Epigrammatic Episodes

If the Creator has communicated with the created, how would we best discover it? Typically, those who've inferred a creator's existence admit lacking any inherent or definitive knowledge of his will. Beyond gut-feelings and guesses, most don't consider themselves oracles of the divine. Instead we readily acknowledge the need to look outside ourselves for such revelation. Our innate awareness of God spurs us to seek Him, but beyond that impetus it contributes little to the mystery of God's will and purposes. For many , their confusion at this dilemma has led to scepticism. After all, if one accepts there is a God and sets out to seek him, why such conundrum? If God has a message to share, why not make it more obvious? Why allow us to become so confused with options: ideologies, philosophies, religions etc.? However, once again, as with 'bad things not denoting the absence of a good creator', so too challenges to perceiving him do not denote His...

It is not necessarily the great things we hope to achieve that will impact others most, but the consistent manner in which we perform the everyday things. When reminiscing, very few find they've lived the dream anticipated in youth; grey hairs as much a sign of angst as wisdom it seems. Yet years do add their age-etched counsel into our lives, and few more poignantly than the effects of our influence. In fact nothing proves this more forcefully than times passage. We see it in our children as they age, unwittingly imitating us; faults and all. We see it in other relationships, both thriving and dead, dependent upon the effort we put into them. We see it even in our own bodies, the undeniable testimony of decades of care and/or neglect. As historically insignificant as we might think ourselves, our influence will continue long after we are gone. For most of us that influence will not be established via news worthy feats, but in going through the mundane motions ...

When is God's desire vulnerable to man's will? While discussing spiritual matters with several work colleagues recently, they became exasperated. If God existed at all, they reasoned, how could he sit back and simply watch the world turn to hell.  To paraphrase one of their comments, "If I was God and witnessed some of the terrible things done by adults to children, I'd zap them with a million volts." This primal angst is shared by many. Why doesn't God do more? Why does he seem so detached from the events that befall us? Why does he not take a more active hand in preventing heartache and suffering? Where's the justice? Can't He appear as a voice in each of our heads or a vision in our thoughts to guide and direct [maybe even force] us in the right direction? The answer is undoubtedly complex, but would seem to have much to do with an intrinsic aspect of Gods Creation best described by the word SYNERGY. SYNERGY The interaction or cooperation of...

Where do we get our sense of right and wrong? How do we come to have a conscience that pricks us when we violate what we believe is moral? Is right and wrong determined by some higher authority? And if it is, how did they determine what was right and wrong ...did they just make it up arbitrarily? Christians believe in a highest authority -God- and that morality is determined through him. But not determined by some process of  random selection, but rather by the very standard of His character, His nature.  God's character determining God's will. God’s holy and loving essence governing what He commands from His creation.  Thus the values of morality are not based primarily upon what God has said, but upon who He is. As humans created in this God's image, morality is part of our heritage. We have been purposely ingrained with a sensibility toward right and wrong; a conscience that finds its innate objectivity in Gods architecture of us. It is part of us. ...

Ever had something break so completely that it was lost to you, not worth the expense or effort required to fix? After-all, who smashes a teacup into a gazillion splintered pieces then gathers, sorts and glues them all together again? No one. We get frustrated, accept the loss and sweep up the mess. But what if it's valuable? Well, that's when we feel the pain. Cars can be both valuable and prized possessions. Yet damaged enough even they become too difficult, too complicated, too costly to repair; even insurers advising we give them up as lost. But what if it's really, really valuable? Well, that's when we feel an obligation. For example, huge resources are dedicated to preserving our cultural heritage, restoring artefacts damaged by time and neglect; case in point, the  Statue of Liberty , an $87 million repair project. But what if it's priceless? Well, that's when we feel desperation. For the priceless, cost becomes almost irrelevant. Effort,...

Religious or otherwise , all men possess an inherent moral compass. A conscience that either accuses or defends within them. However, possessing a compass is not the only prerequisite to morality.  To be truly moral, one must have confidence that their compass points true, and then, by virtue of trust, let it lead them. I've read that magnetic compasses are easily offset by local magnetic fields, and that these nuances of deviation have lost many a man to sea. Thankfully, this interference can be neutralised by placing correcting magnets around the compass. Analogously , the Bible tells us that we live in a morally hazardous world, where man's fallen nature interferes with his moral compass tempting deviance from what is good in Gods sight; and many a man has been lost due to it. However, to neutralise this influence, God has made provision through Christ, and his word. Together they become, for us, the correcting magnets for our moral compass. Many cite the evil th...

