Knows Why?
Sunday, July 30, 2023
God Creates Beauty,
Not With Perfection,
But Imperfection.
Psalm 119:26
When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes.
1 John 5:15
And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him.
Words of Grace For Today
Tell a child what not to do, over and over again, and the child will inevitably try out what is prohibited.
It’s not that much different for adults.
Hearing and doing God’s commandments are two very separate things. What stands between them like an insurmountable wall is our freewill and curiosity; just like a child we will choose to do what we are told not to do.
Hearing God’s commandments is one simple thing. It requires the patience and humility to give focus and take time to listen.
Doing them, well that requires something beyond our ability.
So we pray:
help us.
And knowing that God hears us,
and God forgives us,
we are then inspired (Spirit working in us) to sometimes even be able to follow God’s commandments.
So how do we respond to others who breech even a semblance of God’s commandments? What do I do with the party-ers ‘next door’ who make such a racket yelling and screaming with loud music to boot until after 2:00?
I ought to be able to forgive and understand.
But forgiving is as far as I get, with a strong hand on my wish to interfere and complain to them of their behaviour. Understanding is beyond me. First the urge to party. Is that something that covers up the stupidity of life they choose or are left with? I’ve not a clue. Then the need to party into the early morning hours. Again, not a clue. And to do so where many other people are left to suffer from the noise and ruckus? This becomes a stretch of imagination that I cannot make, why anyone would be so blatantly insensitive, inconsiderate, and destructive to others with such a choice of actions, time, and place.
Forgiveness will have to be enough, and the minimum is to not try to interfere, which would probably put my life on the line.
So as people have since the beginning of time, I pray and know God hears and know all is well: Dear God, there are some people that need your attention. Please give it to them … in spades!
It’s a bit better than asking Karma to include a few more people missing from the list.
Ok, not much, but a little? Maybe not even a little, you say?
Thus each day has it’s beginnings, never perfect, always requiring God to forgive me (us) so that we can move through the day not trying to figure out what we are not supposed to do, but giving our all to do the things we know God would have us do.