Seeds For Thinking

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Scripture: Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you . . . Genesis 3:18a, NKJV

I suppose that we must accept the fact that we sometimes have to take the bitter with the sweet. And into each life some . . . thorns will grow, no doubt moistened by the rains that fall.
Ah! Yes, and accept life’s misfortunes as well as its joys.
My life as a shepherd brings me into physical contact with a variety of thorns, briers and thistles, a legacy, I suppose, of Adam’s indiscretion. Several examples of prickly and poking things insist on sharing this plot of ground with me. They snag my clothing, puncture tires, and tangle in the wool on the sheep.
The Bible symbolizes that which is worthless or evil as briers (Micah 7:4.) Ezekiel characterized the enemies of Israel as pricking briers and painful thorns (28:4.) Isaiah tells a parable of a vineyard in chapter 5, vss. 1-7, abandoned to briers and thorns when it brought forth wild grapes. The vineyard, of course, is Judah; God will “take away its hedge and break down its wall” (vs. 5.)
Jesus compared false prophets to thornbushes and thistles. (Mt. 7:16; Lk. 6:44) The earth that bears thorns and briers is rejected. (Hebrews 5:8)
There is irony that such prickly plants as inflict distress or irritation also bear some of the most beautiful, aromatic flowers and luscious fruit. The bramble family includes raspberries and blackberries, for example, a treat for those brave enough to do battle with the briers. Honey bees make a sweet, water white honey from the nectar of the thorny locust tree.
A bramble called “multiflora rose” abounds in our area. Now condemned as an invasive plant pest, Multiflora rose was promoted for use in erosion control and as "living fences" to confine livestock. Sounded like a wonder plant, at first. Unfortunately, it spreads everywhere, especially where you don’t want briers, and the real wonder is why people planted it in the first place!
Sometimes we have a figurative “thorn in the flesh” to torment us. (See 2 Cor. 12:7) We may encounter a prickly situation at home, at work, at school, or - heaven forbid! - even at church. And, few there be among us that escape physical pain, but some seem to have more than their fair share.
Still, for those who seek and hope, may the Lord bring His grace to you, as he said to Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9)
Think of the rose: cultivated by multitudes, praised by poets, and tendered as a token of love and appreciation, the rose’s better qualities outweigh its otherwise prickly nature.
Yes, life will bring forth thorns and thistles, but, handled carefully, even briers blossom and bring forth fruit, or a sweet, heavenly perfume.
August 19, 2007

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* Thorn In the Flesh
* Scripture: Jesus said, “He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and unjust.” Matthew 5:45b, NKJV

Now I ask you , is that really fair? It only seems right that the evil and unjust should be punished in some way, and the righteous alone should be the beneficiary of God’s gifts.
Then there is the matter of the man who hired laborers at different times during the day, and paid them all the same wage, whether they worked all day in the sun, or just an hour or so. There should have been a government agency in charge of that one. (Mt. 20:1-16)
I’ve heard it said, “Don’t get mad; get even!” An eye for an eye. Tit for tat. You push me; I push back. Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. That’s the way the world goes.
Apparently Jesus doesn’t play by the world’s rules, though, from what He states in the preceding and following verses.
Love your -”enemies?” Bless those who curse you? No, those are not the way things usually go. Oh, we pray for those who spitefully use us and persecute us, all right - for something nasty to happen to them.
Don’t think so? How about the tele marketer who calls at meal time; the #*%@ who cuts you off in traffic, or ducks into the parking place just ahead of you. You say nice things?
Let’s face it: it is a real struggle to rise above the trials and tribulations that come our way. The real test of a loving and forgiving heart comes when bad things happen to us. The slap on the cheek, the law suit, the unwanted request, as noted by Jesus in Mt. 5:38-42, give us an opportunity to witness to the power of a loving God.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians (2 Cor. 12:17) that he had a ‘thorn in the flesh,’ and pleaded to the Lord that it might be removed. The Lord replied, “My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
Paul does not reveal the nature of the thorn in his flesh, only that the Lord’s answer was, “No!” Instead, Paul received God’s grace to bear the thorn.
We are not unlike Paul, then, when we are beset with infirmities, reproaches, needs, persecutions, and distresses. Yes, we can - and should - pray about these things. The Lord can and will remove such as He desires.
Sometimes, though, the answer is not removal of the ‘thorn,’ but grace sufficient to endure, even as Jesus endured.
Take to heart the ‘Sermon On The Mount;’ pray that you develop qualities exemplifying the Father in heaven.
October 16, 2005

