To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
It is understood that our contentment can only flourish when we cease to desire that which we have reasoned we have no chance of obtaining.
Want less, live with more, worth living for.
Reasoning, or rationalising faith in God can be a fruitless exercise when the discussion focuses entirely on the abstract, while ignoring life's experiences inviting the humble pupil to keep on learning that there is much more to learn, when realising that the mysteries of life can only be discerned by living life to the fullest.
Those of us who readily acknowledge our ignorance do so out of fear that we might believe that we know more than we actually do, when understanding that which we do not know is immense. Here lies opportunities for all who confess their ignorance, knowing that our path into our future is made much more interesting, and inviting when we choose to surrender our life into the care of Divine Wisdom.
The wise person never doubts, that doubting will remain a powerful catalyst of actions teaching the humble student of life's learning lessons, that life's experiences are a guarantee that we can never know too much.
“But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking, no chances. A secret Master of the Ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," can truly say to every group of Christian friends "You have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another." The Friendship is not a reward for our discrimination and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each the beauties of all the others. They are no greater than the beauties of a thousand other men; by Friendship God opens our eyes to them. They are, like all beauties, derived from Him through the Friendship itself, so that it is His instrument for creating as well as for revealing. At this feast it is He who has spread the board and it is He who has chosen the guests. It is He, we may dare to hope, who sometimes does, and always should, preside. Let us not reckon without our Host.” ~C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves
--Previous Message-- : Ecclesiastes 2:26 : : To the person who pleases him, God gives : wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the : sinner he gives the task of gathering and : storing up wealth to hand it over to the one : who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a : chasing after the wind.
If that be the case, I think there's probably A LOT to hand over.. I wouldn't mind one of those lovely big yachts I've seen parked in Piraeus harbour...waddya reckon Padre ?
Well, Pete, That we can take nothing with us is sufficient understanding that luxury is a passing trend...to those who inherit the indulgences of the wealthy. Nothing is ours by right, and nothing may be taken as owned, for all that we believe are ours...are gifts.
The only real value of anything that we own is discovered when sharing with those whose needs appeal to our human nature to shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, and clothe the naked.
--Previous Message-- : Well, Pete, That we can take nothing with us : is sufficient understanding that luxury is a : passing trend...to those who inherit the : indulgences of the wealthy. Nothing is ours : by right, and nothing may be taken as owned, : for all that we believe are ours...are : gifts. : : The only real value of anything that we own : is discovered when sharing with those whose : needs appeal to our human nature to shelter : the homeless, feed the hungry, and clothe : the naked. : : end :
Good. Me too. Let us be as imperfect as the Lord wills us to be.
Pete
--Previous Message-- : : Well, Pete, it has been said that where : human beings congregate you'll discover : flawed people. : : I confess to being as imperfect as the next : person. : : end :
Prayer gives us a chance of seeing things as God does.
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--Previous Message-- : It takes God our life time to encourage us to : stop believing that unless everyone sees : things exactly as we do, they must be doing : something wrong. : : end : :