The Power of the Dog

Ginger, a mixed breed Boxer, Sullivan, Maine

Dog lovers experience the sweet sway these wonderful, loyal, faithful, comforting, adoring pets hold over them. However, there is the occasional bad tempered cur! Imbedded in memories of my youth is a dog which eagerly and regularly lay in wait to aggressively terrorize and bite my friends and me as we bicycled by its yard on the only way to the small country store in our town. We dreaded that little stretch of street until my father confronted the owner. Then the intimidation stopped!

Humiliation, intimidation, manipulation are destructive powers portrayed in Hollywood’s recently Oscar nominated movie “The Power of the Dog.” The title references Psalm 22:20 where King David was  feeling vulnerable to the power of his enemy and cried out to God: “Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog!”

In Hollywood’s psychological drama, the protagonist is a classically educated, pathetic, damaged, hardened, Montana cowboy who takes advantage of  others’ weaknesses and emotionally abuses them. He bullies, manipulates, diminishes, and destroys them. In the end, he is ironically done in by someone who detected his moral weaknesses and insidiously and brutally destroyed him.

We are all vulnerable. We are insecure, feel inadequate or unacceptable, and have moral flaws. Paradoxically, weaknesses and imperfections leave us open to abuse or to be abusers. When our insecurities, inadequacies, and vulnerabilities are discovered, we may become victims of abuse, but when we deny our own perceived or real failures or cover them up with a cloak of superiority, we easily become critics and judges and diminish others. Although the movie’s cowboy protagonist’s behaviors may seem raw and exaggerated, his faults are common and very recognizable in daily human arrogance. Malicious gossip, unkind attitudes and behaviors, bullying or abuse of any kind, unforgiveness, unhealthy competitiveness, ignoring or disrespecting, over speaking, misusing of authority by overpowering and oppressing and controlling, demeaning words and social media put downs, or demanding our own way are all manipulative behaviors that demoralize others whether done unconsciously or aggressively and purposefully. The prophet Jeremiah made a very perceptive observation: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9)

However, there is a power greater than that of the “cur” which is kenneled within us. That power is Love! “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) That kind of love is supernatural!

Scripture tells us, and Christ has shown us, that “God is love” and that the Gospel is the story of His love. Although the Good News frankly addresses the negativity of humanity and its fallen, sinful nature, it doesn’t excoriate us but is sympathetic to our redemptive need and offers spiritual newness for broken spirits. It doesn’t condemn but encourages us to look at who we are and to get the help we need. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”(John 3:17)

The Gospel is all about confident expectations. “The Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.”(Romans 1:16) It offers forgiveness and hope and  freedom by releasing one from the guilt and shame and destructiveness of our imperfect natures. “God sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.” (Romans 8:1-3 (NLT2)

“Sin’s control” is spiritual death. Faith in what Christ did for humanity on the cross is life giving by ending “sin’s control over us.” God’s forgiveness is redeeming, healing, transformative, restorative and filled with the confidence of eternal life. Redemptive love has the power to raise one up to a new life of progressive strength, peace and hope where condemnation, shame, demoralizing guilt are taken away. By grace, it changes that inner, corrupted mean power of the “dog” which attacks those peddling close by.

We are reminded of Jesus, of how humbly he lived and of what he said: “And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.” (Luke 6:31)

A Prayer for the Ukraine and Us

Cadillac Mountain from the Schoodic Peninsula, Acadia National Park, Maine

Eons ago, these mountains shook and fell into the sea leaving behind a stark beauty and a strange reminder that out of ashes can come beauty; such an idea is difficult to comprehend while considering the devastation, pain, suffering, injustices, and questions brought on by humanity’s self afflicted wars.

Despite the huge outpouring of military and humanitarian support from the international community, the Ukrainians are a vulnerable people who need hope. Their images remind us of WW2. Their circumstances tear at our hearts and bring tears to our eyes and prayers to our lips. Fear, wrenching uncertainty, deprivation, separation, dispossession, injury, loss of family and friends and property and finances and basic necessities, homelessness, and refugee status are unimaginable conditions which are all too real for the people of this nation. They hope and pray for safety, for the strength and ability to sustain themselves, for resolution, for reunion, for return to their homeland. Where does one find that hope in the midst of such upheaval and horrific suffering? Is there any comfort? Will there be any justice? Can good come from such evil?

