Thursday, July 10, 2008 @ 6:21 PM
No time.

I got this poem from a chain mail:

I knelt to pray but not for long,
I had too much to do.

I had to hurry and get to work
For bills would soon be due.
So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done
My soul could rest at ease.

All day long I had no time
To spread a word of cheer.
No time to speak of Christ to friends,
They'd laugh at me I'd fear.

No time, no time, too much to do,
That was my constant cry,
No time to give to souls in need
But at last the time, the time to die.

I went before the Lord, I came,
I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God held a book;
It was the book of life.

God looked into his book and said
'Your name I cannot find.
I once was going to write it down...
But never found the time'

---
Algae's comments:

While this story is soul searching, I dont think it quite represents God's position towards us.

Psalm 103:10
he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

In terms of salvation, God does not treat us as what we deserve (death), giving us 2nd chance after 2nd chance (through Jesus' atoning sacrifice).

Jeremiah 17:10
"I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."

Yet the principle of reaping what we sow applies. We will get the positive or negative consequences of our actions.

The theology behind the story is wrong, because we are saved by grace through faith, and not works (pray, reach out to people etc).

Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Yet on the other hand, in James, the author challenges us to show the reality of our faith through our deeds.

James 2:17-18
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

In short, yes, let's examine if we are really praying and reaching out to people, because these are indicators if we truly love God.
But let it not be a comparison or condemnation session, but a yardstick to gauge where we are and work towards obeying God more.
(ie. If I am not praying, start to pray! If I not not reaching out to people, start loving people!)

Thursday, July 10, 2008 @ 6:21 PM
No time.

I got this poem from a chain mail:

I knelt to pray but not for long,
I had too much to do.

I had to hurry and get to work
For bills would soon be due.
So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done
My soul could rest at ease.

All day long I had no time
To spread a word of cheer.
No time to speak of Christ to friends,
They'd laugh at me I'd fear.

No time, no time, too much to do,
That was my constant cry,
No time to give to souls in need
But at last the time, the time to die.

I went before the Lord, I came,
I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God held a book;
It was the book of life.

God looked into his book and said
'Your name I cannot find.
I once was going to write it down...
But never found the time'

---
Algae's comments:

While this story is soul searching, I dont think it quite represents God's position towards us.

Psalm 103:10
he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

In terms of salvation, God does not treat us as what we deserve (death), giving us 2nd chance after 2nd chance (through Jesus' atoning sacrifice).

Jeremiah 17:10
"I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."

Yet the principle of reaping what we sow applies. We will get the positive or negative consequences of our actions.

The theology behind the story is wrong, because we are saved by grace through faith, and not works (pray, reach out to people etc).

Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Yet on the other hand, in James, the author challenges us to show the reality of our faith through our deeds.

James 2:17-18
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

In short, yes, let's examine if we are really praying and reaching out to people, because these are indicators if we truly love God.
But let it not be a comparison or condemnation session, but a yardstick to gauge where we are and work towards obeying God more.
(ie. If I am not praying, start to pray! If I not not reaching out to people, start loving people!)