May 2002-March 2012
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Friday, April 22, 2011
Good Friday
Today is Good Friday, the day that commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus. It's not as popular as Easter. Light and triumph are more appealing topics than darkness and death. Yet without that death, there would have been no resurrection...no forgiveness, no glorification, no light. So, it's an important day to remember.
As I pondered what to post to recognize the day, I found myself coming up short. What can one simple human say to reflect on the greatest event in history? Then I thought of Isaiah 53, written hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. After all, the Bible usually says it best.
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
4 Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
11 After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
Have a blessed Good Friday and a joyous Easter!
As I pondered what to post to recognize the day, I found myself coming up short. What can one simple human say to reflect on the greatest event in history? Then I thought of Isaiah 53, written hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. After all, the Bible usually says it best.
Isaiah 53
1 Who has believed our messageand to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
4 Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
11 After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
Have a blessed Good Friday and a joyous Easter!
Friday, April 01, 2011
The Center of My Universe
Leaving God out of the Equation
“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 53:1a ESV).
Sometimes I flatter myself that I’m the center of Shadow’s universe. After all, I’ve already shown that she follows my every move and seeks me out when I’m not around. She looks to me for food, for shelter, for comfort. She even panics--sometimes--when I’m not in sight.
Then something happens to snap me back to reality. Shadow displays a lack of trust. She gives me the cold shoulder or, worst of all, lets me know she’s only in it for the tuna and body heat. It’s not about me after all. It’s all about her.
Shadow is the center of her own universe.
That sounds like a harsh indictment on Shadow. It would be if so many of us, feline and human alike, didn’t share the same attitude.
Looking at the words of Psalm 53, it’s easy to dismiss them as directed toward atheists or “bad people.” Yet it has as much to do with a shift in focus as with outright denial. That shift in focus can be subversive. Even Christians can be caught by its subtlety if our attention lapses.
Shadow doesn’t doubt my existence. Neither does B.J. Neither has any other cat who has ever owned me. Felines don’t get caught up in philosophical questions or existential ponderings. Their thoughts are placidly centered...on themselves.
We humans fall prey to the same self-deceptions. We forget the words of Psalm 111, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding” (Psalm 111:10).
When we forge ahead without praying for guidance, we’ve calculated without including God’s plans in our equations. When we panic instead of relying on God’s provision, we’ve forgotten that God holds the universe, not vice versa. When we put our own desires ahead of God’s will or the needs of others, a subtle shift has occurred. We displace God from the center of our lives and put ourselves there instead. We may not proclaim our unbelief, but our hearts whisper it.
“There is no God. I am the center of my universe.”
And that’s just foolish.
Happy April Fools' Day.
“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 53:1a ESV).
Sometimes I flatter myself that I’m the center of Shadow’s universe. After all, I’ve already shown that she follows my every move and seeks me out when I’m not around. She looks to me for food, for shelter, for comfort. She even panics--sometimes--when I’m not in sight.
Then something happens to snap me back to reality. Shadow displays a lack of trust. She gives me the cold shoulder or, worst of all, lets me know she’s only in it for the tuna and body heat. It’s not about me after all. It’s all about her.
Shadow is the center of her own universe.
That sounds like a harsh indictment on Shadow. It would be if so many of us, feline and human alike, didn’t share the same attitude.
Looking at the words of Psalm 53, it’s easy to dismiss them as directed toward atheists or “bad people.” Yet it has as much to do with a shift in focus as with outright denial. That shift in focus can be subversive. Even Christians can be caught by its subtlety if our attention lapses.
Shadow doesn’t doubt my existence. Neither does B.J. Neither has any other cat who has ever owned me. Felines don’t get caught up in philosophical questions or existential ponderings. Their thoughts are placidly centered...on themselves.
We humans fall prey to the same self-deceptions. We forget the words of Psalm 111, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding” (Psalm 111:10).
When we forge ahead without praying for guidance, we’ve calculated without including God’s plans in our equations. When we panic instead of relying on God’s provision, we’ve forgotten that God holds the universe, not vice versa. When we put our own desires ahead of God’s will or the needs of others, a subtle shift has occurred. We displace God from the center of our lives and put ourselves there instead. We may not proclaim our unbelief, but our hearts whisper it.
