This afternoon my sweet husband took me to see a movie I've wanted to see for some time now, The King's Speech. It was every bit as good as I hoped and more. The movie is the true story of Prince Albert (Bertie), Duke of York, second son of King George V. As second successor to the throne, Prince Albert never intended to occupy the throne; that was the duty of his older brother, David. Still as a royal he was expected to make official speeches, a terrifying thought for someone who stuttered from early childhood. His stuttering - at least from his perspective - was the result of abuse received by a nanny as well as tormenting from his brothers. Though he had tried speech therapy to no avail, his wife found an unconventional therapist by the name of Lionel Logue who was able to convince Prince Albert that he could make progress in conquering his stammer. When Prince Albert's father died, his brother, David, became King, but later abdicated the throne in order to marry a twice divorced American woman, Wallace Simpson. Because the King of England is also the head of the Church of England, it was not permissible to marry a divorced woman. With this reality, Prince Albert became the assuming King of England as King George the VI. In assuming the throne, King George needed Logue's help in his coronation ceremony as well as the most significant "Declaration of War" when England declared war against Hitler's Germany. The movie ended with a powerful scene of King George VI, with just 40 minutes to practice his speech techniques with Logue, nailing his speech and securing the affection of His nation.
I'm not much a movie buff, but I do believe this movie was brilliantly scripted and marvelously acted. With British culture and accent abounding, I was reminded of my father and was filled with deep sentiment. It was a beautiful movie. When I left, I immediately called my mom, because she had previously seen the movie and had raved about it. We compared our thoughts and, being a wise theologian, she noted that Moses also had a stammer, and God used him in a mighty way.
When Moses enters the Biblical scene God is unveiling His plan to redeem a people to Himself. He had birthed what would be the nation of Israel through Abraham and, once established in number, God planned to use Moses to rescue His people from slavery in Egypt under Pharoah and lead them into the Promised Land - all this a beautiful picture of our liberation from slavery in sin to freedom found in Christ. Moses is chillin' in Midian tending sheep when God calls to him from a burning bush and declares that He is sending Moses to Pharaoh to bring His people, the Israelites, out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. Among Moses' many excuses, his last excuse follows: "O God, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." God's response: "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind. Is it not I, the LORD. Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." (Exodus 4:10 - 12)
Several thoughts. We all have our deficits. Right now I'm dealing with a chronic respiratory issue that has flared up and has slowed me down considerably. I also tend to stutter in times of nervousness. I am currently dealing with issues of self-control particularly as it pertains to emotions. These and many other vices remind me daily that God, the Kings of Kings, is the only one who is perfect. Like King George VI and Moses, I am humbled that he would use such an imperfect creature as myself for His divine purposes however insignificant my life may seem compared to English and Biblical nobility. Again I am reminded of God's words in II Corinthians 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." But oh what a joy it will be when Christ returns and His redemptive purposes will be accomplished. It will be done. All things will be made new including a stammering tongue. The tongue that once stuttered will eloquently proclaim along with the heavenly hosts and every nation, tribe, and tongue, "Holy, Holy, Holy! You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things and by your will they were created and have their being."
Two side notes:
1. The Kings Speech is rated R mostly because of the expletives used by Bertie and Lionel in therapy. While I believe the movie is brilliant, I wanted you to be aware that there is language in the movie.
2. This post reminds me of a newsletter I sent while living on the Westside of Chicago and witnessing God work through many impaired peoples, myself included. I am going to find that newsletter and share it in connection to this post.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
State of the Union, Jesus, and Power
I'm taking a little creative liberty with this blog post veering slightly from the original intention. I was prompted by the State of the Union address given by President Obama on Tuesday evening coupled with a book that I am reading to share some thoughts about power.
If you missed the President's address, here is a link to watch the brief 1:07:31 speech ;)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/state-of-the-union-2011
The book I am currently reading is "To Change the World" by James Davison Hunter.
Both President Obama and James Davison Hunter describe America as a super power, which is easy to recognize when you look our country's international influence. Internally there seems to be a perpetual struggle for power in our country most vividly fleshed out through politics. While I tend to be skeptical of politics, I do recognize the power it wields in our country. What is fascinating to me is the drastic difference in political position and conviction that exists among Christians.
