Saturday, September 10, 2016

The Hand of God or The Still Small Voice

Reading Psalm 50 today, and seeing how it all ties in to the last few weeks, I have the feeling that I'm seeing the hand of God.  Verse 5, He gathers His loyal followers whom are in a covenant with Him sealed in sacrifice struck me first.  This verse predates The Crucifixion, so it is deep.  All my sin was before me as I read through Psalm 50, verses 7-8 & 14-15 especially.  Concrete heavy condemnation follows in verses 16-17 & 19-22.  I have vows I have broken--not marriage vows (don't worry).  I have not loved my neighbour or brother as myself.  I thought about the Crowder video I watched before going to the monastery with Dr. Gary Wilson, about addiction.  I thought about how St. Augustine was helpless to his depravity.  I thought about the tie in there too.  I thought about the recent rise in the number of posts on social media about the problem itself, something we don't talk about.  I thought about the post from Crews, and how he speaks about the objectification of people, and even how he echos St. Paul telling us that our war is not against flesh and blood when he says that he's not fighting people but fighting the way we think.  I thought about friends with addiction issues (drugs) and I thought about how the issue also ties in with sexuality, specifically homosexuality.  Does it give one better insight into both?  Could it be a thorn in the side?  I even thought about Psalm 45 from the other day, how it smacked of the objectification of women.  I've written before about Asmodeus.  St. Augustine and Mary Howard were broken before they were given the strength they did not have themselves.  Crews was at the end of the road and had to make a choice.  I've asked, what if it is not destructive?  What if it is not an addiction?  Is this denial?  Was I wrong to think some things harmless due to an particular understanding of Romans Ch 14?  Obviously addiction is destructive.  That makes it a sin.  Like many sins in The Old Testament and Bible, they were sinful because they hurt you, God, or your neighbour.  Still trying to figure out what all this means...

2 comments:

  1. I'm not sure what God is trying to tell me. I do detect a direction change though. And, I am sure He is saying something. Maybe it's not black and white. Maybe porn, alcohol, homosexuality, and gambling are not a sin but self destrucive behavioir, hurting others, and putting an idol before God are. Maybe that's closer to the truth.

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  2. You can't earn your own salvation and good deeds are the fruit of The Spirit. Put the horse before the cart.

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