A door appeared. It opened. “See?
The reasoning you thought was sound
fell on your worldview’s slippery ground.”
I’ll tweak another mystery.
That dissonance won’t let me be.
The stars above at least still shine.
While rioters prepare to whine
the world remains about the same
though burnt a bit with needless blame.
I’ll cross that threshold, make it mine.
Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “ground” to be used in a B line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge.
Helen heard an infant crying, slid down to the river and found a newborn, an expendable pawn, abandoned to die and be washed away near a drain outlet. She wrapped the baby in her coat and then almost fell when the ground shook from the explosion while hearing Bill yell from above, “Helen, get out of there!” The water from the burst dam crushed her against vegetation on the bank as she protected the infant until her team reached them.
Bill and Rose adopted the child Helen rescued and invited Helen to stay with them indefinitely since she lived alone and could no longer take care of herself given her injuries which gave Helen days, months and then years to read to and guide Little Helen from her wheelchair.
When Little Helen was three years old a man gave her a permanent marker to write a message while Rose held her so she could reach the top of the casket. As she carefully made her marks she suddenly looked up with astonishment and proclaimed loud enough for all to hear, “Mommy, Auntie Helen is dancing with Jesus!“
Denise offers the prompt “pawn” for this week’s Six Sentence Stories. This story continues from Effervescent – Six Sentence Story.
Dale offers the theme “at the end of the day” for this week’s Cosmic Photo Challenge.
I wrote this poem for Linda Kruschke’s Paint Chip challenge. The challenge word was “swamp”.
On top the swamp is plain to see –
below, a rotting misery.
The light green algae doesn’t know.
The darkness doesn’t want to show
the fruits of deep, defiling sin.
There’s quicksand should you venture in.
ου βραδυνει ο κυριος της επαγγελιας ως τινες βραδυτητα ηγουνται αλλα μακροθυμει εις ημας μη βουλομενος τινας απολεσθαι αλλα παντας εις μετανοιαν χωρησαι
2 Peter 3:9 Textus Receptus with various translations
Predestination is God’s plan for us for responsible service as slaves of Jesus and yet children of God (Matthew 6:9, 1 John 3:2). There is nothing more meaningful or fulfilling in one’s life than coming to repentance and accepting that destiny. He wills it for all of us (2 Peter 3:9, 1 Timothy 2:4).
However, predestination is overshadowed within some traditions by adding on the notion of predeterminism. These traditions contain conceptions of the nature of God that pit our free will against God’s glory.
Starting at 28:00 for about 13 minutes David Pawson described two views of predestination, the Arminian and the Calvinist (Reformed) views.
This video is part of Pawson’s introduction to the Bible covering the books from Genesis to Revelation. After going through this series I began to see myself and those around me as living within an historical drama leading to a wedding the significance of which I had not appreciated before. The Christian worldview came to life. It is from within that worldview revealed by the Bible that I now consider issues such as predestination.
In section D6 of Election and Reprobation at Monergism, Wayne Grudem made summary observations that I agree with: “So in a Reformed system God’s highest value is his own glory, and in an Arminian system God’s highest value is the free will of man. These are two distinctly different conceptions of the nature of God….”
Given these two distinctly different conceptions of the nature of God, I ask myself: If God’s highest value were really his own glory, why the crucifixion? If God’s highest value were not the free will of man, how did sin and the resulting evil enter the historical narrative of the Christian worldview as revealed by the Bible?
The Reformed conception of God leaves me with too many unanswered questions. Thankfully there are alternatives to it. For more on these alternatives, Mike Winger provides a biblical argument clarifying what hardening of hearts means and why faith is not a work. He also provides an overview of Calvinism and Arminianism.
What do you think? You are welcome to set me straight or present your own views on predestination in the comments below.
This dance may seem for some too short,
for others far too long.
Lift up your face upon us now
and give us peace as you know how.
We hope you’ll love our song.
Eugenia offers “dance” for this week’s prompt. Linking of Numbers 6:24-26.
Though Moloch wants a sacrifice
don’t let his dreams for you come true.
Don’t do what he says you must do.
Beware his smile. He isn’t nice.
He’s betting that you’ll pay his price
so pumps you up with hopeless fear.
Protect your children. Keep them near.
Your baby’s ready. Time for birth.
Life only is upon this earth.
That’s why those demons wander here.
Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “birth” to be used in a D line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge.
Eventually Bill stopped giving Rafael excuses and entered the revival tent hoping his doubts wouldn’t dampen the effervescent joy in others should a miracle occur. He stood at the back where he met a missionary who had scars across her cheeks, lips, ears and nose. She explained that the militia overpowering her town a decade ago carried off the pretty girls for prostitution and mutilated the ugly ones or killed them, like her sister, to demoralize the surrounding communities.
Bill went back often and at one point disclosed to her as a warning that his work was dangerous. In turn she reminded him that she was one of the ugly ones.
She loved it when he called her Rose and they were married under the revival tent.
Denise offers the word “effervescent” to be used in this week’s Six Sentence Stories. Continued from Filter – Six Sentence Story. Next: Pawn – Six Sentence Story.
Dale offers the theme “in the big, wide, open spaces” for this week’s Cosmic Photo Challenge.
I wrote this poem in the comments section of Linda Kruschke’s Paint Chip narrative poetry challenge.
The Night of the Jack-O’-Lantern
The jack-o’-lantern’s hollow nose
turned darkly down on Antique Rose.
Its scornful eyes pierced Mistletoe.
Its toothy mouth warned them to go:
“It’s easy peasy in the street
Where greens and pinks and yellows meet.”
But pleasure wasn’t why they came.
No morbid magic, flashing flame
Could substitute for righteous light.
They stood their ground, prepared to fight.
The jack-o’-lantern burnt all night.
Its pride at dawn collapsed within.
Mistletoe knew they would win
And so did joyful Antique Rose.
Their faith like Mustard Seed’s still grows.
Mary Hood (tqhousecat) at mehflowers linked to MercyMe’s song I Can Only Imagine in her post, Wake Up Dreaming, contrasting it with John Lennon’s Imagine. What a contrast! I can’t even imagine what must have been going through Lennon’s mind when he wrote what he did.
This beautiful song has been around for some time, but it is the first time I’ve heard it. I am grateful to Mary for sharing it. I may never have heard it otherwise.
The water’s face reflects the sky, but this requires light.
It’s not too late to leave the cave before the dusk and night.
Eugenia offers this week the prompt “reflections”.
Poetry, Short Prose and Walking 