The Ukraine has a broad religious presence with a large Jewish population and strong Jewish tradition, but the majority of Ukrainians identify as Orthodox Christian as well as some Roman Catholic and Protestants groups. Even though their current situation differs, the Ukrainian refuges are a reminder of how confused, sad, hopeless and isolated Israel’s people felt while exiled in Babylonian. “By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.  On the willows there we hung up our lyres.  For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us  of the songs of Zion! … How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land?”( Psalm 137:1-4)

Remembering God and believing His promises have always been an important, necessary, comforting and stabilizing feature of faith. Knowledge of and trust in the revelations, work, and promises of God bring peace and hope even in the midst of crises and disasters. “Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Psalm 46:1-3, 8-11)

Approximately 380 years ago, George Fredric Handel wrote the musical score for the Messiah, a renowned oratorio. Its Hallelujah Chorus is a frequent Christmas favorite. The story text written by Charles Jennens addresses this universal need for hope. It follows the threads of comforting scripture passages written by  Old Testament Prophets and  the writers of the New Testament Gospels and epistles  about God’s promised Redeemer who will bring justice and salvation to a troubled, suffering Israel and will be the ultimate hope for all nations. Among the familiar recitatives and choruses are: “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people.…Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low; the crooked straight and the rough places plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together… I will shake all nations; and the desire of all nations shall come… Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive…Hallelujah! for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.”

The Psalms are filled with vocalized questions and heartfelt responses to human conundrums of oppression and suffering. There are angry, sad, sorrowful laments, but the overarching theme is that God is present and good and worthy of our gratitude, praise and honor. Despite the messes we make for ourselves or for others, He is faithful and steadfast. He loves and redeems His people and in His sovereignty will bring ultimate justice. Like a “refiner’s fire” a day of justice lies ahead. Christ’s life itself exemplifies that God can change the evilness of suffering into something good; from an unjust crucifixion, He lifts us up with gracious mercy and makes us righteous and just when we believe.

Is it possible that any good might come from the material and emotional devastation and from the injustices  being inflected in the Ukraine? Certainly we pray for safety, protection, and basic necessities to be met and that the desires of Ukrainian hearts will be fulfilled; we pray for the halting of devastation, atrocities and disorder; we pray for justice. We also pray that the image of God will emerge from the evil rubble of war; that His glory will be manifested in the kindnesses,  compassion, understanding, and support given to these vulnerable people;  that His love will be demonstrated through the work and outreach of His Church as it lives out the Gospel; that God’s comfort and peace and assurances will be proclaimed and received and felt;  that somehow the world’s eyes will be opened to the incorrigible nature of the human heart and will see that the purposes and meaning of life transcend the present and will recognize that only God can change the hearts of men, not armies and weaponry; that respect and understanding and unity are ways to advance humanity’s well being not power struggles and  manipulations which devolve into bitter conflicts and selfish divisions; that we would have wise and powerful leaders who seek God’s help to respond to this evil aggression, who will fight for our common good and the protection for human rights and freedom; that we will all develop a greater level of sustainable empathy and be a grateful people who love our neighbors and somehow even our enemies;  that we will value truth and justice; and that God will sooth wounds, take away painful scars, and heal the land.

The difficulty lies in the waiting, in being “still” before God, in trusting Him to do good and bring healing and justice into our lives, in knowing that He is Lord God omnipotent who reigneth.

“ God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” (Psalm 46:1-3)

“Hallelujah! for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.                                                                   The Kingdom of this world is become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ: and/He shall reign for ever and ever/King of kings, Lord of lords.”( Hallelujah Chorus, The Messiah)

Prayers for the Ukraine and Us

Cadillac Mountain from the Schoodic Peninsula, Acadia National Park, Maine

Eons ago, these mountains shook and fell into the sea leaving behind a stark beauty and a strange reminder that out of ashes can come beauty; such an idea is difficult to comprehend while considering the devastation, pain, suffering, injustices, and questions brought on by humanity’s self afflicted wars.