Hunter highlights this theme sharing the primary challenge facing our country according to the "religious right," progressives, as well as neo-Anabaptists. He states, "Among most theological conservatives, the main challenge presented by the modern world has been secularity. Their solution, therefore, is a 'resacralization' of society - bringing God back into all spheres of social activity. Among most theological and political progressives, the primary challenge has long been one of inequality. For progressives, then, the solution is a redistribution of wealth and power with a preference for the poor and needy. Among many neo-Anabaptists, the most significant challenge of our time is the violence and coercion built into the polity of liberal democracy and consumerism of global capitalism. Their solution, then is the peace-loving koinonia of the church-based community." Hunter affirms each of these individual issues as problems, but does not think that any of these issues is THE defining problem in our country or culture, and consequently none of these issues should be our primary motivation for change. His overall conclusion is that if we want to effect change, we need to be concerned with having a "faithful presence." A theology of faithful presence starts with a recognition of God's faithful presence to us and a recognition of our call to be faithfully present in return; faithful to Him, to each other (within and outside the faith family), to our tasks, and within our spheres of influence. While reaching this point, Hunter shares some helpful insights about Jesus and power that I wanted to pass along.
Jesus and "Social" Power (p. 187 - 193)
1. His power was derived from His complete intimacy with and submission to His Father.
2. He rejected the status, reputation, and privilege typically desired in the pursuit of power.
3. Love, specifically compassionate love, was the source, the means, and the end of His power.
4. He dealt with those outside of the community faith in a noncoercive way.
Obviously, this is a very simple summary of Hunter's book, which I would encourage you to read if your curiosity is peaked. I hope it is at least thought provoking, especially for my politically minded friends.
If you missed the President's address, here is a link to watch the brief 1:07:31 speech ;)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/state-of-the-union-2011
The book I am currently reading is "To Change the World" by James Davison Hunter.
Both President Obama and James Davison Hunter describe America as a super power, which is easy to recognize when you look our country's international influence. Internally there seems to be a perpetual struggle for power in our country most vividly fleshed out through politics. While I tend to be skeptical of politics, I do recognize the power it wields in our country. What is fascinating to me is the drastic difference in political position and conviction that exists among Christians.
Hunter highlights this theme sharing the primary challenge facing our country according to the "religious right," progressives, as well as neo-Anabaptists. He states, "Among most theological conservatives, the main challenge presented by the modern world has been secularity. Their solution, therefore, is a 'resacralization' of society - bringing God back into all spheres of social activity. Among most theological and political progressives, the primary challenge has long been one of inequality. For progressives, then, the solution is a redistribution of wealth and power with a preference for the poor and needy. Among many neo-Anabaptists, the most significant challenge of our time is the violence and coercion built into the polity of liberal democracy and consumerism of global capitalism. Their solution, then is the peace-loving koinonia of the church-based community." Hunter affirms each of these individual issues as problems, but does not think that any of these issues is THE defining problem in our country or culture, and consequently none of these issues should be our primary motivation for change. His overall conclusion is that if we want to effect change, we need to be concerned with having a "faithful presence." A theology of faithful presence starts with a recognition of God's faithful presence to us and a recognition of our call to be faithfully present in return; faithful to Him, to each other (within and outside the faith family), to our tasks, and within our spheres of influence. While reaching this point, Hunter shares some helpful insights about Jesus and power that I wanted to pass along.
Jesus and "Social" Power (p. 187 - 193)
1. His power was derived from His complete intimacy with and submission to His Father.
2. He rejected the status, reputation, and privilege typically desired in the pursuit of power.
3. Love, specifically compassionate love, was the source, the means, and the end of His power.
4. He dealt with those outside of the community faith in a noncoercive way.
Obviously, this is a very simple summary of Hunter's book, which I would encourage you to read if your curiosity is peaked. I hope it is at least thought provoking, especially for my politically minded friends.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Prednisone: past and present. Praising God for the future
I have a love/ hate relationship with prednisone. You know, the steroid. But I'll get to that shortly.
I completely love skiing. The last time I went skiing was early 2008. About a dozen or so friends from my Sunday School class rented a sweet house near Beach Mountain and skied for two days. It was an invigorating time flying down the mountains at speeds that approached a hundred miles an hour (rough guess :) ). We tackled the black diamond slopes, and I came out with all limbs in tact. We enjoyed hot chocolate and board games and all together had a wonderful weekend.
