Note: Though I didn't really write anything with a Christmas theme for the blog this year, these last three entries were all written in some ways as gifts for others, so consider them as Christmas presents to remember the Giver of all good gifts Who gave us the very best when He sent Christ that first Christmas to save us all from our sins. Merry Christmas! Praise God for His love. :-)
It seems that Christianity has some paradoxes that we will just never fully understand even though both are true. The age old question of faith vs. good works is one that has long confounded me in the course of my walk with Jesus. Of course, I know that we are saved by grace through faith and it's not of ourselves- it's all God's work so no one can boast. Of course, the very next verse where all this is stated (over in Ephesians 2:8-10) says that we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do the good works He intended us to do all along! So, let's be clear- good works don't save anyone because none of us have enough good works to meet God's standard of absolute perfection. (Leviticus 11:45, Matthew 5:48) Jesus Christ is the only One who has met that standard- because He is absolute perfection. Of course, once He saves us by His grace, we will naturally start to do good works because we are being molded into the shape of our Saviour- and the fruit of the Spirit is just who He is! Naturally, we're going to start looking like our Father. Good works show that we belong to God and that He is working in us to make us more like Himself all the time. But we lean wholly for our salvation on the good work that Jesus performed by dying and rising to pay for our sins. We don't do anything to earn salvation and we can never pay God back for what He's done. We can only humbly accept it with gratitude and praise Him for eternity for His amazing grace and love for us! I have struggled with assurance of salvation time and again throughout my walk with Christ, but as this song mentions- He sent me a special friend named Carmen (just as the original song speaks of a Carmen!) who reminded me of a simple truth that is sometimes hard for me and others to accept- God loves me for me! I don't have to be anything special or do anything special to make Him love me- He already loves me because I am His creation. And His love came down at Christmas so that He could save us all on Good Friday and Easter. I am very thankful for my friend who has been so helpful to me in reminding me of these truths. And I am eternally thankful that the weight of my sins is on Jesus who has paid for them all and has adopted me into the band of followers like Martin Luther (whom I reference in the song) and so many others who enter Heaven one way- through Jesus by faith.
"By Faith"
(parody of "The Weight" by The Band; copyright by Nathan Ludwick 10/29/2018)
(Isaiah 64:6, Isaiah 1:18, Isaiah 61:1-2, Ephesians 2:1-10, Ephesians 3:14-21, Hebrews 8-11, James 2, Luke 15, 1 John 2:15-17, John 6:40, Luke 4:16-30, Leviticus 11:45, Matthew 5 (particularly v. 48), Deuteronomy 18:13, Deuteronomy 30-33, Luke 6:20-49 (particularly v. 36), Galatians 3, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 5:17, Romans chapters 1-7 (particularly 3:21-31; basically, just read the whole book), Jude 1:24-25)
He pulled into Nazareth- was reading out battle plan
He just reads the place where Isaiah- it says
"Lord's Spirit is upon Me- (to) share Good News and free oppressed"
Jesus then just shook them up- Yo! "Fulfilled," He said
61 Isaiah- take the scroll to read
It foretold His ministry- Covenant of Old- Christ completes
Like Nicodemus, I was looking not to grace, but pride
Got that flaw in garden with the devil- bought in to pride to life
God sent me Carmen- lightened the load of self-doubt
She said, "Our God loves us- 3 Ephesians- good works aren't how."
(You) take a load off, Nathan- Christ loves me for me!
Take a load off, Carmen- and we put the load right on Jesus!
I'm down with Moses- ain't under Law but Grace
It's 8 Hebrews- our new High Priest of the Covenant of Grace
6 Luke, Matt. 5- what about Deuteronomy?
He said, "You need My perfection (perfect Son)-
Once you're saved by Me- can't you see? It's done for thee!"
Take a load off, weary- in Matt. 11 read
Take My yoke on- easy
And you get a load light from Me.
Christ- He gestured "Follow Me" and He sought me when I was lost
Said, "I will trade your ash for beauty, Nate My dog"
I said, "Wait a minute, Master- You know I can't pay You back"
He said, "That's okay, boy- It's a free gift- no strings attached."
Take 3 Romans and read- Take Galatians 3
Take a note of James 2- saved by faith alone for good deeds!
Catch the prodigal's bro- Luke 15- such was I
My rags are stinking though- when I do "good deeds" it's a lie
Take me back, Jesus- Lord please! You know You're the only One
Who's sinless here- it's Your righteousness I rely on
Take a load off, Martin- Christ's reformed you- see?
24 in Jude and 1 Thessalonians 5- read!
Showing posts with label perfect. Show all posts
Showing posts with label perfect. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Saturday, October 14, 2017
Pre-Fallen (song)
Note: This is another favorite from the archives. I thought it was fitting to pull this one out in tribute to Mr. Tom Petty in light of his recent passing. I hope he truly loved Jesus as he mentions the girl in his "Free Fallin' " song does and I hope he's in Heaven now.
This one is a bit like John Milton’s works. It describes how we got a “Paradise Lost” but it also describes how we can get “Paradise Regained”. Jesus has already done the job! And though we still live in a fallen world, it doesn’t have to be a heartbreaker as the initial outlook was. Rather, Jesus is a heart saver and when we give Him our lives, it’s like we’re pre-fallen!
This one is a bit like John Milton’s works. It describes how we got a “Paradise Lost” but it also describes how we can get “Paradise Regained”. Jesus has already done the job! And though we still live in a fallen world, it doesn’t have to be a heartbreaker as the initial outlook was. Rather, Jesus is a heart saver and when we give Him our lives, it’s like we’re pre-fallen!