Despite the huge outpouring of military and humanitarian support from the international community, the Ukrainians are a vulnerable people who need hope. Their images remind us of WW2. Their circumstances tear at our hearts and bring tears to our eyes and prayers to our lips. Fear, wrenching uncertainty, deprivation, separation, dispossession, injury, loss of family and friends and property and finances and basic necessities, homelessness, and refugee status are unimaginable conditions which are all too real for the people of this nation. They hope and pray for safety, for the strength and ability to sustain themselves, for resolution, for reunion, for return to their homeland. Where does one find that hope in the midst of such upheaval and horrific suffering? Is there any comfort? Will there be any justice? Can good come from such evil?

The Ukraine has a broad religious presence with a large Jewish population and strong Jewish tradition, but the majority of Ukrainians identify as Orthodox Christian as well as some Roman Catholic and Protestants groups. Even though their current situation differs, the Ukrainian refuges are a reminder of how confused, sad, hopeless and isolated Israel’s people felt while exiled in Babylonian. “By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.  On the willows there we hung up our lyres.  For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us  of the songs of Zion! … How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land?”( Psalm 137:1-4)

Remembering God and believing His promises have always been an important, necessary, comforting and stabilizing feature of faith. Knowledge of and trust in the revelations, work, and promises of God bring peace and hope even in the midst of crises and disasters. “Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Psalm 46:1-3, 8-11)

Approximately 380 years ago, George Fredric Handel wrote the musical score for the Messiah, a renowned oratorio. Its Hallelujah Chorus is a frequent Christmas favorite. The story text written by Charles Jennens addresses this universal need for hope. It follows the threads of comforting scripture passages written by  Old Testament Prophets and  the writers of the New Testament Gospels and epistles  about God’s promised Redeemer who will bring justice and salvation to a troubled, suffering Israel and will be the ultimate hope for all nations. Among the familiar recitatives and choruses are: “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people.…Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low; the crooked straight and the rough places plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together… I will shake all nations; and the desire of all nations shall come… Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive…Hallelujah! for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.”

The Psalms are filled with vocalized questions and heartfelt responses to human conundrums of oppression and suffering. There are angry, sad, sorrowful laments, but the overarching theme is that God is present and good and worthy of our gratitude, praise and honor. Despite the messes we make for ourselves or for others, He is faithful and steadfast. He loves and redeems His people and in His sovereignty will bring ultimate justice. Like a “refiner’s fire” a day of justice lies ahead. Christ’s life itself exemplifies that God can change the evilness of suffering into something good; from an unjust crucifixion, He lifts us up with gracious mercy and makes us righteous and just when we believe.

Is it possible that any good might come from the material and emotional devastation and from the injustices  being inflected in the Ukraine? Certainly we pray for safety, protection, and basic necessities to be met and that the desires of Ukrainian hearts will be fulfilled; we pray for the halting of devastation, atrocities and disorder; we pray for justice. We also pray that the image of God will emerge from the evil rubble of war; that His glory will be manifested in the kindnesses,  compassion, understanding, and support given to these vulnerable people;  that His love will be demonstrated through the work and outreach of His Church as it lives out the Gospel; that God’s comfort and peace and assurances will be proclaimed and received and felt;  that somehow the world’s eyes will be opened to the incorrigible nature of the human heart and will see that the purposes and meaning of life transcend the present and will recognize that only God can change the hearts of men, not armies and weaponry; that respect and understanding and unity are ways to advance humanity’s well being not power struggles and  manipulations which devolve into bitter conflicts and selfish divisions; that we would have wise and powerful leaders who seek God’s help to respond to this evil aggression, who will fight for our common good and the protection for human rights and freedom; that we will all develop a greater level of sustainable empathy and be a grateful people who love our neighbors and somehow even our enemies;  that we will value truth and justice; and that God will sooth wounds, take away painful scars, and heal the land.

The difficulty lies in the waiting, in being “still” before God, in trusting Him to do good and bring healing and justice into our lives, in knowing that He is Lord God omnipotent who reigneth.

