Ecclesiastes 4:9-12–Two Are Better Than One

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12: "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.  For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.  But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!  Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?  And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him–a threefold cord is not quickly broke."

I can personally attest to the true wisdom of this passage having on numerous occasion experienced being alone and being with friend.  To put it simply, this is the heart of love and fellowship.  There is, however, another element to this: having the 'right' friends.  Do not mistake this as in anyway shallow or fickle.  The point is to remember that some people–namely the wicked, the fool, and the covenant breaker–are not only detrimental to this passage, they can be divisive where they should be conjoined and toxic when they should be healing.  That is why it is of utmost importance to befriend those people who have proven themselves, so to speak, to be people who would seek your growth and who, in the very least, are not scoffers of the Gospel for in so doing they prove themselves to be fools.  Let us then take heed not only to care for and seek out good friends but also to cherish those blessed people that God has been pleased to place in our lives!

Psalm 56:4–What Can Flesh Do To Me?

Psalm 56:4: "In God, whose Word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.  What can flesh do to me?"

This is by no means the only Scripture verse that supports this concept but I appreciate its singular boldness.  If only I could be so boldly confident as the writer of this verse.  I prefer to believe, though, that the writer here is asserting his conviction as a support for that belief.  Its like, if I may, the writer is praying this confident assertion in expectant hope that it is, in fact, the very truth that his whole life will rest upon.  This is, to be sure, a blatant imaginative speculation, but I assure you that the heart of this verse is my own heart's cry.  Oh that I would cry out to God in praise and trust, and to boldly proclaim: "What can flesh do to me?"

Psalm 103–God's Great Love To Those Who Keep His Covenant

Psalm 103:17-18: "But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children, to those who keep His covenant and remember to do His commandments."

There is but a hint of conditionality in this passage, a sort of contingent relationship between God and those who love Him.  But I submit that this is present in all love.  Consider, for instance, the love of romance.  Is it not true that if one partner avoids and disrespects the other for any amount of time, not only will it create relational friction but it may also cause the other partner to pull away.  This is, after all, but a shadow of the love that God has for us in Christ, but it is a poignant example of why God can in love say that His steadfast love remains on those who fear Him and keep His covenant.  It is not, as it were, a contingent sort of love but it is a function of that which is love.  Unconditional love, it turns out, has conditions.  Even the mother who will always love her son and desire the very best for him will turn her back on him if he so repeatedly disregards or spurns her love.  This is an inescapable truth of love itself.  We would do well, then, to fear the Lord and to keep His eternal covenant in love and faithfulness!

Romans 12:15–Rejoice with Rejoicers

Romans 12:15: "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep."

There is a sort of unwritten ethic between loved ones, the code of reflection.  Entailed within this code is the understanding that when someone is down, you get down with them, and when they are up you be up in reflection.  This code is confirmed within Scripture, that we would reflect the emotional state of all those we care about.  It is not merely a matter of respect but it is a matter of love; that we would step into the mire in love as easily as we would step up to the to the heights of happiness.  But it does not simply stop there.  The goal of this is fellowship, love, and joy.  In the end, this is the true nature of love, that we would be willing to be honest both to our friends and, by extension, to our friends.  Let us then love in this way so as to truly love as God would have us love!

Figuring in the Passage of Time

Life is full of landmark moments.  The first dates, the first kisses, graduations, weddings, houses, kids, all landmark moments in a person's life.  And from one moment to the next, we are forced by these passages into a sort of introspective contemplation through which we assess and remember the assorted moments as they've passed as well as the hope for the ones yet to come.  These times can be full of emotion and nostalgia, if not even overwhelming.

It is at these times that we get a glimpse of eternity, maybe a peek into the perspective of God, who sees all events simultaneously, His vision both perfectly reminiscent about every event that has ever or wille ver occur for they are all the present to God presently.  It is quite beautiful to think that God has given us this lovely glimpse into who He is.  Thank You, Lord, for the joy of seeing as You see if even in the slightest sense!

