Echoes From the Campfire

Joy an’ happiness, whatever makes life worth livin’, is in you. No man can go forth to find what he hasn’t got within him.”
                    –Zane Grey  (Wanderer of the Wasteland)

        “And not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits—we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.”

                    –Romans 8:23(HCSB)
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There have been all kinds of stories going forth since the virus struck.  Everything from you have to get vaccinated, but it still won’t do any good to the doomsday prophets and wild prophecies.  I read one the other day, and it didn’t come from left field, but from way out in foul territory.  The thoughts were off-kilter and he had only one perspective.  I don’t think the person had ever read the Old Testament.
       However, he did make one good statement:  “Our politics should not determine our theology.”  I agree with that, but then more important is that our theology should determine our politics.  All that we do should be based on sound biblical theology.   Abortion on demand, transgendering and gay lifestyle, anarchy, and socialism were a few things he brought up, saying that Republicans and conservatives have left the Bible.  Interesting, I thought; it seems that the person does not have a very good insight into the person of God–His natural and moral attributes.  Love and mercy are “holy” attributes of God, but so are justice and wrath “holy” attributes of God.
       As I pondered what to write this morning, my thoughts went to a well-used devotional book I have.  God Is No Fool, by Lois A. Cheney.  It’s been a while since I’ve used something so today I thought I’d search out one of the devotions that came to mind.

               They say that God has infinite patience,
               And that is a great comfort.

               They say God is always there,
               And that is a deep satisfaction.

               They say that God will always take you back,
               And I get lazy in that certitude.

               They say that God never gives up,
               And I count on that.

               They say you can go away for years and years,
               And he’ll be there, waiting, when you come back.

               They say you can make mistake after mistake,
               And God will always forgive and forget.

               They say lots of things,
               These people who never read the Old Testament

               There comes a time,
               A definite, for sure time,
               When God turns around.

                I don’t believe God shed his skin
                When Christ brought in the New Testament;
                Christ showed us a new side of God,
                And it is truly wonderful.

               But he didn’t change God.
               God remains forever and ever
               And that God
               is
               no
               fool.

Remember, as in the days of Noah, Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot’s wife, and on I could go.  I could go on with other examples.  There comes a time when God says, “that is enough.”