I love this beautiful face. This video is where I got the screen shot from. There’s a book called 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus. Its a detailed account of what happened to the indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere, when the folks from the Eastern Hemisphere arrived. Its well worth the read. It helped me to understand the dignity, and truth about these original peoples. Its a more complete story about these people on whose land we all share. Another really great book with a window on how things were back then is “Roughing It In The Bush” by Susanna Moodie. They are mentioned as quiet hero’s in her life. The setting is in the early days of Canada. That’s why I love that picture up there, of the Blackfoot Indian, in all his glory. The dignity carved in his face. I wish with all my heart and soul that I could have known him, and spent time with him.
The Short Version
When I write it’s “thinking out loud. So below is that process. I’m back at the top here, because I hate having to chase after a dangling carrot! I want to treat you, my reader the way I would like to be treated, the Golden Rule.
I explore what I called “the lie” and here is The Truth: Success is here and now, not tomorrow, and not an event that was missed in the past. Success is entering into his rest, and dwelling there.
Long Version
I’m 62 years old, and looking over what’s gone right, and what’s gone wrong in my life. And I’ve seen shadows of the lies that I slip under the power of whenever I am discouraged. A big one is that some regrettable thing in the past led me on a missed destiny, a missed calling. This is hard to shake. The “What if ?” Could drive me crazy.
Somewhere in the constant rehash of harsh history… there’s handwashing and there’s a lie that I’m believing, and therefore it’s running my life!
I hear Paul’s words,
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…
2 Corinthians 10:4-5
I’ve been meditating on this for the past couple of days now. It all started with feeling the pain of being written off by one of my children. Their life is F’d and is all my fault. Like I just said, I’m 62. He, however, is 34. I haven’t lived with him since his mom and I split up when he was 6. I’ve had less and less involvement in his life as the years have gone by, so to blame me for it all is at best excessive. At what point in his life will he quit blaming, quit being a victim? But, then again, why stop there. Why not blame God himself for giving him the mother and father that he did. But we need to be careful when we talk about blaming God. That sounds like grumbling and complaining. It sounds like shaking my fist at God, asking him, “How dare you!?!?” See below for how that worked out for the Israelites during their trip from Egypt to the promised land.
And as long as we’re in an analogy here. Egypt was where God took Jacob and his sons to look after them during the 7 years of famine. The story of Joseph and his brothers can be found <here> It was all God’s doing. Then years past, and Israel was doing so well in Egypt that the new Pharaoh, who never knew anything about Joseph, grew worried…
Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.” Exodus 1:8-10
They began to oppress the Israelites. As the story unfolds, God reveals that he has raised up Pharaoh and Egypt, in order to glorify himself, the rest of the world, and especially to his people, the children of Israel.
So, they’re oppressed, and Egypt’s Pharaoh is truly THE BIG GUY in their world. They cried out to God, it says, and he sent Moses to deliver them. Moses is a type of Christ. I’m speaking about the biblical definition of typology. Joseph was also a type of Christ.
I believe this is how God still does things. He allows, and even causes us to bottom out. To run out of options. We lose our confidence in ourselves, and in everyone around us, so that we will then turn to him.
Turn to God in Hope. Turn to Christ Jesus.
So the lie is that my life is F’d and there’s nothing that can be done about it!
Here’s the truth> Look and Live! (see below)
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
Ephesians 1:11
Consider Paul, in the first chapter of Romans,
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
Romans 1:21-25
Failure to glorify God is the beginning of the trouble. I think the reverse is true. Acknowledging God, glorifying him, putting him back to where he belongs, reverses the equation:
- Being thankful to God, for everything even for what hurts
- Leads to me glorifying God!
- Leads to the opposite of futile thinking.
My Church History professor in Bible College, Dr Ronald Kydd, talked about causation. He mentioned that no single cause can be blamed for historical events, like the reformation for example.
Speaking of blaming…
M Scott Peck in A “Road Less Travelled” lists two kinds of people that are not ended up needing his help: Character Defects and Neurotics. The Character Defects blame others the Neurotics blame themselves. I’m the type that blames myself. Both are lies. My son suffers from the Character Defect variety, and something else. He’s never content with what he has. He’s always moaned about what he doesn’t have, while treating what he DOES HAVE with contempt. Again, it brings to mind the people of Israel on their way from Egypt to the Promised land.
The story of Nebuchadnezzar comes to mind. In Daniel 4, he is taught a lesson about this very thing. He blames himself for his plight. And God showed him a different point of view. I’m joking a bit here, because he was the mightiest ruler of his time! And he took credit for it! Patting himself on the back! Go read the story!
For me it’s easier to give credit to God when things go well beyond anything I could have accomplished on my own. But it’s easier to blame myself or others when things aren’t going well. But both miss the point of it all. But both are a form of human pride. Both are a lie. To God be the glory, forever and ever amen. I won’t go into it, but just in case you think I’m mistaken, take a look at Romans chapter 9.
Today! Live in today! Make the best of today! There’s an olde hymn, Look and live! There’s an event recorded in the olde testament that comes to mind for me here. It’s in Numbers 21:4-9. The Israelites were delivered from Egypt by the mighty hand of God. That story starts in the book of Exodus. It’s hard to read for me! Each time I get to the part about the Israelites groaning and moaning, grumbling against God, it hurts! I want it to be different! “Tell me they didn’t just say that!!!”
…they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” Numbers 21:5
God had been hearing it over and over again! He got tired of it also! He sent snakes to bite them! They started to die! He got their attention! They went to Moses, and repented! They connected the dots! “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you…” they asked Moses to pray! That’s where they should have gone when they were hungry, thirsty – their needs! He prayed to God, God told him to make a bronze snake, to lift it up, and tell the Israelites anyone bitten by a snake could look and live! Interesting to me that they needed to be bitten, to realize, to listen! To be obedient! Also interesting to me is that there had to be a time lag ! Moses had to design and forge a bronze snake! Add to this that the snakes weren’t removed! Nor were they prevented from biting them! And that God’s solution brought healing!
Listen! Look to God! Live!
The KNOWLEDGE that something is whacked… that’s NOW and TODAY. The book of Hebrews talks about Today.
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need
Hebrews 4:16
My eyes are open, but what am I seeing ? God’s word brings clarity! It’s the lens I need to understand what’s what! Ephesians 1:11 says that,
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
Ephesians 1:11
So do you see it yet? The lie is the part where you or I, focus our sight on the past. It’s gone.
Today is the day of salvation.
Several authors have pointed out that the same family circumstances bring about very different children, who end up leading very different lives.
A famous quote, is that a poor workman blames his tools. God is the perfect craftsman, and he knows the imperfections and limitations of his tools, you and me parents. And he’s worked that into how he gets it done.
Running Down Vimy 