“There is no God. I am the center of my universe.”
And that’s just foolish.
Happy April Fools' Day.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Don’t Worry; Take a Nap
Trusting God’s Provision
Shadow sleeps. A lot.
I’ve heard lions sleep 20 out of 24 hours a day. I suspect my feline owner is out to meet or beat that average. Of course, she has her active moments. Sometimes a burst of kittenish energy sends her racing around the house or attacking a catnip-filled toy. Most often, though, she limits her activity to trips to her food and water bowls or the litter box. And she sleeps.
She sleeps on my bed when I’m napping. She sleeps in patches of sun that pool inside windows. She sleeps beside the heater vent on winter days. She sleeps on the back of the couch or curled up in a pile of laundry. She sleeps.
It’s amazing when you consider her naturally neurotic temperament. She’s actually quite restful. She never worries about whether her food or water will be waiting for her. If it happens that they’re not--I have to clean the bowls some time--she doesn’t panic. She simply turns, fixes me with a disappointed glare and asks, “Well?” Even if the answers to her needs aren’t obvious, she knows those needs will be met. All she has to do is ask.
I often envy Shadow’s sublime acceptance of my provision for her. Sure, she has some trust issues regarding other humans, other animals and the great outdoors. Yet she knows I’ll never fail her in the most basic of ways.
I wish I could trust my Master the way she trusts me. It’s often difficult, though, to trust in the midst of life’s pressures and daily needs. How will I pay my mortgage this month? Where will I find the money for this medical bill? My daughter has outgrown her clothes; how can I afford more? Nor do I think I’m alone in my moments of panic over those needs and desires that sometimes swamp me. It seems my catly companion has a better grasp than I do of the words in Luke 12 (also found in Matthew 6).
That doesn’t mean we don’t have to work to make ends meet. Shadow has it good. Feral cats have to hunt and scrounge for food. Ravens search for prey. Flowers and grasses work in their own fashion to convert sunlight, moisture and carbon dioxide into the nutrients they need. When we’ve done all we can, though, and those ends still haven’t met…what then? Jesus tells us, right in Matthew 6.
“Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven….Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:8-9a, 11 NRSV).
After that, it’s a matter of trust. Ask, and trust that God will come through. He will. It may not always be in the way we expect, or even in the way we think we want. Still, God comes through. He really is willing and ready to meet all our needs, our daily bread and then some. Often, though, we get too wrapped up in our own worries and stresses to let go and let God.
That’s when we need to take Shadow’s approach. Ask. Do what we can and know God will do all.
Then take a nap in the sun.
Shadow sleeps. A lot.
I’ve heard lions sleep 20 out of 24 hours a day. I suspect my feline owner is out to meet or beat that average. Of course, she has her active moments. Sometimes a burst of kittenish energy sends her racing around the house or attacking a catnip-filled toy. Most often, though, she limits her activity to trips to her food and water bowls or the litter box. And she sleeps.
She sleeps on my bed when I’m napping. She sleeps in patches of sun that pool inside windows. She sleeps beside the heater vent on winter days. She sleeps on the back of the couch or curled up in a pile of laundry. She sleeps.
It’s amazing when you consider her naturally neurotic temperament. She’s actually quite restful. She never worries about whether her food or water will be waiting for her. If it happens that they’re not--I have to clean the bowls some time--she doesn’t panic. She simply turns, fixes me with a disappointed glare and asks, “Well?” Even if the answers to her needs aren’t obvious, she knows those needs will be met. All she has to do is ask.
I often envy Shadow’s sublime acceptance of my provision for her. Sure, she has some trust issues regarding other humans, other animals and the great outdoors. Yet she knows I’ll never fail her in the most basic of ways.
I wish I could trust my Master the way she trusts me. It’s often difficult, though, to trust in the midst of life’s pressures and daily needs. How will I pay my mortgage this month? Where will I find the money for this medical bill? My daughter has outgrown her clothes; how can I afford more? Nor do I think I’m alone in my moments of panic over those needs and desires that sometimes swamp me. It seems my catly companion has a better grasp than I do of the words in Luke 12 (also found in Matthew 6).
