ive been thinking a lot about the "then and nows". specifically before jesus and after jesus, and life without jesus and then coming to be a slave for jesus. bear with me.
i wonder how many sacrifices people had to give to be "pure" or right with God. I wonder if it really deterred people from sinning more than today. I dont think so. i dont think people are worse now than they were then. i dont think they are better either. but i cant help but think how easy it is now. we dont have to buy animals to sacrifice. we dont have to go to the temple to sacrifice them. we just go to God through Jesus and we're done. But maybe our sacrifices are just different. I know the more i learn about Jesus, the more i change. I have lost friends. criticized by family at times. i think this happened back then too im sure, but was there God guiding people on how to live their lives or just laws? is it easier to "get right with God" now or is it harder to be guided by God now? maybe there are real answers. i didnt grow up in church. i dont know a lot still. so this is my newest thought. Im thankful that we can go right to God now.
the other thing that i have been thinking about is good and evil, with and without christ. in the book velvet elvis, he says "God has no boundries. God blesses everybody. People that dont believe in God. People who are opposed to God". thinking about this it makes sense. we are all God's children. I think God gives special blessings to those that follow him. and then i think about the Devil. I think back to the days when i didnt know who Jesus was. Life was hard, but i was still pretty blessed. not as much as i am now, but still pretty blessed. i never had any really hard times to go through. i dont think i really belonged to Jesus. or maybe i did but i didnt know it. and neither did satan. but then i make that choice. i learn about Jesus and i decide that this Jesus thing sounds good. then satan turns up the heat. makes it a little harder to trust and follow this Jesus fellow. but looking in on it, it makes sense. if satan has come to steal kill and destroy, who would he go after. how about those who are for the one he opposes? makes sense. why would he sit and waste his time on people that dont believe in Jesus? I think he still causes destruction in everyone's lives but i think he really works on turning people from God....which means they have to know God and be for God.
well those are my petty thoughts for the moment. now im going to sleep and try to get over this cold thing i got going on.
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4 comments:
those were not petty thoughts at all debi- i have had some of those thoughts myself. i don't think humanity has changed at all. we were evil then and we are now. it is so much easier to live for self than it is to live for Christ and that is why He encourages us to count the cost it takes to follow after Him. it will be a lifelong battle but it is worth and we do have help. the road is narrow and I am glad you are on it with me friend.
I think about areas of persecution as well ... & how most of the times I've been the most persecuted, misunderstood, mocked, & rejected it has happened with someone/someones close to me. Family. Long-time friends.
Good thought processes here...
Like you Debi, I did not grow up knowing Jesus either. Sometimes it seems so hard...losing friends, old and new, standing firm even though sometimes that means standing alone. In the beginning I was even a little afraid of not being able to have fun or becoming "churchy". Too funny. Now, although the lessons are not easy (because I am sooooo fleshy) I have never, ever felt such freedom or peace than I do right now. I think the road "then and now" has always been a difficult road for those who choose to walk it! Love ya!
hum. thats why i have a hard time really opening up to people louie...past tells me people hurt when they get close enough, but i still try to do it.
I wonder if back in the day, the law was working, but anytime there is a bunch of laws and rules to follow you're bound to get too weighed down. and if you are tired of following some of them and stop, whats the point of following them all...maybe thats why Jesus came for us. to change the ideas of rules and laws. kinda wipe it clean and when he left, leave this door to the holy spirit and God that normal, everyday people didnt have.....hum
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