Kingdom of God – Page 11 – Pathway Journey

May 3, 2022May 1, 2022

Suffering and the Kingdom

I remember some of the old timers from our valley and ridges talking about folks who were going through difficult times and using the rhetorical phrase, “I don’t know how they have ‘walkin’ around sense?”

That’s the truth. When you look at the suffering of some folks, you think, “How do they keep their senses about them?” I am amazed how some people go through horrific things and seem to weather the storm with supernatural strength. Well, it is with supernatural strength. God gives the that extra “Umph!” to get them over the line.

April 19, 2022April 18, 2022

Half-a-Glass of Water

In another lifetime ago, when I taught school, I liked to break the study of subjects with a little humor or thought-provoking intermission. One day, I had a half of a glass of water, and I was asking the proverbial question, “Is this glass half full or half empty?”

April 13, 2022March 26, 2024

The Executioner’s Dream

A Story of the Executioner at Golgotha by Harry L. Whitt

After their scourging, we herded the three men through the jeering streets to Golgotha. The citizens of Jerusalem hate us only a bit less than we hate them. Being assigned to the occupation force of Judea is a good point for a possible promotion but today the city is set on edge. One of the three is a popular prophet to the common people but hated by the elites of their counsel.

Finally, we are out of the bustle of the city streets and bring the three miserable souls to the top of the hill, the place of the skull. The rock outcropping resembles a skull, and today it is the place of execution for all to see.

The schemer who devised the crucifixion is to be congratulated. Nothing puts the fear and dread in occupied people as the crucifixion. It is an agonizing death to endure and to witness. I have killed countless men in warfare with sword and spear, but this is the most gruesome of all.

April 9, 2022

Simply Put

Put me in a family to love
Put me in a community to serve
Put me in Your Kingdom to sacrifice

Put Your Word in my ear to hear
Put Your Word in my heart to believe
Put Your Word in my mouth to speak

Put something in my hand to give
Put compassion in my heart to heal
Put bread in my hand to share

Put me in a place to trod
Put me in Your field to work
Put me in the world to shine

Put me in the line to stand
Put me in the battle to fight
Put me in the war to win

Put me in Your altar to pray
Put me in Your heart to worship
Put me in Your hand to die

—Harry L. Whitt

April 5, 2022April 8, 2022

When You Have Had Enough!

When I was in the eighth or ninth grade, my Daddy bought me a horse. Her name was Sugar and at first, she was as sweet as her name. Then Sugar realized I was a greenhorn cowboy, and she started misbehaving like her name was Diablo. She would get to the edge of our yard, and she would “pitch a fit”. After about two go arounds of that, I was more afraid of her than she was of me.

March 30, 2022March 30, 2022

Old Men

I remember when I was a boy looking at old men in wonderment. They were either my grandfather or someone else’s grandfather. I knew my granddaddy was once a farmer and he still dabbled with farming. He helped my Daddy with a few things, had a garden, and sometimes had a little patch of corn. He got a few dollars every month from the plan put in place by FDR.

March 22, 2022March 21, 2022

Treasure in Earthen Vessels

When I was a young man, I felt like the future was an expanse of forever, laden with endless opportunities, and fueled by youthful endurance that was unstoppable. Too bad, I was also stupid! Some of my mistakes took me back three steps for the one I had made forward. Sound familiar?

March 16, 2022March 16, 2022

Whatever a Man Sows…

Springtime is just around the corner and some of us with a need for dirt under our fingernails, plant a garden. Anyone who plants a few seeds revisits the ground in a few days to look for the seedlings bursting forth from the ground. The small green sprigs give a hint of a harvest to come.

March 7, 2022March 16, 2022

Sharing a Little Gold Dust

It is amazing how all the people we cross paths with in life leave a mark on us. As I get a little further in this journey, I am more conscious than ever to leave a little gold dust on others that I have scraped off the Throne of Grace.

February 22, 2022February 22, 2022

Navigation of Life

Without getting too far into the weeds, navigation is basically knowing where you are in relation to where you started. Basic navigation needs two known points to measure the current location.

The old explorers did not wander aimlessly into the seas. They plotted their course to determine where they were in relation to where they started. If you read some of their exploits, you will be amazed at their expertise even with the crude instruments of their time.

Are you wandering aimlessly into the seas of this world?