“Then Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you--you of little faith!’” (Luke 12:22-28 NIV)
That doesn’t mean we don’t have to work to make ends meet. Shadow has it good. Feral cats have to hunt and scrounge for food. Ravens search for prey. Flowers and grasses work in their own fashion to convert sunlight, moisture and carbon dioxide into the nutrients they need. When we’ve done all we can, though, and those ends still haven’t met…what then? Jesus tells us, right in Matthew 6.
“Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven….Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:8-9a, 11 NRSV).
After that, it’s a matter of trust. Ask, and trust that God will come through. He will. It may not always be in the way we expect, or even in the way we think we want. Still, God comes through. He really is willing and ready to meet all our needs, our daily bread and then some. Often, though, we get too wrapped up in our own worries and stresses to let go and let God.
That’s when we need to take Shadow’s approach. Ask. Do what we can and know God will do all.
Then take a nap in the sun.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
A One-Woman Cat
Serving Two Masters
Shadow is a one-woman cat.
I can’t say the reverse is true. I’ll cuddle up to any cat at almost any time. Shadow is more discriminating.
When we first brought Shadow into her new home as a kitten, she was terrified. She wouldn’t come out of her carrier for any urging or enticement. I spent hours coaxing, petting and doling out treats. After several days, she emerged and staked her claim. Our two-bedroom apartment was her territory. I was her one and only human.
Her relationship with my husband was more convoluted. He’s not a “cat person” by nature. No instant bond formed between them. In fact, sparks of jealousy erupted into hisses. (I won’t even tell you how Shadow responded to that.) Glares were exchanged. After a while, my husband decided peace was in his best interest. Only after extensive campaigning, though, did Shadow relent and allow him the occasional stroke or chin rub. The process took four years.
Even now, after another four years of exposure to my husband, my parents and many other humans, Shadow is selective in her attention. My husband remains surprised when Shadow cuddles up to him. When she jumps into my mother’s lap, Mom sends a press release to the local newspaper. Okay, that might be an exaggeration. Such events are noteworthy, though, and never last long. Shadow always returns to her one and only human.
Her single-minded devotion can serve as an example to humanity. Shadow seems to know by instinct what we humans have to learn over and over and over again. You can’t serve two masters.
In the parable of the dishonest manager in Luke 16, Jesus says, “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (16:13 ESV).
Shadow doesn’t divide her loyalty. She acknowledges the existence of a few humans aside from myself, but she serves only me. (Actually, she serves no one, but we’ll cover that in another post.) I am her focus, the center of her world. Her love and devotion aren’t shared; they come to me in concentrated form. No one else is worth looking at or listening to.
Shadow could have chosen differently. Her neurotic paranoia aside, she could have striven for my husband’s attention. She could have presented herself as a friend to every human she met. Or, she could stick with her first choice.
Like Shadow, we all have a choice. It’s the same choice Joshua presented to the Israelites millennia ago.
We can choose many things aside from God. We can choose money, fame, popularity, career, relationships or other religions. Whatever it is, though, we have a choice. We choose to center our lives on those things or to center our lives on God. We may even say we serve God but still run after the things the world tells us are important. In that case, whom do we love and whom do we hate? To what are we devoted and what do we despise?
I’m sure you know the answer. Whatever you pursue is what you love. You don’t fall wildly in love with someone and then visit them only on Easter and Christmas. You don’t truly love something and then ignore it.
Shadow doesn’t ignore me. She keeps tabs on me. When she doesn’t see me, she seeks me out. She normally doesn’t have to, though, because she’s already at my side. She’s my shadow, a constant presence. She doesn’t divide her devotions; she has only one human.
“But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
Yes, we could all take a lesson from Shadow.
Shadow is a one-woman cat.
I can’t say the reverse is true. I’ll cuddle up to any cat at almost any time. Shadow is more discriminating.
When we first brought Shadow into her new home as a kitten, she was terrified. She wouldn’t come out of her carrier for any urging or enticement. I spent hours coaxing, petting and doling out treats. After several days, she emerged and staked her claim. Our two-bedroom apartment was her territory. I was her one and only human.