“Pre-Fallen”
(parody of “Free Fallin’ “ by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)
(parody by Nathan Ludwick 12/31/2010)
(Romans 3, Romans 10, John 7:37-38, John 8:32-36, 1 Peter 1:18-23, Genesis 3, John 1:12, Matthew 11:28, John 14:1-6, Revelation 3:20, Matthew 10:8, Ezekiel 36:25-29)
In a good world, we’d love The Father,
Love Jesus and The Holy Ghost too
In a good world- baby, now sinless
Rejoices- it’s like Eden 2!
(And) it seems long away- living in Laodicea
There’s a tree with flaming sword to guard
What a sad day when we go and eat forbidden
We’ve been bad, boy- it’s breaking God’s heart
(Genesis) 3- the fall of man!
Adam (and) Eve- we’ve all sinned!
And it’s handed all down through Man’s family
Move east now- 1st. Peter 1- read on
And all the bad, oi- it’s planted in the marrow
But The Good Lord can form us brand new hearts
And now, uh- He’s – He’s calling!
Yeah, get a free- overhauling
He’s calling- it’s, uh- Jesus calling and uh,
We’ve fallen, read, uh- 3 Romans and uh,
I want ya right now- read in 10 Romans
In verse 9, get saved by The Christ
We’re gonna be called children of God then
Gonna leave this world far behind
[And we’re free
(Free falling into Jesus’ calling and uh)
We’re all in
(Free falling, I’m really all in and uh)
Yeah, we’re free
(Prefallen- it’s like we’re prefallen and uh)
We’re all in
(Free falling in uh, Matt. Eleven two eight (11:28)) ]
[Repeat above and fade]
(Recall in Matt. 10- free calling and uh)
Yeah, we’re free!
[alternate line for repeats]
…………………………………………………………………………………………
Friday, February 3, 2017
Jesus, Be Louder to me than the World
It's been said a couple of different ways. Preacher Roe said, "Some days you eat the bear; some days the bear eats you." John Denver had a beautiful song that said, "Some days are diamond- some days are stone." Some days I want to cry out with the Psalmist- "O Lord, God of my salvation; I cry out day and night before You. Let my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry! For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength, like one set loose among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom You remember no more, for they are cut off from Your hand." (Psalms 88:1-5) "The darkness is my only friend." (Psalms 88:18) - Hello, darkness- my old friend- I've come to talk with you again......
But like Paul and Simon said by the Holy Spirit- "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. .....My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account." "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith- that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 1:21 and 23-24 and 3:7-10) "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith- more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire- may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:6-9)
Sometimes I just want to tell all the cares of my personal life- all the demands clawing from all sides- all the chaos and craziness of life- whether it's on a personal and family level or for friends- or stretching nationally and worldwide....Sometimes I just want to tell it all to shut up for a while! Sometimes I just want to block out all the noise and just be still and know that The Lord is God. (Psalms 46:10)
I just need to hear You, Jesus, tell the winds and waves, "Peace! Be still!" And whether He tells the storm to calm down or He tells me, His child, to calm down- either way, I know He's with me and I ride uncomfortable but safe in His hands. (John 10:29)
And at those times- and all times- and the times I am not I want to be doing it more- I just want to say again with the Psalmist- "I love The Lord, because He has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because He inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call on Him as long as I live. The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the Name of The Lord; 'O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!' Gracious is The Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful. The Lord preserves the simple; when I was brought low, He saved me. Return, O my soul, to your rest; for The Lord has dealt bountifully with you." (Psalms 116:1-7)
Yes, soul- return to your rest in the tender arms of Jesus, who promises rest for the weary soul. (Matthew 11:28-30) I love how the rest of Psalms 116 goes on to say that God has delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling. I'm gonna walk with The Lord in the land of the living. Yep- all men are liars, but God is true always. His steadfast love endures forever! And He loves me like crazy and with an eternal love! :-) (Jeremiah 31:3) Even though I don't know why He does- I know He does and I know He's always true. And I thank Him for it! I love you too, Lord- help me to love You more! And for the times I can't face this world any more, grant me Your peace that passes all understanding. May I always know Your peace upon me- that You alone give; not as the world gives- Your peace that no one can take away! Keep my mind stayed upon You, Jehovah- and keep me in Your perfect peace. (Isaiah 26:3 and John 14.....)
Lord, I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not Your commandments from me! My soul is consumed with longing for Your rules at all times. My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to Your word! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in Your ways. My soul longs for Your salvation; I hope in Your word. My eyes long for Your promise; I ask, 'When will You comfort me?' I remember Your Name in the night, O Lord, and keep Your law. This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept Your precepts. The Lord is my portion; I promise to keep Your words. I entreat Your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your promise. When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to Your testimonies; I hasten and do not delay to keep Your commandments.Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart. My flesh trembles for fear of You, and I am afraid of Your judgments. My eyes long for Your salvation and for the fulfillment of Your righteous promise. I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight. Let my soul live and praise You, and let Your rules help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I do not forget Your commandments.
(all taken from Psalms 119)
I don't particularly want to die any time soon, and there are a lot of things I'd still like to do in life before that day- or before the day when Christ comes again.....but even though I still have trepidation at times about both those times with the fear of the unknown and all those old fears about salvation and how God can love and even save a messed-up individual like me- I still have faith that calms all my fears and says that I am His and He is mine and I just trust that Jesus will do what He said He will do. And there are some days that I am truly just so longing for my Home in Heaven. There are some days that I am just feeling SO done with life- (to clarify not in a suicidal way)- just in a way that feels like I am so weary of dealing with so many things on and on again and again- and sometimes I just want a change from it all and a release. Sometimes I feel like chilling with Asaph and Habakkuk and Job, crying out- What's the deal, God? How come the wicked get to prosper, but I feel like I try to live for You and get the shaft instead? But One greater than Shaft is here and He binds up the brokenhearted. And He's suffered more than words can say and knows all about pain, betrayal and heartache. And thus, I trust again and leave things to Him. And some days I just long for His kingdom of light and love to come and redeem this old earth, while I wait up on the roof for Him. I know He will come soon in His time (whatever day that might be- and I don't know when it is- if in my lifetime or not)- but one day He will fulfill that promise. Even so, come Lord Jesus! And until that day or the day of my death- help me to be faithful every moment as You lead me on.
