Grains of Sand

Pixabay "Be reasonable." Most of us have heard that phrase more than a few times. "Reasonable" is, according to my dictionary: "sensible, rational, logical, fair, fair-minded, just, equitable; intelligent, wise, levelheaded, practical, realistic; sound, reasoned, well reasoned, valid, commonsensical; tenable, plausible, credible, believable." Funny how hard it is to actually BE reasonable. We get something in our heads and it is impossible to pound it out no matter how foolish it might be. Isaiah writes: " 'Come now, let us reason together,' says the Lord. 'Though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.' " (1:18) At the time the prophet was writing, Israel was in a sorry state spiritually. Though many view the God of the Old Testament as an angry, vengeful One, there are plenty of statements and actions that say something else. This is one. G...

Pixabay Remember...that God "forgets." The writer to the Hebrews quotes Jeremiah 31:31-34 when he writes: " For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more " (Hebrews 8:12). This is followed up with, again quoting Jeremiah, " 'Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.' And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin " (10:17, 18). In both cases these wonderful verses are preceded by a promise from God to " ...put my laws in their hearts, and...write them in their minds " (10:16 and vice-versa in 8:10). These are changed people, renewed in heart and mind, and forgiven. God is omniscient. This fifty dollar word simply means that He knows everything. And logically, at least to my mind, omniscience means He can't forget anything. This is why I wrote "forgets" as I did. Because God really doesn't forget anything. I think this is important because one o...

Pixaby My friends in the north have already had their first skiff of snow. When I went downstairs to make my coffee this morning I noticed that the car had frost on it—the first of the season. The inevitable is happening. Winter happens. Be it mild or fierce, it is sure. Just as surely comes the inevitable need to face a much bigger issue than frost and snow flurries. At some point in life every one of us has to face the offenses we have committed against God—what the Scripture calls sin. One of the ladies we worked with in Caracas was always quick to remind us that David, often held up as a godly example, was not perfect. If Elizabeth knew nothing much else about the Bible she certainly knew the story of David's sin against Bathsheba and her husband, Uriah. God did not seek to hide the sin of one of His own. In recording David's sin, and its consequences, the Almighty also provided the backdrop for a wonderful description of the remedy for that sin. Psalm 51 descri...

Google Images Why would a man invite someone whom he despised to supper? Simon the Pharisee did just that. He invited Jesus to dine with him. But his feelings were clear from the beginning. The accepted custom was for the host to ensure that a servant washed a guest’s feet as he entered: to relieve him of the dust from the road and refresh him for the meal. Simon did not do this (Luke 7:44). Neither did the Pharisee offer a kiss of friendship when Jesus came into his house (7:45). Certainly he never honoured the Lord by recognizing him by anointing him with oil (7:46). The signs were all there. This was an inquisition not an invitation to dinner. But one lone woman messed it all up. How “ a woman who had lived a sinful life ” (7:37) got into Simon’s dining  room is a mystery. Mind you, God does move in mysterious ways so it is quite possible that she walked in because God ensured that she was invisible to doorkeepers and servants. Simon saw her and was incensed. Jesus saw her a...

disabilityclothesline.weebly.com (Google Images) I was on my way down to the basement to put some items in the recycle bin when a neighbour from the floor below me got on the elevator. She had a coffee cup in her hand. Her sister was in the laundry room and she was going down for a chat. I commented that Monday was the traditional day for doing laundry. She laughed and remarked that some things never change. As we got off the elevator I mentioned that in my mother’s day it always seemed to be a race on Monday morning to see who would be first to get their wash on the line. That thought prompted some other thoughts related to what I had read earlier this morning. I am working myway through the Sermon on the Mount, much of which is recorded in Matthew 5 through 7. Other parts of the Gospels record smaller sections of these famous teachings of Jesus. Among the things that struck me this morning was Luke 6:37b which says: “ Forgive, and you will be forgiven .” What I read from the Gosp...