Showing posts with label greener. Show all posts
Showing posts with label greener. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

No Coveting

The Tenth Commandment.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is his.
What does this mean?--Answer.
We should fear and love God that we may not estrange, force, or entice away our neighbor's wife, servants, or cattle, but urge them to stay and [diligently] do their duty.

I have sometimes wondered about the differences between the ninth and tenth commandments. It was terribly difficult for me, as a young person, to be able to memorize theses last two properly separated as I could not understand why we taught them as two instead of one commandment. I also could never comprehend (and still don't) how one would go about urging cattle to stay and do their duty. Maybe, not show and entice them with greener grass in another pasture? The only real difference that I see, for the purposes of memory work, is that the ninth commandment has to do with inanimate property; the tenth deals mainly with living, breathing creatures. 

I was online last night researching glasses to help correct color-blindness. I and other members of my family are a bit color blind. It doesn't affect life too adversely; unless, you happen to be working with electrical wires that are color coded. That can be a problem. Mostly, I recognize every color. They just look a little different to me than to those with good color vision.

Sometimes we can all be a bit color blind. We see greener grass when in fact what we may be looking at are dried out weeds. Just because someone tells us the grass is greener; doesn't always make it so. Beware of covetous people who would draw you away for their own selfish purposes.

Sometimes we see someone that we might think we want; but, again, the grass is not always greener... Ensure that you are not falsely enticing others to leave the one who loves them. If they would leave them for you; they well could leave you for another.

Learn to love what is yours and leave your neighbors' alone.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Jeremiah 24 - Exile or Captivity?

The first wave of exiles or captives are on their way to Babylon. Whether one sees these deportations as exiles or captivities, depends on whose point of view you are looking at it from. Those who are going to Babylon for their good are being exiled. Those who are going to Babylon for their hurt, are captives. In reality they are all exiles and captives at the same time.

But, Jeremiah's vision of two baskets of figs makes it clear that those whose hearts will turn to the LORD will return to the land that He has promised. This exile is for their good in the long run. Those whose hearts are hard against the LORD will suffer greatly in their captivity. They will suffer much harm.

For almost forty years I had felt like I had been exiled. We have moved around quite a bit. I have unpacked into fourteen homes in during that time. I thoroughly enjoyed living in most of those places. It was good. I learned and grew a lot. Finally, I am in the home where I think I will eventually get to die. Every once in awhile the grass looks greener elsewhere (especially when our winters last 'till June), but the thought passes rather quickly and I am content to stay. But, I often wonder if the exile is really over. I am thinking that it is not. The exile is turning out for the good. I may never move away from Aura. But, one day I will go home to the land promised to all who believe. I await the day to enter into the fullness of the Kingdom as I pass through the gateway called death.

Don't worry. I am not suicidal. Rather, I have a great hope in the day when I no longer have to wander through the wilderness of sin, but am welcomed into my Father's home, as He has promised and in His time. As St. Paul wrote to the Philippians from prison: "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me." (Philippians 1:21-26 NIV)

Are you an exile or captive? I think it depends completely how you choose to live your life here on earth; freely as a child of God or as a slave to the temptations of the world.

God's Peace - Pr. J