And I love how Psalms 116:7 says that The Lord has dealt bountifully with you, my soul. Or to put it another way- Thank The Lord because He's been doubly good to you. He's blessed me with physical life and spiritual life through faith in Jesus' death and Resurrection. I thank and praise Him for that. I thank and praise Him for all the many other blessings He's given me. And I thank Him for all the hard things He's let me go through that makes me cling all the harder to Him. For all the things that pain me and open my eyes and ears with His megaphone to a deaf world that tells me that He is the only sure thing to hold on to above all else. [Kinda like C.S. Lewis said. ;-)] Where can I go but to The Lord? (as a classic song says- not to mention John 6:68. Jesus alone has the words of eternal life!) God is my portion and the strength of my heart forever! (Psalms 73) Whom I have in Heaven but You, Jesus? And what better could I hope to find down here on Earth? I could search the most distant reaches of this world but I'd just be wasting my time- I'm certain already I'm sure I'd find You're my one thing! (And the pure in heart shall see God.) .....(both Psalms 73 and lyrics from Rich Mullins' "My One Thing" :-))
And here's another great Rich Mullins song- one that Amy Grant actually recorded and made famous, but one that he wrote. Here's a clip of him actually performing it himself.
Even when I'm not feeling the best about everything, no matter how my life is looking and no matter how bad things may be looking in the world, I just want to say to all the negative forces in the world- I'm going to praise The Lord anyway! Thank You, Lord Jesus! Let everything that hath breath praise The Lord! He is always doubly good to me.
But like Paul and Simon said by the Holy Spirit- "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. .....My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account." "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith- that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 1:21 and 23-24 and 3:7-10) "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith- more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire- may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:6-9)
Sometimes I just want to tell all the cares of my personal life- all the demands clawing from all sides- all the chaos and craziness of life- whether it's on a personal and family level or for friends- or stretching nationally and worldwide....Sometimes I just want to tell it all to shut up for a while! Sometimes I just want to block out all the noise and just be still and know that The Lord is God. (Psalms 46:10)
I just need to hear You, Jesus, tell the winds and waves, "Peace! Be still!" And whether He tells the storm to calm down or He tells me, His child, to calm down- either way, I know He's with me and I ride uncomfortable but safe in His hands. (John 10:29)
And at those times- and all times- and the times I am not I want to be doing it more- I just want to say again with the Psalmist- "I love The Lord, because He has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because He inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call on Him as long as I live. The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the Name of The Lord; 'O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!' Gracious is The Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful. The Lord preserves the simple; when I was brought low, He saved me. Return, O my soul, to your rest; for The Lord has dealt bountifully with you." (Psalms 116:1-7)
Yes, soul- return to your rest in the tender arms of Jesus, who promises rest for the weary soul. (Matthew 11:28-30) I love how the rest of Psalms 116 goes on to say that God has delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling. I'm gonna walk with The Lord in the land of the living. Yep- all men are liars, but God is true always. His steadfast love endures forever! And He loves me like crazy and with an eternal love! :-) (Jeremiah 31:3) Even though I don't know why He does- I know He does and I know He's always true. And I thank Him for it! I love you too, Lord- help me to love You more! And for the times I can't face this world any more, grant me Your peace that passes all understanding. May I always know Your peace upon me- that You alone give; not as the world gives- Your peace that no one can take away! Keep my mind stayed upon You, Jehovah- and keep me in Your perfect peace. (Isaiah 26:3 and John 14.....)
Lord, I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not Your commandments from me! My soul is consumed with longing for Your rules at all times. My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to Your word! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in Your ways. My soul longs for Your salvation; I hope in Your word. My eyes long for Your promise; I ask, 'When will You comfort me?' I remember Your Name in the night, O Lord, and keep Your law. This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept Your precepts. The Lord is my portion; I promise to keep Your words. I entreat Your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your promise. When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to Your testimonies; I hasten and do not delay to keep Your commandments.Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart. My flesh trembles for fear of You, and I am afraid of Your judgments. My eyes long for Your salvation and for the fulfillment of Your righteous promise. I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight. Let my soul live and praise You, and let Your rules help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I do not forget Your commandments.
(all taken from Psalms 119)
I don't particularly want to die any time soon, and there are a lot of things I'd still like to do in life before that day- or before the day when Christ comes again.....but even though I still have trepidation at times about both those times with the fear of the unknown and all those old fears about salvation and how God can love and even save a messed-up individual like me- I still have faith that calms all my fears and says that I am His and He is mine and I just trust that Jesus will do what He said He will do. And there are some days that I am truly just so longing for my Home in Heaven. There are some days that I am just feeling SO done with life- (to clarify not in a suicidal way)- just in a way that feels like I am so weary of dealing with so many things on and on again and again- and sometimes I just want a change from it all and a release. Sometimes I feel like chilling with Asaph and Habakkuk and Job, crying out- What's the deal, God? How come the wicked get to prosper, but I feel like I try to live for You and get the shaft instead? But One greater than Shaft is here and He binds up the brokenhearted. And He's suffered more than words can say and knows all about pain, betrayal and heartache. And thus, I trust again and leave things to Him. And some days I just long for His kingdom of light and love to come and redeem this old earth, while I wait up on the roof for Him. I know He will come soon in His time (whatever day that might be- and I don't know when it is- if in my lifetime or not)- but one day He will fulfill that promise. Even so, come Lord Jesus! And until that day or the day of my death- help me to be faithful every moment as You lead me on.
