paravanes:meditations

  (c) Deborah Evans This quote, "what punishments of God are not gifts?" from author J.R.R. Tolkien, gives us insight into how to understand God's connection with us. The nature of God's relationship is a progressive interaction.  Even punishments that bring us closer to God's heart and closer to the image (character, submission, and obedience) of Christ are gifts of God. See Romans 8:29, I Corinthians 15:49. When we are punished by humans (parents, teachers, etc.), that punishment cannot be separated from the frustrations, irritations, unchecked anger, and shortcomings of those parents, teachers, or others. None of those appear in any punishment (corrective or directive action) taken by God because none of those shortcomings or emotional imbalances are part of God's character. They cannot be displayed or imposed by God. When we understand God's entire purpose in redemption and salvation is to make us like Jesus, to conform us to Jesus' image (personal...

A point of view...(fictional, interpretive, instructional) Yes, I know God told us not to look back. Actually, it was the angels who led us away who told us not to look back. I didn't really look back. I just peeked, just for a second. It's true. The city was an awful place. The night before we left, the angels supernaturally blinded the mob that surrounded our house, ready to knock down our doors and flood into the house. Lot's uncle made a bargain with God.  A bargain with God? Yes, their deal was that if ten righteous people could be found in the city of thousands, God would allow everything to go on as usual. God would leave everything in place for the sake of ten people. Are the righteous worth that much? Abraham's God must think so. No, it wasn't exactly a good place. I know that. But it was what I knew. It was all I knew. It wasn't so bad, once you got used to it. Well, they couldn't find ten good people, ten " righteous people ", ...