Challenging and Removing the Constants

This morning, reading about Noah – ark, animals, floods… As the waters recede Noah thanks his God. The God who made the world, promises to sustain it:

‘As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.’

God establishes constants. If these constants are removed, through climate change, man’s greed and selfishness, or some ‘act of God’ we’re in trouble.

In ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’. The white girl, Eva, stands beside the black girl, Topsy:

‘There stood the two children, representatives of the two extremes of society. The fair , high-bred child, with her golden head, her deep eyes, her spiritual noble brow, and prince-like movements; and her black, keen, subtle, cringing, yet acute neighbour. They stood, the representatives of their races. The Saxon, born of ages of cultivation, command, education, physical and moral eminence; the Afric, born of ages of oppression, submission, ignorance, toil and vice.’

Constants are challenged.

I enjoy songs from 50-60 years ago; I can be a grumpy, ignorant old man about ‘modern songs’. However, I was delighted to ‘discover’ this song yesterday:

Well, you only need the light when it’s burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go…

We miss the constants in life – light, love, home…, when they’re removed.

Yesterday’s conversations…

…Ronny’s been told that excessive drinking has damaged his liver.

…Nigel lost the job that he loves and excelled at; he starts a new one today.

…Linda had her three young children taken from her; she’s battling to get them back.

Other friends have lost loved ones through bereavement… are losing loved ones to dementia… constants are challenged or removed

Job’s lost his constants… family and possessions. Friends turned against him. He says: ‘I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.’

When my constants are challenged or removed, bringing insecurity and vulnerability, I remember Job…