man remembered being almost as happy as the young couple, for he realized the wonderful restorative work Jesus was doing in them both. The old man then recalled that when the Friday night rehearsal came, all the wedding participants went through the whole ceremony, practicing each person's part. The bride to be even practiced her walk down the center aisle to the classic music of Here Comes the Bride. The next day at the real ceremony, everything was going as planned and as practiced. But when it came time for this young woman to make her slow walk down the center aisle, there was a non practiced change at this point in the ceremony, which confused the old man. He remembered. For instead of hearing Here comes the bride, the pianist played, and the soloist sang, My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine, for thee all the follies of sin I resigned. My gracious redeemer, my Savior art thou. If ever I love thee, my Jesus, 'tis now. I love thee because thou hast first loved me, and purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree. I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow, if ever I love thee, my Jesus, just now. I love thee in life, and I will love thee in death, and praise thee as long as thou lendest me breath, and say when the death do lies cold on my brow, if ever I love thee, my Jesus, just now. In mansions of glory and endless delight, I'll ever adore thee in heaven so bright. I'll sing with a glittering crown on my brow. If ever I love thee, my Jesus, just now. The old man recalled how this old hymn was and still was his very most favorite hymn. For to him it seemed to have a connection to the biblical bridal paradigm. And although the old man loved this hymn, hearing it at that moment discombobulated him. The old man expected, Here comes the bride, and he hears, My Jesus, I love thee. The old man remembered that he looked at the pianist and the soloist, wondering what in the world they were doing. But the pianist and the soloist seemed to refuse to look at him, purposely focusing their attention on doing what they were doing. The old man remembered that he then looked back at this young woman who was slowly walking down the center aisle, and suddenly he saw a different bride. At this point, sitting on his back porch, the old man's memory became crystal clear, almost as if he were reliving this time so many years before, in which he saw the Jesus' bride. He remembered how initially how he initially gasped in awe when he saw her, for she was indescribably beautiful. He recalled that if one could take all the beauty of creation, from the spectacular beauties of the earth to the dramatic beauties of the universes, put them all together, that the bride was far more beautiful still. The old man recalled being riveted to what he was seeing. Here before him was the bride, once adulterous, now dressed in white, made pure and holy by the Jesus, and as such she was absolutely, astoundingly, breathtakingly knocked down gorgeous, with a beauty human words fall short to describe. And at the sight of this, the old man remembered he was utterly undone. Just at the sight of this bride, her beauty so overwhelmed him and so overcame him that he began to tremble so hard that he knew he was about to fall down, but to maintain some degree of composure before the crowd of people, most of whom didn't know him, he controlled himself enough to fall to just one knee with one extended hand on the carpeted pulpit platform. The old man then recalled how he tried to stabilize himself as he began to weep in response to the majesty and the glory of what he was seeing. A forceful weeping that was so intense that his tears were shooting out of his eyes, drenching and dripping off the insides of the lenses of his glasses, making it impossible for him to see with his physical eyes, and all the while the trembling intensified uncontrollably. See Revelation 5 4 and 21 2. After some several minutes, several minutes, still weeping and trembling, the old man remembered how he pleaded with the Holy Spirit to brack off so he could regain himself, if for no other reason than for the sake of finishing this wedding ceremony. For although the people sat quietly, not understanding, but waiting patiently for the old man to get his act together, he recalled how embarrassed he felt by what was happening to him. Nevertheless, clearly the spirit did not care what was proper to others, but only to complete what he was weaving, as the rabbis would say, the bridal paradigm into the very marrow of the old man's bones. Finally, recalled the old man, the spirit slowly backed off, having finished doing what he wanted to do to the old man, who was finally able to regain himself to some degree. The old man remembered that he stood, took off his dripping glasses, and dried them with the tissue. And when he put his glasses back on, he saw that the couple was now standing before him, both grinning grandly. The young woman then spoke, saying, We wanted to bless you in some way for what you did for us. The old man perfectly remembered how despite still having a tad of trembling from this spiritual encounter and not yet completely composed, responded in a slightly shaking voice, You've given me one of the greatest of gifts, knowing that they had no clue what had just happened to him. And at this, the old man's memory of this encounter concluded with what he remembered saying about it, one of the greatest gifts, the phrase rolling and reverberating around inside of him, bringing some moisture to his eyes at just this briefs, brief reliving of it. And truly, even after these many years, as well as the many losses, what the Spirit did to him that day by sowing the bridal paradigm into his DNA was still quite alive within him. The old man, still sitting on the back porch, was slightly encouraged by these visions, as well as by the memory of the encounter with the Spirit of Jesus he had had. But he was still sad. So he finished the remaining few sips of his tepid coffee, tapped out his cigar in the ashtray, and went inside his house for the evening. When the Spirit of the Lord came out Moves upon my heart, I will dance like David danced. I will dance. I will dance. I will dance like David danced. A song by Joshua Aaron. Early the next morning, the old man was once again sitting by himself on the back porch drinking coffee and smoking a cigar, minding his own business, contemplating the things of the previous evening and listening to this song, when yet again another, much more vivid vision opened in front of him. There before him was a massive multitude of people that no one could count, that was from every nation, every tribe, from every people and every language, all of whom had been gathered before the throne and the one who sat upon it. And once gathered, the Spirit called out David, son of Jesse, come forth, for it is your time to lead worship. From far, far at the back, a ruddy man, a man who was obviously a warrior, but also a lover, a man with a purpose, but also a man who was humble began to make his way through this massive multitude. And as he did the people parted to make a path for him, with various ones saying with excited saying with excited anticipation as he passed by, Go for it, David, or lead us, David. As the old man watched David, son of Jesse, he thought about all the modern musical instruments and technology he did not have in his day, but now has at his at his disposal. The old man wondered what this ancient worshipper, this man who set up a tent in his backyard, hiring full-time singers, musicians, and intercessors because he was so deliberate and so intense on having the presence of the living God with him, this man who penned songs that will forever be in the eternal word of God what would he produce with the modern tools to use to make music? Then, at that moment, quite unexpectedly, Psalm twenty-seven came to the old man's mind especially verse four. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear. Though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. Verse 4 One thing I ask of the Lord This is what I seek that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling. He will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle, and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me. At his tabernacle I will sacrifice with shouts of joy. I will sing and make music to the Lord. Hear my voice when I call, O Lord. Be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, Seek His face. Your face, Lord, I will seek. Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger. You have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior. Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. Teach me your ways, O Lord. Lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Do not turn me over to desire my foes. For false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence. I am still confident of this. I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord. Be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. When David son of Jesse reached the platform where his band was already waiting for him, he looked at the one sitting upon the throne, bowed his head slightly in an act of respectful recognition, as well as out of the realization of the incredible honor the one sitting upon the throne was giving him to lead his bride in worship in this pregnant historical moment. David David then looked at each band member, all of whom were wide-eyed and grinning toothy grins, but also trembling with the Spirit's anointing. On the drums was Asaph, who gave David a salute with the drumstick in his right hand. The sons of Korah were on the guitars, lead, rhythm, and bass, each nodding their readiness. David's old, honest buddy, the prophet Nathan, was standing at the keyboard, gripping it as if he were trying not to be overpowered by this prophesied, electrifying event. David did not look at nor address the massive multitude, but rather he made eye contact with the drummer and the bass player. Then, like a conductor of an orchestra, he began to move his hand in a beat motion, which the drummer and the bass player immediately picked up and played. This went on for a moment, and once David felt this introduction had done its job, he made a motion with his hands that signaled the rest of the musicians to begin their parts, which they did eloquently and enthusiastically. As the music poured out over this massive multitude like a pure and powerful river, David, son of Jesse, unbuttoned several buttons of his shirt, rolled up his sleeves, picked off his boots, and began to dance, a radical dance, keeping his movements in sync with the beat of the music, moving up and down, twirling and spinning, lifting and waving his hands, for he is a man who does not care what others think of his worship as of the one who sits upon the throne. And at this without any further instruction, the entire massive multitude exploded into dancing like David danced. Some undiscerning person may think this might look like look something like look like something that takes place in a popular Tel Aviv discotheque. But this wasn't worldly lust. This was the redemptive massive multitude worshiping in one accord, all of whom were utterly lovesick except for the one sitting upon his throne for Jesus of Nazareth.

