For those that know God, the following verses will ring true as the Lord and the God that we worship is truly a God of mercy and grace, slow to anger and abounding in grace. Creator God is a God of reconciliation and hope, love and peace, justice and fairness.
Malachi 2:16 - I hate divorce
Exodus 22:21,22 - "Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him. Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan.
Malachi 2:5 - My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace
Exodus 23:9 - Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt.
Zechariah 8:16,17 - These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against your neighbour and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this declares the Lord
Leviticus 19:10 - Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.
Zephaniah 2:3 - Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility.
Leviticus 19: 32-34 - Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD. When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself. I am the LORD your God.
Nahum 1:7 - The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.
Leviticus 23:22 - " 'When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.' "
Micah 6:8 - He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Leviticus 24:22 - You are to have the same law for the alien and the native-born. I am the LORD your God.' "
Amos 5:21-24 - I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. For let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!
Leviticus 25:35 - If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is unable to support himself among you, help him as you would an alien or a temporary resident, so he can continue to live among you.
Joel 2:13 - Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
Numbers 9:14 - An alien living among you who wants to celebrate the LORD's Passover must do so in accordance with its rules and regulations. You must have the same regulations for the alien and the native-born.' "
Hosea 14:9 - Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.
Numbers 15:15 - The community is to have the same rules for you and for the alien living among you; this is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You and the alien shall be the same before the LORD
Hosea 12:6 - But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always.
Deuteronomy 10:17-19 - For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.
Hosea 10:12 - Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love.
Deuteronomy 14:28,29 - At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
Hosea 6:6 - For I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
Deuteronomy 24:14 - Do not take advantage of a hired man who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother Israelite or an alien living in one of your towns.
Hosea 4:14 - I will not punish your daughters when they turn to prostitution, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery, because the men themselves consort with harlots and sacrifice with shrine prostitutes.
Deuteronomy 24:17 - Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge.
Daniel 9:4 - O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands.
Deuteronomy 27:19 - Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow.
Ezekiel 36:26 - I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
Deuteronomy 23:15 - If a slave has taken refuge with you, do not hand him over to his master. Let him live among you wherever he likes and in whatever town he chooses. Do not oppress him.
Ezekiel 34:11 - 17 - I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. I look after my sheep. I will rescue them. I will pasture them. I will tend them in a good pasture. I myself will tend my sheep. I will search for them, the lost and the injured and strengthen the weak. I will shepherd the flock with justice.
Exodus 23:1,2 - "Do not spread false reports. Do not help a wicked man by being a malicious witness. Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, and do not show favouritism to a poor man in his lawsuit just because he is poor.
Exekiel 33:11 - As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.
Lamentations 3:22 - Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Isaiah 55:7 - Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
Jeremiah 22:3 - The is what the Lord says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of his oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place.
Jeremiah 9:23,24 - This is what the Lord says: Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength, or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that they understand and know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth for in these I delight, declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 1:5 - Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.
Isaiah 66:2 - This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.
Isaiah 58:6 - - Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter - when you see the naked, to clothe him, and to not turn away from your own flesh and blood.
Isaiah 55:6,7 - Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
Isaiah 55:1 - Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come and eat!
Isaiah 49:23 - Those who hope in me will not be disappointed.
Isaiah 46:4 - Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
Isaiah 43:1,2 - Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
Isaiah 42:2-4 - He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth.
Isaiah 41:10 - So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 40:31 - Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 30:15, 18 - In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength. Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
Isaiah 26:3 - You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
Isaiah 25:4 - You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.
Isaiah 11:2-4 - The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him - The Spirit of wisdom, of understanding, of counsel, of power, of knowledge. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
Isaiah 1:17,18 - Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as withe as snow, though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
Ecclesiastes 2:26 - To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness.
2nd Chronicles 16:9 - For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.
Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous.
Ps. 4:8 - I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord make me dwell in safety.
Ps. 9:9,10 - The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
Open the Eyes of my Heart Lord
I was reading in Genesis this morning and came across the story of Hagar and Ishmael in the desert. Ishmael was dying of thirst. Hagar left him under a bush and walked a couple hundred metres away because she couldn’t stand to watch him die. “Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water.”
