I like a sheep had gone astray
A Jonah going the opposite way
I resisted the demands made on me
Thinking that in my selfishness
I was free
But the selfish nature a true bondage brings
Getting caught up in meaningless things
A life in which you are the centre
Is a hard one for others to ever enter
So when the Lord opened my eye
It was obvious the folly that I’d applied
So His path and command I did follow
And I am richer for it
No longer as shallow
Padre
The path before us uncertain
It is hidden by time’s curtain
Wars and their rumour fall on our ears
And we pray and do our best to hold back tears
What the future holds no person knows
As grand plans collapse and guilt is exposed
But I must trust that all is in hand
By the grace of our Creator,
Who the world does command
It will all work together for the good
For those that trust Him as we should
Padre
Jesus acknowledged that the greatest commandant of the law was: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10).”
This total commitment to God empowers us. Genesis tells us we are made in God’s image. He is omnibenevolent and we too can love with all our hearts. He is omnipotent and we can find a strength in Him. He is omniscient and we can love in our thoughts and words.
In I Samuel 17 we find young David showing love and respect to God. He is willing to face the giant, Goliath. Not with the armour, spear, and sword of Saul, but with a staff and a sling. He notes that the victory is in the power of God, not in military might. This is shown before all, and the world could clearly see “that there is a God in Israel.” Loving with all his strength came by putting his trust in the strength of the Lord.
Not all battles are with literal giants. Some giants are figurative. Principalities and powers might fall in this category. In Exodus 1, we find a Levite woman facing a unfair and unholy edict from Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He commanded that all baby boy children of the Hebrews be thrown into the Nile. This mother used the benevolent heart of love, and intelligence of mind to defy the Pharaoh’s intent by doing exactly what he ordered. She put her child into the river, but not before placing him in a waterproof basket.
Esther in the book of her name also uses God-given intelligence to overcome Haman. She also shows ultimate faith and heart by risking her life to save her people. “If I perish, I perish” she said, yet the Lord preserved her and her people, in so doing corruption and vanity (giants indeed) were toppled in Haman and his allies.
Moses (the baby in the basket) would throw away a false life of the Egyptian court and “take out (a meaning of Moses)” his people. His commitment his loving with all his soul and being overcame not only the king of Egypt, but witnessed God overcome falsehood (the Egyptian Gods), tyranny, and evil.
Loving with “all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind” can topple giants, whatever those menacing giants might be in your life.”
———
This is an abbreviated form of the sermon I gave earlier today.
“This shop is so creepy,” Tim said.
“You’re just saying that to get out of shopping with me,” Jessica replied accusingly.
“No. It’s the mannequins. Why do they go so far as putting nipples on them, but no faces? There’s something unnatural about it,” he explained.
“Hmm,” his wife said indignantly. “I’ll tell you what is unnatural. It’s unnatural that you’re obsessed with plastic statues’ breasts.”
It was then that he realised that those plastic bits were the last he’d be seeing for a while.
Padre
When errors are perceived
In things thought achieved
And flaws lay there
Scarlet – blaring
It is time to change one’s onward path
And for past wrongs – start repairing
To try and try until all is made right
And you become one righteous
And caring
Padre
Advancing forward
To the heavy beat
Steadily onward
No retreat
Watching your dressing
Holding firelocks waist high
Boldly marching
As the colours fly
Padre
In sheets of vapour
Shrouded, obscured
Air hanging thickly
Absorbing light and word
A silence unnatural
Daylight does delay
As morning lingers
Until midday
Padre
I met a chief, grizzled and getting baldy
Long of tooth and extremely salty
A coffee cup in his claw-like grip
That remained horizontal
Despite the pitch of the ship
He strode the deck quite aloof
It was his Navy! And that’s the truth
Padre
The Stone that was rejected –
The Cornerstone of those elected
Proclaims that His church be constructed
On solid ground that cannot be corrupted
Of living stones into a spiritual temple
Based on Peter’s declaration central
The gates of hell
Shall not prevail
For the Architect divine
Mastered the design
And it shall stand forever
Padre
Inspired by Pastor Vince’s message yesterday
The council had been convened in Rivendell. The incursions into Middle Earth started as a trickle, but now it was becoming of torrent. Beardless Dwarves, and unknown characters had begun to overrun even the peaceful Shire.
Elrond brought the meeting to order and explained the graveness of the situation. “We must send a fellowship out to explore how this has come about.”
“Yes, yes,” interrupted Gimli. “We must find where all this shite has come from!”
It was agreed the Gandalf would lead the party of enquirers into a darkness even greater that Mordor to seek the truth.
Months later and much battered by their trials, the fellowship returned and presented their findings. It was entitled: On the Origin of the Faeces or The Realm of the Dark Lord Bezos.
Padre
Padre's Ramblings 