We are familiar with the narrative.
God makes a covenant with Abram.
Genesis 15:5 (NET) - The LORD took him outside and said, ‘Gaze into the sky and count the stars - if you are able to count them!” Then He said to him, “So will your descendants be.”
Abram trusted God and was considered loyal according to verse 6.
Genesis 15:6 (NET) - Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD considered his response of faith as proof of genuine loyalty.
When Abram was 99 years old, God reaffirms this promise even though Abram’s wife Sarai had not conceived (Genesis 17).
God changes Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s name to Sarah.
Here is Abraham at almost 100 years of age and Sarah at 90 and still Sarah has not had a child.
Abraham suggests to God that He fulfill this covenant through Ishmael who was conceived through Hagar, Sarah’s servant.
God has his own plan.
Genesis 17:19 (NET) - God said, “No, Sarah your wife is going to bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac. I will confirm my covenant with him as a perpetual covenant for his descendants after him.”
God then tells Abraham that this will happen in approximately one year.
It did.
Genesis 21:5 (NET) - (Now Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.)
Yet, in Genesis 22, God tells Abraham to offer his only son, whom he loves. as a burnt offering.
Abraham obeys.
He, Isaac and two young servants set out for the destination God stipulated.
On the third day, they are within site of the destination.
Abraham and Isaac proceed alone leaving the two servants behind.
Genesis 22:6 (NET) - Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on his son Isaac. Then he took the fire and the knife in his hand, and the two of them walked on together.”
They conversed along the way.
Based on the facts that Isaac carried the wood and that he had an intelligent conversation with his father Abraham it can be safely concluded that a number of years had passed since Isaac’s birth.
We know the rest of the narrative.
Abraham is ready to sacrifice his only son whom he loves but God stays his hand at the last moment.
God was indeed with Abraham through this trial.
What of Isaac?
Isaac was old enough to converse with his father, yet he neither tried to change his mind nor did he beg for his life.
Isaac was strong enough to carry the wood, yet he neither tried to overpower nor even simply run away from a man one hundred years older than he was.
Yes, God was with Abraham.
Let us keep in mind that God was with Isaac, too.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeet.byethost3.com on Friday, December 3, 2010.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, December 10, 2010.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
The Meaning of Life
Why am I here? What is the meaning of life?
Philosophers have wrestled with these questions for centuries.
Their answers are varied and some even border on the ridiculous.
The Bible, on the other hand, gives us some very definite answers to these questions.
Genesis 1:27 (BBE) - And God made man in His image, in the image of God He made him: male and female He made them.
There are currently some six billion of us living in the world today.
There were billions who preceded us with an unknown number yet to come.
Of the billions upon billions who have lived, currently live or will live, no two of us will be exactly identical.
Even twins who share genetic make up have unique characteristics (personality for example).
We are each different and yet, we are made in the image of God. God's image must indeed be truly remarkable.
Even Moses, a man of God, wished to see God's face but could not.
Exodus 33:20 (BBE) - But it is not possible for you to see My face, for no man may see My face and still go on living.
So, God made us.
Genesis 2:7 (BBE) - And the Lord God made man from the dust of the earth, breathing into him the breath of life: and man became a living soul.
Several times in scripture, God is depicted as a potter and we, His creation, are depicted as clay.
Jeremiah 18:6 (BBE) - O Israel, am I not able to do with you as this potter does? Says the Lord. See, like the earth in the potter's hand are you in my hands, O Israel.
Surely God has created us to fulfill any purpose He has planned for us, yet the reminder of our humble origins remain.
So, that is how we came into being, but why?
The answer is twofold.
First, God created us for His glory.
Second, He wants us to have a personal relationship with Him.
Psalm 145:10 (BBE) - All the works of Your hands give praise to You, O Lord, and Your saints give You blessing.
Isaiah 43:7 (BBE) - Every one who is named by My name and whom I have made for My glory, who has been formed and designed by Me.
Our beginnings of earth are humble. We are made of the ordinary. Yet, we are made in the image of the extraordinary. We were made to give Him the glory he requires. We were also made for fellowship with Him.