“ God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” (Psalm 46:1-3)

“Hallelujah! for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.                                                                   The Kingdom of this world is become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ: and/He shall reign for ever and ever/King of kings, Lord of lords.”( Hallelujah Chorus, The Messiah)

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

Winter in Sorrento, Maine

Sometimes winter lays its soft blanket gently and quietly. But even when its blustery, snow-filled, cold, harsh breath blows, it leaves behind a crisp starkness and raw beauty, a back and white world which is strangely comforting. As it settles around us, we are reassured that the world is in order. Earth’s seasons are cycling as they were created to do. The Psalmist sang: “You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth/you have made summer and winter. (Psalm 74:17)

The prophet Isaiah made a profound analogy between melting snow packs which supply water for the warmer, drier months and the life changing importance of God’s Words.  “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth. And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth…” (Isaiah 55:10-11)  Just as melting snow waters the earth, God’s directives and principles nourish and sustain our souls and quench the thirst for relevance, redemption, and renewal

The idea that our moral and spiritual lives are  fed by Scripture is a continuous Biblical theme. The Psalmist sang about “the Law of the Lord,” “the testimony of the Lord,” the precepts of the Lord,” and “the rules of the Lord” and how they “revive” the soul and “rejoice” the heart and are “ more to be desired than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.”“ Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Psalm 18:7-10; 34:8)

The prophet Jeremiah discovered this truth as he hungered for God’s thoughts:,“ Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts”. (Jeremiah 15:16) Heeding God’s purposes reminds us of whom we were designed to be, that we were fashioned to be His image.

Presenting Christ as God’s wisdom and revelation to man, Scripture refers to Jesus as “the Word.” And Christ continued using this imagery of food and water, of tasting and drinking. He said,  “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” Partaking of Christ’s life is the matter of faith, of trusting that his words are truth and his sacrifice is necessary and adequate for redemption and reconciliation with God. That is the Gospel, which addresses humanity’s need for spiritual awakening and God’s sufficiency to satisfy, to revive, and to give spiritual, eternal life to those who will accept the Good News of Christ. ” The Gospel is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…” (John 1:1-2) (1 Corinthians 1:30) (Colossians 1:15-16) ( John 6:35)(Romans 1:16)

Sustenance for the soul is not home grown but is received. Forgiveness, righteousness, reconciliation and eternality with God are gifts of belief. Isaiah conveyed that truth to his people; “Open up, O heavens, and pour out your righteousness. Let the earth open wide so salvation and righteousness can sprout up together. I, the LORD, created them.” (Isaiah 45:8) That salvation and righteousness are of divine origin is a theme threading its way throughout the entirety of God’s Word. This is the Gospel which was given years before Jesus came in order to fulfill it by pouring himself out for our salvation and imparting his righteousness to us when we open up to him to receive his perfect sacrifice for our spiritual weaknesses known as sin. “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. (Isaiah 1:18)

It is crucial to give thought to these Scriptural promises which claim to be the Words of life that cleanse the soul. (John 15:3)

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

Winter in Sorrento, Maine

Sometimes winter lays its soft blanket gently and quietly. But even when its blustery, snow-filled, cold, harsh breath blows, it leaves behind a crisp starkness and raw beauty, a back and white world which is strangely comforting. As it settles around us, we are reassured that the world is in order. Earth’s seasons are cycling as they were created to do. The Psalmist sang: “You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth/you have made summer and winter. (Psalm 74:17)

The prophet Isaiah made a profound analogy between melting snow packs which supply water for the warmer, drier months and the life changing importance of God’s Words.  “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth. And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth…” (Isaiah 55:10-11)  Just as melting snow waters the earth, God’s directives and principles nourish and sustain our souls and quench the thirst for relevance, redemption, and renewal

The idea that our moral and spiritual lives are  fed by Scripture is a continuous Biblical theme. The Psalmist sang about “the Law of the Lord,” “the testimony of the Lord,” the precepts of the Lord,” and “the rules of the Lord” and how they “revive” the soul and “rejoice” the heart and are “ more to be desired than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.”“ Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Psalm 18:7-10; 34:8)

The prophet Jeremiah discovered this truth as he hungered for God’s thoughts:,“ Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts”. (Jeremiah 15:16) Heeding God’s purposes reminds us of whom we were designed to be, that we were fashioned to be His image.