And I love how Psalms 116:7 says that The Lord has dealt bountifully with you, my soul. Or to put it another way- Thank The Lord because He's been doubly good to you. He's blessed me with physical life and spiritual life through faith in Jesus' death and Resurrection. I thank and praise Him for that. I thank and praise Him for all the many other blessings He's given me. And I thank Him for all the hard things He's let me go through that makes me cling all the harder to Him. For all the things that pain me and open my eyes and ears with His megaphone to a deaf world that tells me that He is the only sure thing to hold on to above all else. [Kinda like C.S. Lewis said. ;-)] Where can I go but to The Lord? (as a classic song says- not to mention John 6:68. Jesus alone has the words of eternal life!) God is my portion and the strength of my heart forever! (Psalms 73) Whom I have in Heaven but You, Jesus? And what better could I hope to find down here on Earth? I could search the most distant reaches of this world but I'd just be wasting my time- I'm certain already I'm sure I'd find You're my one thing! (And the pure in heart shall see God.) .....(both Psalms 73 and lyrics from Rich Mullins' "My One Thing" :-))
And here's another great Rich Mullins song- one that Amy Grant actually recorded and made famous, but one that he wrote. Here's a clip of him actually performing it himself.
Even when I'm not feeling the best about everything, no matter how my life is looking and no matter how bad things may be looking in the world, I just want to say to all the negative forces in the world- I'm going to praise The Lord anyway! Thank You, Lord Jesus! Let everything that hath breath praise The Lord! He is always doubly good to me.
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Season for the Reason: Good and God- and Perfection
Note: This is another entry in my series of apologetics-based reflections, based on questions and conversations that have come up in real life. It is in response to an article discussing the possibility of being good and where God plays into that. Can you be good without God? While I think there may be some remnant left in us that still recognizes good and evil (as Romans 2 talks about, along with Ecclesiastes 3:11- we all have some form of a conscience testifying to us about God's Law); however, The Bible clearly teaches that we are all born in sin and are sinners by nature. (Psalms 51:5, Romans 7:5-6- basically just read the whole book.) I think a better question to ask is this- can you be perfect without God? Because perfection is God's standard for entry into Heaven and only One person has ever met it- Jesus Christ.
I'm curious about this key passage in the article:
"But so what? What’s the practical significance of rejecting belief in a deity? Why should humanists band together in local or national groups, publish magazines, hold conferences, and so forth? It can’t be simply to show that we are right and others are wrong about the existence of God.
Humanists do share a number of beliefs, of course, and not just their belief that there are no gods. So humanists form a natural affinity group of sorts. But although being a member of a like-minded group with similar interests has its attractions, the level of commitment of most of those who are members of the Center for Inquiry or the American Humanist Association or other humanist groups indicates that we think humanism is much more important than being a member of an astronomy club, sewing circle, or softball team. There has to be more to joining and supporting humanist groups than the opportunity to hang out with people with similar worldviews.""
Does the Center for Inquiry or the American Humanist Association have elected officials? Is there any kind of organization to these groups?
(Apparently the answer is yes; the AHA has a board of directors page here- http://americanhumanist.org/AHA/Board_of_Directors and the CFI has a message from the president and CEO here- http://www.centerforinquiry.net/support/secularism_and_science_need_an_advocate/)
I ask this mainly because it seems incongruent with a statement highlighted in another passage in the article, wherein the author states that humanists have no authorities. This would appear to not be the case. Do these boards of directors think and reason together to come up with the guiding moral principles for their organizations, and by extension, the world at large that all people should apply? If humanists all reason together to find common moral principles that promote a common human good, it seems all human beings in existence (at any time) should be included in the consultations in order to have the maximum amount of brain power and human reasoning involved. [I realize that this would be a rather impossible endeavor, but surely the history of mankind and moral principles of all cultures are included in the study and quest for finding moral standards appropriate for human society? It seems like the research and reading of much books would be in order, along with efforts to poll all interested parties. Unless of course, these said principles would only be in effect for humanists.]
This gets to my larger point. How do humanists determine what is good and what is not? What are the measuring standards and how are they determined?
I can't speak for all religions of course, but I don't appreciate that the author insinuates that religion does not seek to justify its moral standards by the fact that they improve the human condition. I would say a relationship with Jesus Christ does just that ad infinitum. (Of course, the worldview framework of Christianity says that all human beings at all times, since the sin of Adam and Eve, have been born in sin and wrongdoing and all of us are evil and in need of God to save us from our sin. This is why Jesus came and lived the only perfect life ever lived and died and rose for us- to pay the penalty we deserved because of our failure to keep God's moral standards of perfection.) [As Jesus stated in Matthew 5:20, if we're trying to get to Heaven by our own merit, unless our righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, we will never enter the kingdom of Heaven. And those guys worked to keep all the Law to the nth. degree and still didn't really match up by a long shot, as Jesus made clear in Matthew 21:31 and all of Matthew 23. Note that in the context of the verses in Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus is stating that He has come to fulfill all of The Law and the Prophets and that's just what He did. If we falter at even the least command anywhere during our lifetime, we're already done. (James 2:10) God's standard is absolute perfection- Matthew 5:48 says it plainly. We all fail to meet it, as Romans 3:23 tells us.] Jesus says that He comes to give us life and life more abundant. (see John 10:10) The Bible also makes clear that life in Christ improves our lives immeasurably in the here and now as well as in eternity. Those who are in Christ have a new nature that desires to do good, rather than to do evil as the old nature would have us do. (This is not to say that Christians are perfect in doing good, by any means, but we are in the process of becoming more like Christ, Who is perfect- and we have the promise that one day that process will be complete and we will be perfected upon our entry into Heaven. [see Philippians 1:6])
Thus, following Christ makes people more loving, more caring for all those in need, more generous, more truthful, more helping, more self-sacrificing, more patient, more peaceful, more kind, more gentle, more faithful, and makes them have more self-control. In short, they are more good. (These and other traits are some of the identifying marks of a Christ-follower because Galatians 5:22-23 says that these are some of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. That is God's work in people's lives.) I would say that is a huge improvement to the human condition. (Which we've already established is evil at its core, from a Christian framework, in any case.)