That is why we are here.
That is the meaning of life.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeet.byethost3.com on Friday, November 19, 2010.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I'll be back here on Friday, November 26, 2010.
Philosophers have wrestled with these questions for centuries.
Their answers are varied and some even border on the ridiculous.
The Bible, on the other hand, gives us some very definite answers to these questions.
Genesis 1:27 (BBE) - And God made man in His image, in the image of God He made him: male and female He made them.
There are currently some six billion of us living in the world today.
There were billions who preceded us with an unknown number yet to come.
Of the billions upon billions who have lived, currently live or will live, no two of us will be exactly identical.
Even twins who share genetic make up have unique characteristics (personality for example).
We are each different and yet, we are made in the image of God. God's image must indeed be truly remarkable.
Even Moses, a man of God, wished to see God's face but could not.
Exodus 33:20 (BBE) - But it is not possible for you to see My face, for no man may see My face and still go on living.
So, God made us.
Genesis 2:7 (BBE) - And the Lord God made man from the dust of the earth, breathing into him the breath of life: and man became a living soul.
Several times in scripture, God is depicted as a potter and we, His creation, are depicted as clay.
Jeremiah 18:6 (BBE) - O Israel, am I not able to do with you as this potter does? Says the Lord. See, like the earth in the potter's hand are you in my hands, O Israel.
Surely God has created us to fulfill any purpose He has planned for us, yet the reminder of our humble origins remain.
So, that is how we came into being, but why?
The answer is twofold.
First, God created us for His glory.
Second, He wants us to have a personal relationship with Him.
Psalm 145:10 (BBE) - All the works of Your hands give praise to You, O Lord, and Your saints give You blessing.
Isaiah 43:7 (BBE) - Every one who is named by My name and whom I have made for My glory, who has been formed and designed by Me.
Our beginnings of earth are humble. We are made of the ordinary. Yet, we are made in the image of the extraordinary. We were made to give Him the glory he requires. We were also made for fellowship with Him.
That is why we are here.
That is the meaning of life.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeet.byethost3.com on Friday, November 19, 2010.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I'll be back here on Friday, November 26, 2010.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Science and the Bible
Romans 10:17 (KJV) - So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
It is hard to believe that there was once a time when science and the Bible were not in opposition.
Long ago, the goal of science was to try to explain the observable works and laws of God visible in nature.
Science looked at God's creation and proposed theories about that creation. It then designed experiments intended to either prove or disprove those theories. Those experiments would then be performed and the results carefully observed. Then, conclusions would be drawn.
Somewhere along the way, however, the goal of science underwent a change.
Rather than seeking to understand God's creation, men of science decided that the pursuit of science was the path to enlightenment. Science would now attempt to disprove God's involvement in both creation and the natural laws in place.
In all fairness, one has to admit that science has a proven track record of being wrong.
For example, science at one time concluded that the earth was flat and that getting too close to the edge would put one in danger of falling off. We now know that such is not the case.
Science then changed it's mind and determined that the earth was not flat but rather a sphere. Furthermore, this sphere was at the center of everything and that all celestial bodies revolved around it. Once again, we now know that this is also inaccurate.
The science of medicine is not immune to error. Science at one time concluded that sickness was the result of bad blood and that the remedy was for the one sick to visit a barber in order to have that bad blood removed. This borders on the unbelievable today.
I could continue, but I think I have been hard enough on science.
Science does the best it can based on the information it has available. Yet it often draws incorrect conclusions.
As time goes by and new information comes to light science revises its theories, experiments and conclusions.
I am not anti-science. I have benefited from the things it has gotten right.
Modern technology, medicine and other advances have made my life both better and easier.
Yet, based on its proven track record of being wrong, I can hardly place my faith in science.
The Bible on the other hand is something in which I can find solid ground for my faith.
It has a timeless quality and is completely reliable.
God uses His Word to reveal truth.
The truth about who He is.
The truth about what He has done for us.
The truth about how He provided for our salvation through Jesus Christ.
