The Writing on the Wall

Friday, November 7, 2014

Strengthened for the Battle

I spent an hour or so non-stop yesterday gathering leaves. This photo above is the "before" picture. My folks have a huge yard of trees. My job for the week I am here in NY is to get all these leaves raked before I depart. I am worried that I be will be thwarted by rain and cold. The forecast is not promising. Here is another "before" picture.

While a fine mist of rain had started already, I knew as long as it was only sprinkling, I needed to get out there. I had about an hour before lunch and before heavier rain was forecast. Lunch is not just lunch at my folks. It is an event. Rain or even hurricanes might not stop me, but woe to she who tries to ignore the lunch timetable. So I worked furiously for that hour, after which my father came out and gave me a ten minute warning to be showered and ready for lunch. Truth be told, I was ready to take a break. Yard work is exhausting. Here is what I accomplished:

And here is another:

I think if I could have 6 days without rain, I could do this job. If it rains the whole time I am here, all bets are off. The afternoon after lunch, it was raining, so no yard work. The rain and cold continued all day. This morning when I looked out the window at the back yard, it was almost as though I hadn't worked on it at all. The whole yard stretched before me still covered in a foot-thick layer of leaves. I could barely discern the dent I had made the day before in the mat of now heavy sodden, leaves.

Here were some of my morning verses:

Isaiah 49:4,14 But I said, “I have labored in vain;
    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my right is with the Lord,
    and my recompense with my God.”...
The Lord has forsaken me;
    my Lord has forgotten me.”

Sometimes this is what life feels like. It feels like we have been working as hard as we can to do all we know we should do in service to God, and the day comes to a close, and nothing seems to have been accomplished. People still scoff at us and Him, non-believers reject His promises despite our most earnest pleas, His presence and miracles are kicked aside, relationships still founder, and persistent sin is still persistent. The leaves keep piling up, new ones fall, and the work before us will never end.

But then, I read on. Never only read a partial message. Here is how God in Isaiah 49 answers the despairing cry of the writer:

“Can a woman forget her nursing child,
    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget,
    yet I will not forget you.
¹⁶Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
    your walls are continually before me.
¹⁷Your builders make haste;
    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.
¹⁸Lift up your eyes around and see;
    they all gather, they come to you.
As I live, declares the Lord,
    you shall put them all on as an ornament;
    you shall bind them on as a bride does.

Engraved on His hands! We can not be forgotten. He will not leave us. Nothing we do in His name will be in vain. Lift up our eyes and see! ( see what...a leaf?) No! See that he has gathered "builders" not destroyers around us! The enemy will be vanquished, our efforts will be blessed, and God will be our refuge and our strength!

With this in mind, I head back out to the lawn of leaves, strengthened for another day of battle.
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Isaiah 49: 25-26
for I will contend with those who contend with you,
    and I will save your children.
I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,
    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.
Then all flesh shall know
    that I am the Lord your Savior,
    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Wearing a Hat of Faith

Before leaving the beautiful little historic Winchester, I went on a morning run. I meandered through the streets, gawking at the beauty of the old construction.

A statue of a young George Washington marked the spot by the still standing office where he worked as a surveyor. What hallowed grounds! The very turf that George Washington had trod beneath my feet!

I could almost hear the voices of our country's founders swirling in the quiet morning, almost see them gathered on the steps of the welcoming Inns as they discussed their vision of a country founded on freedom and inalienable rights, bestowed upon us by a gracious God.

Only one thought marred the joy of my run. I had strapped my favorite baseball cap to my backpack, and hurried in to the hotel the night before with my backpack on my back. In my haste, the hat must have slipped out of the cross straps and was gone. I know it was only a hat, but it was not only a hat. It said "Life is Good" and had a horse head on it. I had bought it years ago for Asherel, but since she rarely wore it, I had inherited it. I loved its cheery yellow color and happy message, but now it was gone.

Still, I told myself not to store my treasures where moth and dust corrupt, and don't lose the joy of now for the regrets of yesterday. I trotted happily around the lovely old town, and then a little reluctantly, returned to the hotel, packed, and glanced sadly at the empty backpack cross straps. How had that hat fallen out? I had so carefully laced it in. Sigh.

I returned to the car, unlocked it, and loaded my suitcases in the back. Gazing about me at the lovely town, I opened the front door. There, wedged between the two front seats, as though carefully placed, was my yellow hat with the horse head and the little message, "Life is Good."

I stood stock-still, staring at the hat. There was no earthly way that hat could be there. The back pack had been in the back seat, and I had lashed that yellow hat on it myself. I had pulled the backpack out of the back myself. There was no way the yellow hat could be between the front seats, yet there it was.