A Day of Remembrance

Monday is Memorial Day in America.   This is one of the days of the year in which we, as a nation, memorialize those who have fought for this country.  It is a day of remembrance and reverence to that which we remember.  But through the Star-Spangled Banners and God Bless Americas, it is also a great day to remember Christ, the source of our utter freedom from sin.

Most of the Christian life is built upon the idea of memory: we remember the Lord.  This includes in the very least remembering what who God is and what He has done, most specifically what was done in Christ at His great passion on the cross.  We often think of this as the starting point.  But this would be a lopsided view.  This is everything.

Every single aspect of Christianity arises from the cross while also aiming toward the cross with a fixed gaze.  Christianity, in a sense, is a homemade pond with a waterfall: we take our nourishment from the cross of Christ as it circulates through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, continuing always to praise the Father for all that He is and has done.  Therefore, on this Memorial Day let us strive to make the most of remembering God for all that He is!

John 3:17–For God So Loved...and then?

John 3:17: "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world may be saved through Him"

The verse that immediately precedes this verse is one of the most well-known and memorized verses in all of Scripture.  But "For God so loved the world..." is not the end, so to speak, of Jesus' point.  He means to tell Nicodemus that God is not merely the just Judge but that He is also, simultaneously the Savior of the world!

There is and innate tendency, if even slight or unconscious, to think of God as the grumpy old man who polices the universe.  And though it may seem needless to say, this view of God is a total caricature, mistaking who He is for what the last fifty years in America have painted Him to be.  In the end, God is loving and the great sacrifice of His Son still stands as the utmost act of love in the history of the universe.  We should never, not ever forget this...

Romans 12:10: Loving One Another in Showing Honor

Romans 12:10: "Love one another with brotherly affection.  Outdo one another in showing honor."

This is one of my favorite verses translated in a way that really hits me.  I am a competitive bloke and this one speaks right to that part of who I am: outdo one another in showing honor, which follows, love one another with brotherly affection.  This is not some sort of game, as it were.  No, this is an attitude toward love: to love more, better, and realer than everyone else.  Not for the purpose of competition, per se, but as an act of devotion as well as instruments of grace and love to everyone we may come into contact.

But this is not merely a suggestion, like: "if you get around to it then..."  This is a recipe, a prescriptive command of the kind of love God has shown us in Christ and, by extension, the sort of love that He desires us to show one another.  We would do well, then, to take this passage to heart: how well are we enduring in brotherly affection and showing honor in love to those around us?

Romans 15:1-2: Build Up One Another

Romans 15:1-2: "We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.  Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up."

There're no two ways about this one: God demands that we, as Christians, love on another.  This love, though, is a focused one.  It is not based in the slightest upon whim or even likability.  No.  The love that God commands of Christians is one purposed eternally, that is, it has an eternal focus at all times.  To say that we love unto eternity means that our love is always focused on building others up into Christ as they are intent on the same thing in us.

Putting others first, bearing with their flaws in patience, seeking out their good before our own, this is what loving like Christ entails.  It is no small feat, that is for certain.  Which is why, I suppose, the Bible comments that all things are possible with God through faith in Him...

Freedom in Christ, but for what purpose?

Galatians 5:13: "For you were called to freedom, brothers.  Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."

Christianity exalts freedom, claiming utter freedom in Christ.  But this freedom, this liberty is a liberty not merely from that which enslaves (sin).  This freedom is also to that which is God (love).  However, there is a tendency to equate freedom with the ability to do whatever one desires at any feasible time.  This is a deformed caricature of freedom, more aligned with novel-Americanism than the Word of God.

For what good is freedom if it is only used to isolate and individualize personal egos?  Instead, freedom is purposed for love, for devoting one another to more intimate fellowship.  Yet, as asserted by this verse, freedom is not a gift, as it were, it is a calling.  We would do well, then, to treat it as such and to live as such and to understand our freedom not as mere license for flesh and sin but as a privilege  calling us obedience and devotion.

Distract from the Pain but Neglect the Injury

Most recent research suggests a longheld assumption on the nature of pain and injury.  The most effective method for pain suppression is distraction.  Think of the classic stubbed toe: as long as you are busy doing something else you would never suppose that you had ever injured one of those tiny appendages.  That is, until you stub it again.  And then one is instantly reminded of the reality of injury.  No matter the strength of diversion or the success of the delusion, the injury remains.

