Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Try again God?

I've considered many times that God could just fix it all right now. You know, send another flood or some other sort of earth sanitizing event and get rid of the pain, sickness, death, violence and what-not once and for all. But the book of Genesis (and the original flood) give us a glimps into God's thinking.

Genesis 6:5-8 (The Message)

God saw that human evil was out of control. People thought evil, imagined evil—evil, evil, evil from morning to night. God was sorry that he had made the human race in the first place; it broke his heart. God said, "I'll get rid of my ruined creation, make a clean sweep: people, animals, snakes and bugs, birds—the works. I'm sorry I made them." But Noah was different. God liked what he saw in Noah.

And I suspect there is something about you and me that he likes too. You see; (also from Genesis)

God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature. .... God created human beings; he created them godlike, Reflecting God's nature

That would be you and me too, and clearly, God must like what He sees...

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

I saw a miracle tonight

I saw a miracle tonight.

A man was lifted from his seat to his feet saying "I can't do it anymore" and he surrendered his religion, his mind and heart to Jesus. This man has a favorite metaphor regarding this transaction with Jesus, he calls it "getting on the boat". This man, my friend has spoken often the past two years about getting on the boat (or lack thereof).

One of the odd things was by listening to this man speak for the past two or so years, I thought he already had engaged Jesus in this way. You see, it seems he was given the testimony before the transaction ever officially took place. Transformation happened over time but in an instant, by faith, it was confirmed. The transaction was for him.

Another weird thing was as he stood he opened his arms and motioned with his hands in a brushing, inward motion to a few of us men in the room as if to say "come here, come to me while I say these things". I tried to accommodate him but by the physical nature of the furniture arrangement and proximity of a couple other guys, I couldn't get to him. As my friends hugged him, I was given the opportunity to simply watch. And watch I did. I'm glad, because I saw a miracle tonight.