Her relationship with my husband was more convoluted. He’s not a “cat person” by nature. No instant bond formed between them. In fact, sparks of jealousy erupted into hisses. (I won’t even tell you how Shadow responded to that.) Glares were exchanged. After a while, my husband decided peace was in his best interest. Only after extensive campaigning, though, did Shadow relent and allow him the occasional stroke or chin rub. The process took four years.
Even now, after another four years of exposure to my husband, my parents and many other humans, Shadow is selective in her attention. My husband remains surprised when Shadow cuddles up to him. When she jumps into my mother’s lap, Mom sends a press release to the local newspaper. Okay, that might be an exaggeration. Such events are noteworthy, though, and never last long. Shadow always returns to her one and only human.
Her single-minded devotion can serve as an example to humanity. Shadow seems to know by instinct what we humans have to learn over and over and over again. You can’t serve two masters.
In the parable of the dishonest manager in Luke 16, Jesus says, “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (16:13 ESV).
Shadow doesn’t divide her loyalty. She acknowledges the existence of a few humans aside from myself, but she serves only me. (Actually, she serves no one, but we’ll cover that in another post.) I am her focus, the center of her world. Her love and devotion aren’t shared; they come to me in concentrated form. No one else is worth looking at or listening to.
Shadow could have chosen differently. Her neurotic paranoia aside, she could have striven for my husband’s attention. She could have presented herself as a friend to every human she met. Or, she could stick with her first choice.
Like Shadow, we all have a choice. It’s the same choice Joshua presented to the Israelites millennia ago.
“And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).
We can choose many things aside from God. We can choose money, fame, popularity, career, relationships or other religions. Whatever it is, though, we have a choice. We choose to center our lives on those things or to center our lives on God. We may even say we serve God but still run after the things the world tells us are important. In that case, whom do we love and whom do we hate? To what are we devoted and what do we despise?
I’m sure you know the answer. Whatever you pursue is what you love. You don’t fall wildly in love with someone and then visit them only on Easter and Christmas. You don’t truly love something and then ignore it.
Shadow doesn’t ignore me. She keeps tabs on me. When she doesn’t see me, she seeks me out. She normally doesn’t have to, though, because she’s already at my side. She’s my shadow, a constant presence. She doesn’t divide her devotions; she has only one human.
“But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
Yes, we could all take a lesson from Shadow.
Saturday, February 05, 2011
In Memoriam -- Eternal Life
(My apologies for being nearly a week late with this post. Hopefully it was worth waiting for!)
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge….
Excerpted from "Rainbow Bridge," author unknown...
Last week, Shadow and I bid farewell to a long-time feline friend, Whiskers.
Whiskers wasn’t a member of our household. She was the 19-year companion of our human friend, Cynthia. During the years that I’ve known Cynthia, first as an employer and then as a friend, I spent a lot of time with Whiskers.
Whiskers was the consummate grande dame. She was black with white accents, including the lush white whiskers from which she took her name. I never knew her as a kitten. By the time Whiskers and I met, she was a sedate old queen, already older than most cats achieve.
She was a lady in every sense of the word. During work sessions at Cynthia’s house, Whiskers played the polite hostess, keeping my lap warm in Shadow’s absence. At times she slipped a sly paw onto my computer keyboard to correct or supplement what I’d just typed. It’s difficult to imagine that Whiskers won’t be proofing any more of my copy.
According to Hollywood, all dogs go to heaven. What about cats? In my heart, I’d like to think Cynthia, I and everyone else who loved Whiskers will see her again. When I look into the eyes of Shadow, Whiskers or BJ, I may not see a soul in the human sense of the word. I do see a spirit and personality so strong, it seems impossible it could be snuffed out forever in an instant.
Yet that’s only my rambling thought. The Bible--my guide to life--is silent on the point.
What the Bible is not silent concerning is God’s plan of eternal life for humanity.
Many people hope for life after death or hope they’ll go to heaven. They don’t have a solid basis for their hope, other than trying to be a good person. (See my thoughts on earning your way to heaven.) Such people rely on how they feel. In the end, that leaves them with no more certainty than I feel over the fate of my beloved felines.
God doesn’t leave us hanging, though. He’s quite clear.
“And this is the testimony; God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life. Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11-12, NRSV).
