looking back to my childhood days, i seem to remember our kitchen sinks (yes, there were many of them) always being planted right in front of a little window that overlooked the yard. i suppose that's normal...its pretty common, right? its as if the builder/architect wanted to soften the edge of this unavoidable chore for us...as though he says to us, in fatherly tones, "as long as you're stuck here, elbow deep in dried oatmeal and grease and bubbles, at least you can see freedom just on the other side."
as i was doing dishes last night, it dawned on me, maybe for the first time, that, for whatever reason, our house doesn't have this feature. i guess i never noticed before, but our sink is attached to this half wall that divides the kitchen from the great room, with one huge vaulted ceiling (23 ft) overhead.
well, amber was working late, so it was just me and the girls and as i was standing there, scrubbing, i found myself just watching them play on the other side of that little wall...hearing them laugh and giggle and run around...and i was thankful that i wasn't staring off into the black night, or at my own mirrored reflection in the window pane...but i had my own little 'window' and was able to just get lost in the best part of God's creation. i love those girls.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
a quick thought
I never understood why God rejected Cain's sacrifice and accepted Abel's...
was it because He knows the future and that Cain is a murderer? (like Minority Report, minus the creepy bald chick)
or was it because He's just sovereign and does what He chooses? (Ex 33:19)
well...recently, I picked up Martin Luther's commentary on Galatians and in the preface, He wrote about the dangers of works in religion vs faith...and made the correlation to Cain and Abel and their sacrifices...which got me thinking: could it be that Cain's sacrifice represents works based religion, while Abel's is representative of faith?
Well, in Gen 4:2, it says that Cain was a worker of the ground (a farmer) and Abel was a keeper of flocks (shepherd)...of course, THAT got me thinking about the curse that God pronounced in the previous chapter: in 3:17-19, God curses the ground, saying, "in pain...by the sweat of your face, you shall eat..."
I'm intrigued:
I can't help but notice that Cain is a 'worker' while Abel is a 'keeper'...Cain gave a portion of his harvest (which was won by hard labor) and Abel gave the firstborn and best offspring of his flock (which reproduced itself). Does Cain rely on his own works, while Abel shows dependence on and trust for God's provision?
was it because He knows the future and that Cain is a murderer? (like Minority Report, minus the creepy bald chick)
or was it because He's just sovereign and does what He chooses? (Ex 33:19)
well...recently, I picked up Martin Luther's commentary on Galatians and in the preface, He wrote about the dangers of works in religion vs faith...and made the correlation to Cain and Abel and their sacrifices...which got me thinking: could it be that Cain's sacrifice represents works based religion, while Abel's is representative of faith?
Well, in Gen 4:2, it says that Cain was a worker of the ground (a farmer) and Abel was a keeper of flocks (shepherd)...of course, THAT got me thinking about the curse that God pronounced in the previous chapter: in 3:17-19, God curses the ground, saying, "in pain...by the sweat of your face, you shall eat..."
I'm intrigued:
I can't help but notice that Cain is a 'worker' while Abel is a 'keeper'...Cain gave a portion of his harvest (which was won by hard labor) and Abel gave the firstborn and best offspring of his flock (which reproduced itself). Does Cain rely on his own works, while Abel shows dependence on and trust for God's provision?
Time for a Change
Change is good. Not always, I know, but contrasted with the human tendency towards stagnation, I'd say change is generally good.
But change doesn't always come from within and it doesn't always come (should I say, 'it rarely comes'?) in ways that are easily swallowed or readily welcomed.
I was recently faced with dramatic change in my life: about 2 months ago, I was called into a meeting and asked to resign. I think it goes without saying that such news is difficult to deal with...it literally changes everything. Add the fact that I was working for a church...and a church that has been my home for just over 8 years, and you can imagine the emotional impact--not only on myself, but my family. It feels a little like being anti-loved and un-adopted. (as an aside, the sermon title on my last sunday was, 'Somebody's Hurting: Who Cares?' ---too appropriate!)
But I've discovered something...the blessing in disguise...and I can't help but imagine that as I sat and wept in my former pastor's office, wondering what I'd say to my wife and what we'd do next, God was in heaven, simultaneously weeping with me, and giddy over the work He was doing in the midst of that trial (He does that, you know: He weeps with us in our pain, knowing full well His good purposes FOR our pain...see John 11). What I couldn't see then, but am beginning to see now is that God has some really cool things in store for me and my family. No, I don't know exactly what they are...or precisely what the future holds...but I know it is good because HE is good.
And in the face of being 'anti-loved' by my former employer, I've been reminded of the steadfastness of God's love for His children (Isaiah 41:10).
But change doesn't always come from within and it doesn't always come (should I say, 'it rarely comes'?) in ways that are easily swallowed or readily welcomed.
I was recently faced with dramatic change in my life: about 2 months ago, I was called into a meeting and asked to resign. I think it goes without saying that such news is difficult to deal with...it literally changes everything. Add the fact that I was working for a church...and a church that has been my home for just over 8 years, and you can imagine the emotional impact--not only on myself, but my family. It feels a little like being anti-loved and un-adopted. (as an aside, the sermon title on my last sunday was, 'Somebody's Hurting: Who Cares?' ---too appropriate!)
But I've discovered something...the blessing in disguise...and I can't help but imagine that as I sat and wept in my former pastor's office, wondering what I'd say to my wife and what we'd do next, God was in heaven, simultaneously weeping with me, and giddy over the work He was doing in the midst of that trial (He does that, you know: He weeps with us in our pain, knowing full well His good purposes FOR our pain...see John 11). What I couldn't see then, but am beginning to see now is that God has some really cool things in store for me and my family. No, I don't know exactly what they are...or precisely what the future holds...but I know it is good because HE is good.
And in the face of being 'anti-loved' by my former employer, I've been reminded of the steadfastness of God's love for His children (Isaiah 41:10).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)