I’ve had some bad news about the health of a close relative who lives at some distance in the last 24 hours. To find that someone is seriously ill when he is younger than 30 is incredibly challenging
This was in this morning’s lectionary. I don’t know hwy I found it comforting, but I did.
3Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. 4In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children — “My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, or lose heart when you are punished by him; 6for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every child whom he accepts.” 7Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? 8If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children. 9Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them
One of the problems here is the distance and the other things that go on. There is a sense that one should drop what one is doing and disappear to be with him. But… I have boys just started at school/ I need to give suppoert and practical assistance. I have already invoked the prayer chains in my church and my parent’s church.