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Scripture: Esther said, “I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish. Esther 4:16b., NIV
While one might well argue that without women and mothers, there would be no history, many, many women have had an impact on history far beyond that role. The Bible chronicles the impact of numerous women who played an active role in shaping history, from Eve to Mary the mother of Jesus.
One of the most venerated women in Jewish history is a virtual stranger to many Christians, yet without her, the Bible would tell a vastly different story. We seldom study the Book of Esther; God is not mentioned in this book. Surely, however, God was moving behind the scenes and had His hand on her life.
Esther was a Jewish woman, who lived in Persia about five hundred years before the birth of Christ. Her husband, Xerxes, was the most powerful ruler at that time over the area we call the Mid-east. Mighty Babylon had taken all of Israel into captivity and foreign powers had controlled both the Hebrew people and their homeland for over a hundred years. Now, Babylon had been conquered by Persia, and the fate of the people and their country depended on the whim of the King of Persia (modern day Iran).
Then, as now, anti-Jewish sentiment manifested itself in plots to annihilate Jews. One of the royal officials, a man named Haman, plotted to hang Esther’s cousin, Mordecai, and follow up by killing all the Jews in the kingdom because “their customs are different than all other people.” (See Esther 3:8) Esther bravely and cleverly revealed this plot to the king, even thought it was against the law for her to intervene.
Haman was hung on the very gallows he had constructed to hang Mordecai. The King could not (by Persian law) change the decree to kill the Jews, so he made a new decree that Jews could defend themselves. And they did! This day is celebrated to our time by the feast or Purim, a day of joy and feasting, and by giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor.
Many Jews had returned to Jerusalem and Israel. Ezra and Nehemiah were sent to govern the country, and rebuild the temple and the city walls. Esther’s step-son was now king, and supported the rebuilding and resettlement efforts, no doubt strongly influenced by Esther.
Think how different world history would be without the contributions of this one woman. Suppose that the Hebrew nation had been entirely wiped out 500 years before the birth of Christ. No Hebrew nation, no Messiah. No Messiah, no saving Grace for all people.
Take time to read the Book of Esther.
May 12, 2002

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Scripture: Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” John 10:14 NIV
It was a sight any shepherd dreads to see . . . feet sticking up in the air. Among farm livestock, sheep have the unique ability to somehow get on their backs, feet upwards, and are unable to roll over and get up. I hate burying sheep! So I ambled over to this one, hoping the best, and fearing the worst. Lo and behold, the feet are wavering feebly. Maybe I’m in time. Yes! Hasn’t expired yet. Rolled her over, past the bulging sides, full of unborn lambs, and got her to her feet. Rather wobbly, but after a while she shuffled off toward the rest of the flock. Saved this one. Goes by the identifier of #80.
Two days later, #80 was present at my morning check of the barns, with two lambs. A lack of diligence on the part of the shepherds could have resulted in the loss of three sheep. This time, it had a happy ending.
This led me to thinking about the Chief Shepherd, The Door to the Sheepfold. How many times does Jesus find one of His Flock down and out, literally with “feet wavering in the air.” While we may not breathe our last and expire on the spot, we may cross that great divide that separates us from the abode of life and the abode of eternal death in the future - for all eternity.
Once sheep get lodged on their backs, only some force other than their own resources can get them right-side up again. So, too, with people.
I’ve read it, time and again . . . someone deep into dependency and addiction or steeped in sin, credits their salvation to being “rolled over” by the grace of Jesus. That’s what salvation is all about . . . being “rolled over” from sure death into life. Repentance is a turning, but it often - usually- requires an outside force. The Chief Shepherd has a lot of ‘hirelings’ working for Him.