When I got back I developed what I thought to be a common cold with all the typical symptoms: runny nose, scratchy throat, and cough. The only problem was the cold never went away. [ Side note: ever since I got pneumonia as a little girl, my Mom has told me that I have a "weak chest." I was never really sure what that meant exactly and for the most part continued to live life to the fullest - skiing included.] The only problem was that as the cold continued, the symptoms got worse. I had trouble breathing, and the lack of oxygen started to make me feel dizzy and weak. One of the most frustrating parts of the whole experience was that I was going to my family physician every couple of weeks, each time given antibiotics and each time to no avail. Finally when I came close to passing out at work, I decided it was time to go to a specialist - a pulmonologist to be exact. Oh what a sweet day it was when I met Dr. Murphy at Salem Chest Specialists. Within a day -and after some very difficult breathing tests and chest scans - he diagnosed me with "chronic eosinophilic pneumonia" and put me on a high dose of prednisone (I guess my mom was right about the whole "weak chest" situation). Although I wasn't thrilled about being on a steroid, if it was the only means to the end of breathing, I was willing to give it a stab. I call it a miracle drug. Antibiotics after antibiotics...NOTHING. Prednisone...BREATHING. It was amazing - apart from some mildly unpleasant side effects. After almost six months on prednisone I could finally breath again. And breath I did for about two years.
Fast forward to January of 2010 and all of a sudden I was continuously getting really sick. But this time I would feel perfectly healthy and then within a hour I would be hunched over on the couch, shaking, nauseous, and again unable to breath well. This cycle happened four times over three months. It was unnerving to say the least. After three specialists and four different diagnoses (chronic eosinophilic pneumonia, sarcoidosis, vasculitis, and rheumatoid arthritis) and still no clear evidence of any definitive disease, I decided to take matters into my own hands. It was obvious that I had some kind of chronic inflammatory issue that affected my respiratory system and prednisone seemed to do the trick. So I continued on the prednisone and tapered off ridiculously slow nursing myself back to health. This second episode may have lasted well into the fall, but I was thankful to eventually be off of the medication and breathing normally again.
All was going well until this past week. I have come to recognize the symptoms that accompany the onset of a flareup. It feels like my chest is constricting, and I quickly have a diminished ability to breathe. Since there is never a good time to be sick, and since I wasn't willing to see if the symptoms would progress, I decided to pull the plug and start back on prednisone. I really didn't want to go back to the doctor, but my concerned husband thought it best that I get an "expert" opinion. I'm obliging him. Monday at 8:45 am to be exact. Other than Ron's nudging I would be completely content to administer my own prednisone and once again nurse myself back to health.
I don't write all this as some sort of pity party. I've come to terms with my "weak chest" situation, even if it did start in my mid twenties. Well I guess if you were to ask my mom she would say it started when I was a little girl. We all have vices, but I will say that as I popped my first 40 mg of prednisone this past Friday, I couldn't help but thank God for the day when my body will be made new, and when I can once again fly down snow covered mountains (that is, if there is skiing in the re-creation...not too sure about that one). I couldn't help but think of the verse from II Corinthians 4: 16 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." Though in the outward body I feel the effects of the fall, though in my spirit I am renewed by the realization that each day brings me closer to a new body free from sickness or disease or a weak chest. PRAISE GOD!!
I completely love skiing. The last time I went skiing was early 2008. About a dozen or so friends from my Sunday School class rented a sweet house near Beach Mountain and skied for two days. It was an invigorating time flying down the mountains at speeds that approached a hundred miles an hour (rough guess :) ). We tackled the black diamond slopes, and I came out with all limbs in tact. We enjoyed hot chocolate and board games and all together had a wonderful weekend.
When I got back I developed what I thought to be a common cold with all the typical symptoms: runny nose, scratchy throat, and cough. The only problem was the cold never went away. [ Side note: ever since I got pneumonia as a little girl, my Mom has told me that I have a "weak chest." I was never really sure what that meant exactly and for the most part continued to live life to the fullest - skiing included.] The only problem was that as the cold continued, the symptoms got worse. I had trouble breathing, and the lack of oxygen started to make me feel dizzy and weak. One of the most frustrating parts of the whole experience was that I was going to my family physician every couple of weeks, each time given antibiotics and each time to no avail. Finally when I came close to passing out at work, I decided it was time to go to a specialist - a pulmonologist to be exact. Oh what a sweet day it was when I met Dr. Murphy at Salem Chest Specialists. Within a day -and after some very difficult breathing tests and chest scans - he diagnosed me with "chronic eosinophilic pneumonia" and put me on a high dose of prednisone (I guess my mom was right about the whole "weak chest" situation). Although I wasn't thrilled about being on a steroid, if it was the only means to the end of breathing, I was willing to give it a stab. I call it a miracle drug. Antibiotics after antibiotics...NOTHING. Prednisone...BREATHING. It was amazing - apart from some mildly unpleasant side effects. After almost six months on prednisone I could finally breath again. And breath I did for about two years.
