February 28, 2019
Year 4, Day 59
My elder son and I were discussing marriage experience in its successes and failures, and what may be done to accent success and reduce failure. One point discussed was related to pre-marital counseling. There is a secret in pre-marriage counseling that few persons appear to contemplate, but it becomes important in the influence for good in marriages: That promises made in advance of this event (or any other human event) have greater weight than those made during or after the event. He immediately responded, in the light of understanding and approving the statement by saying: Dad, you ought to include that in one of your Pages. To comfort him (a minor motivation), and to find another insight into the advance… Read more
February 12, 2019
Year 4, Day 43
I have consciously followed the issues of human life in that I believe life is the evidence of God (in his person); of love in that I believe that love is evidence of the nature of God (in his nature); and, service (in his ministry) in that God is a worker (in his creativity and sustaining power) – in his universe for good. The fulfillment of that pattern of which mankind is a part relates to family, which in its ideal is a special context of love and fellowship. In our life context with God, he is building his Kingdom with citizens who are members of the Family of God. In that context, those who ask to be his children… Read more
March 30, 2018
Year 3, Day 89
We know that jealousy can cause rage that may be misdirected. It may cause murder. Many persons believe jealousy drove O. J. Simpson, the star football player and celebrity, to murder his former wife and her suitor. He was found innocent in trial, but guilty of influence in another trial. Found guilty of a crime that involved different violations he went to prison where, at this writing, he is serving a lengthy sentence. A highly regarded athlete, he has lost the respect of the public world, likely caused by reputed jealousy. Ezekiel noted a jealousy that provokes jealousy. (8:3) Jealousy needs management. To accuse a mate of an affair if no affair has occurred is related to jealousy – false… Read more
January 18, 2018
Year 3, Day 18
The Christian is commanded in Scripture to love. Some love concepts are so often repeated that they may have in repetition softened the profound meaning of the injunction for the masses. We are to absorb a nature of love. It is a commandment, not to be determined by the agreement of emotions, or ideal conditions, or absence of conflict. It is to be a prevailing orientation of the self-conscious individual, but it even spills over into the animal world where it is often seen and is so compelling that it can make the news reports. When we see, in animals, signs of factors found in human beings, we are impressed and may even use a factor to relate the matter… Read more
May 30, 2017
Year 2, Day 150
All persons own their own presuppositions. Presuppositions emerge from several directions, and are interpreted in the light of experience, experience to verify or change to other emerging presuppositions. In future experience, our presuppositions commonly change. Some presuppositions certainly will change. For example, if my presupposition is that God created mankind in Adam and Eve, in a gesture of marriage for one man and one woman, I will have a greater motivation to expect and make an effective marriage than would attend if I had some other presupposition about marriage. I also have the presupposition that anything Jesus would approve, I would approve. When Jesus supports the solidarity of marriage, in the context he lays out in Matthew 19:3-12, I accept… Read more
May 10, 2017
Year 2, Day 130
Identifying factors that make up the context of a life, or society requires considerable care (from love), time, education, prayer, faith and commitment. The more we search, the more likely we will feel that we know too little, even that some life questions may be unanswerable with our available terms or information. One approach suggests that we are faced with life’s paradoxes and contradictions, and we are often unsure which term applies to the matter before us. A paradox, in the simple meaning of the word, is something that has at least two sides to it that seem to be contradictory but are true in variant contexts. Contradiction refers to at least two sides to an issue, one of which… Read more
May 6, 2017
Year 2, Day 126
Little things become important, partly because of accumulation. A massive hay bale is made from small stems with small leaves. Many small things need to be cultivated so to assist larger matters, perhaps making bearable some unbearables in life. I have referred elsewhere to the story of my wife making much of any birthday in the family. I can recall her face when she would buy, or have me buy, something she knew someone wanted, especially for our children. It wasn’t casual. It was given value-added love and interest in the person or persons affected. She was good at it, so that all I had to do was follow her lead and instruction. Since her death, I realize how much… Read more
January 10, 2017
Year 2, Day 10
We return today with the theme of marriage and the family. It is a favorite of mine. Several of my book titles are related to marriage, to preparation for marriage, to life nurture, and to conclusion of one’s life in the context of family. This affirmation is drawn from belief that Scripture is written in the idiom of the family – that God is represented to the reader significantly in the terms of the family, and seen in the model of Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Mother). Every person is a member of a family even if that family is dead or dysfunctional. The image of God in the human race is partly seen in the family. There is oneness… Read more
January 2, 2017
Year 2, Day 2
It is clear to anyone following these Pages that I am much taken with family. These Pages are first meant for my own family generations, and to those I feel make up my family of students, persons who came my way in professional life and preparing for life experience and service. Since then these Pages have spilled over to others outside my first audiences, to those of my invisible congregation. The purpose has become a focus on spiritual, educational, personal insights – related to both common grace and divine grace. Family, man’s first institution under God, is God’s favorite analogy in Scripture, related to life – mortal and immortal. The family of God is used as a major analogy of… Read more
January 2, 2016
Year 1, Day 2
We are told that generations practicing patriarchal marriage customs did not hold high view of the notion of romantic love as base for marriage. That perception appears to be true for base, but the assumption that romantic love was not present is erroneous. Romance was recognized, but may have been taken as a gift. When it was attached to the will to love, it was good. Romance was a side gift in marriage. It is a natural gift for those who are open and vulnerable to it. It can be fragile, sometimes broken. One wonders how many couples, finding it, will lose it. Genuine love, found in human will, is the base for good, lasting relationships, the best foundation for… Read more
