Thorns and thistles . . . . Most biblically literate Christians will immediately get this reference found in the third chapter of Genesis where we find the account of the fall, and mankind’s descent into the abyss of sin and death. Yahweh told Adam in chapter two that he was free to eat of any tree in the garden, but of one tree he must not eat, “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” If he does (the text says “when”) he “will surely die.” The consequences of Adam and Eve’s decision introduced hell on earth, and as history has shown us, it’s not a pretty picture. God in judgement explains the fallout of this disastrous decision:
17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’
“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
Since we’re still in the Thanksgiving state of mind, I thought I’d address something that doesn’t come easily to saved sinners: giving thanks to God when we don’t feel thankful. The reason gratitude is so difficult at times is our benighted interpretation of circumstances. Life is a continuous process of interpretation, and our fallen tendency is to interpret events and situations in our lives by our finite, self-centered assessment. If something (or someone), is difficult, painful, or frustrating, if it keeps us from getting what we want, or think we want, we naturally interpret it as a “problem” (take a look at the many synonyms for that word). It’s easy when obstacles are thrown our way to think something is “wrong.” How could this happen? Why is this happening? Ugh! This response is sinful, and not worthy of a person who claims God in Christ as our Savior, who is the Almighty Sovereign ruler of the universe. Yet we do it all the time. It’s a constant theme of repentance in my own life. (more…)
Another national celebration of Thanksgiving is upon us, and I wonder what secular people have to give thanks to. Without an almighty, providential God ordaining all things, how does Thanksgiving make any sense? I understand that human beings can be thankful to other people, and ought to be, but gratitude is most profound when it’s given to the one who “gives all men life and breath and everything else.” That pretty much covers it all! And every blessing in our lives is given to us, and ought to be received gratefully. It obviously doesn’t come naturally to sinners, so that’s one reason we are exhorted over and over in Scripture to give thanks to God! (more…)
Then you don’t know the power of the gospel. I’m going to just quote directly from John Stonestreet and David Carlson at Breakpoint who briefly explain this powerful cultural moment:
News outlets and social media feeds exploded this week with video of one of the most beautiful, powerful, and moving testimonies to the love of God that you’ll ever see.
In a Dallas courtroom, Brandt Jean is addressing Amber Guyger, a former police officer just sentenced to 10 years in prison for killing Brandt’s brother, Botham.
As he chokes back tears, Brandt offers Guyger forgiveness, “I don’t even want you to go to jail,” he says. “I want the best for you, because that’s exactly what Botham would want you to do. And the best would be give your life to Christ.”
Then, he asked Judge Tammy Kemp, “Can I give her a hug please?” Brandt and Guyger embraced.
And if that weren’t enough, Judge Kemp hugged the Jean family, went to her chambers and returned with her personal Bible, which she gave Guyger, and urged her to read it. Then Judge Kemp hugged Guyger.
Glory to God.
Indeed!
Please pray for this young woman, that God’s word given to her by Judge Kemp would transform her from the inside out by God’s Holy Spirit.
You’ll be happy to know that for most of the characters in the Bible, life was as much a conundrum for them as it is for you and me. This is one of the reasons I don’t believe the Bible is just myths and fairy tales as many critics contend. Rather, it reads like real people encountering real things, much of which they don’t understand. If it was all made up I don’t think we’d see so many confused people in it’s pages. It would read much more like, well, myths and fairy tales!
We had the incredible privilege last weekend of enduring the traumatic experience of hosting our daughter’s wedding. Until one actually does such a thing, you have no idea the insanity of such an undertaking, but the blessings and memories among the all the craziness are priceless. You get to spend time with family and friends you rarely see, or haven’t seen for a very long time, and giving your only daughter away to an incredible young man before them is worthy of all the tears. Not to mention that everyone together gets to witness one of the most profound mysteries of human existence: the marriage of one man and one women “till death us do part.” (more…)
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