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All tagged redemption
When we hear something over and over, we tune it out at some level. It becomes too familiar, or we tune it out because we don't want to hear it.
This is what children do with their parents. "Are you listening to what I'm telling you?" Um, that would be no! When we hear an ad or announcement repeated ad nauseam, we tune it out as a means of self-preservation.
Perhaps this is why people are indifferent to the good news of God's redemption. They either tune it out because it's redundant and repetitive, or they just don't want to hear it. Then again, it could be something quite different.
"He's the real deal," is a common expression to affirm someone's credibility. This expression is often applied to an athlete or someone with great talent or used to confirm some claim or observation about a person.
Over the past 45 years, my wife has loved on and cared for hundreds of children. Many people along the way have noted her gift with and love for children and their love for her.
I've seen it in her as Mom and Nana and in her work in church nurseries, in our ministry overseas, and in her current work at a preschool.
Words need to match action for a person to be the real deal. The opinion of others isn't enough, people need to see it for themselves. In other words, it should be obvious to all.
Every election cycle voters put great hopes in their candidates, as leaders who will bring change or stability or both. Yet, there's no one person who will garner everyone's support because people have such diverse concerns and issues.
Recorded history reminds us of the ups and downs of civilizations and cultures. History is cyclical. Life, in general, is cyclical, just as the seasons within a year. The greatness of a nation or era of civilization is preceded and followed by periods of mediocrity or worse.
The problem is consistency and succession of leaders and their governing power. Even religious and theological views vary because they're tied to ever-changing generations and leaders within each generation.
Thankfully, there is one leader who is enduring, trustworthy, and compassionate. He was not elected by people, nor is He limited by human fickleness and frailty. He is powerful, yet humble. Superior, yet approachable.
American culture thrives on excuses and justifications, rhetoric, misinformation, and spin. Actually, all cultures do. It's called the human condition.
We say we want to know the truth, but do we? Can we handle it when the truth doesn't fit our expectations or preconceived notions?
Perhaps that's why we're so big on "money-back guarantees" in America. I'm pretty sure we're the only country that sells extended warranties, paying twice or three times the cost of the item, just for peace of mind if it breaks.
When this quest for guaranteed guarantees carries over to spiritual truth and theology, it causes problems. The western mind (including Americans) prize logic and legal wording when it comes to theology. We like iron-clad truth!
It is easy to lose focus and perspective when we get absorbed in one line of thought. Absorbed in a cause, a challenge, a debate, or an impassioned view of an issue. When you see the word government what comes to mind?
Are you concerned about a new presidential administration or the state of our nation? How about wars and refugees? Violence seems to pop up all over the world and our nation is not immune to it. Concerns about the economy, international trade, and jobs, international unrest, immigration, freedoms and rights all come to mind.
But all of these are issues and concerns of human government. As you read this on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, you might be wondering, "What kind of Christmas message is this?!" "How about something uplifting and hopeful?" Exactly my point!
Why is it so important that Jesus—God's Son—became human? Is it? Yes! But why? For one thing, people say they would believe in God, if only He appeared in front of them. If they could see Him, they'd believe.
Jesus did just that, but long before any of us reading this were alive.
He experienced life and death on earth for humanity's benefit.
