“Amor fati” fellow fanatics, “amor fati!” translated “The love of fate.” “It is foolishness to oppose a tendency which is obviously a law of history and to take countermeasures against a trend which is a natural law.” Nietzsche. Really? Does history itself have a personality, does it have a mind? Is that raucous tide able to bend or yield? Where goes it? What are its ends? Can we change history? The fatalists emphatically say “no.” Apparently “history,” the person, is not like the redeemed saints who realize God’s image. The will of the lover of fate is already determined and cannot change. Therefore worshipers at this altar cannot stop the inevitable. They just “go with the flow.”– Whether death or life. What the historo-gods rule, they carry out through forced will. The Christian perspective is in diametric opposition to these ideas. We say indeed, history, (His story), will take a certain…
Category: <span>Walk, for Christians</span>
On this day 12 years ago our son Joshua went to heaven. Now, what do we want? To see him again soon. You lit up our lives for a short 25 years and we miss you today, Josh, and the wait seems long; but eternity is longer. Can’t wait! St. Augustine says: He that loveth little, prayeth little; he that loveth much, prayeth much. What do you want? Surprisingly we rarely visit this thought. What do I need, what can I eat, what do I need to do and what does God want, are questions more common. Christians say, “I lost my vision when things didn’t work out and now I am just meandering.” “What do you want?” When I dutifully focus on my Savior. He says “what do you want?” Some folks in the Bible got healed because when Jesus asked them “what do you want?” —they had an answer.…
The way of the saint: Forsakes the broad plain for the skinny path. Our way does not circumvent obstacles, but warps us to destinations. Philip was translated (beamed?), to Azotus, so Elijah upward, and so Enoch the same. — So we also, (snatched away) at that trumpet sound. Jesus walked to the dock and took a row boat to the disciples’ fishing craft. Not! He rather skipped on the waves! Joshua asked his priests to step in river Jordan; a whole nation followed step as the waters stood as “Jello.” — Dry ground paved the way. Case after case the magical passageways translate the saint. Through death we go — In fire not burnt, in waters not swallowed. Whether Red Sea or Lions den, the sting of death we scorn – then skate across. Our part and God’s part. Elijah begged for the storm, wind and earthquake to…
“Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? — to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.” Romans 14:4 A man stands or falls before God; with the risk of acceptance or rejection he stands in front of God, his Maker. What does God want from him? To be a winner of souls with wisdom required. To be a fisher of men. This is it? To have a secure philosophy? Not enough. To be a good looker? It can help, but falls short. No, to be a draw to others requires one thing — standing before God. Before God , a man is held up. He stands erect. This enables him to win other men. So, here he stands, and standing with God’s watchful eye he is guided. Guided where? — “Into all…
The tightrope act spoken of in Paul’s word to Ephesus, 5:15, is not for fools. It takes precision, a sure footed walk and a certain pace. Insight and skill are essentials toward, “Buying up for yourselves the seasonable time,” — the opportune time afforded to you for the work of God,”– j.F.B. says “Special favorable seasons for good, occasionally presenting themselves, of which believers ought diligently to avail themselves.” The slip of foot can mean falling on broken glass in the analogy. Although the days are “evil,” and infection surrounds, this season is precious; a field to be bought for a pearl. Avail yourself to the opportunities. Each is but once in a lifetime. For such a time as this, we breathe. Our steps must be ordered, established, sure. Our pace in sync with the proper cadence, we press onward. Man plans the pathway, the Lord directs the steps. A…
Life is not without hindrance, nor our walk without encumbrance. Impediments characterize our earthly travelling, interruptions are familiar. We get holdups and stoppages, difficulties and deterrents; sometimes it seems that this is all. These interferers challenge us sometimes to the max. We are fed up or have had it up to here. We moan, Why? — why is everything so hard? I want to give you some solace, but first let’s try to find some out-of-the-box answers. Out-of-the-box happens when no “normal” answers suffice, but also, we fear a total breakdown or quitting. Daydreaming, illicit fantasy, or nonchalance is not what we mean by out-of-the-box. We cannot discard our concern, be indifferent or take on a new level of “cool.” Instead, we mean that the restrictive parameters of in-the-box thinking must be willing to face their ultimate death. They are simply not cutting the mustard for success. First of these for consideration: quit…
“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, we ought to obey God rather than men.” Act 5:29. What comprises the obedience of faith? How does it work? By the obedience of Christ shall many be made righteous, is Romans 5:19. “In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.” Hebrews 10:6-7. Jesus was the obvious obedient one and by His willingness we are sanctified by the offering of His body, once and for all. But what of our obedience? A key may be in the Psalmists words “For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. Instead, The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt…
That which the palmerworm hath left — hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left — hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left — hath the caterpiller eaten. Joel 1:4 “The whole face of the mountain was black with them. On they came like a living deluge. We dug trenches and kindled fires, and beat and burnt to death heaps upon heaps, but the effort was utterly useless. They rolled up the mountain-side, and poured over rocks, walls, ditches, and hedges, those behind covering up and passing over the masses already killed.” Expositor’s “After eating up the corn, they fell upon the vines, the pulse, the willows, and even the hemp, notwithstanding its great bitterness.” “The bark of figs, pomegranates, and oranges, bitter, hard, and corrosive, escaped not their voracity.” “They are particularly injurious to the palm-trees; these they strip of every leaf…
In the Olympic games we watch competition. We see determination, thrill of triumph, misery of trounce. We weep for joy with the insignificant participant who rises from obscurity to win a bronze, silver or even gold. We identify with winner and loser, and also those just happy to be invited to play — Or do we? This time around the games meant less to me and I figured out why. I don’t compete, I don’t race, I don’t swim or run or jump for prizes. The projected “life parallel” that is associated with sports is not present with me in its many aspects as before. I have, like Paul, learned, to some degree, that I must be content, to handle living on this earth through a non-competitive attitude. Released from the inner “strive;” life begins at another’s conquest. For the Olympics, contending is expedient – nothing wrong here. For jobs,…
The blazing fire was across the canyon, too big to be controlled. Suddenly, with a turn of wind, inferno raced over canyon and river – straight toward the smoke jumpers. Thirteen lost their life that true day, three survived. Two found cover in a rock crevice. They lived, but one created his own cover by stopping, igniting the grass around him, and then lying down in the center of his own smoldering insulator. Blaze went around his pre-burned area; he made it safe. The true story is not a new one. I’m sure you have heard of it. I read it again in a book by Jonah Lehrer titled, “How we decide.” Lehrer is unfortunately an evolutionist, but uses the story to illustrate the power of the rational mind to create, when emotion is “beat back.” Interestingly, the creative fire survivor had never used the survival principle till that day.…