paravanes:meditations

Lot's wife became a pillar of salt. Did this really happen, and what does it mean? Let's assume this did really happen, as we can trust the teaching of Scriptural truths. Certainly God doesn't need to use made up stories to instruct us. Truth is always a better teacher than fantasy. Fantasy has its place, but not when we are looking for basic truths and guidance for life. I have written elsewhere in this blog about the destruction of Sodom.  Lot's wife, unnamed here, physically left the boundaries of Sodom and it would seem, based on that fact, her safety is guaranteed and she will not experience the destruction overwhelming the city. It didn't happen that way. The others (her husband and daughters) with the woman we can call "Mrs. Lot" escaped immediate destruction. Other problems surfaced later, but they did not die with the population of Sodom. At the very least, these escapees had a chance for life. Why did Mrs. Lot experience the same destr

"Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign LORD. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live." --Ezekiel 18:38 (New Living Translation) There is an element in the Christian community that seems to enjoy the idea of the "wicked" suffering, dying, and receiving divine judgment and retribution. You may have seen or heard the broadcasts featuring preachers gleefully threatening lost souls with fire, brimstone, and dancing devils. Their theme seems to be "I'm so glad I'm not you! You've got it coming!!" That thinking is not aligned with God's thinking. There is a part of us that always wants goodness to prevail and carry the day. We want "badness" (however we define it) to fail. That makes sense.  We must, however, separate that wish from the desire to see people fail, experience doom and divine judgment, and remain forever separated from God. As we become more matu

Photo credit: Jonathan Bachman/Reuters Does Christianity have any meaningful, realistic response to the violence that has swept across the United states during the most recent days? I have followed news reports and listened to responses from BLM, law enforcement leaders, candidates for political office, and citizens expressing themselves on social media and any location featuring a camera and a microphone. Yes, like many, I attended church services last Sunday. We prayed, sang, and listened to an inspiring and consoling sermon. We shared in Holy Communion. Then, we went home or to our next destination. Today, I read a blog post   about why one African-American woman is choosing to leave this country and live in South America. The post is about why she doesn't feel safe in the States. Her sense of vulnerability is not a recent development. Her story is compelling because the openness of her expression is not to be denied. As the saying goes, "You can&#