I bowed my head and briefly thanked God. I thought about how often life is not good, and how often we are filled with doubt and despair. I thought of how little "coincidences" often go unnoticed as the hand of a loving God moving inexplicably in the lives of mice and men.

This morning, I awoke with a voice speaking almost as though someone were standing over me, "Be your best. It is all you can be." Yes. A comforting thought, particularly when God Himself was handing me my hat.
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Psalm 16:11

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Exodus 33:14

And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Revelation 3:20

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Matthew 5:8

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Psalm 27:8

You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Immensely Loved

I have reached the age where driving 12 hours straight is just too much for me. I used to do the 12 hour drive to my folks in one day, but I also used to have brown hair, and skin that didn't drip like honey to the call of gravity. I knew I would stop halfway so I took my time driving yesterday. I stopped at a rest stop, then sat on a bench in the sun and checked my email. There was a totally unexpected surprise! I had sent some short stories to a magazine months ago. The editor had expressed interest and then never gotten back to me. I had forgotten all about it. But here was an email from a new editor telling me the old editor had been replaced, and this new editor wanted to see my submissions! I could not believe this blessing and encouragement! I thanked God for this wonderful completely unanticipated joy.

I drove a total of 6 hours on the first leg of the trip up to my folks, and stopped at the "safe" hotel I had reserved. I sat in my car looking sadly at the hotel. It was not in the historic district which was a few miles further north. I had hoped it was close enough for me to reach the historic district on my morning run, but it was not. It was just a cookie cutter hotel in a cookie cutter strip mall with cookie cutter restaurants around it. I decided to keep driving the four miles into the historic district, just to see the little town. Then I could always return to the cookie cutter hotel. I knew there was one historic hotel in the little town, but I also knew I couldn't afford it. As I approached the little town, I was utterly smitten.

I used voice command on my iPhone and asked it to call the historic hotel. My phone connected me with reservations. I told the receptionist that I wasn't quite a senior citizen, but I was close...and we didn't have AARP but we used to...and we didn't have Triple A Auto program, but we did have Geico....what kind of rate might she cobble together from all those inadequate but close things that receive special rates? I was now driving right in front of the historic hotel.

"Well, are you a Wyndham member?" asked the receptionist.
"I don't know," I said, eying the beautiful hotel. Oh how I wanted to stay in that hotel in the middle of that charming town, and run in the morning through those cobblestone streets.
I gave her my name.
"You are a Wyndham member!" she exclaimed, "Let me see if we have special rates for...any of those things...."
Lo and behold, they had a stupendous rate! It was what I was going to pay exactly for the boring cookie cutter hotel 5 miles from the charming historic district. I almost cried.
"Book it!" I yelped.
I parked, raced to the front desk, checked in, and dashed out to walk with my camera.

I was snapping pictures right and left, so full of joy it should almost have been illegal.

Then I returned to the hotel. Look at the pool:

If you follow my blog, you know that Monday at the abortion mill where I volunteer as a pro-life sidewalk counselor was a very hard day. I love my mission to speak life at that terrible place, but it is not easy. Some days are more rewarding than others, but Monday was one of the more distressing days, where we were confronted by a very angry young man who actually made me fear for our safety. I certainly don't expect "rewards" for doing what I feel God has called me to do...but man oh man, this felt like a reward as I wandered those beautiful streets, looking at those gorgeous old buildings in the gentle night, remembering the new editor who wanted to see my short stories!

It struck me that I am loved. We all are loved. Immensely loved by a God who expects much of me, but gives me so much more than I could ever give Him. I am filled to overflowing.
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Philippians 4:19

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Luke 6:38

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Isaiah 41:10

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Numbers 6:24-26

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Speaking on Behalf of Those Who Have No Voice

Today I leave for my excellent adventure, first to my folks and then on to NYC for my book signing extravaganza. I am grateful for the trip particularly in light of the very hard day at the abortion mill yesterday. One woman chose life for her baby through our efforts, but there were some difficult heart breakers.

One young man waiting on the front porch listened to me on the sound system and then came storming over. He was dressed in my least favorite style of today's youth -- with pants that drooped halfway down his hips so that his underwear was fully exposed. It is a miracle people can walk in those pants with the crotch at their knees. It is a style that brings out the worst in me, just to warn you. If you thought my Halloween rant was bad, don't even get me started on this ludicrous pants-drooping-around-one's-knees style.