Fast forward to January of 2010 and all of a sudden I was continuously getting really sick. But this time I would feel perfectly healthy and then within a hour I would be hunched over on the couch, shaking, nauseous, and again unable to breath well. This cycle happened four times over three months. It was unnerving to say the least. After three specialists and four different diagnoses (chronic eosinophilic pneumonia, sarcoidosis, vasculitis, and rheumatoid arthritis) and still no clear evidence of any definitive disease, I decided to take matters into my own hands. It was obvious that I had some kind of chronic inflammatory issue that affected my respiratory system and prednisone seemed to do the trick. So I continued on the prednisone and tapered off ridiculously slow nursing myself back to health. This second episode may have lasted well into the fall, but I was thankful to eventually be off of the medication and breathing normally again.
All was going well until this past week. I have come to recognize the symptoms that accompany the onset of a flareup. It feels like my chest is constricting, and I quickly have a diminished ability to breathe. Since there is never a good time to be sick, and since I wasn't willing to see if the symptoms would progress, I decided to pull the plug and start back on prednisone. I really didn't want to go back to the doctor, but my concerned husband thought it best that I get an "expert" opinion. I'm obliging him. Monday at 8:45 am to be exact. Other than Ron's nudging I would be completely content to administer my own prednisone and once again nurse myself back to health.
I don't write all this as some sort of pity party. I've come to terms with my "weak chest" situation, even if it did start in my mid twenties. Well I guess if you were to ask my mom she would say it started when I was a little girl. We all have vices, but I will say that as I popped my first 40 mg of prednisone this past Friday, I couldn't help but thank God for the day when my body will be made new, and when I can once again fly down snow covered mountains (that is, if there is skiing in the re-creation...not too sure about that one). I couldn't help but think of the verse from II Corinthians 4: 16 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." Though in the outward body I feel the effects of the fall, though in my spirit I am renewed by the realization that each day brings me closer to a new body free from sickness or disease or a weak chest. PRAISE GOD!!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Several Disclaimers
This past Tuesday, January 11th I officially started my blog. I was zealous to embark on this exciting journey spitting out not one, but two posts my first night (WATCH OUT!). Since Tuesday I've had some time to think about this blog, and I thought it might be good to provide several disclaimers.
Since I've explicitly stated a purpose for this blog, I thought it might be wise to add some clarifications.
First, my goal is to point out ways in which creation, specifically Christians, point to a new creation - a place where sin and it's effects will be no more. What I don't want to imply is that to be a Christian automatically equates to a perfect reflection of what's to come. History clearly shows many examples of the opposite. It's easy to recognize ways in which Christians misrepresent God's kingdom. And I certainly am all too aware that I daily fall short of a clear reflection. Praise God that in my failing I can rest that Jesus was the perfect incarnation of God and His Kingdom.
Second, I am not a theologian. I have not been to seminary nor have a been trained formally in any other way. I do have a deep love for the Bible and have read through the Bible several times. I love seeing the big picture of Scripture...hence the blog. :) My passion for God's Word aside, I do have a fear that I will in some way misrepresent Scripture, so please correct me if you read an error.
My hope for this blog is not that it will be a source of deep theological debate or analysis. My hope is more that I can highlight simple theological reflections found in everyday examples of the hope we have as Christians that one day all things will be made new. I pray that my heart will be tuned to see the divine in the daily and that this blog would be used to encourage readers to do the same. As a result may we praise God for the hope that is ours in Christ.
Since I've explicitly stated a purpose for this blog, I thought it might be wise to add some clarifications.
