Feb 12: Love keeps no records of wrongs
I've been listening to 1 Corinthians 13 [click to play with Realplayer] and getting quietly intruiged. You see, several persons who have ministered to me in the past tell me that forgiveness doesn't include forgetting. The implication is that when someone has lost your trust, you are not obliged to give it back, even though you've forgiven.
Looking at 1 Corinthians 13:5, we're told that, "...[love] keeps no record of wrongs." that to me means that I'm justified in giving people my trust, even when they should, in secularist terms, at least, loose it for good.
People have suggested that taking this approach means that I'm walked over, but I find that people don't take advantage of me in that way: maybe being offered trust makes people feel valued. A lot of the people's wrong-doing is because business, education and everything else tells people to take a position of fear before they offer anyone the hand of friendship and trust. It must be something to be won, rather than offered as of right. I think Paul was trying to tell us that we're doing something wrong. The Darby translation says instead, "...[love] does not impute evil." Quite right. And neither should we.
Looking at 1 Corinthians 13:5, we're told that, "...[love] keeps no record of wrongs." that to me means that I'm justified in giving people my trust, even when they should, in secularist terms, at least, loose it for good.
People have suggested that taking this approach means that I'm walked over, but I find that people don't take advantage of me in that way: maybe being offered trust makes people feel valued. A lot of the people's wrong-doing is because business, education and everything else tells people to take a position of fear before they offer anyone the hand of friendship and trust. It must be something to be won, rather than offered as of right. I think Paul was trying to tell us that we're doing something wrong. The Darby translation says instead, "...[love] does not impute evil." Quite right. And neither should we.
Nov 18: Gorgeous Christian sentiment from C H Spurgeon
Whilst {browsing|surfing|trawling} the web as I am wont to do, I stumbled apon a text from Around The Wicket Gate by C H Spurgeon, the highly influential London evangelist of the mid-1800s. For people who have issues about the validity of what they have heard from Christians about death, this text puts it in a quasi-factual light, making comparisons and drawing analogies that most will understand. "I am the Bread of Life" comes to mind.
Have a read, and try not to get upset. If you want to chat, e-mail or Skype me, telling me in the authorisation box that you want to talk about this.
Nov 11: Yesterday was an interesting one
Spontaneity seemed to be the order of the day. Having intended to rise early, I actually escaped from the glentle clutch of slumber at approximately 1130, there being no particular schedular pressure. In the last few days I've been up very early, so I had no qualms with a late morning appearance.
Public International Law was the subject of the two-hour lecture that greeted me on arrival at Amory at 1400. Got chatting to a friend in Christ who was experiencing a little networking trouble, so I offered to assist afterwards. We decided I would accompany her to a bit of fellowship at the Imperial where the CU had organised another of their regular Wednesday meetings of which I have prior experience. In fact, if you're ever in the Imperial on a Wednesday afternoon, pop in to the room on the right sometime after 1730. The Spirit moved a lot of us in those couple of hours as Becca told us the Good News and started a bit of discussion. People who know me will know that I give organised religion a bit of space, but the CU isn't like that and it's good to see folk getting interested in Christ and seeing some good work going on.
Read on for some insight into my Christianity. Christ makes me who I am. My usual florid blog-language will dissolve at this point. Christ deserves a greater clarity of expression. Read More
Public International Law was the subject of the two-hour lecture that greeted me on arrival at Amory at 1400. Got chatting to a friend in Christ who was experiencing a little networking trouble, so I offered to assist afterwards. We decided I would accompany her to a bit of fellowship at the Imperial where the CU had organised another of their regular Wednesday meetings of which I have prior experience. In fact, if you're ever in the Imperial on a Wednesday afternoon, pop in to the room on the right sometime after 1730. The Spirit moved a lot of us in those couple of hours as Becca told us the Good News and started a bit of discussion. People who know me will know that I give organised religion a bit of space, but the CU isn't like that and it's good to see folk getting interested in Christ and seeing some good work going on.
Read on for some insight into my Christianity. Christ makes me who I am. My usual florid blog-language will dissolve at this point. Christ deserves a greater clarity of expression. Read More