SPEAKER_02 28:38

As the worship intensified by the way, see Psalm 133.

SPEAKER_03 28:45

As the worship intensified in depth of gratefulness and love, some spontaneously began to sing in their native tongue. Others, unable to adequately express express their immense gratitude and passionate love for this Jesus in their native tongue in their native language, began to sing in tongues. The entire place pulsed like one enormous lovesick heartbeat. And as for the one who sat upon the throne, he was tapping his foot as well as pounding out the beat on the arm of the throne itself with one of his hands. Suddenly, seemingly no longer able to hold himself back, this man stood, came down from his throne, and stepped into the massive multitude to dance with them. For this was his long-awaited bridal banquet, and he was filled with love and joy for his faithful bride. Revelation 19, 1 through 9. This went on for hours and hours and hours. No one, not David son of Jesse, not the massive multitude, not Jesus of Nazareth wanted to stop. In fact, when there seemed to be a moment of transition, David would grab the microphone and say in Hebrew, Juvam, which means once again, and on and on and on the celebration went, with much joyful dancing, overflowing and rejoicing. Finally, after so many dark, arduous, and disheartening years, and although most of his circumstances remained unchanged, the old man was buoyed by the cinema-like visions, encouraged by the personalness of the poetry, fortified by the reminder of a life-impacting encounter with the spirit who imprinted the bridal paradigm into him, and moved by the music of celebration. And so, as his final vision ever so slowly faded, the old man found himself alone on his back porch. Ecclesiastes three four Proverbs thirteen twelve says Hope deferred makes the heart sick. But a longing fulfilled is the tree of life. The message translates this or paraphrases this passage this way Unrelenting disappointment leaves your you heart sick, but a sudden good break can turn life around. I'm gonna end there.