You're filling out an online survey via Facebook, and the very first question asked is:  Strange question, you think, but you dutifully tick all the boxes. After all, who wouldn't like to achieve all those things. Though you acknowledge it's unlikely you will. The next question makes you frown a bit: Please place your previous selection in the order of their priority to you, 1 being highest priority, and so on. Hmm, you hesitate, but decide it's not so hard. Satisfied that your priorities exhibit a well rounded maturity of thought, you hit continue and a window appears reading,  Please be patient, Facebook is now comparing your responses  to your latest Behavioural Profile. This may take a few minutes. Behavioural Profile? What's that all about? But before you can consider the message further, the window disappears to be replaced by another. And your jaw drops. It reads, Due to inconsistencies between priorities selected and current lifestyl...

A work colleague recently related a story to me in which he was attempting to repair a sanitation pump. He'd opened the flooded tank chamber and was attempting to empty it with a cup. The process was tedious, requiring repeatedly filling and emptying the cup into the basin above. Yet after twenty minutes, the water level remained the same... It took another ten minutes mindless activity before he finally realised he was foiling his own efforts, emptying the cup into the very basin that was refilling the flooded tank. E ver had your efforts thwarted? Most have. In many competitive sports, players devote themselves to disrupting an opponents attempts to win. In fact, in some arenas of life it is broadly accepted as part of the job to interfere with a rivals progress; politics, courtrooms, policing, military. H owever, when is it not acceptable to compete with another’s efforts? Imagine loving parents, daily making efforts to pass on training and instruction to their chi...

Ever had an epiphany? A slap across the face moment of sudden and profound comprehension. I did recently. Having been forced by illness into lengthy convalescence, throughout which I was unable to work, I garnered a glimpse at the loveliness potential of others. This is that story. There are insurances to provide for extended bouts of illness... which is nice, I'm told . However, with those resources at our disposal, my wife and I budgeted a buffer, allowing for those yearly days or weeks I normally ended up being waylaid by the dreaded lurge; a buffer, I must add, that for decades had worked fine. However, a month into this illness, that buffer was a spent faded memory. Two months in, we were selling furniture and appliances so as just to have money for Christmas. And we still had my medical tests, treatments and medications to pay for... We prayed a lot. Providentially , though presented many opportunities to worry,...

Someone once related a story to me regarding a memorable highlight of their oblivious youth. Oblivious because what they perceived as the highlight, was in fact one of the most stressful periods of their parents life.  It was the 1950's, a time of widespread decline throughout Africa. Having lost his job, the father was forced to sell the family home. With nothing left but car and caravan, and no choice but to travel the country in search of livelihood, daily necessities soon became more a prayer than an expectation. Yet the parents worries were their own. For the two sons, life had become an adventure, a seemingly endless holiday, travelling by caravan no less. Schooling was on hold, playtime was plentiful. Therefore, with food and clothing these two boys were content. Doesn't perspective change everything, not least of all our experience of contentment. Discontent is a common sensation, regardless of age, gender, or income. But it...

" Get some rest. If you haven't got your health, then you haven't got anything."  Count Rugen The Princess Bride Truly , if you don't have your health it's hard to appreciate the rest. An axiom of life most have experienced to some degree. Of course, many crushing waves can pummel us in the sea of life, taking their toll; rocking, upturning and threatening to sink us. But we cope, clinging more dearly to what remains afloat of ours lives.   Yet being robbed of health is more like a flood than a wave, a simultaneous inundation over our whole playing field. Whether it be from the pain, the delirium, or simply profound exhaustion, we no longer have the physical, nor often mental, ability to enjoy anything else of life. We simply breathe and hope. Of course, we're talking disabling illness here, the kind that sweeps you up and lays you very low. Not just for a few days or weeks, but months, years, longer... From my own experience of ...