And yes, that is certainly God's will for people to know Christ and develop these traits and live lives like Christ.
God is definitely focused on the good of humanity. Jeremiah 29:11 assures us that He has thoughts of good for us and not evil. (I realize this verse is aimed specifically at Israel, but the principle certainly applies to all people, as evidenced in other Bible verses. See Ezekiel 18:23 as well.) He wants everyone to live- both the full measure of life that He desires for humans in the here and now and the eternal life He wants all to have in Heaven with Him through faith in Christ. (see Ezekiel 33:11 and 2 Peter 3:8-9)
My other point of contention is the implication that religion (and again, I'll specifically speak for the point of view of Christianity) has no rationale behind it. I have to disagree with this notion. God gave people brains for a reason; I believe He expects us to use our brains and truly contemplate things before making any decision for Him. In fact, God invites us to come reason together with Him in Isaiah 1:18- herein, He entreats us to consider the truth of this statement: "Though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." God offers to wash away our sins and make us clean and pure. But I don't think God ever expects anyone to make a choice to follow Christ without using reason, evidence and intellect. Christ Himself cautions us to count the cost of following Him before we make any rash decisions. (Note that He gives strict warnings that if we do not hate our family and even our own life, we cannot be His disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Christ cannot be His disciple. [To clarify, in the language used in the passage I'm referencing- Luke 14:25-35- it has the meaning of loving Jesus and following Him above all so much that the love we have for our family looks like hate in comparison. Jesus often used stark hyperbole to emphasize points- I just wanted to clarify that He is not advocating hating people here.]
Jesus also speaks to this point in Luke 9:23-27, where He tells us again that we must take our cross, deny ourselves, and follow Him in order to come after Him. Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Christ's sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits his soul? In Matthew 10:16-42, Jesus warns His followers that persecution will come upon as part of following Him. Even some of a man's own household will be among his enemies because he follows Christ. In John 15:18-27, Jesus tells His disciples that the world will hate them because they follow Jesus and claim His Name. (Of course, they hated Jesus first anyway.)
It is also worth noting that Jesus even turned people away from following Him because they weren't committed enough to Him and hadn't fully counted the cost yet. (See Matthew 8:18-22 and Luke 9:57-62) In Mark 10:17-31, Jesus encounters a rich young ruler who asks Him how to inherit eternal life. After Jesus reminds him that he should know the commandments in The Law ("Do not murder", "Do not commit adultery", "Do not steal", "Do not bear false witness", "Do not defraud", "Honor your father and mother"), the man claims he has kept all these from his youth. Jesus tells him that he still lacks one thing- "Go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven; and come, follow Me." The guy is disheartened by this saying (because he had great wealth) and went away sadly. (This is where Jesus gives us His famous statement that it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven. However, take heart- when the disciples asked Him who then could be saved, Jesus reminded them that with man this is impossible, but nothing is impossible with God.)
In naming these examples, I wanted to demonstrate that Jesus clearly not only invites but demands people use reason and much consideration of the evidence and the cost before deciding to follow Him. In Matthew 11:1-19, Jesus is visited by friends of John the Baptist, who is imprisoned for speaking out against Herod's sexual immorality [he had taken his brother's wife]- and John has sent these messengers to ask about the deeds of Christ that he has heard about. The messengers ask Jesus if He is indeed the One who was to come or if they should look for another. Jesus tells them to examine the evidence and and go back and tell John what they see and hear- the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by Jesus.
(Jesus also goes on to exhort the people listening to Him to consider what the Scriptures prophesied about John the Baptist [referencing Malachi 4:5-6, which likens the one who prepares the way for Christ [i.e. John the Baptist's role] to Elijah.] and compare what they've seen to the Scriptures.)
So, at least for Christianity, God does call people to use reason, evidence and intellect in making up their minds about Him and He does seek for people to put faith in Him through Christ and follow Him and His moral standards (the latter part of which can only be achieved after doing the former part) in order to improve the human condition to an infinite degree.
I think maybe a better question to ask would be, "Can you be perfect without God?" Because perfection is God's standard for morality [Leviticus 11:45 states as a command from God and Matthew 5:48 reiterates- "Be perfect as I am perfect."] - a standard that all of us miss. (Romans 3:23) And that is precisely why Jesus came to live out the standard of moral perfection for us- and He took our punishment as well- and thereby through His death and Resurrection, provided the means for us to have our moral failings forgiven and for us to have Christ's righteousness imputed to us. In myself, there is nothing good. The only good in me is Jesus. And as I noted earlier, Philippians 1:6 promises followers of Christ the end result of reaching perfection in Christ- which is what He made us to be all along. (And certainly, the goal of Christianity is to be like Christ, Who is perfection Himself because He's God.)
I'm curious about this key passage in the article:
"But so what? What’s the practical significance of rejecting belief in a deity? Why should humanists band together in local or national groups, publish magazines, hold conferences, and so forth? It can’t be simply to show that we are right and others are wrong about the existence of God.
Humanists do share a number of beliefs, of course, and not just their belief that there are no gods. So humanists form a natural affinity group of sorts. But although being a member of a like-minded group with similar interests has its attractions, the level of commitment of most of those who are members of the Center for Inquiry or the American Humanist Association or other humanist groups indicates that we think humanism is much more important than being a member of an astronomy club, sewing circle, or softball team. There has to be more to joining and supporting humanist groups than the opportunity to hang out with people with similar worldviews.""
Does the Center for Inquiry or the American Humanist Association have elected officials? Is there any kind of organization to these groups?
