Things I Have Not Seen

"I want cake, Grandma!"

My little grandson climbs up on the chair expectantly, his precious little face all aglow with anticipation. He has been here before, he has had cake here before, and he is sure he will have cake here again...I laugh. That boy does us proud when it comes to cake--he sure does like eating cake!

There are many things in this life that we hope for. When we are, say, five years old--we hope to be six. When we are ten years old we hope to be fifteen. So it goes. Hope--what is it?

If I have a new pair of shoes I may 'hope' for another pair of new shoes, but I wouldn't 'hope' for the same pair of new shoes that I already have.

Romans 8:24 For in hope were we saved: but hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that which he seeth? 25) But if we hope for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

We, this household, are not what you would call, 'socialites'. Most of the movies we watch are viewed at home. Those movies must pass a very stiff test before they make it into the player. So it isn't much of a shock that there are quite a few movies we have not seen in the past thirty plus years, and yet somehow we have managed to survive.

It would be no surprise then as well if I said we have not seen the movie, 'Titanic'. I have read different articles about the ship and the happenings surrounding its maiden voyage. How magnificent its furnishings were, how astounding its construction was, how amazing the entire ship was. It was so amazing that it was described as 'unsinkable'...someone was reported to have made the statement that, "Not even God himself could sink...". Of course that statement makes us shudder and want to throw our hands up in warning.

According to what I have heard the ship's orchestra played, 'Abide with Me' as the ship was sinking, according to the movie. Last moments of some passengers lives were shown as the end of the movie drew to a close, but...

There were on the great ship many fabulously wealthy people; there were some very poor people. Some people had much more than they could hope for, and others had only a hope for something more to come.

Most of us have hope as did my little grandson. We've had good things before just as he has had cake before, and we hope for more blessings in the future. However, no one is guaranteed more time, more life, more blessings to come.

A number of years ago--back in our television watching days, we watched a 'special'. Why it was special I don't recall, and it doesn't rate up there with all time great shows...

The story line was of a married woman that had returned to her hometown and in so doing reconnected with a high school romance. He is wanting to renew their 'friendship', but she is not receptive to the idea. Not until...she is grocery shopping and notices a young couple that are very 'into each other' as they are shopping. However, as they leave the parking lot after purchasing their groceries they are in a terrible accident...perhaps a fatal accident. The woman calls her ex-sweetheart and they of course spend the night together...

No, my take on the whole thing is not, 'life is short, grab all the fun you can while you can'. My take is: 'life is short, prepare for the hereafter, before you are forever thereafter'.

I wondered at the time, where has our culture gone wrong that it came up with such a twisted conclusion? Why would someone forsake a loving husband, a loving family, not to mention a promise/vow made to the aforementioned husband before God, and for what? A one night stand?

Since we have left God behind...oh, yes, make no mistake our modern day society has left God behind. Even people of 'faith' have~if not left God behind~remade him in their own image...or others believe that they can explain God away. God is actually just a secondary piece ~a piece that we have no need for~ but wait...

1Corinthians 15:19 If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable. 20) But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of them that are asleep. 21) For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22) For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

We all have partook of the blessings of this life. Those blessings are all around us. The food we eat, water we drink, the very air we breathe. The good things in our lives all come from a loving God. The trials and temptations come from Satan. God allows trials in order that we may come forth as precious gold or silver. Are we, as the wife in the fictional story above, swallowing hook, line, and sinker the devil's lure? There was no real moral to the story...no real story in reality. It didn't make her life better, or her better, or have any point to it at all.

Many people today are in that very same situation. They don't have a point, no real reason for their existence. Satan has many lies in his pack of cards. Back in the 1800's when humanists got a hold on our education system, they subtly began inserting little by little their teachings. Now, even though Christianity is supposed to be the main religion in this country, we find ourselves in the minority. We can't reach out to teach others lest we 'offend' someone. Excuse me? What country do we live in? When we see sorrow, sin, and pointless lives we are supposed to sit on our hands and do nothing?

1Corinthians 15:32 If after the manner of men I fought with beasts at Ephesus, what doth it profit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die. 33) Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals. 34) Awake to soberness righteously, and sin not; for some have no knowledge of God:...

There are many 'worthless' shows, articles, items of entertainment, in this world. All are designed by Satan to distract our minds and our allegiance from God. From video games, sports activities, movies, and yes, even television shows that have no apparent point except to subtly hint that adultery under 'certain circumstances' happens and why, yes, it's alright...but it really isn't. How many subtle hints have we been fed through the years? The sneaky snake of the media has fed us a steady diet through the years, much of what we don't see.

I can not even begin to remember, let alone share the many times I have been living my life just bopping along trying to survive; raising children, paying bills, eking out a living by the skin of the proverbial teeth...when, Wham! Something catches me unaware. Trouble with the children, trouble in the congregation, trouble in the community. Wham! I didn't see it coming. It shook me out of my dream; out of the box/world I was floating through. There are far too many things that I did not see. At this time in history we need to wake up out of the dream world and become vigilant.

We need to be vigilant against evil that creeps into our homes via these things that we invite into our homes. Stand against the corruption of this world...

In the movie Titanic the older couple know this is their final hour. Their life is coming to an end. They lie back on the bed, holding hands as the haunting musical strains continue to waft through the scene. "Abide with me, tis eventide..."

No, this is something I have not seen, I am just imagining what someone else has described to me, but...

There are many things I have not seen. As a writer I enjoy writing 'my own ending' to scenarios. Creating my own worlds where I can see 'the big picture'. But I'm not in charge of this story; I'm not in charge of this world. I know who is victorious in this battle of life, but I don't know how we get there.

"I shouldn't have to die, just because I don't have the money for treatment!" The woman is shocked because the medical treatment isn't free any more. Even though we can empathize with her plight, we have all missed part of the big picture...

Rest assured whether it is the woman that needs medical attention, or if it is a strong, healthy young individual...no one will live forever. No one. Even the vigorous individual may be struck down quickly in the prime of their life.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

Therefore, live your life toward God as if today is your last. Stop creating God into your own image. Realize that God is an all powerful God. Greater than any king, he is supreme being over all creation. He doesn't have to ask his creation what their thoughts on certain things are. He knows what their thoughts are, and especially, God knows what is best, what is right, what is needful.

1Corinthians 15:54 But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55) O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? 56) The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law: 57) but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58) Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not vain in the Lord.