It was a beautiful day, the rain had stopped, the sky was clear and a magnificent rainbow filled the sky. They were no longer cooped up with all those animals and the fresh air was a sweet perfume to their nostrils. And if that was not enough, God spoke a blessing over Noah and his family, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth”. Noah built an altar and worshiped God. Life was good! (more…)
“I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.”
Abraham Lincoln, speech in Washington D.C., 1865
…mercy triumphs over judgment. – James 2:13
In Christianity it seems there is always a struggle between grace and law, between those who are merciful and those who demand strict justice. This balance between judgment and mercy seems hard to find in our modern world. The Apostle Paul gave us the balance in Scripture. But since he emphasized it often, we are left with the impression that the first century church didn’t quite grasp it either and was always in need of a reminder. (more…)
Imagination is a wonderful gift from God and I am so thankful that He shared it with His children. I love that God didn’t plunk us down in a black and white, cookie cutter world. He gave us colors, textures, a gazillion different shapes and sizes and put them together in ways we could not even begin to imagine in our finite minds. But His creativity doesn’t simply please the eye; it tickles our ears and fills our hearts as well. (more…)
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 1 John 4:7–8, 16
God is love … This is what really struck me as I continued to meditate on this tiny little verse. If I really believe God is love then I will have to embrace the fact that whatever He does in my life or allows is motivated by His love. What happens to me may not be about me at all, but it is quite possible that it is to show God’s love and compassion to those around me. (more…)
The above photo is of the site of the altar at Dan. The metal frame work is of course a reconstruction to illustrate what the altar might have looked like
Recommended Reading for today: 1 Kings 11-12
Facts about Dan