(Apparently the answer is yes; the AHA has a board of directors page here- http://americanhumanist.org/AHA/Board_of_Directors and the CFI has a message from the president and CEO here- http://www.centerforinquiry.net/support/secularism_and_science_need_an_advocate/)
I ask this mainly because it seems incongruent with a statement highlighted in another passage in the article, wherein the author states that humanists have no authorities. This would appear to not be the case. Do these boards of directors think and reason together to come up with the guiding moral principles for their organizations, and by extension, the world at large that all people should apply? If humanists all reason together to find common moral principles that promote a common human good, it seems all human beings in existence (at any time) should be included in the consultations in order to have the maximum amount of brain power and human reasoning involved. [I realize that this would be a rather impossible endeavor, but surely the history of mankind and moral principles of all cultures are included in the study and quest for finding moral standards appropriate for human society? It seems like the research and reading of much books would be in order, along with efforts to poll all interested parties. Unless of course, these said principles would only be in effect for humanists.]
This gets to my larger point. How do humanists determine what is good and what is not? What are the measuring standards and how are they determined?
I can't speak for all religions of course, but I don't appreciate that the author insinuates that religion does not seek to justify its moral standards by the fact that they improve the human condition. I would say a relationship with Jesus Christ does just that ad infinitum. (Of course, the worldview framework of Christianity says that all human beings at all times, since the sin of Adam and Eve, have been born in sin and wrongdoing and all of us are evil and in need of God to save us from our sin. This is why Jesus came and lived the only perfect life ever lived and died and rose for us- to pay the penalty we deserved because of our failure to keep God's moral standards of perfection.) [As Jesus stated in Matthew 5:20, if we're trying to get to Heaven by our own merit, unless our righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, we will never enter the kingdom of Heaven. And those guys worked to keep all the Law to the nth. degree and still didn't really match up by a long shot, as Jesus made clear in Matthew 21:31 and all of Matthew 23. Note that in the context of the verses in Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus is stating that He has come to fulfill all of The Law and the Prophets and that's just what He did. If we falter at even the least command anywhere during our lifetime, we're already done. (James 2:10) God's standard is absolute perfection- Matthew 5:48 says it plainly. We all fail to meet it, as Romans 3:23 tells us.] Jesus says that He comes to give us life and life more abundant. (see John 10:10) The Bible also makes clear that life in Christ improves our lives immeasurably in the here and now as well as in eternity. Those who are in Christ have a new nature that desires to do good, rather than to do evil as the old nature would have us do. (This is not to say that Christians are perfect in doing good, by any means, but we are in the process of becoming more like Christ, Who is perfect- and we have the promise that one day that process will be complete and we will be perfected upon our entry into Heaven. [see Philippians 1:6])
Thus, following Christ makes people more loving, more caring for all those in need, more generous, more truthful, more helping, more self-sacrificing, more patient, more peaceful, more kind, more gentle, more faithful, and makes them have more self-control. In short, they are more good. (These and other traits are some of the identifying marks of a Christ-follower because Galatians 5:22-23 says that these are some of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. That is God's work in people's lives.) I would say that is a huge improvement to the human condition. (Which we've already established is evil at its core, from a Christian framework, in any case.)
And yes, that is certainly God's will for people to know Christ and develop these traits and live lives like Christ.
God is definitely focused on the good of humanity. Jeremiah 29:11 assures us that He has thoughts of good for us and not evil. (I realize this verse is aimed specifically at Israel, but the principle certainly applies to all people, as evidenced in other Bible verses. See Ezekiel 18:23 as well.) He wants everyone to live- both the full measure of life that He desires for humans in the here and now and the eternal life He wants all to have in Heaven with Him through faith in Christ. (see Ezekiel 33:11 and 2 Peter 3:8-9)
My other point of contention is the implication that religion (and again, I'll specifically speak for the point of view of Christianity) has no rationale behind it. I have to disagree with this notion. God gave people brains for a reason; I believe He expects us to use our brains and truly contemplate things before making any decision for Him. In fact, God invites us to come reason together with Him in Isaiah 1:18- herein, He entreats us to consider the truth of this statement: "Though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." God offers to wash away our sins and make us clean and pure. But I don't think God ever expects anyone to make a choice to follow Christ without using reason, evidence and intellect. Christ Himself cautions us to count the cost of following Him before we make any rash decisions. (Note that He gives strict warnings that if we do not hate our family and even our own life, we cannot be His disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Christ cannot be His disciple. [To clarify, in the language used in the passage I'm referencing- Luke 14:25-35- it has the meaning of loving Jesus and following Him above all so much that the love we have for our family looks like hate in comparison. Jesus often used stark hyperbole to emphasize points- I just wanted to clarify that He is not advocating hating people here.]
Jesus also speaks to this point in Luke 9:23-27, where He tells us again that we must take our cross, deny ourselves, and follow Him in order to come after Him. Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Christ's sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits his soul? In Matthew 10:16-42, Jesus warns His followers that persecution will come upon as part of following Him. Even some of a man's own household will be among his enemies because he follows Christ. In John 15:18-27, Jesus tells His disciples that the world will hate them because they follow Jesus and claim His Name. (Of course, they hated Jesus first anyway.)
It is also worth noting that Jesus even turned people away from following Him because they weren't committed enough to Him and hadn't fully counted the cost yet. (See Matthew 8:18-22 and Luke 9:57-62) In Mark 10:17-31, Jesus encounters a rich young ruler who asks Him how to inherit eternal life. After Jesus reminds him that he should know the commandments in The Law ("Do not murder", "Do not commit adultery", "Do not steal", "Do not bear false witness", "Do not defraud", "Honor your father and mother"), the man claims he has kept all these from his youth. Jesus tells him that he still lacks one thing- "Go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven; and come, follow Me." The guy is disheartened by this saying (because he had great wealth) and went away sadly. (This is where Jesus gives us His famous statement that it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven. However, take heart- when the disciples asked Him who then could be saved, Jesus reminded them that with man this is impossible, but nothing is impossible with God.)
