Paradox

"A most ingenious paradox!"

You might recognize this quote from The Pirates of Penzance. A paradoxical idea is what in the end saves the day, for someone who has a birthday on February 29th might be a certain number of years old, but he  has had only a small number of birthdays. A paradox -- two opposing truths.

Paradoxes are not limited to Gilbert and Sullivan musicals. Truths exist about the world that seem to be in opposition. For example, society at large says that a man should love his family above all else, but God says to love Him to the extent that one's love for his family appears to be hate. Society teaches you that one should respect everyone else's opinion and allow them to express what they think freely. God demands that His followers follow His commands only. In our minds, both of these idea systems seem to be right, but God demands almost the exact opposite. How can one, then, reconcile these ideas?

Here's the low-down. God created the world to run His way. It's not really meant to be run man's way. However, if we learn to truly love God, then we will learn to truly love our family. If we learn to commit to God's way of thinking, then we can truly understand how other people think, for God is the source of knowledge and understanding.

So, yes, the world and God hold similar values in certain areas, but the world will never be able to achieve its goals because the world's system of thought will never seek God as its primary source of truth. It will try to solve its problems without Him. Trying to do something right the wrong way is still wrong.

Do the right thing by seeking God first -- another star counted.

Heavenly Love

Yes, I know that I am going to post this at around three in the morning, but I needed to share this gem that I found today.
My sophomore year of college was one of the worst years of my life. This probably sounds like a real downer already, but hang in there. I entered my first semester with an overload, and I barely escaped with my life. The most logical thing that I could do at that point was to take an even greater overload the following semester. During my second semester, I took an overloaded schedule; I participated in choir, orchestra, band, and handbell choir; I tutored; I toured with my choir; I performed with the orchestra in the musical; and on top of all of that, I tried to find time to sleep. Now, I understand that this list sounds like a boast. Believe me, this feat was not completed well. I almost failed a key class, and I failed the requirements for my music minor. Nothing glorious happened because I tried to to complete all those credits and perform in all those groups. During that time, the handbell choir that I played in was learning a song titled "In Heavenly Love Abiding." Our director only read the words to us once, and I still do not know them well, but their effect on my at the time was minimal. I might have felt moved slightly at the thought of God's care in my life, but I was too busy, my mind was to cluttered to even try to think of God's care in my life. During that time of great distress, I was too preoccupied with the glitter of performing and impressing mankind to even notice God's provision.
As you can imagine, by the end of the semester, I was toast. I threw myself into a summer job working at Southland Christian Camp, and I still did never saw God's working in my life. Junior year was almost no better. What's happening now? This is supposed to be my senior year, so what's happening? I am not at school; I am not working; I am not able to work on some of my favorite hobbies; I am not able to even cook in the kitchen without significant pain. God has taken away everything that I thought was so important: performing, serving, trying to gain the favor of man; and He has given me an almost sedentary life. I am basically sitting at home on the computer because doing anything else give me great pain.
Where does the good news come in? I am now forced to live in the light of God's abiding love. I cannot live each day without him. I probably would go insane without His provision in my life. He provides strength to do things that I do not want to do. He gives wisdom when I am lost. He provides the perfect encouragement when I am at my lowest. He lets me abide in His heavenly love. Here are the words to that song that I should have listened to more closely two years ago that I rediscovered today. I hope they can lead you to realize the sustenance that He provides when you abide with Him. This is my first star counted this year.

In heavenly love abiding,
No change my heart shall fear;
And safe is such confiding,
For nothing changes here.
The storm may roar around me,
My heart may low be laid;
But God is round about me,
And can I be dismayed?

Wherever he may guide me,
No want shall turn me back;
My Shepherd is beside me
And nothing can I lack:
His wisdom ever waketh,
His sight is never dim;
He knows the way he taketh,
And I will walk with him.

Green pastures are before me,
Which yet I have not seen;
Bright skies will soon be o'er me
Where the dark clouds have been;
My hope I cannot measure,
My path to life is free;
My Savior has my treasure,
And he will walk with me.  --  Anna Waring