Science, if properly applied, can give us glimpses of God and His creation in tangible and provable ways.
For far too long science and the Bible have been in opposing camps.
How wonderful it would be for the two to come back together again.
Between the two, only science has the capacity to move. So far, it has been reluctant to do so.
This is unfortunate.
If properly interpreted and applied, each could shed light upon the other.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeet.byethost3.com on Friday, November 5, 2010.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I'll be back here on Friday, November 12, 2010.
It is hard to believe that there was once a time when science and the Bible were not in opposition.
Long ago, the goal of science was to try to explain the observable works and laws of God visible in nature.
Science looked at God's creation and proposed theories about that creation. It then designed experiments intended to either prove or disprove those theories. Those experiments would then be performed and the results carefully observed. Then, conclusions would be drawn.
Somewhere along the way, however, the goal of science underwent a change.
Rather than seeking to understand God's creation, men of science decided that the pursuit of science was the path to enlightenment. Science would now attempt to disprove God's involvement in both creation and the natural laws in place.
In all fairness, one has to admit that science has a proven track record of being wrong.
For example, science at one time concluded that the earth was flat and that getting too close to the edge would put one in danger of falling off. We now know that such is not the case.
Science then changed it's mind and determined that the earth was not flat but rather a sphere. Furthermore, this sphere was at the center of everything and that all celestial bodies revolved around it. Once again, we now know that this is also inaccurate.
The science of medicine is not immune to error. Science at one time concluded that sickness was the result of bad blood and that the remedy was for the one sick to visit a barber in order to have that bad blood removed. This borders on the unbelievable today.
I could continue, but I think I have been hard enough on science.
Science does the best it can based on the information it has available. Yet it often draws incorrect conclusions.
As time goes by and new information comes to light science revises its theories, experiments and conclusions.
I am not anti-science. I have benefited from the things it has gotten right.
Modern technology, medicine and other advances have made my life both better and easier.
Yet, based on its proven track record of being wrong, I can hardly place my faith in science.
The Bible on the other hand is something in which I can find solid ground for my faith.
It has a timeless quality and is completely reliable.
God uses His Word to reveal truth.
The truth about who He is.
The truth about what He has done for us.
The truth about how He provided for our salvation through Jesus Christ.
Science, if properly applied, can give us glimpses of God and His creation in tangible and provable ways.
For far too long science and the Bible have been in opposing camps.
How wonderful it would be for the two to come back together again.
Between the two, only science has the capacity to move. So far, it has been reluctant to do so.
This is unfortunate.
If properly interpreted and applied, each could shed light upon the other.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeet.byethost3.com on Friday, November 5, 2010.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I'll be back here on Friday, November 12, 2010.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
A Mansion Was Not For Her
Matthew 6:19-21 (ASV)
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. Where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also.
A few years ago, I took Mother out for a drive one Saturday.
The land was relatively flat where we lived and the Texas Hill Country was just a few miles away. I thought this change of scenery would do us both some good.
I suggested this little trip and she readily agreed.
We set out and about an hour later, we reached the very first hills.
I periodically glanced in her direction and observed her taking in the scenery.
A short time later, we entered an affluent area and in one of those periodic glances I noticed she was looking up.
Curiosity got the best of me.
"Mom, what are you looking at?", I asked.
She replied, "I'm looking at those houses on the tops of those hills. I would not like living there."
Mother grew up in the Great Depression era and had no idea just how expensive those homes and land holdings really were. These homes were owned by people with fantastic incomes.
I could not let this opportunity pass by.
"Mom, I promise you here and now that I will never force you to live in one of those homes," I stated. It was a promise made in jest since I knew I would never have the means to do so. Neither did I aspire to.
Mother was called home by the Lord not long afterward and I know that according to scripture she is in His presence.
Nothing this world has to offer could compete with that.
I also know that heaven far surpasses anything I can imagine.
John 14:1-2 (ASV) - Let not your heart be troubled: believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
I also know Mother has a place there. I am as sure of that as I am sure that I am writing this.