It is not much of a stretch to carry this into the spiritual realm, as it is so readily found there.  There are injuries of the spiritual type, deeply-cut wounds and bruises of the spiritual kind.  And, like trauma of the physical, the most natural impulse of pain relief is distraction, diversion, and the like.  This method, however, does not deal with the underlying injury, the cause of the pain still remains though the pain may be dulled by the inebriation of entertainment or amusement or mere leisure.  But still the true injury remains, only to be called upon for resentment, anger, and unrepentant sin in the future the moment it is 'stubbed' again.

Clearly, addressing merely the symptoms would be insufficient to heal the injury.  However, if we only consider the injury when the symptoms are present, then perhaps the issue is not only about the actual injury itself, but we have added to the malady by our own distraction.  Addressing the ailment directly must also then include a consideration of the proclivity to cover the pain caused by the damage.

Spiritually speaking, the injury that ails every human being is sin.  And despite our best efforts at diversion, no amount of distraction will remove the reality fo the injury: we are dead in our sin.  Try as we might, we cannot escape this truth, the heart of our malady is sin itself.  But we our not without hope for this is the very injury to which Christ Himself died to overcome!  We would do well to remember that the next time our spiritual injuries are stubbed and our best distractions are proven to be but mere masks.  To remember that Christ has came to save us from our most severe and mangled hurts is a good focus when we see ourselves prone to distraction.

Romans 15:5-6–Joining With One Voice

Romans 15:5-6: "May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Glorifying God with one voice.  How well do we do this?  Living together in accord with Christ Jesus, this is the harmony that Christians are called to do.  But, as this verse indicates, the ability to live like with such unity is granted us by God Himself.  It is Him to empowers us to live in accord with Christ, in all harmony and togetherness.  But the goal, it turns out, is not mere togetherness.  Rather, the goal is to glorify God with one voice.  It is not enough to settle, so to speak, with unity but we must strive to sing praises in glory to His name as one Church!  Let us then keep this before us as we fix our eyes upon Jesus!

James 3:17–Wisdom From Above

James 3:17: "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere."

Wisdom is one of those great treasures worth sharing.  Sharing wisdom, though, is done best without telling everyone that it is wisdom that you are sharing.  For if wisdom is easily seen and never needs more of an introduction; it will stand on its own.

But doesn't worldly wisdom prefer to toot its own horn, so to speak?  True wisdom, that is, wisdom from above, is pure and peaceable, gentle.  And why would it be gentle?  Because, again, true wisdom has no need for coercion to prove its value; wisdom will always demonstrate its worth on its own.

Wisdom is impartial but it is also full of mercy.  It is a guide but sincere.  There is no doubt, then, that to search for wisdom would be the first step in wisdom.  It is, though, no mere coincidence that the search for wisdom is closely aligned to the search for God, as it is God Himself through whom all wisdom comes.  We would do well to seek after God with fervor and to become wise as a side effect.

Low View of God = Low View of Humanity

The most important thing about humanity is God, both our constitution as being created in His image and our thoughts of who He is.  The lower the thoughts of God then, by association, the lower the thoughts of humanity.  It is no wonder that those who diminish God would also be those that diminish humanity by that same right.

For if the worth and value of a human is determined by the fact that we are created by God in His image.  This is the very definition of man.  Therefore, whenever we reduce our thoughts of God we equally reduce our thoughts of humanity.  We cannot, nor shall we be able to, separate this connection. Let us then never forget this reality that the low view of God is the culprit of the low view of humans, while a high view of God will have an equal but opposite result.

Romans 11:33–The Inscrutable Ways of God

Romans 11:33: "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments and inscrutable are His ways!"

When I hear people diminish God or caricature Him as some grumpy old man telling the unrepentant sinners to keep of His lawn, I am often filled with a mix of laughter and sadness.  Laughter at the absurdity of this thought and sadness at the heart content thereof.  It is, after all, remarkably common to think of God as something or someone other than God.  But it is just that, a misconception of the highest order.

