Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Shall He do evil that good may come?
Romans 3:8 gives me relief to know that God does not injure so He can heal. He does not trouble so He can counsel. I was going to say He does not kill so that He may bring life. And yet I think of all the judgment passages where it sure seems to me that He does just that. I should probably separate out my thoughts about how He deals with the wicked and the redeemed.
There is much evil in this world. As a consequence, many bad things happen. Yet at times chosen by God, He steps in and stops some. Others He redeems, others just run their course. But in the midst of that I'm inclined to believe that He only allows into the lives of His children those things that He has chosen - for His own private reasons - reasons which I am not qualified to question.
So, I should be able to, or at least want to, believe that He is sort of a gatekeeper for my and my children's experiences. He does not allow things through that are beyond my, and their, ability to resist or respond. Although, as with me, so with my kids, He probably will not stop us if we crash the gate. But He will repair it and use it for good if we eventually turn to Him ... which we will if we are His.
So, it is good to know that evil may come, but when it does, redemption is not far behind. Jesus said "Everyone shall be salted with fire. Salt is good ..."
There is much evil in this world. As a consequence, many bad things happen. Yet at times chosen by God, He steps in and stops some. Others He redeems, others just run their course. But in the midst of that I'm inclined to believe that He only allows into the lives of His children those things that He has chosen - for His own private reasons - reasons which I am not qualified to question.
So, I should be able to, or at least want to, believe that He is sort of a gatekeeper for my and my children's experiences. He does not allow things through that are beyond my, and their, ability to resist or respond. Although, as with me, so with my kids, He probably will not stop us if we crash the gate. But He will repair it and use it for good if we eventually turn to Him ... which we will if we are His.
So, it is good to know that evil may come, but when it does, redemption is not far behind. Jesus said "Everyone shall be salted with fire. Salt is good ..."
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Salt is good
Mk 9:49
Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good.
At first I thought this was about turning lemons into lemonade. It's not. It's about redemption.
I don't like the "everyone will be salted with fire" part. I think about some who have been through the fire and it has destroyed them. Their salt, as Jesus said in Matthew, has become tasteless. No one wants to be around them.
Some fires are large - most are small. They just burn us a little - leave little scars. Those are the ones I need to turn to salt. But I can't do that. I can't turn them to lemonade. To me that's pretty much the same as just saying "that's life - get over it."
Thinking about what the Bible says, I am reminded that God is a God of redemption, and the stories of fires in the Bible are filled with God's redemption. That's what I need - a perspective of redemption. I need to learn / figure out how to turn each trouble, no matter how small, over to God for redemption.
How does that work today with the broken toilet or the broken printer? I do see it happened, Lord, with the broken garage door opener - Johnny is putting in a new one for me as a Christmas gift. That's redemption.
God, help me see how redemption can take place through the printer and the toilet. Open my eyes to see the answer to that. Otherwise, what's the meaning in these fires?
On the one hand I think "this is stupid - things break - just pay to get them fixed." On the other hand I think this is a key to living with joy. I'm not sure how, but God this is my hope.
I sure can't find joy on my own. If You can't do it, no one can, and if You don't, no one will. Open my eyes to see how "salt is good." Thank You, this is my hope for today.
Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good.
At first I thought this was about turning lemons into lemonade. It's not. It's about redemption.
I don't like the "everyone will be salted with fire" part. I think about some who have been through the fire and it has destroyed them. Their salt, as Jesus said in Matthew, has become tasteless. No one wants to be around them.
Some fires are large - most are small. They just burn us a little - leave little scars. Those are the ones I need to turn to salt. But I can't do that. I can't turn them to lemonade. To me that's pretty much the same as just saying "that's life - get over it."
Thinking about what the Bible says, I am reminded that God is a God of redemption, and the stories of fires in the Bible are filled with God's redemption. That's what I need - a perspective of redemption. I need to learn / figure out how to turn each trouble, no matter how small, over to God for redemption.
How does that work today with the broken toilet or the broken printer? I do see it happened, Lord, with the broken garage door opener - Johnny is putting in a new one for me as a Christmas gift. That's redemption.
God, help me see how redemption can take place through the printer and the toilet. Open my eyes to see the answer to that. Otherwise, what's the meaning in these fires?
On the one hand I think "this is stupid - things break - just pay to get them fixed." On the other hand I think this is a key to living with joy. I'm not sure how, but God this is my hope.
I sure can't find joy on my own. If You can't do it, no one can, and if You don't, no one will. Open my eyes to see how "salt is good." Thank You, this is my hope for today.
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