By The Numbers

I know many of you may have been waiting for this, and I apologize for the delay, but an evening nap took hold of me after supper. In fact, it was a nap of several installments while my GA brother-in-law and I attempted to watch "Hunt for Red October," a good reminder of the Cold War environment not so recently past.

Numbers in the Bible have some great significance: seven for completeness, twelve for the tribes of Israel and the disciples. Numbers indicate order, structure, a pre-defined plan from an omniscient one. Think of the measurements for the ark, the tabernacle and all it's accoutrements. What of the detail in the plans for the temple? Then there are some other numbers, the symbology of the Book of Revelation. And the Book of Numbers describing the growth of the nation of Israel. Numbers are significant in the Bible.

It demonstrates that God's world is laid out and operates according to a plan. It is a plan of specifics that works according to certain laws. This is not to suggest that the world was simply wound up and let go like a clock. God did not create to then just sit back to watch whatever might happen. You are part of his plan as much as I am part of his plan. How else can there be any significance in anything? If all of creation is simply moving like a top on it's spindle and we are just moving about through the world seedling significance in the things that make up our days, then why have so many not found it?

Ther are some other numbers that are significant, possibly more so than the ones mentioned above. Three - the Triune God, one God, yet three persons. This is matched by the three people who together make a marriage: God, husband and wife. You may know of the illustration of the husband and wife who are drawn closer together as they draw closer to God. And the number two - the number of believers who when gathered together in the name of Christ are joined by Christ in their midst. Unity, though not a number, still conveys the singleness of purpose. A shared vision, a common walk, an inclusive hope, guaranteed to his adopted ones. And all the more certain because of the numbers throughout that demonstrate his perfect plan.

The perfect plan that called Abram to go in faith, that saw the nation of Israel to be freed from their bondage and then led into the wilderness on the way to the promised land. The perfect plan that included God's chastisement of his people for their idolatry, that saw fit to leave pictures of the coming Messiah in the sacrifices and festivals of the Israelite people, until one day, those symbols became fulfilled in the person of God the Son as he preached the kingdom of God and then submitted to the Father by taking up the cross and giving himself as the sacrice to cover my sins and your sins. He reigns now with all glory and honor, having been raised from the dead giving us this blessed hope of our glory shared in him.

By the numbers. In the eighty-six days of treatment just concluded, I have had several numbers of significance: the doctor's visits, the scans; the blood counts and of course the other blood work including the CEA score. Today we found out that this number, which at the start of treatment was around eleven, then dropped to 4.6 in the space of forty-nine days, is now at 3.6 after the last thirty-seven days. The liver enzymes, at first off-scale high, are now nearer normal, although we do have a long way to go yet.

The numbers are significant, because I see in them God's ever faithful hand working out his plan for me, in me, through me. Praise be to our Great God for his many blessings poured out on us all. Amen.