DAWGdays!

This is it, folks. After about a decade of existence, this kennel is closing its doors. I’ve mentioned the motley crew of Aberdonian fellow-postgrad students called “Dawgs” in previous blogs. This species gathered weekly to pray and enjoy one another’s fellowship and was, in the 18 months of my sojourn in Aberdeen, a source of support and strength. God bless the Dawgs!

Behold, how good
and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell
together in unity!
Psalm 133:1

All of that is soon coming to an end. Decimated we already were, having lost several to graduation in the last year. Now the remaining few are making plans to abscond from this fair city. So we gathered for one last time to share a meal and take in a movie the other day.

There’s Mark on the left (Canis citharoedus—the troubadour Dawg: he is an accomplished musician). Mark is leaving to go back to the U.S. in a couple of weeks, looting Scotland of one of its treasures, his wife, Dawn. There’s Tom in the middle (Canis helveticus—the Swiss Dawg). He’s headed for parts East. (I’ve heard rumors that he’s joining the French Foreign Legion. I told him to make sure to take his Ph.D. thesis with him: “Festwerden im Glauben an Christum”: Eduard Böhl’s (1836–1903) Proposal for a Re-emergence of Reformation Thought. He could, I suggested to Tom, read a page or two of that glorious work out loud each morning to his fellow-legionnaires of the 13th Demi-Brigade based in Djibouti. What a treat it will be for them! A daily dose of “Böhl”.) And then there’s yours faithfully, Canis medicus, planning an evacuation in ~3 months time.

An era comes to an end. The fellowship has been sweet—one with another, in Christ. It will be missed; but we’ll continue to walk with Christ together, though scattered. The three of us will soon join our DAWGbrothers of the Diaspora, located in North and South America, Asia, and Europe. Headed out to bigger and better things, God willing, to do what He says and to go where He sends. But this will not mean the end of fellowship. No, this will not mean the end of spiritual union. For wherever we are, into whatever fellowship God brings us, in whichever body of Christ we take root, there we intend to …

Be devoted to one another
in brotherly love.
Romans 12:10

For that is what the Scriptures command all of us to be involved in, …

… not forsaking
our own assembling together,
… but encouraging one another;
and all the more
as you see
the day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:25

The Bible sees it as is a given and takes it for granted. This kind of loving fellowship is the hallmark of the body of Christ.

Now as to the
love of the brethren,
you have no need
for anyone to write to you,
for you yourselves
are taught by God
to love one another; ….
But we urge you, brethren,
to excel still more.
1 Thessalonians 4:9–10

In the third century, Tertullian quoted unbelievers as being struck by the Christians’ fellowship (Apology 39.6): “Vide … ut invicem se diligant” (“See how they love one another”). DAWGshows are impressive! In any time, in any place. May there be more of those. Till the dawn of THE greatest fellowship that will be upon us soon and very soon. Eternal. Supernal. Spiritual. Continual. Peaceful. Blissful.

And until that day, here on earth, …

Let love of the brethren continue.

Hebrews 13:1