From the Lilies and the Birds Let Us Learn

Father in Heaven, when spring is come, everything in nature returns in new freshness and beauty, the lilies and the birds have lost nothing of their charm--oh, that we also might return to the instruction of these teachers! Ah, but if in the time that has elapsed we have lost our health, would that we might regain it by learning again from the lilies of the field and the birds of the air!

Excerpt from Kierkegaard's Journals

Babel

Depending on who asked me, I would say that the first half of Genesis 11 is my favorite portion of the Pentateuch. Right or wrong, I admit that I take a lot about the character of GOD from this passage.

Perfunctory Confession

...or, "The Difference between Quitting and Resigning"

It always goes like this. There are spirits crying for structure, and then once you give it to them, they turn on you. Then you're left with a big frame, just sitting there like a broken down car on blocks in the front lawn.

So many times this leads to rationalizations which lead to quitting. But, this time, perhaps I'll quit rationalizing.

The Work of the Spirit

Main Passage: John 16:7-14.

Main Points:

1. Why do we have spiritual experiences?

Here the lecture swerved to a shallow appeal to human nature. We all have experiences which are inexplicable in a purely material world. The bare assertion was made that we are spiritual beings and that there is a spiritual reality, but no grounding was given, even from Scripture.

The Echo of Guilt

Recently the thought occurred to me that there might be a moral to the failures of my recent past.

The dreams of a young man are like unto weeds. They grow quickly, choke out fruit-bearing growth, and, if left for a season, are nigh impossible to kill.

As soon as the thought took root, I was offended by it. From whence did this thought come. My imagination took flight with the trite image of an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. It was indicative of the fact that I am, of late, conflicted with myself in the broadest of terms. I had constructed a grand vision. It had failed. I was/am confused.