If we have a low view of God it is not because God is less than He is; it is merely because we cannot humble ourselves enough to accept the reality of a God beyond our understanding.  If we could perfectly categorize and decipher God, then we can be sure that we are no longer talking about God at all but are only referring to our vain conceptions of God.

But God is beyond our evaluative powers of categorization.  He is holy, meaning not only that He is absolutely pure but also that He is not like us.  We should, then, not be satisfied with mere caricatures of a limited, anthropomorphic God.  He is the Holy Lord Almighty.  Let us then always keep this proper perspective in our praise to the God who is!

It's a Love Thing

Matthew 22:37–"Love the Lord Your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all you mind."

This is the first and greatest commandment; a command to love God.  But not just any sort of love, for this is a love of the utmost, love in the ultimate sense.  The kind of love that dulls books of romance and is full of desire and passion and will but, unlike the fairy tales, it is not a novel make-believe romance.  No, this is the love that all other loves look to for definition.

But we should remember to coalesce this commandment with another, chiefly, that "we love because He first loved us."  That is to say that the commandment to love arises our of Christ's ultimate love for us.  Because of this, it is not merely a commandment; it is love.  The pertinent question, then, is not "how well am I obeying the commandment?"  Instead, the right question is: "how much do I love Christ?"

Ecclesiastes 11:5–We Do Not Know All the Work of God

Ecclesiastes 11:5: "As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything."

This is quite a compelling statement.  Think about it: with all our modern medical knowledge of prenatal biology, we still are no nearer understanding how a human being is born body and soul being able to travel into the future.  But yet we humans have some instinctual arrogance to think that while we do not and can not understand every minute detail of the conception-birth ordeal, we must because of our perceived intellectual greatness 'know enough' to claim to know it all.

But this great presumption renders us, it turns out, all the more blind from seeing the truth as it is: God knows.  This is no mere lip-service or parrot-talk.  He actually knows because He actually creates us.  We may claim biological monopoly over the process of egg-fertilization to birth but when the proverbial rubber hits the road God holds all the cards.  This, therefore, must be the starting ground for all discussion about humanity.  After all, what benefit would there be in the ability to communicate if not to communicate with He who ultimately created us?!

Psalm 139:13-14–Formed By God

Psalm 139:13-14: "For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother's womb.  I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well."

The book of Psalms is a book of worship, most of it as prayers and praises sung directly to God.  This particular chapter, the 139th, deals exclusively with God's uttermost knowledge of us.  From the inner parts and depths of our beings to the most secret desires and thoughts: God knows them all.  There is no bit of ourself small enough or insignificant enough to escape His sight.  After all, do you know how many hairs are on your head?  He does (Luke 12:7).  Nothing escapes His sight and knowledge; nothing.  And nothing could be more joyful than this truth!

Proverbs 31:30–Fearing the Lord is the Real Treasure

Proverbs 31:30–"Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."

Being married to a woman who fears the Lord, I feel a certain degree of first-hand experience with this verse.  Those who rest their lives on charm can often veil their honesty by their charms.  Those that rely upon beauty rely upon vanity as sure as sinking sand.  But a person, particularly a woman in this verse, who fears the Lord is to be praised, that is, they are blessed as much as they are a blessing to all in whose lives they touch and affect.

It is a matter of valuing that which is truly valuable.  Charm is a lie, beauty a whim, but the fear of the Lord is ultimate.  If only our world would cherish the fear of the Lord...but it starts with individuals.  Let us then commit to value cherishing the Lord and praising the women who do!

Exodus 20:12: Honor Your Father & Mother

Exodus 20:12: "Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you."

It is said that this is "the first commandment with a promise." (Ephesians 6:2-3).  And it is a good and right commandment for us to follow.  But to honor your parents, I mean, what if your parents are, shall we say, unhonorable?  Perhaps this is when this commandment is truly put to the test.  For it is one thing to give honor to those who by their virtue and goodness warrant honor, while it is an altogether other thing to give honor to those who are despicable or disgraceful.