Isn’t that just the way it is with us. So determined are we to live life on our own terms that we drive ourselves into a desert-life. Psalm 63 - “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”
And then God opens our eyes to His stream of living water. Notice God didn’t create for Hagar something that wasn’t there before. He simply opened her eyes to something that had been there all along.
Ah Lord God, open my eyes so that I’m aware of Your presence all day long.
Isn’t that just the way it is with us. So determined are we to live life on our own terms that we drive ourselves into a desert-life. Psalm 63 - “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”
And then God opens our eyes to His stream of living water. Notice God didn’t create for Hagar something that wasn’t there before. He simply opened her eyes to something that had been there all along.
Ah Lord God, open my eyes so that I’m aware of Your presence all day long.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Prophecy of Jesus
Most people understand that psychics and fortune tellers are little more than third-rate entertainment. When their endless failures are documented on television or in a magazine, almost no one is surprised.
Critics however have worn themselves out trying to destroy the idea of prophecy as it pertains to the Bible. This is because Biblical prophecy has shown itself in archeology and historical literature to be 100% accurate. The main method of denying or disproving this astounding achievement is to try to “late date” anything called Biblical prophecy. What the critics say is that because the prophecies are so accurate, they must have been written after the events actually happened. When it comes to Old Testament Prophecy in general and the prophecy of Jesus specifically, these people run into somewhat of a problem. Here’s why.
The vast majority of scholars agree that all of the Old Testament Scripture was completed 450 years before Jesus the Christ was born. However even the most sceptical must admit the date of 250 B.C. since that is when the Old Testament was translated into Greek.
In calculating odds of probability, scientists agree that 10 to the power of minus 50 is the same as zero - impossible. Here is what those odds look like.
1 chance in 100,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000
Professor Peter Stoner, himself a sceptic and former Editor of ‘Science Digest’ has calculated that the odds of the prophecies of what happened to Jesus on the last day of His life here on earth, to be 10 to the power of minus 157, against them coming true in one man, accidentally. Here’s what those odds look like.
1 chance in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000
This information will have zero positive impact on sceptics. They will just say something like, "Well, that just proves that those things couldn't have happened the way the Bible says they did."
On the other hand, honest spiritual seekers should give a pause for thought about what exactly took place at the end of Jesus' life on earth.
The following were prophesied from 1000 - 500 years before Jesus was born but were all fulfilled in one day.
Betrayed by a friend
Sold for 30 Pieces of silver
Money "thrown" into God’s house
His best friends would all run away and desert Him
People would lie about Him in order to get Him killed
He never said a thing to defend Himself - “That’s a lie” or “I didn’t do that.”
He was killed by crucifixion
He asked God to forgive those who were killing Him
Hated without cause
Friends stood afar off
Soldiers would gamble for His clothes
They’d offer Him a pain killer to drink
His forsaken cry - “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me.”
Committed himself to God - “Into they hand I commit My spirit.”
Bones not broken
His side pierced with a spear
Darkness at noon
Buried in a rich man’s grave
Jesus had no control over the prophecies about:
Place of birth
Time of birth
Manner of birth
Betrayal
Manner of death
People’s reaction
Piercing, and
Burial
Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” The life of Jesus was put before us in such a way that no one need mistake who He was or is.
From which race He would be born into, right down to the town He would be born in, we have a record of His life on earth before it even began.
Critics however have worn themselves out trying to destroy the idea of prophecy as it pertains to the Bible. This is because Biblical prophecy has shown itself in archeology and historical literature to be 100% accurate. The main method of denying or disproving this astounding achievement is to try to “late date” anything called Biblical prophecy. What the critics say is that because the prophecies are so accurate, they must have been written after the events actually happened. When it comes to Old Testament Prophecy in general and the prophecy of Jesus specifically, these people run into somewhat of a problem. Here’s why.
The vast majority of scholars agree that all of the Old Testament Scripture was completed 450 years before Jesus the Christ was born. However even the most sceptical must admit the date of 250 B.C. since that is when the Old Testament was translated into Greek.
In calculating odds of probability, scientists agree that 10 to the power of minus 50 is the same as zero - impossible. Here is what those odds look like.
1 chance in 100,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000
Professor Peter Stoner, himself a sceptic and former Editor of ‘Science Digest’ has calculated that the odds of the prophecies of what happened to Jesus on the last day of His life here on earth, to be 10 to the power of minus 157, against them coming true in one man, accidentally. Here’s what those odds look like.
