i just saw your message tonight, debussy symbolism. i think penguinlover said it well (i think it was her message) that the bible is still relevant today. many people think that because it was written so long ago and in different contexts culturally that it is irrelevant. but, if you believe it was divinely inspired and written with the help of the Holy Spirit through various men and prophets - then you say - ok. God's word is the same 'yesterday, today, and forever...' 'written for doctrine, reproof, and instruction in righteousness.' we just can't go around saying 'this is righteous and this is not.' then, we would be playing God. so what if we disagree with God at first. obedience by sufferring was required of all Christians throughout the ages. otherwise, what would have been the sufferring if it was always easy to do what God said.
another way of looking at it, though, is to realize that the most difficult things that God asks us to do (as well as the easy) come with blessings at the time and afterwards. the blessings would be that close communication with God. He only turns away for a time if we sin. but, His heart is always towards us (just as with children). we might sin - and we might get the consequences but He doesn't heap them on us forever. satan, on the other hand, is always looking for our mistakes and doesn't want to let us forget them. i always think when i hear something negative - that i should not be bothered by it. after all, if God is a righteous judge and He listens and accepts me - whatever a person says is not that important. all people will die once. what is important is running a race.
the race i refer to is life. everyone runs it differently. some are aiming only at what they can achieve in this life. fame, fortune, whatever. Christians, once they give up all this, are actually given many blessings in this life and the next. we are told that we cannot outgive God. so if you give away everything you have to the poor or spend time with people - you are rewarded now AND later. He sometimes gives you everything your heart desires. i remember wanting children so badly. we went four years into our marriage and i still had no children. i thought - ok. this is a test, just like with sarah (abraham's wife) - to see if i will still love God even though i can't understand why i can't conceive. i prayed to God similarly saying that if he would let me get pregnant - to let me have a son and that He would help me teach him about Himself. sure enough about nine months later, i had a baby boy and i enjoyed him so much. i thought that it was a sort of one time blessing and that would be the only child i would ever have (thus he thought so too!) he was and still is a really great kid. but, i had two more daughters. my children are the biggest blessing that i could ever hope for in this life (besides my husband) and knowing that God loves me. piano is second, and even in that - i feel very blessed. i was not able to choose my teacher at wcu - and yet i was given a really gifted teacher for 3 semesters of piano lessons. it seemed like God allowed me to have a dream that wasn't even something that i 'deserved' so to speak from immense talent or anything. it was definately a blessing.
i look at life and piano through a different lense today. yes, i want a piano career. but, my dreams are always followed with a qualifier. if it is God's will. whatever is His will is good for me. He's never made my life miserable (or allowed it to be beyond what i can handle). i've gone through hard times - but with His help it was easy when i look back. what can be really much more difficult is giving up on God. then, the trials are enormous. and you have no eternal help. being cut off from God is worse than being dead. basically you are dead (spirituallY) and you have noone to turn to or pray to for help. i think if drug addicts and people who have severe depression turned to God - they would find 'help in time of need.' they would not feel depressed because they would see the hope that God gives. God is not like any physical person. he is not as judging as we see Him. he is merciful and forgives. he doesn't remember sin if we repent. in fact, He throws ours sins as far as east is from the west. that's a fur piece.
i feel actually emboldened by God's presence. when i feel His comfort, I bask in it. He is a protector to me. and a lover. but, not a lover in the sense of physical sexual love - but a reassurance of everything that i personally need to live happily. when i don't do what is right - it does make me sad if i make God sad. i don't try to purposely make Him sad. from the Bible, it seems that He is jealous because He loves us. not jealous and wreck the other person's car - but jealous for us to be righteous like Him. He cannot love evil. that is why we have to strive to do right. and, if we strive to do our best - then, He sees our love for Him and rewards us. i believe that most Christians would try to do right even if there was much less of a reward. but, God is most generous and says that 'eye has not seen - nor ear heard' the rewards that God has in store for us.
Topic: What are we all wearing right now??