I Believe in You...
Have you ever prayed for someone and you wanted to do more for them ? You knew on the toughest level of their lives
that they have to do it themselves. It is the way I learn and grow, but I want to do something that stops their pain. yeah , I know, it's called rescuing. Or perhaps it really means, learn to trust God.
When my father was talking to me about the war, he was always quick to point out that there were no atheists in fox holes.
I replied cynically at the time about the swagger of some soldiers or the anger of others. My father just laughed; as a man laughs at a younger man who has it all figured out . He replied that the whoring, 48 hour drunken binges, and fighting came from a tremendous desire to feel alive and even the man who was angry with God in wartime had a relationship with him. I asked him about the things he would say to these desperate young men . He told me that when you live " cheek by jowl " (old school for "close" ) with other men, your words wil be played out in the faith you show in them. I was sure he was wrong. Why show faith in people when they are living in a downward spiral ? Wasn't that advocacy of their lives ? Then my dad looked at me and said, " Mark, sometimes you're an ass, God believes in you when you don't deserve it, That's the very least you can do for other people." I need be reminded of those words ( all of them ) when I am tempted to step in for other people instead of simply showing faith by believing in them...
Have you ever prayed for someone and you wanted to do more for them ? You knew on the toughest level of their lives
that they have to do it themselves. It is the way I learn and grow, but I want to do something that stops their pain. yeah , I know, it's called rescuing. Or perhaps it really means, learn to trust God.
When my father was talking to me about the war, he was always quick to point out that there were no atheists in fox holes.
I replied cynically at the time about the swagger of some soldiers or the anger of others. My father just laughed; as a man laughs at a younger man who has it all figured out . He replied that the whoring, 48 hour drunken binges, and fighting came from a tremendous desire to feel alive and even the man who was angry with God in wartime had a relationship with him. I asked him about the things he would say to these desperate young men . He told me that when you live " cheek by jowl " (old school for "close" ) with other men, your words wil be played out in the faith you show in them. I was sure he was wrong. Why show faith in people when they are living in a downward spiral ? Wasn't that advocacy of their lives ? Then my dad looked at me and said, " Mark, sometimes you're an ass, God believes in you when you don't deserve it, That's the very least you can do for other people." I need be reminded of those words ( all of them ) when I am tempted to step in for other people instead of simply showing faith by believing in them...
posted by mark at 9:31 PM
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