But is this not the very value and depth of this commandment? To honor your father and mother inspite of their status or stature.  Then we will truly be honoring others as God has honored us, that inspite of how despicable we are He has so shown us honor as to die on our behalf as a propitiation for our sins.  Thus when we honor our father and mother, we are imaging God as He has made us in His image.  Let us then take heed to commit to honor our fathers and mothers not just because it is right to do so but also in order that we may bear witness of God and His glory.

Ephesians 4:32–Be Kind and Compassionate

Ephesians 4:32: "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as in Christ God forgave you."

Kindness and compassion of the like mentioned in this verse, the transacting of forgiveness, deserves a sufficient reminder and consideration for everyday Christian life.  The striking comment is not that this task is particularly challenging between people who possess a certain closeness and intimacy or at the very least a sense of likability between the two.  However, this task is another thing altogether when dealing with those whom we hold in animosity.

The real challenge to this command comes when we have to be kind to the unkind and compassionate to the wicked.  After all it is an easy thing to be forgive those whom we love and care for, but it is quite a different ordeal to forgive those whom we dislike or even despise.  The true measure of our forgiveness comes not, then, in forgiving our close loved ones but in forgiving our enemies, for this is what Christ has done in loving those who were by nature enemies of God.  Let us think of this when forgiveness seems out of the question when dealing with those 'harder' cases.

Matthew 18:15: Not an Easy Task for the Family

Matthew 18:15: "If your brother of sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you.  If they listen to you, you have won them over."

The assumption is that there is a thin line between rebuking in love and judging.  However, this is a flawed supposition because judging is something only done by God while rebuking in love is a matter for loved one, namely, family and friends.  In terms of the aforementioned verse, we are called to challenge our fellow Christians to live in holiness and obedience.  Yet it must be asserted that this verse addresses the proposition presupposing that the Christian must point out their brother's and sister's fault, not out of self-pride or domineering power, but of love both for the other and, more so, for God.  But this rebuking arises not out of opinionated self-righteousness but from a sincere love for the other.  In fact, any instance of telling another person about their perceived faults must come from a place of authentic devotion and compassion.  Implied in this transaction is that the one rebuking and the one rebuked do, in actuality, possess a relationship of love and of closeness that warrants such direct correction as discipline of this sort is.  Let us then take heed the words of Christ as we strive to love God and our brothers and sisters with an eye to heaven and holiness.

An Ode to Lewis and Love

For those of you who may not have a near relationship with me, or maybe even those of you who do, I am a fan of Clive Staples Lewis.  He was a brilliant writer, an exceptional apologist, and a decent theologian.  Yet for the vastness of his catalog, there is one in particular that distills this mighty man's theology and intellect the best: Mere Christianity.  Today's blog is a take on one of his essays in that book, an essay on loving and liking.  It is a riff on the commands to love thy neighbor as thyself and to love thine enemies.  (Disclaimer: I will be speaking a lot about self-love in this article; do not mistake this as a sidestep from the reality that all love stems from God's love.  Rather, the love that is God's is the foundation by which this whole argument rests upon.)

The major thrust of this argument begins with an internalization of the question, chiefly, how do I love myself?  But perhaps it is best to strip the layers to a more accessible breadth: why do I love myself? What for?  And does this love mean that I have to like or accept ever part and piece of myself?

I can only speak for myself in this regard but I, like C.S. Lewis, can think of many components of my person that are, shall we say mildly, unlikeable.  To say it more directly there are parts of me that are downright repulsive, repugnant, and abhorrent.  But luckily this love that I have for myself can look past these qualities, yet I have not ever been so un-self-aware as to ever 'misplace' these parts when taking inventory of myself.  On the contrary, it is my love for myself that chastens me to call out those 'lesser' parts as the evil putrescence they are.

I can not accept those bits of myself that are sinful and evil for to do so would be, in fact, the most unloving thing that I could possibly do.  However, it is my love that presses on beyond those deficiencies to offer merciful, forgiving love.