Does that sound like a vague, esoteric statement to you? Let’s break it down.
I think that’s pretty clear. If one verse isn’t enough for you, here are a few more. (In the interest of space, I’ve limited verses to those that talk about “eternal life.” More “eternal life” verses are listed at the end of this post.)
“He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11b NIV).
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24 NIV).
“For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day … Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life” (John 6:40,47 NIV).
“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28 NIV).
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3 NIV).
“And this is what he promised us -- eternal life” (1 John 2:25 NIV).
“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:22-23 NIV).
And perhaps the best-known Bible passage in the world:
This post has already grown longer than I planned. There’s much more I could cover, including some stunning descriptions of heaven from the book of Revelation. I’ll let the Bible passages speak for themselves this time; they cover it pretty well! All of these verses, and the further reading below, say pretty much the same thing. To recap:
So, here’s a question to ponder:
What will your eternity look like? What if there is a Rainbow Bridge where Whiskers and the rest wait for us? What if, by virtue of their comparative innocence, animals do have a place in eternal life?
Will you be there to join them?
Further Reading:
Matthew 19:16-29/Mark 10:17-30
Matt. 25:41-46
John 5:39-40
John 6:68
John 12:25,50
Galatians 6:6-9
1 Timothy 1:16
1 Timothy 6:12
Titus 1:1-4
Titus 3:4-7
Hebrews 9:15
1 Peter 5:10
2 Peter 1:10-11
1 John 3:14-15
1 John 5:20
Jude 1:20-21
And, in case you want to know what eternal life will look like:
Revelation 21-22
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge….
Excerpted from "Rainbow Bridge," author unknown...
Last week, Shadow and I bid farewell to a long-time feline friend, Whiskers.
Whiskers wasn’t a member of our household. She was the 19-year companion of our human friend, Cynthia. During the years that I’ve known Cynthia, first as an employer and then as a friend, I spent a lot of time with Whiskers.
Whiskers was the consummate grande dame. She was black with white accents, including the lush white whiskers from which she took her name. I never knew her as a kitten. By the time Whiskers and I met, she was a sedate old queen, already older than most cats achieve.
She was a lady in every sense of the word. During work sessions at Cynthia’s house, Whiskers played the polite hostess, keeping my lap warm in Shadow’s absence. At times she slipped a sly paw onto my computer keyboard to correct or supplement what I’d just typed. It’s difficult to imagine that Whiskers won’t be proofing any more of my copy.
According to Hollywood, all dogs go to heaven. What about cats? In my heart, I’d like to think Cynthia, I and everyone else who loved Whiskers will see her again. When I look into the eyes of Shadow, Whiskers or BJ, I may not see a soul in the human sense of the word. I do see a spirit and personality so strong, it seems impossible it could be snuffed out forever in an instant.
Yet that’s only my rambling thought. The Bible--my guide to life--is silent on the point.
What the Bible is not silent concerning is God’s plan of eternal life for humanity.
Many people hope for life after death or hope they’ll go to heaven. They don’t have a solid basis for their hope, other than trying to be a good person. (See my thoughts on earning your way to heaven.) Such people rely on how they feel. In the end, that leaves them with no more certainty than I feel over the fate of my beloved felines.
God doesn’t leave us hanging, though. He’s quite clear.
“And this is the testimony; God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life. Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11-12, NRSV).
Does that sound like a vague, esoteric statement to you? Let’s break it down.
- Eternal life exists, and God gave it to us.
- He gave it through His Son (Jesus).
- So, if you have (a relationship with) Jesus, you have eternal life.
- If you don’t, well…you don’t.
I think that’s pretty clear. If one verse isn’t enough for you, here are a few more. (In the interest of space, I’ve limited verses to those that talk about “eternal life.” More “eternal life” verses are listed at the end of this post.)
“He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11b NIV).
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24 NIV).
“For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day … Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life” (John 6:40,47 NIV).
“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28 NIV).
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3 NIV).
“And this is what he promised us -- eternal life” (1 John 2:25 NIV).
“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:22-23 NIV).
And perhaps the best-known Bible passage in the world:
“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life … Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.” (John 3:14-16,36 NIV).
