To the Glory of God

If a rose grew in the middle of the dense forest, where no man ever set eyes on it, would it glorify God?

Should men's eyes be the measure of God's glory?

Suppose I had two children, and one excelled at everything - music, academics, athletics, the arts - and the other had no distinguishing talent, should I lament the giftings, or lack thereof, in this second child?  Will he glorify God less because he is praised of men less?

"God, Who seeth in secret..."

"...for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."

"...base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence."

Because we see nothing, does that mean God has seen nothing?  Because we see nothing of value, does that mean that God has seen no value?

What does God value?  We know He values good fruit.  It glorifies Him.  If we do not see this fruit ourselves, does this mean God is not glorified?

Jesus did say, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
But He made it quite clear that that light is not to be our achievements or good deeds.  "[Let] thine alms may be in secret:and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly."

Which child would you be concerned about?

Matthew Henry on Duty

Many will consult God about their safety that would never consult Him about their duty.

–Matthew Henry

Thanks to Life in a Shoe for the pic.

The Fine Line

If we find ourselves justifying the harmlessness of a thing, then perhaps we should question the holiness of that thing.

Perhaps we should be less concerned with what God allows and more with what He prefers.

Captain Marryat on Wives

"...a wife with a smile always
upon her lips is a treasure."

--The Settlers in Canada
Something to work on!

My Personal Challenge of the Last Few Weeks

Psalm 55:17
"Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud:
and He shall hear my voice."

Maiden Third

Once upon a time, there was a young girl who loved her father very much. She was a beautiful young girl with a free spirit. She was vivacious, becoming, astute, and pleasing. She was wilful and passionate, strong and affectionate.
She also had a perversity of nature that would wish to attempt a feat the moment it was forbidden.
Her father was a strong man with a will of iron. He was just, and he loved her. He held very strongly to high ideals that he could argue back to the Holy Book itself, and its inerrability was his vanguard. He was immoveable. To lower that guard was to deny the Book itself, and he held his ideals with the passion of a Crusader.
She wanted only to be free. She wanted to stretch her wings and let the current lift her. She wanted to be drawn, and not pressed; she wanted to be hungered, not harried. She wanted to be motivated by love, not duty.
As for her father, his duty was his love, and his love was his duty. He could not separate the two. They were one and the same to him.
He believed that there was enmity in the heart of every man, and that the laying down of the law would reveal the rebellion.
So he laid down the law for his daughter and unveiled her rebellion. Then he took it to task and attempted to deal with it.
She fought and refused to submit. She could not see that love could come after duty, and he refused to acknowledge love without obedience.
She fled his home and continued her life away. He watched with growing alarm as her love and her passion led her again and again to the edge of the precipice of morality.
Wild as it was, her heart was a faithful one, and she clung to the faith of her childhood. Then with all the intense passion of her heart, she fell in love with a young man that abused her trust.
In despair, her father tried again and again to redeem her from her faults. He repeatedly laid down the principles, and he continued to encounter her rebellion.
She would not trust him, and he would not relent. She felt stifled, and he desperately wanted her to see what he saw. The battle of wills was always foremost. He would not discuss or renege any of his ideals unless she submitted her will, and she would not give her will to be driven where it could have been led. Each refused to die. They disdained to lay down arms and surrender, for each held the right. They were constantly at an impasse, and finally each broke the heart of the other.