First, my goal is to point out ways in which creation, specifically Christians, point to a new creation - a place where sin and it's effects will be no more. What I don't want to imply is that to be a Christian automatically equates to a perfect reflection of what's to come. History clearly shows many examples of the opposite. It's easy to recognize ways in which Christians misrepresent God's kingdom. And I certainly am all too aware that I daily fall short of a clear reflection. Praise God that in my failing I can rest that Jesus was the perfect incarnation of God and His Kingdom.
Second, I am not a theologian. I have not been to seminary nor have a been trained formally in any other way. I do have a deep love for the Bible and have read through the Bible several times. I love seeing the big picture of Scripture...hence the blog. :) My passion for God's Word aside, I do have a fear that I will in some way misrepresent Scripture, so please correct me if you read an error.
My hope for this blog is not that it will be a source of deep theological debate or analysis. My hope is more that I can highlight simple theological reflections found in everyday examples of the hope we have as Christians that one day all things will be made new. I pray that my heart will be tuned to see the divine in the daily and that this blog would be used to encourage readers to do the same. As a result may we praise God for the hope that is ours in Christ.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
A blogger's inspiration
I have to admit that I was somewhat of a skeptic when it came to blogs. I barely have time to keep up with email and facebook and texts let alone script consistent blog posts. And read the myriad of blogs out there...fugethaboudit! Not to mention the fear that no one will read my blog (because for better or worse I can track the "stats" of my blog). But I was won over by a blog of an acquaintance from my college alma mater (Samford University...go Bulldogs!). Her name is Katherine Arnold Wolf and her blog is http://www.katherinewolf.info/.
It may be self deprecating to promote Katherine's blog, especially so early on in my blogging career, but I have to give credit where credit is due. Katherine's blog made me believe that one could have earnest followers who faithfully checked in to read posts. Her blog made me believe that you can transfer valuable ideas and information to the masses in a way that uplifts, encourages, and challenges it's readers or followers (as they are affectionately called in blog world).
On a side note, I may or may not have gotten really excited when I got my first follower. I may or may not have done a little dance in bed. Thank you, Angela, for being my first follower. I take this job of being followed very seriously and promise to faithfully blog. :)
Katherine's story epitomizes the heart behind my blog, which restated is to point to every day examples of the great Christian hope that one day all things will be made new. Although Katherine didn't know me, I knew her because of her visibility on campus. She was active in student government, her sorority, and campus life in general. She emceed our biggest annual campus event, Step Sing. With little effort and no past pageant experience, she won "Ms. Samford" our senior year. She married her college sweetheart, Jay Wolf, and together they set out for sunny Los Angeles so that Jay could pursue law school and Katherine could pursue modeling and acting. As you can deduce, they were a picture perfect couple!
Several years after moving to Califormia, a year after winning $50,000 on "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader," and six months after birthing their son (with no epidural), Katherine suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke caused by the rupture of an AVM (arterial veinous malformation) in her right cerebellum. The result is that Katherine barely escaped death and was left paralyzed on one side of her body unable to walk or swallow. What has transpired since her stroke is nothing short of a miracle.
I've always thought our bodies ability to heal itself miraculous. Whether a minor scratch scabbing over and healing or nerve reconfiguration after a massive stroke, the fact that our body can correct physical error is quite remarkable, and I think a vivid reflection of our bodies being made new. Katherine was supposed to die. The doctors told her husband to say goodbye. If by minute chance she survived, she was supposed to be in a vegetative state. Against all odds, Katherine not only survived but is slowly (quickly by statistical standards) regaining functional abilities.
Realistically, although Katherine has come a long way defying odds, she has a long way to go to full recovery. The reality is that she may never fully recover. The burgeoning model may always have a crooked smile and double vision. Her body is not as it ought to be. Right now she is rejoicing that she can walk on the threadmill for 20 seconds without holding on to the bars. But praise God that her hope does not end with this life. She, as a Christian, has hope that one day all things will be made new, including her body.
The Wolf Family before Katherine's stroke
The Wolf Family immediately following Katherine's stroke
The Wolf Family this Christmas
Click here for the CNN story about Katherine:
It may be self deprecating to promote Katherine's blog, especially so early on in my blogging career, but I have to give credit where credit is due. Katherine's blog made me believe that one could have earnest followers who faithfully checked in to read posts. Her blog made me believe that you can transfer valuable ideas and information to the masses in a way that uplifts, encourages, and challenges it's readers or followers (as they are affectionately called in blog world).