"Are you going to pay me $60,000 to have the baby?" he screamed, "If not, you have no right to be here. Are you going to pay for every woman in there [pointing to abortion clinic]? If not, you have no right to be here, you "#@$%%##@ER!!D$%^#@&^%%$##@@**&a^%#!!;p;." (This is my best attempt to capture his vitriolic and vicious spew of eyelash-curling obscenity.)
He continued, "Are you going to get me a job? If not, you have no right to be here."
"Why don't you have a job?" asked my fellow counselor.
"Because I'm black," he said.
I think he said something about being in prison also, and I suspect that doesn't go over big with employers but I had another theory. I told him I thought he would have a better shot at getting a job if he pulled up his pants. That didn't go over well.
"I got three kids and can't afford them cause I have no job."
"Did you have a job when you conceived those three kids?" I asked.
"No, I never had a job."
"Then why are you having sex which makes more kids?" I asked.
He didn't like that comment much either.

He got two inches from my face, poking his finger at me, and letting loose a stream of invectives that may have suggested a vile spirit, were one to conjecture about that sort of thing.
I turned away. Whatever argument I attempted to raise to counter his tirade, he screamed over me. Frankly, I was a little concerned that he was about to punch me in the face, and that would not be good right before my book signing adventure in NYC. (Nor, incidentally, would that ultimately help him in his job pursuit because make no mistake, if I lived, I would press charges.)

Then he went after my co-counselor, again with his finger jabbing inches from her face. Since I am the team leader, I decided it was time to intervene. My team that day was made up of me, another lady in her 50s, and a spry 86-year-old. As the spring chicken still 7 years away from Senior Discount Status, I had to take action.
"If you don't back away now and stop screaming your obscenities and threatening us in our face, I am calling the police," I said, pulling out my phone.
"She'll do it, too," warned the Abortion Mill bouncer, who up to that point had been silently watching. (He is there for the safety of the people coming to kill their babies. Not for the people with their Bible verses trying to stop them through the dangerous word of God.)

The angry man stretched out his arms, looking heavenward, and shouted, "Why isn't your God raining thousands of dollars down upon me?"
"How can you defy His commandments and then expect him to bless you?" I asked. That set off another string of expletives but he backed off and returned to the front porch.

Then I got on the microphone and addressed every false issue and Godless conclusion he had raised. It is not the first time we have heard various permutations of his arguments. The decision to abort is never their fault, their situation is never their fault, everyone who speaks out on behalf of the baby is a self-righteous, rich person, God will understand why they must disobey His command and yes it's wrong but He will forgive them, society owes them a living because life is hard, lifestyle choices never have anything to do with why they are killing their child...etc, etc.

One couple emerged from the death chamber and told us they didn't do it. They had chosen life.
The angry man shouted for a little while after returning to the porch, but then quieted and listened to me in silence. My counselor friend whispered, "He's listening. You have his attention." (It did appear that way, but it could be he was just deciding if another bout in prison was worth what he really wanted to do to me and my sound system.) After a few minutes, he went back into the abortion center.

I don't know if anything I said entered his angry, defiant heart. I sincerely hope he pulls up his pants in more ways than one, and decides he has worth and dignity before God and acts accordingly. I pray the women in the abortion mill heard our pleas to love God, follow His commands of purity, self-sacrifice, and understanding of the sacredness of life, and ultimately chose to take the first step of righteousness out of that place. I know that after nearly two straight hours on the microphone speaking on behalf of the unborn, I was completely spent.

"Well," I told my fellow counselors, "I have shot my wad. I have nothing left. It's up to them now."
We packed up the sound system, put away the bag of baby gifts we had hoped to be giving out, and saw a woman I had talked to for quite some time come out of the mill. She had been crying as she stopped her car to talk with me earlier. She knew what she was doing was wrong, and her heart was already breaking. She had taken my literature and seemed to be honestly considering my pleas. I had been so hopeful that she would choose life.
"Have you decided to let your baby live?" I called out.
She put her purse in the car and returned to the abortion clinic without speaking to me.
************

Luke 16: 19-31

The Rich Man and Lazarus

¹⁹“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. ²⁰And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, ²¹who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. ²²The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side.The rich man also died and was buried, ²³and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. ²⁴And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ ²⁵But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. ²⁶And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ ²⁷And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— ²⁸for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ ²⁹But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ ³⁰And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ ³¹He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

Monday, November 3, 2014

Cold Hearts

I packed for the trip to NY, first to my folks, and then on to NY City for my book signing Nov. 13.(if you want an invitation, let me know and I will send you one!) I am not thrilled with the forecast. Snow is predicted on my dad's 85th birthday. I am contemplating bringing my skis. The lows will be around 30 every day, the highs never above 50. I have packed 4 coats, and my warmest pants. The van is chock full with wool and down...and I am the only occupant for this trip. Once again, I think this Global Warming has got to be the coldest fiery end to the earth EVER.

