Three New Additions To My Desk

-
Image
Actually, it’s an ad-duck-tion. I missed the perfect opportunity to say, “and they’re in a row, too!” Silly goose. 

"Arriving" on Life's Journey

-
I am just now looking through my blog subscriptions and one in particular has been posting strings of self-help-style posts:

“5 Simple Ways To . . .”
“4 Warning Signs That . . .”
“How To Solve 10 . . .”
“30 Second To . . .”
“Avoid These 4 . . .”

This is where we are, in the age of fast, pat answers. Has someone written a computer program, having found the algorithms of life that produce solutions to nearly every problem imaginable? Don’t be fooled. It’s not that easy.

Life is a journey we all make together. We are born, we will die; however, what takes place in the  “dash between the dates” is unique. Where is life’s journey taking us and how do we know we’ve arrived? The beginning is definite, so when did we begin to think the end is nebulous? How is it we’ve become convinced that the challenges of the journey are met with simplistic answers? How did the human race survive before the internet? Seems impossible.

One question that cannot be answered in the algorithm is: “who am I?” See, as we travel the journey of life, we get caught up in the journey and forget the one who is travelling. We forget we are travelling with others. The only way to find the answer is to return to our Maker.

“So you shall observe to do just as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left. You shall walk in the way which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may life, and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong days in the land which you shall possess.” (Deuteronomy 5:32-33).

An idea is floating around out there somewhere that says, “you can’t tell me how to live my life. I am who I am--I am my own person.” Perhaps there is an element of truth to this: I can’t tell you how to live, nor can I tell you how to be. It is unfair to be compared to someone else. Yet, our Creator tells us how to live with the end result of an abundant life. These words were originally said to an entire nation who (at that time) had no place to call their own--they were on a journey. No pat answers for them. No internet. Just the narrow way of doing what the LORD God said. When they obeyed, they knew when they’d finally arrived.

Popular posts from this blog

“Men and women who saw God in the Bible: Why did they not all die?”

-
July 2004 I went to Kenya, Africa to speak in two Pastor’s Conferences on the subject of Man, Sin and Salvation. At the end of each day I left just over an hour for questions (half the time were questions touching the subject of my lectures, and the other half for “open questions”; that is, people could ask anything). For the next few weeks, I will be sharing the questions that were asked of me, and my answers—and believe me when I say these people really know how to think! Question from Kenya #1: “Men and women who saw God in the Bible: Why did they not all die?” [“ But He said, ‘You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live! ’” (Exodus 33:20) was the basis of the student’s question]. Answer: First, consider those who did see God—how did they respond when they saw Him? They were instantly aware of their sinfulness, and God’s holiness and righteousness (to name a few. And notice also that each responded in an attitude of worship, bowing down): Abraham built altars, wors
Read more

A Sonnet

-
“My God, where is that ancient heat towards thee, Wherewith whole shoals of martyrs once did burn, Besides their other flames? Doth poetry Wear Venus' livery? only serve her turn? Why are not sonnets made of thee? and lays Upon thine altar burnt? Cannot thy love Heighten a spirit to sound out thy praise As well as any she? Cannot thy Dove Outstrip their Cupid easily in flight? Or, since thy ways are deep, and still the fame, Will not a verse run smooth that bears thy name! Why doth that fire, which by thy power and might Each breast does feel, no braver fuel choose Than that, which one day, worms may chance refuse. Sure Lord, there is enough in thee to dry Oceans of ink; for, as the Deluge did Cover the earth, so doth thy Majesty: Each cloud distills thy praise, and doth forbid Poets to turn it to another use. Roses and lilies speak thee; and to make A pair of cheeks of them, is thy abuse Why should I women's eyes for crystal take? Such poor invention burns in their low mind Wh
Read more

A Fresh Perception

-
Image
  “In primitive times, when man awakes in a world that is newly created, poetry awakes with him. In the face of the marvellous things that dazzle and intoxicate him, his first speech is a hymn simply. He is still so close to God that all his meditations are ecstatic, all his dreams are visions. His bosom swells, he sings as he breathes. His lyre has but three strings—God, the soul, creation; but this threefold mystery envelopes everything, this threefold idea embraces everything. The earth is still almost deserted. . . . He leads that nomadic pastoral life with which all civilizations begin, and which is so well adapted to solitary contemplation, to fanciful reverie. He follows every suggestion, he goes hither and thither, at random. His thought, like his life, resembles a cloud that changes its shape and its direction according to the wind that drives it. Such is the first man, such is the first poet. He is young, he is cynical. Prayer is his sole religion, the ode is his only form of
Read more