In naming these examples, I wanted to demonstrate that Jesus clearly not only invites but demands people use reason and much consideration of the evidence and the cost before deciding to follow Him. In Matthew 11:1-19, Jesus is visited by friends of John the Baptist, who is imprisoned for speaking out against Herod's sexual immorality [he had taken his brother's wife]- and John has sent these messengers to ask about the deeds of Christ that he has heard about. The messengers ask Jesus if He is indeed the One who was to come or if they should look for another. Jesus tells them to examine the evidence and and go back and tell John what they see and hear- the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by Jesus.
(Jesus also goes on to exhort the people listening to Him to consider what the Scriptures prophesied about John the Baptist [referencing Malachi 4:5-6, which likens the one who prepares the way for Christ [i.e. John the Baptist's role] to Elijah.] and compare what they've seen to the Scriptures.)
So, at least for Christianity, God does call people to use reason, evidence and intellect in making up their minds about Him and He does seek for people to put faith in Him through Christ and follow Him and His moral standards (the latter part of which can only be achieved after doing the former part) in order to improve the human condition to an infinite degree.
I think maybe a better question to ask would be, "Can you be perfect without God?" Because perfection is God's standard for morality [Leviticus 11:45 states as a command from God and Matthew 5:48 reiterates- "Be perfect as I am perfect."] - a standard that all of us miss. (Romans 3:23) And that is precisely why Jesus came to live out the standard of moral perfection for us- and He took our punishment as well- and thereby through His death and Resurrection, provided the means for us to have our moral failings forgiven and for us to have Christ's righteousness imputed to us. In myself, there is nothing good. The only good in me is Jesus. And as I noted earlier, Philippians 1:6 promises followers of Christ the end result of reaching perfection in Christ- which is what He made us to be all along. (And certainly, the goal of Christianity is to be like Christ, Who is perfection Himself because He's God.)
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Hypocrisy, Honesty and Heavenly Father
"Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him He said, 'Do you believe in the Son of Man?' He answered, 'And who is He, Sir, that I may believe in Him?' Jesus said to him, 'You have seen Him, and it is He who is speaking to you.' He said, 'Lord, I believe', and he worshipped Him. Jesus said, 'For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.' Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to Him, 'Are we also blind?' Jesus said to them, 'If you were blind, you would have no guilt, but now that you say, 'We see', your guilt remains.' " (John 9:35-41)
I have been thinking on this passage in relation to a claim that is often levelled at Christians and one which I've seen brought up increasingly now, particularly due to the very sad and shameful Ashley Madison scandal. (That scandal being that such a service even exists and that anyone signed up for it- not that people have now been caught at it. Briefly on this point- for anyone involved with it, God forgives and so must we. See 1 Samuel 11 and Psalms 51 and 1 John 1:9 for great reminders of God's grace and forgiveness, as well as His judgment.)
Non-Christians are quick to point to such incidents and label Christians as hypocrites whenever they fail in keeping Jesus' commands, especially in such a public way. However, assuming Christians are honest in admitting their faults and struggles and faithful to confess them and repent of sins, I don't see such failures of Christians as hypocrisy necessarily.
It would be hypocritical if any Christian claimed to be perfect and no longer susceptible to falling to sins after receiving Christ. (Though as my father would often say, after receiving Christ as Savior, we need not sin anymore because of the power of The Holy Spirit working in us. That doesn't mean that we won't sin anymore necessarily- we obviously have examples of the New Testament Christians that sinned and were forgiven. See Peter for instance in Acts 10-11 and Galatians 2:1-14.) I think public sins like this just demonstrate the main realization that Christians must come to first in order to receive Christ's forgiveness and love- we are all sinners and we all need God to forgive us of our sins. He has done this through Jesus' death and Resurrection- it is available to us by faith. We must place all our faith in Jesus' work and receive it. (Thus, Matthew 5:48 and Leviticus 11:45 are fulfilled- we are declared righteous because of Jesus' righteousness- not our own. We must be perfect as God is perfect- but we can't do that on our own. Christ had to do it for us- and He saves us, not because of anything we have done, but because of His grace. See Titus 3:5 and Ephesians 2:8-10.)
Yes, such fallings definitely weaken our witness for Jesus- but they need not defeat it. As I alluded to earlier, King David not only entertained such notions as the members of the Ashley Madison site, but he also acted upon them and committed adultery with Uriah's wife. On top of that, he had Uriah killed and then took Bathsheba as his wife. God sent Nathan the prophet to bring God's judgment to David- the baby wound up dying and David's family life was a wreck ever since then. But God still forgave David and David still got listed in the hall of faith in Hebrews 11- he was a still a "man after God's own heart".
We may not have such failings in these matters of sexual immorality, but we are just as equally susceptible and guilty in other sin matters. (Romans 2:1-11 and James 2:10) But as God reminds us and invites us in Isaiah 1:18, though our sins be like scarlet, He will make them white as snow- if we will let Him. Praise God! His grace is greater than all our sins.
I have been thinking on this passage in relation to a claim that is often levelled at Christians and one which I've seen brought up increasingly now, particularly due to the very sad and shameful Ashley Madison scandal. (That scandal being that such a service even exists and that anyone signed up for it- not that people have now been caught at it. Briefly on this point- for anyone involved with it, God forgives and so must we. See 1 Samuel 11 and Psalms 51 and 1 John 1:9 for great reminders of God's grace and forgiveness, as well as His judgment.)
Non-Christians are quick to point to such incidents and label Christians as hypocrites whenever they fail in keeping Jesus' commands, especially in such a public way. However, assuming Christians are honest in admitting their faults and struggles and faithful to confess them and repent of sins, I don't see such failures of Christians as hypocrisy necessarily.