1 chance in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000
This information will have zero positive impact on sceptics. They will just say something like, "Well, that just proves that those things couldn't have happened the way the Bible says they did."
On the other hand, honest spiritual seekers should give a pause for thought about what exactly took place at the end of Jesus' life on earth.
The following were prophesied from 1000 - 500 years before Jesus was born but were all fulfilled in one day.
Betrayed by a friend
Sold for 30 Pieces of silver
Money "thrown" into God’s house
His best friends would all run away and desert Him
People would lie about Him in order to get Him killed
He never said a thing to defend Himself - “That’s a lie” or “I didn’t do that.”
He was killed by crucifixion
He asked God to forgive those who were killing Him
Hated without cause
Friends stood afar off
Soldiers would gamble for His clothes
They’d offer Him a pain killer to drink
His forsaken cry - “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me.”
Committed himself to God - “Into they hand I commit My spirit.”
Bones not broken
His side pierced with a spear
Darkness at noon
Buried in a rich man’s grave
Jesus had no control over the prophecies about:
Place of birth
Time of birth
Manner of birth
Betrayal
Manner of death
People’s reaction
Piercing, and
Burial
Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” The life of Jesus was put before us in such a way that no one need mistake who He was or is.
From which race He would be born into, right down to the town He would be born in, we have a record of His life on earth before it even began.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Too Much - Too Many - Can't Take It
I read a post the other day. It was written by a young man who represents a growing segment of the population which voices alarm over how many people there are in the world. Overpopulation has been a relevant issue for a long time, but what makes this young man and those who think like him odious in nature is this. As these people sit in their air conditioned and furnace heated houses, with freezers and fridges packed with food, with closets full of clothes and with at least two cars in the garage and a motor home on the driveway, and as they plunk away at their computer or listen to one of the two, three or four tv’s in the home, or while soaking in the hot tub in winter and the pool in summer, they complain about the strain upon the earth’s resources that all these extra (mostly non white, poor and religious) people are creating.
I used to be apposed to such thoughts because I believe that all people are special, regardless of status or ability. Now I’m not so sure. In fact I’m starting to think that a depopulation project might be just the thing for what ails us. What I’m thinking is this.
. Let’s start with that segment of the population that is most in favour of killing off the most helpless in our society - those not yet born and those who are elderly and/or disabled. (In some countries, not killing your "extra" children is punishable by the loss of property or freedom. In other countries, one's "right" to die is moving inexorably toward one's duty to die).
. Let’s start with that segment of society that sees only the young, the wealthy, the beautiful, in most cases the white, the educated and of course the intelligent as having more worth and value than those who don’t possess these “qualities.”
. Let’s take that segment and simply walk them into the ocean. Or does Germany still have those big ovens laying around? A wire brush, some new paint, a flick of the Bic and those babies could roar to life with a truly noble purpose.
Let’s see what this segment of society (you know who you are) thinks of this grand depopulation idea that they propose.
I used to be apposed to such thoughts because I believe that all people are special, regardless of status or ability. Now I’m not so sure. In fact I’m starting to think that a depopulation project might be just the thing for what ails us. What I’m thinking is this.
. Let’s start with that segment of the population that is most in favour of killing off the most helpless in our society - those not yet born and those who are elderly and/or disabled. (In some countries, not killing your "extra" children is punishable by the loss of property or freedom. In other countries, one's "right" to die is moving inexorably toward one's duty to die).
. Let’s start with that segment of society that sees only the young, the wealthy, the beautiful, in most cases the white, the educated and of course the intelligent as having more worth and value than those who don’t possess these “qualities.”
. Let’s take that segment and simply walk them into the ocean. Or does Germany still have those big ovens laying around? A wire brush, some new paint, a flick of the Bic and those babies could roar to life with a truly noble purpose.
Let’s see what this segment of society (you know who you are) thinks of this grand depopulation idea that they propose.
You're Outta Here!
"Get Out Of Here!!!"
"But Jesus! You are my Lord!"
"Get away from Me. I never knew you."
"But I healed people in Your Name. I spoke in tongues and cast out demons."
"I said, "Get away" - You’ve never been a part of Me or My message."
