Got your cup of tea or coffee ready to go?
The story of Noah - how many times have I read this? But man, does she have some gems of thought in this one!
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of repentance. Eph 4:30. Yes, God can grieve. And man's sin is God's sorrow (Concordia Study Bible).
Short of rewriting everything wonderful that she writes here I'm going to jump to this - While other creeds endeavour to get us out of the world and into heaven, in Christianity, heaven comes down and Christ comes into this world to get us. To suffer with us. We find favour - only because Christ feels pain. (31) Because Christ suffered for us. She goes on. Christ comes like an ark, like a cradle over floods. And we read the headlines and wonder, If there's a God who really cares, He'd look at this world and His heart would break.
And God looks to the Cross, that real Tree, and says, "My heart did." (31) Go get a kleenex. I'll wait.
She finishes the chapter off with Every flood of stress …every flood of trouble …The way heaven comes down so we can rise. (32) This too is why I love the water cycle:)
Unwrapping more …
Apart from him we can do nothing. In Christ, we can glorify him in all that we do!
Question #3 - My sin causes God sorrow. And yet because of Emmanuel, God looks at me and sees not my sin but Emmanuel's righteousness. I am forgiven! Now out of thankfulness for such a gift of mercy, I don't want to cause sorrow to my God but I strive to follow his ways with the Holy Spirit's power.
I also have comfort knowing that I'm never alone even when it appears I am. God cares for me and understands my pain.
5 comments:
Good morning, ladies! I just read about this "Advent book club blog" in an email from a Christian sister. I am behind in that I don't have an e-reader and I don't have the book yet, but I believe I will purchase the book on Amazon and get caught up in a few days. What a wonderful idea! The nearest WELS church is over 2 hours away from me, so it is not possible for our family to attend mid-week Advent services. I am excited to join a little community of women preparing their hearts for the Lord's coming!
Welcome! Glad you can join us. I pray you are blessed by it:)
Everyone of the points you brought up, Rachel, I, too, recognize as simply wonderful! And I've read the Noah story many more times than you! ;) I also loved the quote at the end (page 33) of J. F. Wilson "a feast of forgiveness and joy"-WOW! Susanne
Aside from what Rachel and Susanne said, I also liked what she said on page 32: "Every flood of trouble remakes the topography of our souls - making us better or bitter. I have found that the more non-routine troubles I have had in my life are the ones during which I "climb into the ark," so to speak. And these are the "floods" that have made me better. My bigger struggle, I think, is with the daily mini-floods that wear me down. I don't get into the ark, I just tell myself it's no big deal, and yet, day after day these little things wear me down and they do make me bitter about certain things sometimes. Perhaps I should climb into the ark on a daily basis - or perhaps I should never leave it??? Is this thought - as it relates to God feeling our pain - related to allowing God to carry our burdens? To "cast all our cares on him, because he cares for us"? The Bible DOESN'T say "your little cares you can deal with on your own - they're really no biggie, after all - but when you come to a really big one, then cast it on me." Nope. In 1 Peter he tells us "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." It DOES take humility to admit that even the little things will defeat me if I don't look to God for the solutions! And it even says "that he may lift you up"!!!! Like a floating ark! Fun. :)
Great thoughts - God does care about the little things too. And I think you're on to something when you mentioned at the end the humility part - well said!
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