I also know I will see her there some day.
Those who have given their lives to Jesus have that assurance.
I know she gave her life to Jesus because she helped me to do the same.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeet.byethost3.com on Friday, October 15 and Friday, October 22, 2010.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I'll be back here on Friday, October 29, 2010.
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. Where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also.
A few years ago, I took Mother out for a drive one Saturday.
The land was relatively flat where we lived and the Texas Hill Country was just a few miles away. I thought this change of scenery would do us both some good.
I suggested this little trip and she readily agreed.
We set out and about an hour later, we reached the very first hills.
I periodically glanced in her direction and observed her taking in the scenery.
A short time later, we entered an affluent area and in one of those periodic glances I noticed she was looking up.
Curiosity got the best of me.
"Mom, what are you looking at?", I asked.
She replied, "I'm looking at those houses on the tops of those hills. I would not like living there."
Mother grew up in the Great Depression era and had no idea just how expensive those homes and land holdings really were. These homes were owned by people with fantastic incomes.
I could not let this opportunity pass by.
"Mom, I promise you here and now that I will never force you to live in one of those homes," I stated. It was a promise made in jest since I knew I would never have the means to do so. Neither did I aspire to.
Mother was called home by the Lord not long afterward and I know that according to scripture she is in His presence.
Nothing this world has to offer could compete with that.
I also know that heaven far surpasses anything I can imagine.
John 14:1-2 (ASV) - Let not your heart be troubled: believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
I also know Mother has a place there. I am as sure of that as I am sure that I am writing this.
I also know I will see her there some day.
Those who have given their lives to Jesus have that assurance.
I know she gave her life to Jesus because she helped me to do the same.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeet.byethost3.com on Friday, October 15 and Friday, October 22, 2010.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I'll be back here on Friday, October 29, 2010.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Reach Out and Touch Someone
Mark 5:25-26 (NET) - Now a woman was there who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years. She had endured a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had . Yet instead of getting better, she grew worse.
The account of the woman with the hemorrhage never fails to move me.
Here was a woman who not only suffered physically, she also suffered a malady which made her "unclean" in the eyes of the law as well.
Mark's account of this woman tells us that the physicians were not able to help her.
Now that she had spent all that she had, they were likely unwilling to treat her as well.
Mark 5:27-28 (NET) - When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak, for she kept saying, "If only I touch His clothes, I will be healed."
Here was a woman with tremendous faith.
She believed that all she needed to do to be healed was simply to touch His clothes.
All this in spite of the fact that the practitioners of medicine had not been able to help her in twelve years.
Mark 5:29 (NET) - At once the bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.
Think for just a moment about how this must have felt.
One moment you are bleeding and have been doing so for twelve years. The next moment, you touch His clothes, the bleeding stops and you feel within your body that you are healed.
But it was not just the woman who felt this, Jesus felt it as well.
Mark 5:30 (NET) - Jesus knew at once that power had gone out from Him. He turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"
In my heart, I believe Jesus knew who touched Him. I believe He asked this question for the benefit of those around Him.
This question is like the one God asked in the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve disobeyed Him.
Genesis 3:8-9 (NET) - Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God moving about in the orchard at the breezy time of day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the orchard. But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?"
God is all knowing. He did not need to ask the question. He knew exactly where Adam and Eve were hiding.
He asked this question to draw out a truthful response from them.
Jesus did likewise.
Mark 5:31-33 (NET) - His disciples said to Him, "You see the crowd pressing against you and you say, 'Who touched Me?'" But he looked around to see who had done it. Then the woman, with fear and trembling, knowing what had happened to her fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.
I can almost see the look of love and kindness on His face when he addressed her.
Mark 5:34 (NET) - He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your disease."
I can almost see the look of relief and gratitude on her face as well.
Along with her magnificent faith, I take away two other things from this account as well.
The first is that Jesus referred to her as "Daughter" which denotes a relationship of a deeper nature perhaps as a result of her faith.
The second is that Jesus felt power go out from Him and that it happened as a result of someone not touching Him but merely touching His clothes.