"But I prophesied damn it. Don’t you get it? I prophesied!!!!"
"Get - Away - From - Me."
How is it that people can believe they’re a Christian with out the presence of Christ making a radical change in their character and priorities?
How can we believe we are a light to the world when our behaviours and our speech show that our lives are as dark and confused as the life of the pagan next door?
How can I claim the love of Jesus if I don’t sacrificially love?
"But Jesus! You are my Lord!"
"Get away from Me. I never knew you."
"But I healed people in Your Name. I spoke in tongues and cast out demons."
"I said, "Get away" - You’ve never been a part of Me or My message."
"But I prophesied damn it. Don’t you get it? I prophesied!!!!"
"Get - Away - From - Me."
How is it that people can believe they’re a Christian with out the presence of Christ making a radical change in their character and priorities?
How can we believe we are a light to the world when our behaviours and our speech show that our lives are as dark and confused as the life of the pagan next door?
How can I claim the love of Jesus if I don’t sacrificially love?
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Humans are just too, too stupid
I saw this News Caption - “One Hundred-Year-Old Electric Car Idea Makes a Comeback.”
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
There is all this talk, and rightly so about global warming and green house gases and how we have to cut carbon emissions. So what’s our answer? Let’s generate billions of new kilowatts to power-up our electric cars. After all, power generation is clean - right? Mmm nope.
There is all this talk, and rightly so about tens of thousands of people starving to death every single day. So what's our answer? Let’s take our huge resources of food and use that food to produce ethanol for our vehicles. After all, there’s more than enough food to go around - right? Mmm nope.
There’s all this talk, and rightly so about the inevitable day when the oil runs out. So what's our answer? Let’s take our forests, which absorb carbon emissions, burn them down and plant soybeans to fuel our cars. After all, ethanol production is a lot cleaner than oil production - right? Mmm nope.
There’s all this talk, and rightly so about how water isn’t being used wisely. So what's our answer? Let’s take water away from farmers who are using it to grow food for us, and send that water to places like Las Vegas so billionaires can make their Casinos look prettier, and so the rich can keep their swimming pools filled to the brim. Because the recreation that we use to block out our coming fate is more important than, well, it's more important than anything - right. Seems so. Yes it does.
There's all this talk about there not being enough food and fuel to go around for all mouths to feed and to power all the vehicles and planes that we need for travel. So what is the answer that some people propose? Let's kill off a huge portion of our societies through abortion so that there will be fewer people which means there will be more resources for ME to waste on myself. After all, self-love makes us just plain stupid - right? Yep. That’s a fact Jack.
It’s no wonder people can’t get their heads around preparing for eternity. We can’t even think far enough into the future to ensure that there will be food on the table come dinner time.
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
There is all this talk, and rightly so about global warming and green house gases and how we have to cut carbon emissions. So what’s our answer? Let’s generate billions of new kilowatts to power-up our electric cars. After all, power generation is clean - right? Mmm nope.
There is all this talk, and rightly so about tens of thousands of people starving to death every single day. So what's our answer? Let’s take our huge resources of food and use that food to produce ethanol for our vehicles. After all, there’s more than enough food to go around - right? Mmm nope.
There’s all this talk, and rightly so about the inevitable day when the oil runs out. So what's our answer? Let’s take our forests, which absorb carbon emissions, burn them down and plant soybeans to fuel our cars. After all, ethanol production is a lot cleaner than oil production - right? Mmm nope.
There’s all this talk, and rightly so about how water isn’t being used wisely. So what's our answer? Let’s take water away from farmers who are using it to grow food for us, and send that water to places like Las Vegas so billionaires can make their Casinos look prettier, and so the rich can keep their swimming pools filled to the brim. Because the recreation that we use to block out our coming fate is more important than, well, it's more important than anything - right. Seems so. Yes it does.
There's all this talk about there not being enough food and fuel to go around for all mouths to feed and to power all the vehicles and planes that we need for travel. So what is the answer that some people propose? Let's kill off a huge portion of our societies through abortion so that there will be fewer people which means there will be more resources for ME to waste on myself. After all, self-love makes us just plain stupid - right? Yep. That’s a fact Jack.
