HEAD(hed), (n.) 1. the top part of the human body or the front part of an animal where the eyes, nose, east and mouth are. "Your brain is in your head." DIBS(dibz), (n.) 2. a thick, sweet syrup made in countries of the East, especially the Middle East, from grape juice or dates. [Arabic "debs"]--World Book Dictionary, 1976.
“. . . A light broke in upon my brain,— It was the carol of a bird; It ceased, and then it came again, The sweetest song ear ever heard, And mine was thankful till my eyes Ran over with the glad surprise, And they that moment could not see I was the mate of misery. But then by dull degrees came back My senses to their wonted track; I saw the dungeon walls and floor Close slowly round me as before, I saw the glimmer of the sun Creeping as it before had done, But through the crevice where it came That bird was perched, as fond and tame, And tamer than upon the tree; A lovely bird, with azure wings, And song that said a thousand things, And seemed to say them all for me! I never saw its like before, I ne’er shall see its likeness more; It seemed like me to want a mate, But was not half so desolate, And it was come to love me when None ...
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Religious Epic Fail
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I had to watch this twice because I missed something the first time (the music should have been a clue):
Ok, perhaps a little too specialized.
Nestled two-thirds of the way through the Old Testament book of Isaiah, we find God discussing religion. Certainly this sounds strange, but in Isaiah 44 we find a tragic-comical commentary of what God thinks of those who make for themselves a god of their own understanding. First, we find a description of the Lord making a people for Himself (44:1-8): He chooses, forms, and pours out blessings as The Incomparable God. God is served by whom He forms, wiping out transgressions, redeems, receives worship and is glorified as The Maker of all things, “causing the signs of boasters to fail, making fools out of diviners,, causing wise men to draw back, and turning their knowledge into foolishness,” the One who performs His desires (44:21-28).
Isaiah 44:9-20 describes the contrasting action of idolatrous man, who in futility makes a profitless and shameful witness to himself. There are two definitions of religion being illustrated here:
“a system of beliefs, feelings, and behavior which issues in rights, rituals and liturgies “ where, “man is the focus of life and all forces (powers) are solely for his benefit;” or,
“an ultimate concern with a seeking and self-revealing God, which morally and ethically qualifies all other concerns, which motivates God-centered patterns of life, worship, and mission, and answers the question of the meaning of life.” (Steyne, Philip M. Gods of Power: A Study Of The Beliefs and Practices of Animists. Columbia: Impact International, 1999.)
Isaiah 44:12 reminds man, the practitioner of religion, that man gets weary whether he plays or works. The question assumed is, “what kind of god can he make?” The form of this deity is described in verses 13-14: man chooses wood, marks it, cuts it, and venerates it. What he does not deify, he burns to make a meal (44:15-17). Is his greatest desire in life to be delivered from hunger?
Men who are not God-centered are in rebellion against Him. Choose something to venerate, paint it up, dress it nice . . . but you can’t take it out:
People are deluded because they do not know or understand (44:18); they are without knowledge or understanding (44:19), being deceived by their own heart (44:20). There are more than 80 references in Isaiah to knowing and understanding—one gets the impression that God desires intimacy and comprehension!
What is your god like? Is He the true and living God, who reveals Himself; or, is he a god of your own understanding? Is He the same God who reveals Himself in nature and in scripture?
The beauty in all this is that God, though passing down judgment to those who will not reason with Him, offers grace and love to man. Should he have his eyes opened to his foolishness, God is ready to receive Him. Those who have been embraced by the true and living God are to extend the same love, grace and understanding by investing in those who do not yet believe.
“Keep constant guard over your perceptions, for it is no small thing you are protecting, but your respect, trustworthiness and steadiness, peace of mind, freedom from pain and fear, in a word your freedom. For what would you sell these things?” EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 4.3.6 b –8
Legend has it that the astronomer Ptolemy (1st century A.D.) suggested that falling stars were caused by the gods moving in the heavens, thus knocking stars out of their places. Somehow people reasoned that that if the gods were moving, they must be getting close to earth so they would lift their "prayers" or "wishes" (literally, "desires") whenever they saw the stars falling in hopes the gods would notice and grant a favorable answer. But how does one wish on falling star? Once you see it, it's gone before the wish or prayer can be made! The answer is simple: meteor shower. That's how to get your wish. Mrs. Ann Hodges had a wish fall right into her lap. Sort of. In 1954 Mrs. Hodges was sleeping on the couch when a 8 1/2 pound meteorite fell through her house and into her living room where it bounced off the radio and struck her left hip leaving her with a bruise. Not sure what she was wishing, but that's not how to do it. Epictetus hel...