Presenting Christ as God’s wisdom and revelation to man, Scripture refers to Jesus as “the Word.” And Christ continued using this imagery of food and water, of tasting and drinking. He said,  “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” Partaking of Christ’s life is the matter of faith, of trusting that his words are truth and his sacrifice is necessary and adequate for redemption and reconciliation with God. That is the Gospel, which addresses humanity’s need for spiritual awakening and God’s sufficiency to satisfy, to revive, and to give spiritual, eternal life to those who will accept the Good News of Christ. ” The Gospel is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…” (John 1:1-2) (1 Corinthians 1:30) (Colossians 1:15-16) ( John 6:35)(Romans 1:16)

Sustenance for the soul is not home grown but is received. Forgiveness, righteousness, reconciliation and eternality with God are gifts of belief. Isaiah conveyed that truth to his people; “Open up, O heavens, and pour out your righteousness. Let the earth open wide so salvation and righteousness can sprout up together. I, the LORD, created them.” (Isaiah 45:8) That salvation and righteousness are of divine origin is a theme threading its way throughout the entirety of God’s Word. This is the Gospel which was given years before Jesus came in order to fulfill it by pouring himself out for our salvation and imparting his righteousness to us when we open up to him to receive his perfect sacrifice for our spiritual weaknesses known as sin. “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. (Isaiah 1:18)

How open are we to the salvation and righteousness from heaven? It is crucial to give thought to these Scriptural promises which claim to be the Words of life that cleanse the soul. (John 15:3)

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

Winter in Sorrento, Maine

Sometimes winter lays its soft blanket gently and quietly. But even when its blustery, snow-filled, cold, harsh breath blows, it leaves behind a crisp starkness and raw beauty, a back and white world which is strangely comforting. As it settles around us, we are reassured that the world is in order. Earth’s seasons are cycling as they were created to do. The Psalmist sang: “You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth/you have made summer and winter. (Psalm 74:17)

The prophet Isaiah made a profound analogy between melting snow packs which supply water for the warmer, drier months and the life changing importance of God’s Words.  “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth. And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth…” (Isaiah 55:10-11)  Just as melting snow waters the earth, God’s directives and principles nourish and sustain our souls and quench the thirst for relevance, redemption, and renewal

The idea that our moral and spiritual lives are  fed by Scripture is a continuous Biblical theme. The Psalmist sang about “the Law of the Lord,” “the testimony of the Lord,” the precepts of the Lord,” and “the rules of the Lord” and how they “revive” the soul and “rejoice” the heart and are “ more to be desired than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.”“ Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Psalm 18:7-10; 34:8)

The prophet Jeremiah discovered this truth as he hungered for God’s thoughts:,“ Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts”. (Jeremiah 15:16) Heeding God’s purposes reminds us of whom we were designed to be, that we were fashioned to be His image.

Presenting Christ as God’s wisdom and revelation to man, Scripture refers to Jesus as “the Word.” And Christ continued using this imagery of food and water, of tasting and drinking. He said,  “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” Partaking of Christ’s life is the matter of faith, of trusting that his words are truth and his sacrifice is necessary and adequate for redemption and reconciliation with God. That is the Gospel, which addresses humanity’s need for spiritual awakening and God’s sufficiency to satisfy, to revive, and to give spiritual, eternal life to those who will accept the Good News of Christ. ” The Gospel is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…” (John 1:1-2) (1 Corinthians 1:30) (Colossians 1:15-16) ( John 6:35)(Romans 1:16)

Sustenance for the soul is not home grown but is received. Forgiveness, righteousness, reconciliation and eternality with God are gifts of belief. Isaiah conveyed that truth to his people; “Open up, O heavens, and pour out your righteousness. Let the earth open wide so salvation and righteousness can sprout up together. I, the LORD, created them.” (Isaiah 45:8) That salvation and righteousness are of divine origin is a theme threading its way throughout the entirety of God’s Word. This is the Gospel which was given years before Jesus came in order to fulfill it by pouring himself out for our salvation and imparting his righteousness to us when we open up to him to receive his perfect sacrifice for our spiritual weaknesses known as sin. “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. (Isaiah 1:18)