Translating this from the introspective to the external perspective, when God commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves He is not saying that we need to pretend that their flaws do not exist and we should not conceive of evil as anything else when we love our enemies.  Rather, we know that love moves past those elements in the expectant hope that the sinfulness can and will be transformed by Christ's transformational love passing through us.  Let then strive to love in this way, not judging but loving with hope and mercy and forgiveness just as Christ has loved us!

A Matter of Maintenance

If you are anything like me then you hate it when things do not work properly, particularly if those things are important or necessary.  I think of the hassle and headache that a broken car can be, the stress caused by a malfunctioning appliance, or even the simplicity of clutter filling my bedroom.  When things are not working properly it can make everything else seem like it isn't either.  While we may all very easily accept such an assertion, I wonder how well it applies to our personhood, namely, our lives.

Think about what it is to be human.  We could easily think of ourselves solely as material creatures, a misconception too often conceived.  In this case, we would consider life merely a matter of consistently performing basic material functions (eat, sleep, drink, excrete, sexual reproduction, et al).  The thought, similar to that of any other physical item, would  be a matter of maintenance, as in, the effectiveness of the human is weighed by his/her thoroughness and consistency in material maintenance.

However, it takes no great genius to see an inherent discrepancy in this proposition.  Humans are not merely corporeal beings.  Constitutionally, we possess inherent non-material qualities such as love, spirit, etc.  Therefore, f we were to reduce our maintenance requirements to the physical and neglect the constitutionally non-physical elements of our natures then we would find ourselves grossly if not wholly anemic and, without fail, working as poorly as that decrepit jalopy that parks in the yard down the street.

But there is an order here that should not be understated: God comes first.  Humans were created to 'run' on God just as gasoline-fueled cars were built to run on gasoline.  And just as cars need more than just gasoline to run, humans need other things too like food, sleep, etc. to run fully it is God who is the ultimate fuel.  It is when we start to think those other things more important or vital than that One thing who is God.  This is like a car having a great stereo, custom paint job, beautiful rims, but no engine.  Let us than keep this perspective throughout the prioritization of our lives so as to always be in focus to running properly!

God's Will Put Simply

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Being a simplistic creature, I prefer things to be spelled-out unequivocally.  This verse is just that sort of direct statement for us.  It is a straightforward, unflinching declaration for the believer: rejoice always and give thanks in all circumstances.  So simple to read, but an equally difficult thing do.

Today or tomorrow, from the moment you awake (speaking to myself too), set yourself a conviction and commitment to do just what this passage exhorts us to do: to rejoice always and be thankful no matter the circumstances.  Let us commit to this task and be sure to please the Lord by carry out His will!

Considering a Flawed Paradox

There is a classical paradox that is often uttered as some sort of linguistic proof against the existence of an omnipotent God: "Can God create an object so massive that He Himself is unable to move it?"

While I would not normally delve into such things here, I found this to be an interesting mental task as I woke up this morning and wanted to share my considerations.

There are, as I see it, two fatal flaws to this false dilemma.  The first is one of constitution whilst the other is a matter of semantics.  In the first case, it is incorrect to think of God's manner of strength as like our own.

For humans, strength and creativity in movement are measured by the degrees of exertion required to manipulate the bounds of physical laws.  We think someone strong for how much force they can bring to bear upon a particular parameter.  This is a fine and reasonable measurement of strength when it comes to the creature realm, but it is wholly unacceptable when dealing with the Creator God.  His strength is not and cannot be measured in the same sense because His strength is not a matter of physical effort or the application of force.  His strength is founded, rather, on His very nature and, by that nature, on the power of His Word.  He creates not by utilization and struggle but by His Word.  Because of this, the aforementioned paradox is proved illegitimate.  However, as I stated, there is a semantic opposition to this paradox as well.

While the question fulfills all necessary linguistic requirements of proposition, it neglects the obvious, namely, that merely to insert God into the question does not legitimize its absurdity.  It is, to be sure, a paradoxical statement, but it is a hypothetical paradox which betrays its intent.  God is the ultimate real; He is, in fact, the source of reality.  He only deals in realities because His nature constrains Him to do so.  His power is not limited by this but because His power is a matter of thought and will, not an ordering of exerting forces, for Him to think of something is for that thing to then be.  Therefore, it is not for Him to be considered in the realm of hypotheticals; that is where we creatures live.