So many people minimize Jesus.
They say He was a good man or a good teacher or was someone with good ideas.
Yet when you read this account in Mark, you have to realize that He was so much more.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeet.byethost3.com on Friday, October 1, 2010.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I'll be back here on Friday, October 8, 2010.
The account of the woman with the hemorrhage never fails to move me.
Here was a woman who not only suffered physically, she also suffered a malady which made her "unclean" in the eyes of the law as well.
Mark's account of this woman tells us that the physicians were not able to help her.
Now that she had spent all that she had, they were likely unwilling to treat her as well.
Mark 5:27-28 (NET) - When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak, for she kept saying, "If only I touch His clothes, I will be healed."
Here was a woman with tremendous faith.
She believed that all she needed to do to be healed was simply to touch His clothes.
All this in spite of the fact that the practitioners of medicine had not been able to help her in twelve years.
Mark 5:29 (NET) - At once the bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.
Think for just a moment about how this must have felt.
One moment you are bleeding and have been doing so for twelve years. The next moment, you touch His clothes, the bleeding stops and you feel within your body that you are healed.
But it was not just the woman who felt this, Jesus felt it as well.
Mark 5:30 (NET) - Jesus knew at once that power had gone out from Him. He turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"
In my heart, I believe Jesus knew who touched Him. I believe He asked this question for the benefit of those around Him.
This question is like the one God asked in the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve disobeyed Him.
Genesis 3:8-9 (NET) - Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God moving about in the orchard at the breezy time of day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the orchard. But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?"
God is all knowing. He did not need to ask the question. He knew exactly where Adam and Eve were hiding.
He asked this question to draw out a truthful response from them.
Jesus did likewise.
Mark 5:31-33 (NET) - His disciples said to Him, "You see the crowd pressing against you and you say, 'Who touched Me?'" But he looked around to see who had done it. Then the woman, with fear and trembling, knowing what had happened to her fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.
I can almost see the look of love and kindness on His face when he addressed her.
Mark 5:34 (NET) - He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your disease."
I can almost see the look of relief and gratitude on her face as well.
Along with her magnificent faith, I take away two other things from this account as well.
The first is that Jesus referred to her as "Daughter" which denotes a relationship of a deeper nature perhaps as a result of her faith.
The second is that Jesus felt power go out from Him and that it happened as a result of someone not touching Him but merely touching His clothes.
So many people minimize Jesus.
They say He was a good man or a good teacher or was someone with good ideas.
Yet when you read this account in Mark, you have to realize that He was so much more.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeet.byethost3.com on Friday, October 1, 2010.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I'll be back here on Friday, October 8, 2010.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
A Matter of Trust
Psalms 31:5 (NET)
Into your hand I entrust my life; you will rescue me, O LORD, the faithful God.
In Texas, geckos have become as much a part of the landscape as pecan trees and bluebonnets.
These pinkish brown lizards made their way into Texas and decided that they liked it here as much as the rest of us and made it their home as well.
They really are amazing little creatures. When they are young their skin has a transparent quality and you can actually see their tiny hearts beating.
They can scale everything from rough walls to smooth glass and even hang upside down from ceilings.
They also have another quality. They can squeeze through the tiniest of cracks.
I find them in my garage all the time and occasionally they make their way into my home.
I have no animosity toward them, in fact, I really like these tiny creatures.
While my home is a great place for me to live, I know that for them it really is not.
In fact, their chance of survival inside my home is greatly diminished.
I try to capture them if I can and release them into the bushes by my patio.
This is not easy for a number of reasons. They are tiny, fast, agile and have detachable tails.
Final score: Geckos 4, Jim 0.
Although I want to save them, they see me as just another predator to elude and they succeed far more often than I do.
Recently, I found several gecko corpses by accident.
I found them in the crease that exists between the edge of my front door and the door frame where it hinges.
Apparently, these saw me when I came in before I saw them.
They looked at the crease that formed between the open door and the frame as a safe place in which to hide from me. Their place of refuge then turned into a trap from which there was no escape.