How open are we to the salvation and righteousness from heaven? It is crucial to give thought to these Scriptural promises which claim to be the Words of life that cleanse the soul. (John 15:3)

Reality’s Latitude and Longitude…

Mt/ Katahdin, Baxter State Park, Maine

Magnificent, stark, and a beautiful sight at any season, Mt. Katahdin has not moved from  the same geographic spot for millennia. There it may be admired, climbed, written about, or photographed. Whether or not it can be seen, it will always be found at latitude: 45.9044, longitude: -68.9213   111 N 45 54’16”,  E 68 55’17”. It may be the home of Indian legends, but it is a physical reality.

We are creatures shaped by heredity, personality, learned values, education, experiences, and environment. As relational and emotional people, we hold varying values and opinions. However, our perceptions do not change the nature of an object or circumstances or  absolute principles. The world may be silent because I am deaf, but that doesn’t mean that the birds don’t sing. The Cardinal flower growing by the stream may be missed because of my color blindness, but it is still red and there. The stove is hot even if I have a neuropathy and don’t feel it. The sky may look dark and dreary because of cataracts, but it is really blue and beautiful. Obviously, personal limitations or misconceptions may distort  an actual situation and lead to misinterpretations or misunderstandings, but “my truth” simply identifies  personal beliefs or ideas that may vary from someone else’s. However,  Truth is independent of personal choices or thoughts. It, like Katahdin,  doesn’t move from its coordinates just because it is more convenient for us to find it somewhere else.

Some philosophic viewpoints exclude God and deny or desensitize us to the reality  existing beyond ourselves and the material universe. They are nihllistic houses of cards with no answer for the human spirit. Evolutionary theories may help us understand that we live in an ordered existence, but Moses wrote about that thousands of years before Darwin arrived on the scene. Pandemics confirm scientific “facts” to be fluid and in flux.  And despite man’s good intentions, humanity’s innate goodness has proven to be poppycock! History screams that to us. We continually fail to fix our broken natures and are as conflicted, hypocritical, and corrupt as our remotest ancestors. The cries of hurting people heard on the daily news make us realize we are incurable. If we are to be redeemed, redemption will have to come from outside ourselves! That is a reality, but so is redemption.

As spiritual beings we  seek meaningful affirmation; we search for  justification and moral improvement and for meaning in a multitude of ways: through love, intimacy, meditation, mysticism,  religion, artistic expressions, and morality. However, there is bedrock on which to stand, on which to base a meaningful life, while we spin around our allotted time. As with all beliefs relating to the origins and purposes and ultimate destiny of humanity, a “step of faith” is involved. The material facts and  beauty of our mysteriously miraculous universe show us the nature of God. The powerful revelations of  God throughout history as seen through Scripture and the person of Jesus Christ reveal God’s wisdom to us. Christ boldly told his disciples that he was the Way, the Truth, and the Life and that nobody could come to God except through him. (John 14:6)  If Christ is a person of integrity, then that astounding statement has to be true.

If humanity’s brokenness and  and inability to redeem itself are a spiritual reality, Christ’s life and testimony give credence to a Creator whose love and mercy and grace are the only possible redemptive remedy for us. Because our efforts to be righteous are just another teardrop in the ocean of dismal failures, the reality of God and His salvation are well worth exploration and will be found at the latitude and longitude of Christ’s cross where divine love, grace , and mercy intersect and lift humanity’s unholy burden and open the possibility of restoration.. (John 3:16)

Reality’s Latitude and Longitude…

Mount Katahdin, Baxter State Park, Maine

Magnificent, stark, and a beautiful sight at any season, Mt. Katahdin has not moved from  the same geographic spot for millennia. There it may be admired, climbed, written about, or photographed. Whether or not it can be seen, it will always be found at latitude: 45.9044, longitude: -68.9213   111 N 45 54’16”,  E 68 55’17”. It may be the home of Indian legends, but it is a physical reality.