It would be hypocritical if any Christian claimed to be perfect and no longer susceptible to falling to sins after receiving Christ. (Though as my father would often say, after receiving Christ as Savior, we need not sin anymore because of the power of The Holy Spirit working in us. That doesn't mean that we won't sin anymore necessarily- we obviously have examples of the New Testament Christians that sinned and were forgiven. See Peter for instance in Acts 10-11 and Galatians 2:1-14.) I think public sins like this just demonstrate the main realization that Christians must come to first in order to receive Christ's forgiveness and love- we are all sinners and we all need God to forgive us of our sins. He has done this through Jesus' death and Resurrection- it is available to us by faith. We must place all our faith in Jesus' work and receive it. (Thus, Matthew 5:48 and Leviticus 11:45 are fulfilled- we are declared righteous because of Jesus' righteousness- not our own. We must be perfect as God is perfect- but we can't do that on our own. Christ had to do it for us- and He saves us, not because of anything we have done, but because of His grace. See Titus 3:5 and Ephesians 2:8-10.)
Yes, such fallings definitely weaken our witness for Jesus- but they need not defeat it. As I alluded to earlier, King David not only entertained such notions as the members of the Ashley Madison site, but he also acted upon them and committed adultery with Uriah's wife. On top of that, he had Uriah killed and then took Bathsheba as his wife. God sent Nathan the prophet to bring God's judgment to David- the baby wound up dying and David's family life was a wreck ever since then. But God still forgave David and David still got listed in the hall of faith in Hebrews 11- he was a still a "man after God's own heart".
We may not have such failings in these matters of sexual immorality, but we are just as equally susceptible and guilty in other sin matters. (Romans 2:1-11 and James 2:10) But as God reminds us and invites us in Isaiah 1:18, though our sins be like scarlet, He will make them white as snow- if we will let Him. Praise God! His grace is greater than all our sins.
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Endure A Little While Longer
(NOTE: Another entry from the archives, as I mentioned in the last post. I hope to have some new writings on various topics coming soon. :-) I hope this blesses and encourages you.)
-
(Revelation 2:3, Mark 13:13, 2 Timothy 2:12)
I just ran
out into the cold winter weather to get the rest of my things in from the
car with no jacket on. Of course, I've done brief sprints into the cold
with shorts, T-shirt and sandals before. I was just thinking how it's
funny that I'm willing to do silly and even foolhardy things at times when
I know whatever discomfort I feel won't be long and I know the end result
is worth it. It's harder... to remember that sometimes in the spiritual
life, but the comparison is still true. As followers of Jesus Christ, we
are called to serve The Lord with gladness and endure hardships as good
soldiers of The Lord Jesus Christ. And though the trials seems long and
arduous and even unbearable or impossible at times, we know that it won't
be that long overall and the end result (the strengthening of our faith,
as James 1 talks about) will be worth it. Of course, we also have the
promise of the ultimate destination at the end- as Philippians 1:6 says
(along with numerous others), God will present us perfect in Christ Jesus
one day in Heaven! The One who is coming will come and will not delay- He
will come in just a very little while. (Now whether that little while is a
matter of minutes or a matter of millennia, we don't know and can't say-
but regardless of whether The Lord returns in our lifetime or not)- the
righteous one will live by faith. And God's not pleased with us if we
shrink back- since that leads to destruction- but we're not of those who shrink
back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved! Hallelujah
and Maranatha! Our light and momentary struggles are not worth comparing
with the Glory that will be revealed in us. (Christ in us! And of course,
He is the Hope of Glory! And The King of Glory! The One alone worthy of
all glory, honor and praise! Praise The Lord!) So while the world might
call us silly, stupid and foolhardy- we will gladly bear the title of
fools for Christ because the foolishness of the cross is the power of salvation
for us who believe and the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom!
And through it all, Jesus is right there with us every step of the narrow
way and never leaves us! And The Holy Spirit lives in us, guiding and
teaching us. God Himself is going to get us home to God! In a little while
we'll be with The Father forever... Until then, we must journey on on this
unexpected journey to another land beyond what any eye has seen or ear has
heard or mind has conceived of goodness God has for us. So don't be
discouraged or afraid- be of good cheer, for Christ has overcome the
world! Let's keep striving to be awkwardly uncomfortable for Christ a
little while longer- the winter will end soon and Christmas will come...
Keep walking by faith and not by sight and trust the untame but good Lion
of Judah. He will get this fellowship home safely. Fight the good fight,
keep the faith, and run the race for the prize!
-
This passage that I love from "At the Back of the North Wind" by George MacDonald beautifully demonstrates the point I'm trying to get across here. If you haven't read this awesome book from the guy who C.S. Lewis called "his master"- check it out! It's in the public domain, so you can read it for free here! :-)
'He trembled so at the thunder, that his knees failed him, and he sunk down at North Wind’s feet, and clasped her round the column of her ankle. She instantly stooped, lifted him from the roof — up — up into her bosom, and held him there, saying, as if to an inconsolable child —
“Diamond, dear, this will never do.”
“Oh yes, it will,” answered Diamond. “I am all right now — quite comfortable, I assure you, dear North Wind. If you will only let me stay here, I shall be all right indeed.”
“But you will feel the wind here, Diamond.”
“I don’t mind that a bit, so long as I feel your arms through it,” answered Diamond, nestling closer to her grand bosom.
“Brave boy!” returned North Wind, pressing him closer.
“No,” said Diamond, “I don’t see that. It’s not courage at all, so long as I feel you there.”
“But hadn’t you better get into my hair? Then you would not feel the wind; you will here.”
“Ah, but, dear North Wind, you don’t know how nice it is to feel your arms about me. It is a thousand times better to have them and the wind together, than to have only your hair and the back of your neck and no wind at all.”
“But it is surely more comfortable there?”
“Well, perhaps; but I begin to think there are better things than being comfortable.” '
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