Grains of Sand

Pixabay Submission is one of those thorny aspects in Scripture that prompt, "But you don't know what I'm dealing with!" In 1 Peter 2:13-17 Peter addresses the issue of submission to authorities. He is writing to those who have been, and are being, persecuted for their faith and who may have wondered why Peter was asking them to respect and honour those who nursed hate in their hearts for all those who followed Jesus and who demanded that they recant or suffer the consequences.  " Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human authority: whether it be to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will  you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God's slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, h...

Pixabay Since the beginning of this year I have been reading through the Bible with a group of friends from my church. This morning I read through a few chapters from John, including the passage containing Jesus' prayer for His disciples in John 17. Part of that prayer is this: " I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world ". This last bit is repeated a couple of verses later. When I came to today's verses from Peter's letter to the pilgrims scattered throughout the Roman world, I read: " Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day that he visits us ". (1 Peter 2:11, 12) As I read John's words I wondered if, at the time, they had registered on the discip...

Pixabay " Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, until each appears before God in Zion ." (Psalm 84:5-7) The story broke earlier this week on national television. Veterans in Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, would be denied the traditional prayer normally included in their Remembrance Day ceremonies. The school board felt that the absence of the prayer would make the ceremony more inclusive. Veterans were devastated. The decision was eventually reversed and called a "misunderstanding". ( https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/cape-breton-school-reverses-decision-to-ban-veterans-prayer-1.4665405 ) My initial thought at hearing the news report was this: "Funny, when other groups in the community celebrate their traditions no one would ever think of demanding that they cut out s...