Study or pray—that is the question. As biblical scholars where are we drawn to find kinship with God? For most believers, the answer is clear: pray regularly and sincerely. For those of us who invest ourselves into biblical and theological research, pouring over books being intellectually and spiritually mined for a closer understanding of God in some particular aspect of his character, his ways, and his book, the answer can get complicated.
Romans 3:23-26: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.
There is a story that has been circled around about the devil going to market with his tools. For one reason or another he decides to advertise them for sale.
"...There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:10
Today, I get to witness an event that will bring about great joy in heaven. In a little under an hour from when I started this post, there will be a baptism. Now, I don't know that I've ever met a group of people that gets more excited about baptisms than the Church of Christ, and I like that. I think it's a phenomenal experience, to witness an event that God and the angels will rejoice over even more greatly than we will tonight. It's suspenseful leading up to the event for us, and everyone has a hushed energy about them just waiting to escape. Some, like our minister, don't even try to hide their excitement. It's a big deal, someone being baptized. Someone, in this case, a young woman in our congregation, has decided to give her life over to our great God and to his purpose and plan for her. We get a little pumped up. It's the beginning of a huge journey in her life, and one that we will be accompanying her on. And the thought of the journey is really the thought I want to explore...
We find ourselves only days away from the end of the year 2013 and the beginning of a new year. The end of a year which was full of significant international events of deep political ramifications but also of ramifications to the moral course of the American and global society. We live in times that will have a radical impact into the future of our world. With the unthinkable technological advances from the last fifty years, even the last twenty five years, our society has transformed in a way that was totally unpredictable in the interpersonal dynamics of relationships.
In December 1903, after many attempts that would have discouraged just about everyone else from even trying, the Wright brothers were successful in getting their “flying machine” off the ground.
Thrilled, they telegraphed this message to their sister Katherine: “We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas.” Katherine hurried to the editor of the local newspaper and showed him the message. He glanced at it and said: “How nice, the boys will be home for Christmas.” He totally missed the big news – MAN HAD FLOWN!