"What a pity", I thought, "that these little fellows mistrust my intentions. If only they knew that I just wanted to take them gently in my hands and place them where they belong."
Yet, isn't that the way we are? Isn't that the way we have always been since the beginning?
God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He gave them everything they needed and gave them only one restriction, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
They were not to eat of its fruit. They were not even to touch it.
Yet, they did.
And as soon as they did, they realized that what they did was wrong and tried to hide themselves from God.
Genesis 3:8 (NET) - Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God moving about in the orchard at the breezy time of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the orchard.
Things have not changed very much. We still make poor choices. We still end up in places and situations we shouldn't. We still sin.
And when we do, we do what the geckos do. We try to run from God rather than running to Him. We allow fear to keep us from putting our lives into His loving hands and trusting Him to put us where He knows we need to be.
Remember, He only wants what truly is best for you.
2 Peter 3:9 (NET) - The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because He does not wish any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeet.byethost3.com on Friday, September 17, 2010.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I'll be back here on Friday, September 24, 2010.
Into your hand I entrust my life; you will rescue me, O LORD, the faithful God.
In Texas, geckos have become as much a part of the landscape as pecan trees and bluebonnets.
These pinkish brown lizards made their way into Texas and decided that they liked it here as much as the rest of us and made it their home as well.
They really are amazing little creatures. When they are young their skin has a transparent quality and you can actually see their tiny hearts beating.
They can scale everything from rough walls to smooth glass and even hang upside down from ceilings.
They also have another quality. They can squeeze through the tiniest of cracks.
I find them in my garage all the time and occasionally they make their way into my home.
I have no animosity toward them, in fact, I really like these tiny creatures.
While my home is a great place for me to live, I know that for them it really is not.
In fact, their chance of survival inside my home is greatly diminished.
I try to capture them if I can and release them into the bushes by my patio.
This is not easy for a number of reasons. They are tiny, fast, agile and have detachable tails.
Final score: Geckos 4, Jim 0.
Although I want to save them, they see me as just another predator to elude and they succeed far more often than I do.
Recently, I found several gecko corpses by accident.
I found them in the crease that exists between the edge of my front door and the door frame where it hinges.
Apparently, these saw me when I came in before I saw them.
They looked at the crease that formed between the open door and the frame as a safe place in which to hide from me. Their place of refuge then turned into a trap from which there was no escape.
"What a pity", I thought, "that these little fellows mistrust my intentions. If only they knew that I just wanted to take them gently in my hands and place them where they belong."
Yet, isn't that the way we are? Isn't that the way we have always been since the beginning?
God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He gave them everything they needed and gave them only one restriction, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
They were not to eat of its fruit. They were not even to touch it.
Yet, they did.
And as soon as they did, they realized that what they did was wrong and tried to hide themselves from God.
Genesis 3:8 (NET) - Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God moving about in the orchard at the breezy time of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the orchard.
Things have not changed very much. We still make poor choices. We still end up in places and situations we shouldn't. We still sin.
And when we do, we do what the geckos do. We try to run from God rather than running to Him. We allow fear to keep us from putting our lives into His loving hands and trusting Him to put us where He knows we need to be.
Remember, He only wants what truly is best for you.
2 Peter 3:9 (NET) - The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because He does not wish any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeet.byethost3.com on Friday, September 17, 2010.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I'll be back here on Friday, September 24, 2010.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Three Grandmothers?
1 Corinthians 1:25 (ASV)
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
My cousin's grandmother was truly a wonderful and loving woman.
We often saw her at family functions and occasionally we made the seventeen mile trip just to visit with her.
When I was still very young, I heard my parents refer to her as "Grandma" for the sake of my cousin. Well, it only seemed proper for me to do the same.
I am certain that my parents and other relatives found this cute and fortunately for me, my cousin never expressed any jealousy in this matter.
Although this dear lady was not my grandmother, I believe she genuinely liked the idea that I had adopted her as another grandmother.