This post has already grown longer than I planned. There’s much more I could cover, including some stunning descriptions of heaven from the book of Revelation. I’ll let the Bible passages speak for themselves this time; they cover it pretty well! All of these verses, and the further reading below, say pretty much the same thing. To recap:
- Eternal life exists, and God offers it to us.
- We gain eternal life through Jesus.
- So, if you know Jesus, you have life that lasts for eternity.
So, here’s a question to ponder:
What will your eternity look like? What if there is a Rainbow Bridge where Whiskers and the rest wait for us? What if, by virtue of their comparative innocence, animals do have a place in eternal life?
Will you be there to join them?
Further Reading:
Matthew 19:16-29/Mark 10:17-30
Matt. 25:41-46
John 5:39-40
John 6:68
John 12:25,50
Galatians 6:6-9
1 Timothy 1:16
1 Timothy 6:12
Titus 1:1-4
Titus 3:4-7
Hebrews 9:15
1 Peter 5:10
2 Peter 1:10-11
1 John 3:14-15
1 John 5:20
Jude 1:20-21
And, in case you want to know what eternal life will look like:
Revelation 21-22
Friday, January 14, 2011
But She Scratched Me First -- Part 2
Shadow raised a couple of interesting points in her impromptu post. Let’s talk about them.
Take her second statement first: even if she forgives Missy, nothing will change.
It may be true. That’s hard to swallow sometimes, that we may go through the tough work of forgiveness and find that nothing has changed. Nothing outward, anyway. As I pointed out in the last post, forgiveness isn’t really about the other person anyway. It’s about you. (Yes, Shadow, for once you can say it’s all about YOU.) It’s about your peace and healing, about your relationship with God, about your relationship with the other people in your life. You can forgive someone without ever seeing them again, let alone hearing them apologize, and the effects for you are the same. They have their own burdens to bear. Your forgiveness frees you from your burden.
Let’s be clear, though. Forgiveness doesn’t mean making yourself a doormat. It doesn’t mean going back so the person can dish out the same over and over and over again. An abused wife can forgive her abuser; that doesn’t mean she has to go back to him and continue to be abused. Sometimes relational ties have to be broken for your own safety and well-being. But you still have to forgive. Yes, maybe Missy will still be in Shadow’s face even if Shadow forgives her. Shadow may continue to have to take evasive measures when Missy is around. At the same time, forgiveness may mean she feels freer to come out of the bedroom and spend time with her human. Shadow’s circumstances may not change, but her life will be free from the bondage of bitterness.
As for Shadow’s first point, that she won’t forgive unless Missy comes begging, I’ll let Paul words to the Colossians answer that.
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13, NIV).
This verse doesn’t say a thing about the person crawling on their belly and begging for forgiveness. There’s no debate over who wins the argument. When you extend forgiveness to another person or cat, repentant or not, it’s not supposed to be conditional on their present or future behavior. You’re simply to forgive.
During a particularly tough time in our church’s life, our pastor, Rodney Mruk, said something that forever changed the way I viewed forgiveness. “To forgive is to release the other person from the obligation to make it right.”
That was a revelation to me. So simple! Yet it expresses the same thing as Paul says in Colossians 3:13. When you forgive a person who has wronged you, you may try to heal the relationship, but you expect nothing from them. You release them--spiritually, emotionally and physically--from the need to fix anything they’ve done. They are under no further obligation. Whatever changes they make are between them and God.
And who wins? When you forgive, you do. When you withhold forgiveness, nobody does.
Withholding our forgiveness in a personal relationship might not seem as serious as, say, the search for peace in the Middle East. The consequences, though, can be just as devastating in our own lives. We can become twisted by bitterness, acid territory where no one wants to step for fear of getting burned. Families can be torn apart as those not even involved in the conflict are expected to take sides. Or, as in Shadow’s case, other cats may have to tread lightly for fear of getting scratched by Missy or Shadow in the middle of one of their battles.
God doesn’t give us arbitrary commandments. He tells us to do things for our own good, things that will help us and not harm us. And God doesn’t tell us to forgive some people some of the time, or to forgive when they apologize, or to forgive a certain number of times. No, He simply tells us to forgive. Period.
“Then Peter came up and said to him, ‘Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.’”
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
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