Showing posts with label miracle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label miracle. Show all posts

Tuesday, 30 January 2024

The miracle we can all see

 

Consider this. There are just over 8 billion people in the world today. Not millions, but billions. That's 8 and nine zeros behind it - 8,000,000,000.

And here's the miracle. No two people are alike. Even twins. Everyone of us is different. We may look the same physically, but inside us, what really makes us tick, our soul, is different from anyone else's. 

Now some people do not believe in soul. They don't understand it. But as C S Lewis said: You don't have a soul. You are a soul; you have a body.

We are all souls living within a body. And when the body dies the soul lives on for eternity.

And every one of those 8 billion souls is different. God created us this way. Isn't He wonderful?

Let us not waste time and try to be someone else. To copy someone else's style and behaviour. We are all unique. Different. Perfect in our own way. There are no rejects from God's production line.

When I was young in my early twenties working as a manager in a large company; I had people working for me old enough to be my parents. It was a daunting task. Some did not accept me as their boss. Some were better qualified than me in their particular expertise and subject. Why should they work for a young man in charge of a whole section?

I tried to be someone else. I copied the style of other older managers and tried to be them. I spoke more slowly, in a softer voice, walked slowly and tried to look learned and pensive. I guess I tried to change my voice too, because someone said to me, "What's the matter with you? Have you got indigestion or trapped wind?"

So I relaxed and became myself once again. I relied on my sense of humour where appropriate. I may have told you this story before, if so, please read the next few lines with your eyes closed to avoid repetition.

We were at a Team Building Conference. I hated those and felt they were a waste of time taking me away from my work. The guy managing the event had us in small groups and said, "Imagine your SUV broke down in the desert. Do you move away on foot, and if so what three items do you take with you?"

My group started suggesting we take water with us, others suggested a torch, salt tablets, various tools, blankets and so on. I remained silent wishing I was back in my office finishing an important time-sensitive report. The instructor noticed me and asked, "How about you? What would you take with you from the vehicle if stranded in the desert?"

I just blurted out, "The car door!" He was confused, as well as the rest of the group, and he asked, "Why?"

I said, "Because I can open the window if it gets too hot!"

I survived. That Conference and a career thereafter. The point I'm making is we should be ourselves. Not copy others. We are all different. We all have unique different gifts given us by God when He created us. Let us use them for His glory.


   

Sunday, 24 October 2021

What would you say?

 

Only this morning I was speaking to someone on the phone and she said, "This evening I am going to an eightieth birthday party!"

"An atheist birthday party?" I asked, "what's that? Don't they invite believers? Why are you going?"

Hold on to that thought ... we'll come back to it later.

"As He and His disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!' ... ... ... 

... ... ... And they called the blind man, saying to him, 'Take heart; get up, He is calling you.' So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, 'What do you want me to do for you?' The blind man said to Him, 'My teacher, let me see again.' Jesus said to him, 'Go; your faith has made you well.' Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way." 

Mark 10:46-52

Note the insistence of the blind man. They tried to shut him out but he shouted even more until he met Jesus.

Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?"

He asked for his sight to be restored and regained his sight.

Imagine Jesus asking you the same question. "What do you want me to do for you?"

What would you reply? Would you request just one thing? Two? More? Or is it a long list of things you would like Jesus to do for you and your loved ones?

And how sure are you that Jesus would respond as He did to Bartimaeus, the blind beggar?  

Are you certain of His response? A favourable response? In His way? In His time?

Or are you just asking in the hope that maybe ... perhaps ... one day ... who knows ... He may respond positively?

I have never met a hesitant atheist. They are always certain. They know there is no God, and that's that. 

They don't say, "I believe there is no God; but then, maybe I'm wrong and there is one after all!"

Atheists are certain in their beliefs. Maybe we need to learn a lesson from them.

How certain are we in what we believe?