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Welcome to Varied Expressions of Worship

Welcome to Varied Expressions of Worship

This blog will be written from an orthodox Christian point of view. There may be some topic that is out of bounds, but at present I don't know what it will be. Politics is a part of life. Theology and philosophy are disciplines that we all participate in even if we don't think so. The Bible has a lot to say about economics. How about self defense? Is war ethical? Think of all the things that someone tells you we should not touch and let's give it a try. Everything that is a part of life should be an expression of worship.

Keep it courteous and be kind to those less blessed than you, but by all means don't worry about agreeing. We learn more when we get backed into a corner.

Sunday, September 16, 2018

Opus 2018-220: Blessed Vision

Why has God allowed me to be so blessed? 

Ultimately it is unanswerable.  God is sovereign.  He does not operate by my standards or have a need to justify anything to me.  I still wonder how He chooses and why He blesses.  I think there is often an element of cause and effect.

By that I do not mean vending machine cause and effect.  God will not be manipulated.  It is never a matter of jumping through a hoop and getting a prize.  Instant gratification makes us puppies doing tricks for treats.  God is bigger than that and wants more for us than that.  But I still feel that our behavior and willingness to obey results in something.

Maybe it is more a matter of vectors and “unintended” consequences.  If you remember your math a vector is an angle of variation from a straight line.  Airplanes are constantly figuring vectores because winds push them to the side and they have to figure a new angle to arrive at the target destination.  A small variation does not make much difference over a few feet but over a thousand miles you can end up far from where you are supposed to be.

Consider that in life.  Two people start off the same heading for the same goal.  One varies a little and the other doesn’t.  In the short term it doesn’t seem to make any difference but over a lifetime it can be dramatic. 

It is also possible that some are more open to see their blessings.  Recently, while back east we went to a place called Friendly’s to get some butter crunch ice cream.  It is the ultimate in ice cream, or at least it used to be.  I enjoyed my cone as much as ever but my wife kept telling me all the reasons it wasn’t as good as it used to be.  I didn’t have the nerve to tell her that a lot of things had not tasted as good lately.  I let her think the difference was the ice cream.  Of course, since I am noted as having a jaded palate, maybe it was the ice cream.

The book of Proverbs in the Bible is full of indications that obedience and seeking wisdom will make a difference in our lives.  I don’t know how it works but I am willing to believe it.

homo unius libri

2 comments:

  1. Between dying taste buds and cheapened products, who's to say? - lol - As for the rest of the post, you're right on.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So you're saying it's my fault? Have you been talking to my wife?

      Grace and peace

      Delete

Comments are welcome. Feel free to agree or disagree but keep it clean, courteous and short. I heard some shorthand on a podcast: TLDR, Too long, didn't read.