Comments on: Words words words

By: redfish

redfish — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 22:34:30 +0000

I like the idea that doubt is an essential part of having faith - dealing with our doubts strengthens our faith immeasurably.

By: The Scot

The Scot — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 22:04:34 +0000

Or is it a metaphor?

By: The Scot

The Scot — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 22:04:11 +0000

Great Analogy Chez

By: Inspirio

Inspirio — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 21:48:41 +0000

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. To me its looking at a blank canvas or musical score and seeing the picture or final work when not a hand has been lifted to begin working. In order to produce anything, move forward, conquer any stage of life, we must have some idea of where we’re going and where we’re drawing our strength from. How can you paint a masterpiece without first knowing what it’s going to be? It tried it once… I still have a rather sad looking beginning to a very boring picture!
We need to see the future with faith even when we haven’t begun the next leg of the journey yet. If hope believes life can be better than this, faith is reaching out to find it.

By: The Scot

The Scot — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 11:12:23 +0000

Wow. Thankx ANge, Sez. Keep em coming

By: Audrey

Audrey — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 11:02:15 +0000

One of my most favourite songs by Jars of clay goes:

‘But love won’t cure the chaos
And hope won’t hide the loss
And peace is not the heroine that shouts above the cause
And love is wild for reasons
And hope though short in sight
Might be the only thing that wakes you by surprise’

I think these words are highly provocative and highly accurate. Faith and hope are designed to get us through the night. They do not hide the loss or save the world. They are just tools that will cease to exist once we die. There is no need for faith and hope in heaven.

The bible says that these three things we must pursue “faith hope and love, with the greatest of these being love”

Love is wild for reasons. Love is the most intriguing thing in the world and I happily dedicate my life to its experience and exploration in the fullest. God is love. We are created in love. And I believe exactly as the song says that they were all designed to wake us by surprise. That is when man is fully alive. Mediocrity is the opposite to these gifts and God does cannot reign within mediocrity..

There’s my song suggestion! That’s what I think.

Further suggestions would be the verse ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind. And love your neighbour as yourself’

This verse always takes a stab at me and leaves me pondering for days.

Basically Jesus’ commission for our lives here on earth. I think God sees everything else so secondary to this pursuit. Being in Indonesia has lead me to explore it even more. Being surrounded by poverty everyday but I feel the prompting to perfect how I love people rather than to seek to improve their standard of living. How I love God and love people cannot be done without a certain love for myself. These three pursuits are our reason for living…

For some arty stuff…

(Editors note: the link to the website was removed for security reasons)

This is a series of photos a photographer has done of his wife. How you perceive other people is a big part of the faith hope and love journey. They need to be given freedom to feel the three gifts concerned. Which is why I love this photo shoot. It is how he perceives his wife and how he is allowing her to receive love, faith and hope.

We are designed to experience them as much as we are commissioned to allow for those in our care to experience them.

By: Angela

Angela — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 03:45:10 +0000

first words/thoughts that come to mind

endurance, perseverance
a pathway
JOY
pain
selflessness
something more than me (It’s not all about me)
one can’t truly exist without the others
there is always MORE

xxAB