It’s no wonder people can’t get their heads around preparing for eternity. We can’t even think far enough into the future to ensure that there will be food on the table come dinner time.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
To Dream of Severe Mercies
I worked for several years at an In-Patient Treatment Centre. The patients were some of the most hurt and afflicted people that I’ve ever had the honour and privilege of counselling. Many of the adults had never learned to make a bed. If they had a sleeping bag while growing up they would have considered themselves rich. To be touched in a manner that wasn’t threatening or demeaning was an experience that was beyond reach of their memories. To these people, the dream of a better life topped out at a room with fewer rats and needles that weren’t so dull. Anyone who is able to read this can't imagine such stifled and diminished dreams.
And what are my dreams? Or yours for that matter? Do they top out at having just a little more money? An enviable home and a good looking partner? Would you consider yourself “blessed” if you could retire at 50 and spend winters in the tropics? Do you think that God would be astonished at how low we dream?
We, as Christians, are citizens of Heaven. The King of Kings, our Creator and Saviour loves us. For pagans, this life is as good as it's going to get. For us, this life is as bad as it's going to get. So why is our focus so low? Why are our dreams so drained of wonder and glory?
A dear and much younger friend of ours just got married. She has complications that will make getting pregnant significantly more difficult than it would be for “normal” people. Anyone who has wanted children but has been unable to conceive knows that this is nothing short of a tragedy. So what is this young woman’s attitude? She said that she is aware that God may have brought this about because He might have other children for her to raise; children that have not been born to her. This is a woman with a strong and mature faith and a solid trust in God. This is a woman who has learned that our deepest blessings most often come to us through God’s severe mercies. She knows that the surest pathway to a closer walk with God and the pathway that is most frequently used by Him to that end is through shattered dreams.
I think God must shake his head in despair and amazement when we “know” that a close relationship with Jesus is most vibrant in the midst of chaos, when we know the comfort that He brings in times of trouble and tragedy and yet we so often neglect to seek His presence, first and most, in times of crisis. Rather than seeking God’s presence in times of emotional or physical or relational pain, far too often we grab the nearest God-substitute and indulge to the limit. To God, our dreams of health and wealth, as though these things were the ultimate that we can experience, must make Him roll His eyes and groan.
O Lord help me to be open to Your desire to lavish Your love upon me. Help me to search for Your Love “As a deer pants for water.” Help me to remember that times of seeming hopelessness are designed specifically so that I can have a close and intimate relationship with you. Thank you most of all for Your severe mercies.
And what are my dreams? Or yours for that matter? Do they top out at having just a little more money? An enviable home and a good looking partner? Would you consider yourself “blessed” if you could retire at 50 and spend winters in the tropics? Do you think that God would be astonished at how low we dream?
We, as Christians, are citizens of Heaven. The King of Kings, our Creator and Saviour loves us. For pagans, this life is as good as it's going to get. For us, this life is as bad as it's going to get. So why is our focus so low? Why are our dreams so drained of wonder and glory?
A dear and much younger friend of ours just got married. She has complications that will make getting pregnant significantly more difficult than it would be for “normal” people. Anyone who has wanted children but has been unable to conceive knows that this is nothing short of a tragedy. So what is this young woman’s attitude? She said that she is aware that God may have brought this about because He might have other children for her to raise; children that have not been born to her. This is a woman with a strong and mature faith and a solid trust in God. This is a woman who has learned that our deepest blessings most often come to us through God’s severe mercies. She knows that the surest pathway to a closer walk with God and the pathway that is most frequently used by Him to that end is through shattered dreams.
I think God must shake his head in despair and amazement when we “know” that a close relationship with Jesus is most vibrant in the midst of chaos, when we know the comfort that He brings in times of trouble and tragedy and yet we so often neglect to seek His presence, first and most, in times of crisis. Rather than seeking God’s presence in times of emotional or physical or relational pain, far too often we grab the nearest God-substitute and indulge to the limit. To God, our dreams of health and wealth, as though these things were the ultimate that we can experience, must make Him roll His eyes and groan.
O Lord help me to be open to Your desire to lavish Your love upon me. Help me to search for Your Love “As a deer pants for water.” Help me to remember that times of seeming hopelessness are designed specifically so that I can have a close and intimate relationship with you. Thank you most of all for Your severe mercies.
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