Although mankind experienced a perfect Son in Jesus, the world has never known a perfect human parent. Even if babies came with instruction manuals, people rarely read and follow them. At some point in life, everyone must simply come to accept the manner in which they were raised. While there are certainly exceptions, most parents are trying to do all they can.
Paul knew all about divine deliverance. Once a persecutor of Christians, he saw the light the day Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus. He was handed over from the authority of Satan to the Kingdom of Jesus. Years later, Paul was falsely accused and thrown in jail in Caesarea. Learning of a plot on his life, he appealed his case to the emperor, and was once again delivered from a wicked dominion and carried off to better quarters in the Kingdom.
In a worship service recently, our congregation was richly blessed by the song Every Season. Composed and recorded by Nichole Nordeman about two decades ago, it wistfully describes the playful fun of summer, the cool breezes of autumn, the quiet stillness of winter, and the fresh promise of spring. We see God’s Hand at work with every passing season of our lives.
Nobody loves a bully. On virtually every playground we can find a ruffian whose purpose in life is to torment and intimidate others, pushing the boundaries as far as they can to see if anyone is going to push back. Their aggressive attitudes, mean words, and violent actions are intended to throw down the gauntlet and challenge their rival to combat. It is generally the cry of a weak and insecure person seeking attention.
In the world of comedy make-believe, someone always plays the fool. In real life, sooner or later, we all have the opportunity to don our cap and bells. Sometimes it is a crazy business decision or an unwise investment. Sometimes it is the clothing we wear in a mid-life crisis.
When it comes to the learning process, we use the phrase “by heart” to mean that we know something “from memory.” Perhaps you have learned the lines for a character in a play. At your first rehearsal, you likely held the script in your hand and read the part in a forthright manner. Over time you became more familiar with your lines, adding an accent, inflections, and other dramatic nuances. You were able to put the script down. You knew it by heart.
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