Tag: Remember in the last blog promised to write a blog illustrating a paradox? When we talked last week I shared this illustration with you...but I will write it here for you and others who stumble across this blog.
This is a paradox: "a seemingly contradictory statement, but in fact it is true."
As you know we live near the SeaTac Airport and friends who wish to travel from there often leave their vehicle at our house, and I take them to catch their flight and pick them up when they return.
On approaching the airport drop off ramps there are four lanes, two mark the ramp for "Arrivals" and the other two are signed for "Departures". I always naturally tend to head down the wrong lane. Mentally it is a struggle as to which lane I should be in. For years I have had this same struggle, and until now have not understood or really thought about why.
Last week it finally dawned upon me why I always start out in the wrong lane: we, my friend(s) and I, are 'arriving' at the airport from our perspective, right? But my passenger(s) is 'departing' from the airport from Airport Management's perspective. So, we need to be in the "Departures" lanes, not the "Arrivals" lanes which is where I feel naturally I should be. And when I go to pick them up, they are 'departing' from the airport, right? But, from the Airport's point of view they are "Arriving" passengers, so I need to be on the Arrival Ramp to pick them up to depart from the airport. If I don't get my mind thinking from the Airport's perspective I find myself on the wrong ramp and have to go around about two miles to try again to get in the 'right' lane.
So, we see this as an example of a paradox. In order to be in the 'right' lane we need to transform or conform our thinking to the Airport's point of view. There is no other way that I will get to where I want to be unless I transform my thinking to that of the Airport.
The Bible is full of paradoxes. One of these is the concept of 'freedom', freewill, choice, verses; providence, guidance, testing and God's purpose for us.
How can these two opposites coexist one might ask? This is a paradox: "a seemingly contradictory statement, but in fact it is true."
The answer lies in the difference between our point of view and God's. I think I am free when such and such conditions are met; but God sees me as free when a different set of conditions are present. Since I am in His world, on his road, it benefits me (that is I get where I really want to go) to read His signs from His perspective. For example; I may think 'money' will provide me with freedom, but God says, "seek first my interests, my kingdom, and all the things will be there for you; and by the way, money is the root of all evil."
There are many other examples. When you come across one, or someone points to one as an inconsistency in God's Word, think back to the signs at the Airport. Then look and find a way to see these paradoxes from God's perspective.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Letter ONE - Life is a Collection of Seasons
Dear Tag,
Woke up this morning thinking about all the friends around me, and the roll each has played in our lives together. Somewhere in all these thoughts was one about writing a letter "To Tag"...making it a blog called Letters to Tag: "You are it!" So here goes. I wonder what this correspondence will produce and who might eventually be tagged for a blessing from these notes?
Some of my early morning thoughts were prompted after reading last night in Bob Harrison's Power Points for Success, Point 43: Seasons of Life, where Bob quotes General Norman Schwarzkoph saying: "Life is a collection of seasons."
The FOG HORN is blowing this morning. We are in a season of fog. Shall we say both locally and spiritually? The days are getting longer, and slightly warmer; the forsythia buds are swelling and the daffodils are popping their heads out of the winter's cold dark ground. But how many have noticed, spring, both locally and spiritually, is showing evidence of being just around the corner? Have you noticed the life buds swelling on the ends of dead looking sticks? Is this fog we are in all there is to life? What if the lion roaring winds blow tomorrow, do we give up on spring? And what does an unseasonable cold spells tell us? Do spring's showers bring US bad news? Where are your garden shovel and seeds? Are you getting ready for the planting season? The spiritual fog will soon be past, and a new season is now before us.
Yesterday I came up with an illustration for a paradox, but I will save this topic for my next letter.
Tag, You are it!
Your friend,
David
Woke up this morning thinking about all the friends around me, and the roll each has played in our lives together. Somewhere in all these thoughts was one about writing a letter "To Tag"...making it a blog called Letters to Tag: "You are it!" So here goes. I wonder what this correspondence will produce and who might eventually be tagged for a blessing from these notes?
Some of my early morning thoughts were prompted after reading last night in Bob Harrison's Power Points for Success, Point 43: Seasons of Life, where Bob quotes General Norman Schwarzkoph saying: "Life is a collection of seasons."
The FOG HORN is blowing this morning. We are in a season of fog. Shall we say both locally and spiritually? The days are getting longer, and slightly warmer; the forsythia buds are swelling and the daffodils are popping their heads out of the winter's cold dark ground. But how many have noticed, spring, both locally and spiritually, is showing evidence of being just around the corner? Have you noticed the life buds swelling on the ends of dead looking sticks? Is this fog we are in all there is to life? What if the lion roaring winds blow tomorrow, do we give up on spring? And what does an unseasonable cold spells tell us? Do spring's showers bring US bad news? Where are your garden shovel and seeds? Are you getting ready for the planting season? The spiritual fog will soon be past, and a new season is now before us.
Yesterday I came up with an illustration for a paradox, but I will save this topic for my next letter.
Tag, You are it!
Your friend,
David
