What's In the Box?
I've told people when Old Fuzzy and I were married he thought he'd gotten a prize. Then he found out he just got a sur-prize. Surprise— isn't that kind of like most of life? Life can be difficult.
This spring the south and west counties in our state had flooding. Our neighboring states to the west have had that same catastrophe. People have lost homes, farm buildings, and livestock, and crops.
Five miles to the north and west of us early this week we had a tornado rip across the countryside killing an older woman. Her husband had to be life-flighted to a Des Moines hospital.
There are many 'boxes' in life, as it were, good presents and not so good presents.
Suffering people have the tendency to cry out, 'Why me, Lord?' Back in my youth there was that one friend that had a different question— 'Why not?'
Why not, indeed. Suffering, happens to all. Suffering helps us appreciate beauty. Highs and lows balance existence.
Christians have been taught in Bible school that Adam and Eve sinned, Cain killed his brother Abel, and God destroyed the world by the flood. We know it was because of the wickedness of humans.
Ecclesiastes 7:29 "Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions."
We see the history of mankind has been the constant struggle between life and death, good and evil. The line between right and wrong most often blurs because of our own self.
The Ten Commandments weren't suggestions, and they didn't wobble.
Ecclesiastes 12:10 "The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written uprightly, even words of truth. 11) The words of the wise are as goads; and as nails well fastened are the words of the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. 12) And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. 13) This is the end of the matter; all hath been heard: fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.14) For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."