But I will go with a warm heart. My mission is to help clear the megatons of leaves from my parent's personal forest floor, celebrate dear Dad's big birthday, and drink hot tea in between. I am in the end-game of my new novel, the sequel to Bark of the Covenant, so I have packed my notes and will be anxious to see how it all will end. (It rarely follows my outline. In case you didn't know, books are living creatures that refuse to follow the guidelines the author sets for them.)

I was thinking about cold hearts and cold wintry days. I like the snow, but I am not nuts about cold. God isn't very keen on cold hearts either. In fact, He warns all of us that if we are not careful, our hearts will grow cold even if we are not traveling to the Northeast in November.

Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

(Matthew 24:11-13)

Why does love grow cold? In the verse above, a few reasons are given: following false teaching, being deceived, and lawlessness or not abiding by the commands of God. A study of verses that pertain to cold or hardened hearts give us more clues. Hearts that grow cold to God do so over concealed sin (Proverbs 28), rebellion towards God (Hebrews 3), not listening to spiritual authority (Exodus 9), lack of perception and understanding (Mark 8), rejecting God (John 12), impurity (Psalm 119), perpetual sinning (1 John), and closing one's senses to the miracles and blessings of God that abound (Matthew 13.) This is just a small gleaning from God's word, but the common theme is when we ignore God's teaching and guidance, our hearts become shuttered further from Him.

Fortunately, winter will end. We can end the winter of our hearts much more rapidly than the winter season. If we take one step towards God, the thawing begins. The key to a warm heart is seeking God, hearing God, obeying God, and melting in His love.

Meanwhile, I have added a few boots, hats, gloves, and coats to my packing list as I perused the latest weather update for NY.
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Ephesians 4:18

They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

Matthew 13:14-15

Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’

Proverbs 28:13-14

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

Hebrews 3:8

Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness,

Exodus 9:12

But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had spoken to Moses.

Mark 8:17

And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?

Exodus 7:3

But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt,

Jeremiah 17:9

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Judging Others

Charles Spurgeon said, "It cannot but grieve gracious souls to see what pains men take to go to hell." He also said that if you do not despair over sin, not only yours, but others, then you lack "inward holiness." Tough words. They bump up strongly against the world's anger when Christians speak out against the sin of the world and of the human heart.

Do not judge!

I hear that continually...but if that is our standard, then why does the Bible say, "Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life?" (1 Corinthians 6:3)

While we cannot condemn, only God condemns, how are we to despair over sin if we have not grappled with and made a judgment of what sin is? We judge every day, every one of us. Every action we take, every person we choose to befriend, the school we decide to go to, the spouse we marry, the choices we make as a parent all involve judgment and most involve judging others. It is foolish to claim we should not judge or that you yourself don't judge! Right now I suspect you are judging whether I am worth listening to. We are to make judgments in love, and with the goal of encouraging and bringing others closer to God, but to say we are not to judge ignores the hundreds of Bible verses that tell us we are to do just that. How we judge is important and many verses say we are to do so in humility, love, respect, and without hypocrisy. But if we are to judge angels...we better be learning to judge rightly.

I thought of all this as I wandered the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) with my daughter Asherel this weekend. We were there for the express purpose of judging. We were judging how this college bumped up against others she'd applied to so she would make a wise choice of where to spend the next four years of her life. I thought of my own judgment as a parent over the years -- the things I have taken a stand on, the things I have let slide. I see whenever I mention any of those choices publicly (which as a writer, happens every day), I find people furious with me from either side of the choice I am discussing.

That's because we all judge. And I hope that most of us make judgments based on facts, conscience, experience, and spiritual insights. As the Bible says, we ourselves will be judged one day. We will come to God with our life of choices and will give an account of what we did and why. For example, I will be judged for my decision that we don't celebrate Halloween as a family, or chose to homeschool, or enforced curfews at certain times for my kids, or had certain rules and expectations. You will be judged for your decisions. You do not have to defend your decision before me. You only have to defend yours before God.

But in my judgment, God gave me a gift and love of writing and art. I communicate what He impresses upon my heart because it is what I feel called to do. I am not condemning anyone for choices they make because I express an opinion that might vary from yours. But I may judge that I am correct, or I probably wouldn't dare write it...and live it. I am certain I will be wrong on many things. I hope I will be right on some. If I were not to judge and take action, I would be a thistle blown about in the wind of public opinion, and that to me, is far more dangerous than setting roots on carefully considered firm ground.

