Was woken in the early hours by my ankle - hobbled about getting medication - wondered about getting to the Meeting at the Kingdom Hall - especially as I have no chauffeur today and will have to drive myself.
Captain B was off early with his Metal Detector head on. "Find me a Viking hoard", I trilled as I waved him out the door. It hasn't happened yet - but there is no shortage of ring pulls in this house.
Anyway, I wanted to be at the Meeting so I went. And am so glad I did. The teaching gets better and better, and it was lovely to hear Rita in her answer say that as she began to study the Bible with the Witnesses it was as if a jumbled jigsaw inside her head began to click together, as she began to understand what the Bible says.
That was exactly what I said - over 25 years ago. Exactly the same jigsaw image. It was as if a lot of jigsaw pieces in my head began to click together - almost frighteningly fast sometimes. And I began to see the truth at last.
Another sister at a Convention said it was like seeing a very faded old photograph suddenly start to come into focus and reveal itself.
This - the power of Jehovah's spirit-inspired word - is what welds us JWs, all such disparate people, from every tribe and nation and tongue - together.
The Captain and I are at our computers - he detected no hoards, but did find treasure in the shape of some rather lovely butterfly photos which will appear in The Captain's Log in time.
I do not see Jesus, or the writings about Jesus as works of a perfectionist. Jesus was described as a man full of love for everyone. Love is an emotion and by definition right-brain oriented and circular rather than straight-lined. He was willing to sacrifice himself, in itself a chaotic gesture, for the Love he felt and his feeling that everyone should love, not hate or fear. Of course that's only an opinion of someone who is hooked on love and forgiveness, as opposed to holding grudges and taking revenge...
ReplyDeleteDear Izzy, thanks for such a thoughtful comment. And, yes, how different the world would be if everyone took the inspired definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13 to heart. It tells us that love is "long-suffering (not quick to take offence) and kind" and that it "does not keep account of the injury".
ReplyDeleteI wish we were able to get together for a cup of tea and a chat, but as I am across the Pond from you that is not possible. Still, how amazing that you and I can talk across the miles by internet!
The Pond is rippling away today - the weather has suddenly turned quite stormy. I was doing my study on the balcony but have had to come back inside, as all my books were being blown about.
If you would like to discuss this by email, I can show you what the Christian Greek scriptures tell us about Jesus. They do not for example say that he is the Almighty God, or that he is part of a Trinity.
Jesus himself said: "The Father is greater than I am." Jehovah is the Almighty God, and Jesus is his only-begotten son. He is the first born of creation, the only one created by Jehovah alone.
Do you know these lovely verses from the Hebrew Scriptures? Here is God's only-begotten son, the first born of creation, talking to us - to you, to me - telling us how much he loves his Father and how much he loves us.
Proverbs 8:22-31 says: “Jehovah himself produced me as the beginning of his way, the earliest of his achievements of long ago. From time indefinite I was installed, from the start, from times earlier than the earth. When there were no watery deeps I was brought forth as with labor pains, when there were no springs heavily charged with water. Before the mountains themselves had been settled down, ahead of the hills, I was brought forth as with labor pains, when as yet he had not made the earth and the open spaces and the first part of the dust masses of the productive land. When he prepared the heavens I was there; when he decreed a circle upon the face of the watery deep, when he made firm the cloud masses above, when he caused the fountains of the watery deep to be strong, when he set for the sea his decree that the waters themselves should not pass beyond his order, when he decreed the foundations of the earth, then I came to be beside him as a master worker, and I came to be the one he was specially fond of day by day, I being glad before him all the time, being glad at the productive land of his earth, and the things I was fond of were with the sons of men."
Those are such beautiful words - and aren't they such a loving message for us?
yes indeed! i've read these verses in the original hebrew and they are lyrical and beautiful. The songs of David, Solomon and Moses are so moving, i usually cry. The Moses song was accompanied by Miriam doing a dance and banging on her tambourines. D'accord! the music is as important as the words. i've always suspected that the original creative statement was in the beginning there was music and the music was the lord... the original scriptures before the greek by JOSEPHUS confused us all had NO vowels but did have musical notiation! good luck with your choice of orthopedic surgeons; may he be perfect in every way including in spirit. may he be creative if there's anything outside of what he expected. may he hum the lord's prayer while he does his excellent carpentry. love, dizzy izzy
ReplyDeleteHello Izzy, Thank you for your good wishes. And it would be lovely, if surprising, if my surgeon hums The Lord's Prayer as he works.
ReplyDeleteWhat I hope not to hear while its happening are any expressions like: "Oops!", or "Butterfingers!"
And, yes, the Song of Solomon, isn't it the most perfect poem ever written? I had these words from it read at my parents' funerals:
"Place me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; because love is as strong as death is, insistence on exclusive devotion is as unyielding as She′ol is. Its blazings are the blazings of a fire, the flame of Jah. Many waters themselves are not able to extinguish love, nor can rivers themselves wash it away. If a man would give all the valuable things of his house for love, persons would positively despise them.”
regards Sue
it is a pleasure and an inspiration to read your words and your feelings about the ancient passages. Jacob and i used to have these wonderful discussion of the old and new testaments and how there was evidence that Jesus was there from the very beginning. there is some, perhaps comical question i have regarding John the Baptists whose mother was also visited by Gabrial before she became present. Doesn't that make John a older Son Of God than Jesus? Please don't feel offended. it is a genuine question but it seems to infuriate all Christians to whom i've posed it... Love, izzy
ReplyDeleteGood morning Izzy - and thanks for another interesting question. I don't know why any Christian wouldn't be delighted to be asked to explain about their faith. And this is a new one for me. It will be good exercise for my brain cells (both of them).
ReplyDeleteYes, John the baptiser was older than Jesus, who was his cousin.
Was he, therefore, an older son of God?
I will go to both Hebrew and Christian Greek Scriptures to answer you.
At John 8:58, Jesus said: “Most truly I say to you, Before Abraham came into existence, I have been.”
Jesus was saying that, unlike John the baptiser (or any of us), he had a pre-human existence. He existed even before Abraham. And, if you go back to that passage in Proverbs again, we can see that Jesus was there even before God made the earth: “Jehovah himself produced me as the beginning of his way, the earliest of his achievements of long ago. From time indefinite I was installed, from the start, from times earlier than the earth. When there were no watery deeps I was brought forth as with labor pains, when there were no springs heavily charged with water. Before the mountains themselves had been settled down, ahead of the hills, I was brought forth as with labor pains, when as yet he had not made the earth..."
Jesus existed "from times earlier than the earth". So, although John was his older cousin within the family, Jesus himself was much older. He is the "only-begotten" son of God - the firstborn of creation.
And he really loves us. So can't we safely listen to him?
love sue
Dear Sue, i could really use that cup of tea with you. I had my first nightmare in many months and it concerned my fear of losing Pee-Pee my live in friend. it also conscerned some scoldings from my mother who appeared in the dream and she's been deceased for many years. I must spend time forgiving her and myself for arguing so much and making her upset with me... love, izzy ps; after the dream i felt much better as if my subconscious had resolved something important...
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