Might we say that God The Creator, Jesus Christ His Son, our Savior, and the Power of the Holy Spirit enables us to be the physical hands and feet of a loving God reaching a world in need.

How will they know unless someone tells them? Sometimes the “word” can be as powerful as the strongest hands or feet. The soul requires a different force to turn it about, and that force is the Word Of/About God, and Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World.
Check the Flock often. . . be prepared to do some ‘rolling!’
April 28, 2002

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Growing Up
The Bible tells us very little of Jesus childhood and young adulthood. Luke 2:20 records that Jesus grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. The only other insight into his childhood is of Jesus in the Temple (Lk 2:41-52). Again, Luke states that he was obedient to his parents and grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. Really, what better approval rating could there be? What more do we need to know? Sure, in our enlightened age of popular idols, many desire to know every intimate detail of peoples lives. We are told a little more about some Biblical persons than others, but usually only where it shows some insights, good or bad, into that persons relationship to God.
One little boy asked his friend why the boys grandmother read her Bible so much. After some thought, the friend replied, “Maybe she’s cramming for her finals.” When that day comes around, when we are asked what we have done with the life that God gave us, may we be able to say, I grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (12/22/1996)

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Servanthood
I have been reading a book set in the time of King Arthur. Days of old, when knights were bold was not the ideal society that it is sometimes portrayed to be. For each king, knight, or princess, there were hundreds of servants and peasants. An attitude of superiority often leads to expectations of entitlement - the aristocracy was entitled to privileges or favors by virtue of their rank or position. Even in our society we find those who both seek and abuse authority or position. Nor should we, as Christians, feel superior to the unsaved. Gods grace is a gift that is available to everyone who accepts it. The glory belongs to God, not to our merit. Jesus cautioned against lording it over others. (Luke 22-27) He gave no better example than when He assumed servanthood, and washed the disciples feet. (John 13:3-17) The example is clear; as a Christian, we are saved by Gods grace, not for aristocracy, but for servanthood. (12/1/1996)

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Scripture: John wrote, “The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 NIV
It’s spring! It’s spring!!
Actually, spring began at 8:31 AM on March 20th. I was driving my car on the highway at that time, and I did not notice anything different. There was no unusual sound, no flash of light, the earth didn’t shake. Nothing. How about you - notice anything unusual happen? I thought not. So how do I know? Someone assured me that that was the date and time spring officially began. Astronomers watch the path taken by the sun in relation to the earth, and note when the sun crosses the equator. We could do that, also, IF we knew what to look for, and how to measure it.
We need people who specialize in some field of knowledge. For example, I have a Dr. who takes care of my eyes; another my teeth (dentist.) We might go to a cardiologist or internist for internal organs, but to a dermatologist for skin problems. Look under physicians in a directory, and you will find a doctor for just about all that ails you.
Go to a large automotive repair center, and again you will find people who specialize in some aspect of auto mechanics. Any company, even a small one, probably has someone who specializes in accounting, secretarial, or administrative duties.
Look through the Help Wanted listings in a newspaper. They will usually specify that they are looking for people with certain qualifications. One of those criteria is sure to be EXPERIENCE! Not just knowledge, but hands-on experience. Can’t you just see someone applying for a job in an orchestra if they can claim only that they have read a book on music! Yeah, right!!
No, we want someone who has been there, done that; someone who understands what it is all about. Experience.
So how about the business of life? No problem, if all we want is earthly knowledge. Lots of opportunity for that. We are born into it. But what about the spiritual side of us? How do we prepare for eternity? Who can know God? That’s where Jesus came in.
Jesus brings with Him an unusual experience. He is both God and Man. Mortal and immortal. Of the Earth, and of Heaven. He knows what we earthlings go thru, because He became human.
Being also God, He did what none of us could do. He paid the ransom for all of our sins, thru His blood shed on Calvary. And rose from the dead, that we might live.
That is the beauty of EASTER!
April 1, 2001