Meanwhile, back to SCAD -- if I were young again entering school, I would have loved to go to a college like that dedicated to the creative arts. But that's my judgment. Asherel will have to judge for herself.
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Deuteronomy 1:16-17

Verse Concepts

"Then I charged your judges at that time, saying, 'Hear the cases between your fellow countrymen, and judge righteously between a man and his fellow countryman, or the alien who is with him. 'You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike You shall not fear man, for the judgment is God's The case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.'
- See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Judging-Others#sthash.uUPOrBQA.dpuf

2 Corinthians 5:10

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

John 3:17

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

1 Corinthians 5:12-13

For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

Psalm 1:1-6

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;

Ezekiel 22:2

“And you, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Then declare to her all her abominations.

1 Corinthians 5:1-3

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing.

James 5:19-20

My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Deuteronomy 1:16-17

Verse Concepts

Leviticus 19:15

Verse Concepts

'You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly.

Deuteronomy 1:16-17

Verse Concepts

Proverbs 24:23

Verse Concepts

These also are sayings of the wise To show partiality in judgment is not good.

- See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Judging-Others#sthash.uUPOrBQA.dpuf

Leviticus 19:15

Verse Concepts

'You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly.

Deuteronomy 1:16-17

Verse Concepts

Proverbs 24:23

Verse Concepts

These also are sayings of the wise To show partiality in judgment is not good.

- See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Judging-Others#sthash.uUPOrBQA.dpuf

Deuteronomy 1:16-17

Verse Concepts

Deuteronomy 1:16-17

Verse Concepts

Leviticus 19:15

Verse Concepts

'You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly.

Deuteronomy 1:16-17

Verse Concepts

Proverbs 24:23

Verse Concepts

These also are sayings of the wise To show partiality in judgment is not good.

- See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Judging-Others#sthash.uUPOrBQA.dpuf

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Buying or Wondering?

My daughter and I arrived yesterday in Savannah for her college tour of the College of Art and Design. She walked an hour with me and then pooped out, but I continued wandering for a couple of hours through this very beautiful, historic city. I stopped to take a picture of an old hotel and a man paused next to me, and said, "Hoping to catch a shot of a ghost?"
I laughed, "I don't believe in ghosts. But why....? Is this place famous for ghosts?"
"It's considered the most haunted place in Savannah."
"Why? did someone die here?"
"Lots of people died there," he said, "I don't know if I believe in ghosts either, but lots of people won't stay there. Say they see ghosts."
He walked on.

I looked at the hotel. I saw no ghosts, but I found it a little creepy nonetheless. After all, it was Halloween and I was in the "most haunted city in America." Fortunately, I had just read an article about ghosts which made an interesting point. You never hear about naked ghosts...only clothed ghosts, and they are usually clothed in the time period they once lived. Well, it defies credulity that not only the body would become spirit... but the clothes too!? That alone debunks the whole ghost theory in my book. Of course, the Bible says people pass directly to heaven or hell...there is no in-between, so scripture debunks the whole ghost theory as well. If you think you see a ghost, it is probably a demon. Demons are scriptural, but not ghosts.

I passed a street vendor with beautiful handmade jewelry.
"These are lovely," I said, "What is your price range?"
"Prices for buying or for just wondering?" he asked.
Apparently, they would be different depending on one's intent.
"Buying," I said.
"$20."
I didn't ask him what the cost was if I was just wondering. I would assume much higher.
"I will think about it. Will you be here tomorrow?"
"If He wants me here," said the man, pointing upward.
"Amen!" I said.

Somehow, the two experiences seemed connected. Ghosts are not real. I am not buying that story at all. But wondering about it is sort of fun when one is in the most haunted city in America on Halloween. The man selling the jewelry knew that buying deserved a serious answer, but wondering could be frivolous, really anything. And in the end, he knew what mattered. As he pointed heavenward, not trying to push me at all for the sale, he knew what was the only story worth buying. How refreshing it was to meet him in this city known for spiritual darkness and for more ghosts per capita than...capita.

If Jesus is real, and His message of salvation is true, then wondering and not buying will be costly in the most horrific way. But if we bow our heads right now, and say, "OK, Lord, I'm buying it all, the whole story, kit and caboodle. I accept what you are offering," we gain something for free that is also eternally priceless. What a deal!

If he is there today, I intend to buy, not just wonder. And if you were wondering, no, we didn't meet any ghosts last night, but my daughter and I had a wonderful unhaunted dinner together in the City of Ghosts.
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