I just recently finished the book "Orthodoxy" by G.K. Chesterson. Its a great book and I would highly recomend it to anyone who is interested in Christian theology.
One of the things Chesterson talks about towards the end of the book is the joy of a Christian. The joy of a Christian should be so overwhelmingly huge that words would be not strong enough to express the feeling. Yet we get caught up in the paganistic view that joy is only found in the small things. The pagan is happier the closer he gets to the earth, the Christian is happier the closer he is to the heavens.
Heaven is so overwhelmingly joyful that we in this mortal body cannot fathom just the slightest idea of how wonderful it is! We are deaf to the incredibly joyous sounds in Heaven. Chesterson uses the analogy, "we are sitting in a dark room deaf to the joyous sounds of the heavenly realm."
Chesterson goes so far as to say that Christ, who was unashamed to display His emotions, may have had in Him a thread of shyness. In that incredible personality who over threw the temple and its money changers, yet was so quickly moved to compassion for the multitude of five thousand, may have had a side to Him which He was unable to relate to us. Chesterson says at the end of his book, "I sometimes fancy if maybe it wasn't His mirth."
Of course this always brings about the question, "what is joy?" :~)
Monday, September 19, 2005
Monday, September 12, 2005
Katrina
I've been hearing different views from people about Hurricane Katrina. So many people have said that, "This is a judgement from GOD!!" or "Its just like Sodom and Gomorrah." At first this all seemed very reasonable. When looking at this disaster from the surface it seems very probable. Louisianna has the highest murder rate in our country ranging from 2 - 3 murders a night. Fornication of every kind runs rampid.
However, I have also heard a different side which I tend to agree with more. When looking at examples in the Bible of when God punished country's and cities for their sins, He gave them every opportunity to repent.
The story of Jonah is a perfect example. God sent Jonah to Neneva in order that they would have a chance to repent of their sins and be saved from destruction. And they did! Therefore God spared them. When God sent the flood, He had Noah to set the example of how they should live, yet they rejected him and God destroyed every living creature except for Noah and his family. In Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot and his family were the examples, and when the city refused to turn from their wicked ways, God saved Lot and his family from the destruction that came upon the city.
Unless there was some type of messenger from God inside Louisianna that was unknown to us, then it was nothing more than a natural disaster. However, I do believe that the earth may be starting to have its birthing pains. Jesus talked about in the last days that the earth will be like a mother who is in labor enduring birthing pains before actually giving birth. When you start to compare this hurricane with the tsunami and 9/11 it begins to make one wonder.
However, I have also heard a different side which I tend to agree with more. When looking at examples in the Bible of when God punished country's and cities for their sins, He gave them every opportunity to repent.
The story of Jonah is a perfect example. God sent Jonah to Neneva in order that they would have a chance to repent of their sins and be saved from destruction. And they did! Therefore God spared them. When God sent the flood, He had Noah to set the example of how they should live, yet they rejected him and God destroyed every living creature except for Noah and his family. In Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot and his family were the examples, and when the city refused to turn from their wicked ways, God saved Lot and his family from the destruction that came upon the city.
Unless there was some type of messenger from God inside Louisianna that was unknown to us, then it was nothing more than a natural disaster. However, I do believe that the earth may be starting to have its birthing pains. Jesus talked about in the last days that the earth will be like a mother who is in labor enduring birthing pains before actually giving birth. When you start to compare this hurricane with the tsunami and 9/11 it begins to make one wonder.
Monday, September 05, 2005
School again....
Yes that time of year has come around again. The time when kids between the ages of 5 and 18 dread the most. A time when a schedual is reinforced and backpacks begin to feel heavy. Yes it is now the beginning of the 2005/2006 school year!!
While examining this upcoming school year I came across a question that really put the year into perspective. Have you ever wondered what it is about shcool that makes it so unappealing? Granted all situations are different, but what is it about the word school that makes us cringe? After examining this myself, (I am starting my junior year of H.S. btw) I have found that the essence of my sour attitude towards school is mere laziness. At first that seemed rather shocking but the more I thought about it the more it made sense.
Because we are humans, we are sinful by nature. And the nature of most sins is selfishness. I don't want to start school because its not what "I" want to do. "I" don't want to have to get up in the morning and put my brain to work. Laziness as you can see, stems from the fact that I can't get my eye's off of me.
As a Christian this is one of the hardest things we deal with. So much of the time we don't want to share our faith with others because it is not convienent. We lack the big picture. Instead of trying to see things from God's perspective, we become so tunnled visioned that we miss out on what He wants to do in our lives. If we would only keep our eyes on Him and constatantly be in communication with Him, would we truly live life to the fullest.
There is a reason why God has me where I am. He wants to use me, but so often I keep Him from using me because I refuse to get my eyes off myself.
When you start to have that sour attitude about school ask yourself where those feelings are coming from and then ask God for His perspective.
While examining this upcoming school year I came across a question that really put the year into perspective. Have you ever wondered what it is about shcool that makes it so unappealing? Granted all situations are different, but what is it about the word school that makes us cringe? After examining this myself, (I am starting my junior year of H.S. btw) I have found that the essence of my sour attitude towards school is mere laziness. At first that seemed rather shocking but the more I thought about it the more it made sense.
Because we are humans, we are sinful by nature. And the nature of most sins is selfishness. I don't want to start school because its not what "I" want to do. "I" don't want to have to get up in the morning and put my brain to work. Laziness as you can see, stems from the fact that I can't get my eye's off of me.
As a Christian this is one of the hardest things we deal with. So much of the time we don't want to share our faith with others because it is not convienent. We lack the big picture. Instead of trying to see things from God's perspective, we become so tunnled visioned that we miss out on what He wants to do in our lives. If we would only keep our eyes on Him and constatantly be in communication with Him, would we truly live life to the fullest.
There is a reason why God has me where I am. He wants to use me, but so often I keep Him from using me because I refuse to get my eyes off myself.
When you start to have that sour attitude about school ask yourself where those feelings are coming from and then ask God for His perspective.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
