meditations from the third shift

Christian based commentaries and observations.

Quote of Note

Billy Graham's Prayer For Our Nation



: 'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance.
We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done.

We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.

We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.

We have killed our unborn and called it choice.

We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.

We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.

We have abused power and called it politics.

We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.

We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.

We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free.
:
: Amen!'
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Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Bible Stories

Some years ago Yoko Ono, now widow of ex-beatle John Lennon, stood on stage at a concert, holding a Bible. She waved it at the audience, tore the pages, and threw it into the seats declaring that it was, "just a bunch of stories".
In the post "the meaning of life" I recorded that in the early years wonder, awe. and learning are primary. We love a good story with all of its imagination and fantasy. As we grow older though the quest for the knowledge of truth takes center stage. Isn't awesome that the stories, taught to us as children, from the Bible are revealed to be truth! Furthermore, if taken to heart, they yield a heart of love, and the security we need in old age.
The truth revealed in the Biblical stories lead us to a proper world view of origin, morality, purpose, and destiny. Not only do they lead us into truth, but they also continue to instill awe and wonder as the many many layers of understanding contained within them are revealed. Yet, each new layer of revelation does not trump, or ruin the previous understanding, they support each other. They not only give us a right world view, but also give us the perspective of God's view the world.
All of those stories teach of the worth of the individual, love of good friendship, love of God, and God's love for us.
All of those stories, Old Testament and New, Point to the one perfect person, his perfect character, divine personality, messiah-ship, mission, relationship with the Father, and redemption of mankind.
Blessed are the Sunday school teachers!
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1 comment:

Elizabeth Mahlou said...

I wonder what motivated Ono. What she did is not a normal thing to do -- it makes one suspect anger at God, disappointment, or something along those lines. I was an atheist for many years, decades, but it never would have entered my head to do what she did. If one does not believe, then there is no anger, no threat, just obliviousness. If one believes, then one has reason for anger. I suspect that the Bible really was more than a collection of stories for her.

8/15/2009 8:19 PM

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