At the final analysis, I hope that this too-brief foray into paradoxical examination has been fruitful in glorifying God in His absolute majesty!  Amen to God who IS!

Hosea 2:19-20–Married to God in Faithfulness

Hosea 2:19-20: The Lord declares, "And I will betroth you to me forever.  I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy.  I will betroth you to me in faithfulness.  And you shall know the Lord."

Married to God in faithfulness, righteousness, in justice, steadfast love, and mercy.  This is the definition of our relationship to God.  But how many of us truly consider our faith in this context, with this depth of love and devotion?  But it is in this measure, in this degree that we "shall know the Lord." If we are having trouble assessing our devotion, this seems a good place to start.

In the end, God has defined and He has commissioned our betrothal to Him.  We belong to Him because of all that He has done.  It is then lovelessness and faithlessness that draws us away from Him. We need only check ourselves in this manner to assess our devotion: how much do we love God?  This is the most important question that we could ask and it is also the most challenging one to answer.

Let us then bow our heads in faith and draw closer to Him in love as He has betrothed us to Him forever, let us love Him as such.

Isaiah 7:9–Firm In Faith

The book of Isaiah, the primary writing prophet of the OT apart from Moses, is comprised of several prophetic utterances made by the over his prophetic career.  One of these prophecies that Isaiah delivered was to Israelite king, Ahaz.  While I do not normally like to abstract individual verses from their literary context, there is a single verse in this prophecy that applies across contexts:

"If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all." (Isaiah 7:9b)

This verse says it all.  It is a good reminder that firmness in life has nothing to do with intellect, conviction, emotional strength, physical prowess, or anything else; firmness and solidarity comes down to faith for it is in God that the firmest foundation is found.  Amen to Him and let us always rest upon the sure footing and rock which is Christ!

Romans 12:12–Rejoice, Patient, Constant in Prayer

Romans 12:12: "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer."

The central issue of this verse is the word tribulation.  It answers, in effect, the question of how to handle tribulation and suffering: rejoice, be patient, and be constant in prayer.  This is meant as more than mere comfort, it is more so a matter of attitude, an expectation not only that the tribulation will come to an end but also that the tribulation serves a distinct and divine purpose.

There is so much in this verse, however, it speaks sufficiently for itself.  Amen!  Let us then heed its words and take them to heart as we learn to abide by its truth!

1 John 5:14-15–Confidence to Come Towards God

1 John 5:14-15: "And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked Him."

This is an amazing passage but it is often misrepresented.  We hear the "whatever we ask, we know that we have," but we neglect the more important, "if we ask anything according to His will He hears us.  In case you missed it (I am, of course, speaking to myself too), the pertinent part of our asking is that it is according to His will.

While we can easily ignore this it is the most important part of coming to God with requests: that our desires and appeals that we bring before God run according to His will.  This is essential.  We can not and should not expect that God would condone or even support sinfulness in any sense.  This includes, at the very least, greed, lust, wantonness, et al.

It is as we are being sanctified that the utter requests of our heart begin to run inline with the will of God.  This is what sanctification is all about and there is nothing more beautiful than that!  Amen that God would see fit to provide us the desires of our hearts as He transforms our hearts' desires to be His!

Hebrews 11:6: Necessity of Faith to Drawing Near to God

Hebrews 11:6: "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him."

I like this verse.  It is direct, clear, concise, and understandable.  In no uncertain terms the writer asserts the necessity of faith in pleasing God, in drawing near to Him and receiving reward for our reliance upon His grace.

It is kind of like an electrical outlet.  No matter how strong or how well built a lamp, if it is not plugged into the outlet then it will never shine no matter how much it may desire it.  Only when the lamp is plugged in can it serve its purpose.

Similarly, only by faith can we be 'plugged in' to God.  It is through faith that we can draw near to God for it is in this way that we are able to please God and to give Him the praise He so rightly deserves.  Let us then praise God for faith and by it draw nearer to God!