Thoughts....

Thoughts that I’ve Pondered in My Heart

By Nina B.

Thought

Mankind is like a tired stubborn child, who refuses to sleep or be comforted by its mother.

We strive after so many vain things that are inconsequential - that in the end, it’s total nonsense. We miss the beauty of the bigger picture? The grand scheme - to see ONE minute pixel, WE miss the Glory of God, to only see our sinful selves and call it “great” when we are nothing - not even good - no, not one.

...And we’ve been doing this from the beginning. Why can’t we simply surrender and allow God to comfort the weary child - us?

Thought

Based upon that which is temporal - mankind -

Is love always a compromise?

Is there a love, where both parties “win”? Why is it that one person often gets more than the other? Why is there always a sacrifice - usually just from one?

Thought

Based upon that which is Eternal - God

We, may never fully grasp the atonement for our sin, (I know, I don’t and therefore take it for granted). The total wrath of God was emptied onto Christ when He hung on the cross.

Jesus paid it all!

God only has love for us - no punishment - because of Jesus’ atonement - payment for our sins.

And there are folks who rather pay for themselves - Why? 
WE can’t pay the price - only Jesus can and did!

Thought

The Bible is one theme but directed at many different people. It’s like when I say something to my adult children, but say the same thing, but differently to my students, or to my friends or colleagues. It’s the same theme/topic, but different perspectives and different points to give specific understanding to various groups. For me - this is God’s Word - it’s to everyone and we’re all in different head spaces.

Thought

It’s been my observation that men, on some pretty significant occasions have placed, however, seemingly gently; women under the proverbial bus, because they lack the legs to stand.

They have used these weak, shaky legs and stood back and watched women do the work or whatever is necessary while they sometimes, most times, benefited of sorts, from the efforts of their women. However the benefits surely weren’t long lasting, nor as sweet as they thought…

However first and foremost… Let me clarify: I AM NOT A FEMINIST, nor do I enjoy emasculating or undermining men. My point with this thought is to merely state an observational epiphany of sorts, that I had back in Jan. of 2016 and wrote a note about it.

My frame of mind was in the throes of some pretty ugly life changing events… But let me start at the beginning…

Let’s take Adam and Eve

You know what happened...

Adam stood back and watched the exchange between the serpent and Eve, (which I find just crazy - she was “conversing with a serpent” - maybe this was normal, back then), and did nothing. He heard every word. He watched Eve take the forbidden fruit and didn’t once stop her, didn’t once say, “Uh sweetie,...maybe we should ask God about this one…”. He didn’t even intervene with his opinion. He just watched to see what would happen and when the expected didn’t happen - That she would drop like a lead ball through wet tissue paper…. “Oh!?! Well, maybe it is ok and God meant something different…”

Sigh!

Then she gave it to him and he didn’t question, he just thought, (or didn’t…), and said “Oh...Ok!”

This is not being a man!

Then there was Abraham, who rather than stand up and be a man for his wife, said, Sarah was his sister… which lead to very bad international affairs… What were you thinking Abraham?…And Sarah, were you going along with your husband’s idea out of obedience or what? Bottom line: Abraham, you were trusting in your own ideas rather than God’s!

Truly, these are ideas that swim in the depths of my mind when I’m idle too long...

Everyone’s favorite - poor David - he gives so much fuel for the fodder. He’d rather commit adultery and then murder than to be the man of integrity that he was supposed to be… that he could have been… A man dies, and a child… for that weakness.

I’ve got others but those make my point. There are others where men allowed women just to be the boss, (kinda like these days). And stuff got really messed up, but there are other Old and New Testament men who fall short… We live in a fallen world, so there’s much to choose from, however, we’re all broken and pretend we’re not, (which makes us crazy - it’s like trying to drink from a broken glass and saying all the time, “it’s not broken”, even with the water pouring out from the broken places…”It’s not broken...really!” -  Insanity!). Men and women - boys and girls are broken! Past, present and future - BROKEN!

But in these dark days I see men abdicating their responsibilities left and right and it’s to the point now-a-”daze” where men are expected, encouraged and are supposed to roll over and simply play dead! I recently read a tweet from a person named “Zinna” that men are supposed to get over that thing between their legs, (this is a paraphrase) - still, this is insanity!

Despite the disappointment from the men in my own family, and broken marriage, I can only pray that the legacy, the cycle - just stops. That men, my own sons, stand and be counted as men… that they look to God the Father to be their example.

Thought

The struggle with the unknown. I sometimes have a hard time seeing how the proverbial “it” all fits together. I struggle to do the right thing and walk the righteous path - and more stuff just happens - I’ll be honest sometimes I just want to stay inside and never go out. I have my art stuff. I eat simply - hard boiled egg in the morning, salmon and spinach for lunch, maybe homemade soup for dinner. I drink only water - If I want a treat I put lemon and ice in my water. I can go without sweets.

See sufficient!

I know - methinks not too. :-/

I need Jesus and He tells me to get out into the mix...

Still, God is Good. All else that this world has to offer pales greatly - even on the BEST of days, to the Goodness and Love of my Father God.

Soli Deo Gloria

Sorry that this got a bit lengthy - I should post my thoughts more regularly - or simply keep them to myself! Of course, you don’t have to read this stuff either - it would be nice if you commented. I’ll email back - I’d be honored. In the stats for the blog I can see where folks are reading - You folks in Germany, Portugal, Russia, France! I mean - who are you? Singapore? Poland? The Netherlands?! I am honored and wouldn’t mind having a dialogue.

Jesus is my favorite subject. :-)