Life – Page 7 – Pathway Journey

December 8, 2023December 7, 2023

God’s Christmas Gift

Christmas is known as a season of gift-giving. We could complain about the commercialization of Christmas, but I doubt it would change anyone’s mind. Of course, as Christians we realize the most important gift associated with Christmas is the gift of Jesus by our Heavenly Father. One of the most quoted scriptures affirms this, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 NKJV).

November 29, 2023November 28, 2023

ILLUSION OF PERFECTION

Perfection is like a dog chasing his tail. He may never catch it and if he did it would hurt. Perfection is that thing we sometimes pursue but never reach.

After almost seven decades on this ball of dirt, many things in my life can be described as in the words of an old Scottish man, “Well, that’a do!” I have come to realize some skills I have tried to perfect ended up with the grade of “B” or a “C”. I’ll just need to live with “that’a do.”

Some things look perfect at a distance. We could name celebrities who looked as if they had it all, but then we were shocked when their lives dissolved into ruin.

November 8, 2023November 7, 2023

Earmarked for Jesus

One of the poignant hidden gems in the Old Testament is in the Levitical law. It is one of those scriptures that is often skipped over because it “does not apply to us.” Yet in it is a moving principle of love and servitude. In the Law of Moses, if an Israelite became impoverished and was sold as a slave to another Israelite, he was to serve six years and go free in the seventh year (see Exodus 21:1-2).

There was also a provision in the law, if the servant loved his master and his situation, the servant could opt out of being free. If he decided to stay forever after his six-year term, his master would legitimize the relationship before the judges and then pierce his ear with an awl against the doorpost of the house. The voluntary slave would be “earmarked” as the master’s slave forever.

November 1, 2023November 1, 2023

Struggling with Surrender

All of us who try to live for Jesus, struggle with surrender at moments in our lives. Surrender to God is not a ‘one time and done’ but a life-long journey. There are times we easily surrender and then we grapple with surrender. I would think that those who do not struggle with surrender to God have already made a dwelling on the other side, in the land of rebellion. If you are struggling, congratulations! At least you are trying.

I think I am a simple man. I like to simplify rather than complicate an issue. In the process, I may at times oversimplify something. I really do not like to quibble over words, but rather concentrate on concepts to live by. So here is my take on struggling with surrender.

I think when people fail to surrender to God, there is one of two main problems at fault. One is outright rebellion where one has the attitude of, “God is not going to tell me what to do.” The other is a lack of faith or trust in God. I would prefer to err with the last one than rebellion which puts a person on the same lane as the devil.

October 26, 2023October 26, 2023

Have You Considered My Servant?

There are two interesting conversations in the Bible between God and Satan in the beginning chapters of the Book of Job. The scene was apparently in the spiritual realm where the “sons of God” (most likely angels) came before God. Satan, a rebellious castaway angel, appeared in the same gathering. God begins the conversation with Satan about Job, “Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:8 NKJV)?

I am not going to tell the whole story about Job’s trials, temptations, and then his eventual two-fold restoration. Today, I am more interested in God’s all-knowing perspective about Job.

Satan did not begin the conversation about Job. God asked a straightforward question to Satan, knowing Satan’s evil heart as his very name “Satan” means adversary. God was basically boasting about Job, saying, “there is none like him on the earth.”

October 19, 2023October 19, 2023

Parched Piece of Ground

I hear people talking about leaving a legacy and I understand their sentiment, but often it has a scent of narcissism. After all, legacy is an earthly reminder of a person’s achievements while the crowns in Heaven are thrown down at the throne of God. My simple mind tells me to just be faithful in the Kingdom of God and leave the accounting to God’s record.

In 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21, the Bible tells a sin in King David’s life. He sinned by numbering Israel out of a bad motive. Instead of trusting God, he trusted the strong arm of flesh. He wanted to feel secure in the number of warriors he had at his disposal. Joab, the leader of the army, was sent throughout the land to take a census of his fighting men.

October 11, 2023October 10, 2023

Wars and Rumors of Wars

One source said there are currently thirty-two conflicts around the world. We are most familiar with the smoke of war rising from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and Hamas invading Israel this week (October 2023) from Gaza. The war in Israel seems to be ramping up as Israel readies to destroy Hamas. We see wars and hear rumors of wars.

President Woodrow Wilson spoke about the Great War (WW1) as, “This is the war to end all wars.” If he could come back today, I am sure he would want some hot sauce to use on the words he would eat. By the way, he borrowed and slightly changed the phrase originally coined by H. G. Wells, a British author, who said, “The war that will end war.” Either version is a cruel joke.

October 4, 2023October 3, 2023

Barking…

Being perfect is not something I have ever professed to be. I try to be quite honest with myself about my weaknesses, yet often we can be blind to our own stuff. Every day when I read the Bible, I take notice of the rebukes of scripture as it relates to my fleshly notions. When I pray and spend quiet times with God, I try to listen to the still, small voice of Holy Spirit warning me and convicting me. My desire is to be right with God and in cordial relationships with other people.

I do not believe I am a particularly difficult person, nor do I enjoy confrontation as some people tend to do. I usually take a fair amount of gruff before I bark back, but occasionally, I feel shoved over the line, and I bark. “Woof!”

September 14, 2023October 25, 2023

Hog Killin’ 1787

Historical Fiction based on the Life of William Whitt (1775-1850), My 3rd-Great-Grandfather

Disclaimer: It’s real cultural history, don’t be squeamish.

It was the last of October and we had the first killing frost near the middle of the month here in Virginia. It was hog killing time and we had three to kill. We always waited for cool weather so the meat wouldn’t spoil before we salted or smoked it for our winter meat.

Our shoats foraged in the nearby woods for about six months before we brought them in for corn fatting for a few weeks. Back in early spring, one of our old sows had farrowed a litter of pigs numbering eight. One died soon after birth when she laid down too fast for the little feller to get out of the way. Some critter stole another one. We ended up with six total with four boars and two gilts.

September 7, 2023September 6, 2023

Purpose

I once had a conversation with a gentleman whose career for many decades was a department superintendent of a major manufacturer. His position had a high level of responsibility. He related with regret the times when he took his family on a vacation but had to leave them on location and return because of a work problem.

He did not outright say his career was a regret, but I could discern in his tone, “Why was it so important then, but now it seems almost silly?” Or “For what purpose?” I am quite certain when he retired, he was quickly replaced. By the way, the corporation no longer exists and his physical department is rust and dust.

Someone without a purpose is a lost individual. True purpose comes from somewhere outside of us. If we are just a blob of amino acids sailing through space, how could we have a true purpose? If there is no eternal purpose, then there is no purpose (or a very short-lived purpose).