Each year when my birthday or Christmas would come around I always received a gift from this dear lady along with a card which she signed "With Love, Grandma".
Everything was fine until that fateful day when we began studying plurals in grade school.
The plural of shoe is shoes, the plural of bird is birds, and so on.
"What is the plural of grandmother?", the teacher asked.
"Grandmothers," we replied.
"How many grandmothers do you have?", she asked one of my classmates.
"Two," he replied.
"Correct," she said.
I raised my hand.
"Yes, Jim, what is it?", she asked.
"I have three grandmothers," I stated confidently.
For reasons unknown to me at the time, everybody laughed.
"No, Jim. You cannot have three grandmothers," she said. She then offered a very logical explanation as to why it simply did not make sense for me to have a third grandmother.
"Do you understand?", she asked.
"Yes, Ma'am," I replied (I just wanted us to move on).
I really was unable to focus on the rest of the lesson.
My mind was preoccupied with why it did not make sense for me to have this loving woman as a third grandmother.
"I don't care if this does not make sense to anyone else," I concluded. "After all, I have her birthday and Christmas cards to me that prove it!"
That was many years ago, but I wonder... is my situation all that different today?
If someone who does not believe in God were to ask me how many fathers I have, my answer would not make any sense to them either.
"Two," I would reply.
Perhaps they would laugh or shake their heads disapprovingly.
They might even try to explain that it Is impossible for me to have two fathers and that believing so simply does not make any sense.
Yet, I do have two fathers.
One was my earthly father.
The other is my Heavenly Father.
I don't care if this does not make sense to anyone else. After all, I have the book He wrote for me to prove it!
1 Corinthians 1:21 (ASV) - For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeet.byethost3.com on Friday, September 3, 2010.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I'll be back here on Friday, September 10, 2010.
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
My cousin's grandmother was truly a wonderful and loving woman.
We often saw her at family functions and occasionally we made the seventeen mile trip just to visit with her.
When I was still very young, I heard my parents refer to her as "Grandma" for the sake of my cousin. Well, it only seemed proper for me to do the same.
I am certain that my parents and other relatives found this cute and fortunately for me, my cousin never expressed any jealousy in this matter.
Although this dear lady was not my grandmother, I believe she genuinely liked the idea that I had adopted her as another grandmother.
Each year when my birthday or Christmas would come around I always received a gift from this dear lady along with a card which she signed "With Love, Grandma".
Everything was fine until that fateful day when we began studying plurals in grade school.
The plural of shoe is shoes, the plural of bird is birds, and so on.
"What is the plural of grandmother?", the teacher asked.
"Grandmothers," we replied.
"How many grandmothers do you have?", she asked one of my classmates.
"Two," he replied.
"Correct," she said.
I raised my hand.
"Yes, Jim, what is it?", she asked.
"I have three grandmothers," I stated confidently.
For reasons unknown to me at the time, everybody laughed.
"No, Jim. You cannot have three grandmothers," she said. She then offered a very logical explanation as to why it simply did not make sense for me to have a third grandmother.
"Do you understand?", she asked.
"Yes, Ma'am," I replied (I just wanted us to move on).
I really was unable to focus on the rest of the lesson.
My mind was preoccupied with why it did not make sense for me to have this loving woman as a third grandmother.
"I don't care if this does not make sense to anyone else," I concluded. "After all, I have her birthday and Christmas cards to me that prove it!"
That was many years ago, but I wonder... is my situation all that different today?
If someone who does not believe in God were to ask me how many fathers I have, my answer would not make any sense to them either.
"Two," I would reply.
Perhaps they would laugh or shake their heads disapprovingly.
They might even try to explain that it Is impossible for me to have two fathers and that believing so simply does not make any sense.
Yet, I do have two fathers.
One was my earthly father.
The other is my Heavenly Father.
I don't care if this does not make sense to anyone else. After all, I have the book He wrote for me to prove it!
1 Corinthians 1:21 (ASV) - For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeet.byethost3.com on Friday, September 3, 2010.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I'll be back here on Friday, September 10, 2010.
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