Blog #1014

Christ's crucifixion is the most devastating and dreadful event described in the Bible. God's Son was brutalized, beaten, mocked, spit on, nailed to a cross, speared in the side, and left for dead. Yet as unfathomable as this is for us to even try to grasp the full implication, it was part of a Master Plan, written, composed, and orchestrated by an all-wise, all-loving Creator even before He created humankind (Eph 1:4-5; 11). Can we possibly grasp the unmitigated love this God demonstrated even before He created the very ones who would end up needing His intervention (Col 1:22)? What an incredible God!

One aspect of this story that we find hard to believe, perhaps, is God's willingness to work His plan through imperfect, even ungodly people. But God used the hypocritical Pharisees and the corrupt Roman government to play key roles in His master plan of the redemption of His earthly children.

But while ungodly people may have been used as tools in His plan, God has always remained in complete control at all times. Peter, in his sermon at Pentecost, said Jesus was "handed over ... by God's set purpose and foreknowledge" (Acts 2:23). Long before Jesus set foot on earth, the Father knew His Son would give up His life for the salvation of humankind. Just let that statement play through your mind for a few minutes. What as awesome God!

God knowingly used our jealousy, pride, fear, and evil to bring about the death of His own Son to make eternal life possible for us all. Acts 4:27-28 says that while Herod, Pilate, and the people of Israel came together to take action against Jesus, they did "what [God's] power and will had decided beforehand should happen."

Often life can appear random, but we need to remember that even when the world seems out of control, God is completely in control. Not a single event ... not even the death of His own Son ... is outside of His omnipotent domain. If the Lord can work through unbelievers, and He can and does, what incredible works can He accomplish through us who do believe?

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I try to make all my blogs relatively close in length but it's awfully hard to write out your ideas while maintaining a limited space so some of my blogs are bound to be shorter than others. This one seems extra short today and if it is I apologize. A lot of times I do some editing when I actually type the blog and that can change the length. Shorter or longer. Just bear with me. I do the best I can.

We have high thin clouds coming over us and blocking out the sunshine. I noticed that it was hazy when I work up this morning too. Hogback was just a gray hump on the other side of town. I guess we're supposed to have a chance for rain by Monday. But it's just a slim chance. It seems like this has been a dry month but I checked back over the previous two years and we're not any drier this year than we have been in the past. We tend to get most of our rain in Feb, March, and April.

My oldest granddaughter brought us our tickets to the Jewel concert yesterday. I don't know what I'm going to do with her. I thought she was going to get me free tickets but come to find out she bought the tickets as our anniversary present at $59 EACH!!! I could strangle her for spending that kind of money on us. And on top of that, she's got us booked for dinner before the concert. And I know that runs close to $100 at the restaurant where she works. Hopefully Ken can comp them but she's still going to end up paying out even more. She can't afford to spend her hard-earned money on us like that! But she remembered that last year I mentioned that since this will be our 35th wedding anniversary I hoped we could do something special. And she got it into her head to make that wish come true. But that's just so much money to spend. I would have been thrilled to go to Denny's and skip the concert. But she was so excited about doing this for us that there was no way I could tell her no. Plus she'd already bought the tickets. When she first called and asked about the concert, I thought she said she was going to get us free tickets. That's just too much money and I feel so guilty but I can't break her heart by saying no and you can't return the tickets anyway. She is so sweet.

I have to do our laundry today and make a trip out to the bank. I guess I'll do a little housework too while I'm at it. It's time to scour the baths and vacuum again. It just never ends. So I guess I'll cut this short today and get started on things around the house. This is Friday so I've got the weekend off with no blogs. Ive been spending a lot of time this week writing devotionals in advance. I've written blogs up into the 30s so I won't run out for awhile. It is so hard to sit here and type with Mario in my lap, rubbing his head on my hands. He really likes to stay close when I'm working. Oh and eating too. I can't sit at the table and eat without him lying down on the table and resting his head on my hand. What a spoiled pest!!! Well I've got things to do so I guess I'll get busy. Until Monday ...