Fri, Feb 12th - 2:54PM
Three References to Stoke some Thought:
Violence is a dangerous subject. I know that very well, living the life of something close to a Roman Centurion I come across many who ask me how I could be Christian and in the Profession of Arms in any capacity.
The simple answer? It is how I serve.
That does not explain much to those who do not understand violence. Left me share 3 links with you. After you read them, ask questions. I will answer, as best I can.
The first one.
The second one.
The third one.
This third one empitomizes it for me. I won't tell you how, yet.
And a couple of scriptures for ruminating. Feel free to expand the scope that I give you here. The message I get from these passages is enhanced by doing so!
10When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
13Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.
Matthew 8:10-13 (NIV)
1At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"
4Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked.
The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea."
Acts 10:1-6 (NIV)
In Truth,
Mel
Comment (3)
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Tue, Feb 9th - 2:49PM
Blind Men
You know, there is an Indian proverb/fable/parable that explains truth in a way you need to understand from me.
It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind.
The First approach'd the Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
"God bless me! but the Elephant
Is very like a wall!"
The Second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, -"Ho! what have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me 'tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a spear!"
The Third approached the animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake:
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
Is very like a snake!"
The Fourth reached out his eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
"What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain," quoth he,
"'Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a tree!"
The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: "E'en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a fan!"
The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Then, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
Is very like a rope!"
And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!
MORAL.
So oft in theologic wars,
The disputants, I ween,
Rail on in utter ignorance
Of what each other mean,
And prate about an Elephant
Not one of them has seen!
I got this here, if you wish to look into this further. If you check it out, you should see grounds for argument all through my presentation of this so far.
"Why would you do that?" some of you may wonder. The answer is simply to illustrate that God is not constrained to make it easy for us to understand. We puff ourselves up with knowledge, and think ourselves great! HA! So great that we must put God in a Box, I wonder?
20Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
1 Corinthians 1:20 (NIV)
My point is simply this: I see "Truth" as the complete and accurate description of all that is. Some may argue that everything exists in this universe as we "see" it, and that it is large, but finite. I do not. Even if it were, not one of us has the capacity to understand anything that large. We are fools if we convince ourselves as we do!
I, of course, think that something lies outside our grasp. That fundemental choice is what allows me to believe what others cannot! They describe an elephant, and I listen, knowing that their description, though incomplete, may give me fuller understanding. I listen, but do not always agree!
Do you have an understanding like this about your faith, or are you blind like the men in the story?
I often see man's wisdom passed off as if it were God's Wisdom. I only ask you to be willing to examine it for yourself, for this is the noble thing God would have you do!
In Christ,
Mel
Comment (4)
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