All we have in this world, physically, are dirt and water. When you couple these elements with sunshine you can get color, structure, aromas and everything else that we have in this world. It only requires one thing... a recipe… a recipe for life.
You can find that recipe in a seed. When a seed comes in contact with moist earth a reaction occurs that allows the seed to select and absorb different minerals to initiate a chemical reaction that causes something to grow.
When you look at that old brown dirt you cannot see green, yellow or any of the colors, but the elements are all there waiting to be chemically manipulated so that they can come into existence.
Thank you God for bringing life to a planet that used to be just dirt and water. Thank you for the promise of another life in heaven.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Primogenitus
In Hebrews 1:6, Jesus is called the Primogenitus or firstborn of God.
I’m not sure that in today’s time we fully understand what the “firstborn” meant to the Hebrews. Certainly the firstborn son of a Hebrew family was shown favoritism as far as inheritance went but in addition Hebrew families understood that their firstborn sons belonged not to themselves but to God.
In Exodus 13 we learn that every male, whether human or animal, that “opened the womb” for the first time belonged to God to do with as he pleased.
The firstborn males of clean animals; goats, cattle, sheep were to be killed or sacrificed. In Numbers 18 these firstborn animals are called “holy”. God could require that of the firstborn male children as well but allowed their parents to “redeem” them. The cost of redemption? …five shekels of silver.
The Hebrews constantly had it hammered into their heads that their firstborn male sons belonged to the Lord.
So you have cases like Hannah who so wanted a child that she made a vow to the Lord that if she could have a son she would not redeem him but give the son, Samuel, to the one who already owned him… Jehovah God. God answered her request and she fulfilled her vow.
Imagine the surprise of the Hebrews when God, the owner of all the firstborn sons, took his own firstborn son, Jesus Christ, and used him as the redeeming price for the sins of all humanity. The Hebrews bought their firstborn sons back for 5 shekels of silver. God paid for the sins of humanity with the death of his own Primogenitus. The sacrifice of one life being the equivalent price for the lives of all humanity.
The Old Testament was about humanity’s sacrifice for God. The New Testament is about God’s sacrifice for humanity.
As a side note… what about today? My mother told me my Dad made a promise to the Lord that if he could have a son he would dedicate that son to the Lord. Dad was 18 years old at the time. I don’t take that lightly as a cause for who I am today.
I’m not sure that in today’s time we fully understand what the “firstborn” meant to the Hebrews. Certainly the firstborn son of a Hebrew family was shown favoritism as far as inheritance went but in addition Hebrew families understood that their firstborn sons belonged not to themselves but to God.
In Exodus 13 we learn that every male, whether human or animal, that “opened the womb” for the first time belonged to God to do with as he pleased.
The firstborn males of clean animals; goats, cattle, sheep were to be killed or sacrificed. In Numbers 18 these firstborn animals are called “holy”. God could require that of the firstborn male children as well but allowed their parents to “redeem” them. The cost of redemption? …five shekels of silver.
The Hebrews constantly had it hammered into their heads that their firstborn male sons belonged to the Lord.
So you have cases like Hannah who so wanted a child that she made a vow to the Lord that if she could have a son she would not redeem him but give the son, Samuel, to the one who already owned him… Jehovah God. God answered her request and she fulfilled her vow.
Imagine the surprise of the Hebrews when God, the owner of all the firstborn sons, took his own firstborn son, Jesus Christ, and used him as the redeeming price for the sins of all humanity. The Hebrews bought their firstborn sons back for 5 shekels of silver. God paid for the sins of humanity with the death of his own Primogenitus. The sacrifice of one life being the equivalent price for the lives of all humanity.
The Old Testament was about humanity’s sacrifice for God. The New Testament is about God’s sacrifice for humanity.
As a side note… what about today? My mother told me my Dad made a promise to the Lord that if he could have a son he would dedicate that son to the Lord. Dad was 18 years old at the time. I don’t take that lightly as a cause for who I am today.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Julie and Virginia Lawler
Julie and I went to go see Virginia at Holmgreen's on Monday. When we got there there were three ladies from King's crossing playing "Skipbo" with her. We had a good visit with her and she is planning to stay there until she gets better. She is suffering from Congestive Heart Failure. I think she said her heart was operating around 30%.
There were a lot of older people at Holmgreens who were in declining health. It's always kind of sad for me to see adult children taking care of their loved ones who are declining in health. I was glad I went it kind of yanked me out of my busy life into the reality of human love and suffering.
When we left we held hands to pray and for the first time I just couldn't do it... Julie bailed me out and prayed for us.
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