We are creatures shaped by heredity, personality, learned values, education, experiences, and environment. As relational and emotional people, we hold varying values and opinions. However, our perceptions do not change the nature of an object or circumstances or  absolute principles. The world may be silent because I am deaf, but that doesn’t mean that the birds don’t sing. The Cardinal flower growing by the stream may be missed because of my color blindness, but it is still red and there. The stove is hot even if I have a neuropathy and don’t feel it. The sky may look dark and dreary because of cataracts, but it is really blue and beautiful. Obviously, personal limitations or misconceptions may distort  an actual situation and lead to misinterpretations or misunderstandings, but “my truth” simply identifies  personal beliefs or ideas that may vary from someone else’s. However,  Truth is independent of personal choices or thoughts. It, like Katahdin,  doesn’t move from its coordinates just because it is more convenient for us to find it somewhere else.

Some philosophic viewpoints exclude God and deny or desensitize us to the reality  existing beyond ourselves and the material universe. They are nihllistic houses of cards with no answer for the human spirit. Evolutionary theories may help us understand that we live in an ordered existence, but Moses wrote about that thousands of years before Darwin arrived on the scene. Pandemics confirm scientific “facts” to be fluid and in flux.  And despite man’s good intentions, humanity’s innate goodness has proven to be poppycock! History screams that to us. We continually fail to fix our broken natures and are as conflicted, hypocritical, and corrupt as our remotest ancestors. The cries of hurting people heard on the daily news make us realize we are incurable. If we are to be redeemed, redemption will have to come from outside ourselves! That is a reality, but so is redemption.

As spiritual beings we  seek meaningful affirmation; we search for  justification and moral improvement and for meaning in a multitude of ways: through love, intimacy, meditation, mysticism,  religion, artistic expressions, and morality. However, there is bedrock on which to stand, on which to base a meaningful life, while we spin around our allotted time. As with all beliefs relating to the origins and purposes and ultimate destiny of humanity, a “step of faith” is involved. The material facts and  beauty of our mysteriously miraculous universe show us the nature of God. The powerful revelations of  God throughout history as seen through Scripture and the person of Jesus Christ reveal God’s wisdom to us. Christ boldly told his disciples that he was the Way, the Truth, and the Life and that nobody could come to God except through him. (John 14:6)  If Christ is a person of integrity, then that astounding statement has to be true.

If humanity’s brokenness and  and inability to redeem itself are a spiritual reality, Christ’s life and testimony give credence to a Creator whose love and mercy and grace are the only possible redemptive remedy for us. Because our efforts to be righteous are just another teardrop in the ocean of dismal failures, the reality of God and His salvation are well worth exploration and will be found at the latitude and longitude of Christ’s cross where divine love, grace , and mercy intersect and lift humanity’s unholy burden and open the possibility of restoration.. (John 3:16)

Really?! A First Priority?

“Looking for Lunch,” Eagles on the Taunton River, Sullivan, Maine

What in the world was Jesus talking about when he made this mind stopping statement? “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? …do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?“

If we believe in a God who is good and loving, we easily accept that God values mankind in a uniquely special way. His extreme mercy and grace are revealed in Christ, whose sacrificial work for us reconnects us with God when we avail ourselves of that love and the redemption it provides. But what about the claim that that God’s care is so personal that we should not “be anxious” about the things we need? That idea seems a bit baffling because we have had to scramble to sustain ourselves ever since Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden!

However, Jesus modelled this peace for us. Trusting his Heavenly Father was a  reality for this much beleaguered, hard working, weary worn, poor Rabbi, who had no place to call home and who faced all the trials and temptations and needs of humans. He came to share in the human experience and heal it. In the darkest of moments he could and would pray with integrity  “not my will but Yours be done.”