On a side note, I may or may not have gotten really excited when I got my first follower. I may or may not have done a little dance in bed. Thank you, Angela, for being my first follower. I take this job of being followed very seriously and promise to faithfully blog. :)
Katherine's story epitomizes the heart behind my blog, which restated is to point to every day examples of the great Christian hope that one day all things will be made new. Although Katherine didn't know me, I knew her because of her visibility on campus. She was active in student government, her sorority, and campus life in general. She emceed our biggest annual campus event, Step Sing. With little effort and no past pageant experience, she won "Ms. Samford" our senior year. She married her college sweetheart, Jay Wolf, and together they set out for sunny Los Angeles so that Jay could pursue law school and Katherine could pursue modeling and acting. As you can deduce, they were a picture perfect couple!
Several years after moving to Califormia, a year after winning $50,000 on "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader," and six months after birthing their son (with no epidural), Katherine suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke caused by the rupture of an AVM (arterial veinous malformation) in her right cerebellum. The result is that Katherine barely escaped death and was left paralyzed on one side of her body unable to walk or swallow. What has transpired since her stroke is nothing short of a miracle.
I've always thought our bodies ability to heal itself miraculous. Whether a minor scratch scabbing over and healing or nerve reconfiguration after a massive stroke, the fact that our body can correct physical error is quite remarkable, and I think a vivid reflection of our bodies being made new. Katherine was supposed to die. The doctors told her husband to say goodbye. If by minute chance she survived, she was supposed to be in a vegetative state. Against all odds, Katherine not only survived but is slowly (quickly by statistical standards) regaining functional abilities.
Realistically, although Katherine has come a long way defying odds, she has a long way to go to full recovery. The reality is that she may never fully recover. The burgeoning model may always have a crooked smile and double vision. Her body is not as it ought to be. Right now she is rejoicing that she can walk on the threadmill for 20 seconds without holding on to the bars. But praise God that her hope does not end with this life. She, as a Christian, has hope that one day all things will be made new, including her body.
The Wolf Family before Katherine's stroke
The Wolf Family immediately following Katherine's stroke
The Wolf Family this Christmas
Click here for the CNN story about Katherine:
Why THIS blog?
I've wanted to start a blog for some time now. My desire stemmed not necessarily from a urge to give a journal like record of my life, but more so to share simple insights from daily life that point to what I believe is one of the most basic hopes of the Christian faith: One day God will make ALL THINGS NEW (Revelation 21:5)
Let me explain briefly.
It is the Christians belief, based on the truth of God's Word, that God created the heavens, the earth, and all that lies therein. God designed creation to thrive under His reign and commissioned man to rule over creation in a way that cared and cultivated it. Because of sin, God's design was marred, and creation was now under the curse of death. This did not surprise God who made a way to redeem creation back to Himself. This is seen through his redemption of a people for Himself, but most notably through Christ, the Great Redeemer. It is God's people - a people reconciled to God through Christ - who are now the ones who engage culture and creation; they are the ones who work to reflect the great promise of Scripture that "the old order of things will pass away" and all things will be made new.
So this blog is an effort to highlight simple ways in which creation itself, specifically through God's people, is reflecting the coming reality of a new creation. In a world that is subject to death and decay, may we glean much hope from observing creation, most notably the actions of Christians - both individually and corporately - which is pointing to a time when there will no longer be any curse, a time when there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. God will rule completely. AMEN!
Let me explain briefly.
It is the Christians belief, based on the truth of God's Word, that God created the heavens, the earth, and all that lies therein. God designed creation to thrive under His reign and commissioned man to rule over creation in a way that cared and cultivated it. Because of sin, God's design was marred, and creation was now under the curse of death. This did not surprise God who made a way to redeem creation back to Himself. This is seen through his redemption of a people for Himself, but most notably through Christ, the Great Redeemer. It is God's people - a people reconciled to God through Christ - who are now the ones who engage culture and creation; they are the ones who work to reflect the great promise of Scripture that "the old order of things will pass away" and all things will be made new.
So this blog is an effort to highlight simple ways in which creation itself, specifically through God's people, is reflecting the coming reality of a new creation. In a world that is subject to death and decay, may we glean much hope from observing creation, most notably the actions of Christians - both individually and corporately - which is pointing to a time when there will no longer be any curse, a time when there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. God will rule completely. AMEN!
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