In that setting, Jesus’ words take on substance. He had winnowed out the fact that life  is not just about one’s own humanity but is about seeking God’s Kingdom, which on the surface is a baffling place where the happy carry the cross of self denial daily, where satisfaction comes through self-sacrifice, where righteousness has nothing to do with individual effort but is a gift given by God, and where the happy are not only repentant,  humble, merciful, and peace loving, but their journey takes them through mourning, persecution and even death because of their devotion to God, who is their protector!! (Mathew 5-7) On the surface, living in this Kingdom may have limited appeal to self oriented humanity. However, the trade off is attaining what we desire and work for in this life. “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17)

The primary purposes and meaning of life are found in our Creator and His purposes, not in gourmet food, designer clothes, or mini-mansions, not in expending the energy and worry of accumulating, attaining, and  possessing. So, Christ cautioned his followers against anxiously and exhaustingly chasing meaningless dreams or cluttering  minds with trivial pursuits or devoting means to personal idols and allowing self and stuff to become the empty treasures of a life instead of finding satisfaction in who they were created to be. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-34)

This spiritual Kingdom is a priority-must. “… seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” and all these things will be added to you. Kingdom values are ever enduring, always contemporary, extremely important, and spiritually fulfilling principles which are relational in nature and are defined by love. Loving God with all ones being and loving one’s neighbor unconditionally will  bring joy, meet the requirements for a purposeful life, and have eternal benefit which can not come from obsessing about, totally investing in, and becoming anxious over material things which will disappoint and disappear. Seeking God places desires and pursuits into right perspective. Christ encouraged taking the long view, considering the end of the game.

He showed the way to fulfillment. He loved God with all his being and elevated his love for “neighbors” to the point he died for us. His self denial not only marked out the course to the Kingdom but is the Way into the Kingdom of God through faith in his redemptive work for us. His Gospel empowers one to live the graces extended to us and emboldens one to confidently trust, to “not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Really?! A First Priority?

“Looking for Lunch,” Eagles on the Taunton River, Sullivan, Maine

What in the world was Jesus talking about when he made this mind stopping statement? “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? …do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?“

If we believe in a God who is good and loving, we easily accept that God values mankind in a uniquely special way. His extreme mercy and grace are revealed in Christ, whose sacrificial work for us reconnects us with God when we avail ourselves of that love and the redemption it provides. But what about the claim that that God’s care is so personal that we should not “be anxious” about the things we need? That idea seems a bit baffling because we have had to scramble to sustain ourselves ever since Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden!

However, Jesus modelled this peace for us. Trusting his Heavenly Father was a  reality for this much beleaguered, hard working, weary worn, poor Rabbi, who had no place to call home and who faced all the trials and temptations and needs of humans. He came to share in the human experience and heal it. In the darkest of moments he could and would pray with integrity  “not my will but Yours be done.”

In that setting, Jesus’ words take on substance. He had winnowed out the fact that life  is not just about one’s own humanity but is about seeking God’s Kingdom, which on the surface is a baffling place where the happy carry the cross of self denial daily, where satisfaction comes through self-sacrifice, where righteousness has nothing to do with individual effort but is a gift given by God, and where the happy are not only repentant,  humble, merciful, and peace loving, but their journey takes them through mourning, persecution and even death because of their devotion to God, who is their protector!! (Mathew 5-7) On the surface, living in this Kingdom may have limited appeal to self oriented humanity. However, the trade off is attaining what we desire and work for in this life. “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17)

The primary purposes and meaning of life are found in our Creator and His purposes, not in gourmet food, designer clothes, or mini-mansions, not in expending the energy and worry of accumulating, attaining, and  possessing. So, Christ cautioned his followers against anxiously and exhaustingly chasing meaningless dreams or cluttering  minds with trivial pursuits or devoting means to personal idols and allowing self and stuff to become the empty treasures of a life instead of finding satisfaction in who they were created to be. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-34)

This spiritual Kingdom is a priority-must. “… seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” and all these things will be added to you. Kingdom values are ever enduring, always contemporary, extremely important, and spiritually fulfilling principles which are relational in nature and are defined by love. Loving God with all ones being and loving one’s neighbor unconditionally will  bring joy, meet the requirements for a purposeful life, and have eternal benefit which can not come from obsessing about, totally investing in, and becoming anxious over material things which will disappoint and disappear. Seeking God places desires and pursuits into right perspective. Christ encouraged taking the long view, considering the end of the game.

He showed the way to fulfillment. He loved God with all his being and elevated his love for “neighbors” to the point he died for us. His self denial not only marked out the course to the Kingdom but is the Way into the Kingdom of God through faith in his redemptive work for us. His Gospel empowers one to live the graces extended to us and emboldens one to confidently trust, to “not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

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