God Is Good

Doesn't it look like these guys might just be singing Palm 103C?

James had a difficult task yesterday of preaching through the genealogy in Genesis 5:1-6:8. God really gave him wonderful insights. He gave a visual picture of connecting the dots, eight of them. I kept wanting to think what the 8 dots would form. .. half way through I thought it might be a cross, two dots on each end of the cross bars. But alas, it was an arrow, pointing to Christ. I was close. I immediately thought of that big red arrow Indianapolis is hauling around the city to special events.

I think the point that stuck me was dot 3. Every man died. Loosely translated (sorry James I was thinking and note taking, not always a good combo for me!) he spoke of how the Scripture was written "and he died" and how it had the dull hollow ring of death, sure and certain. How this was an illustration of God's faithfulness of Adam's death sentence to his sons. And that death only was recorded in the line of Seth. I think he said that death was a curse for Adam's line.

I wasn't sure that is what he said because I was thinking, what a blessing! To record these men's death was to me like a passenger listing for an airliner. These people were going somewhere. I had the thought that because Seth's line was the only one recorded here, these were the people headed to heaven. (Please, I have not researched this, so I don't know for certain each of these people are part of the heavenly preparation team for the rest of us believers!)

I know death is an awfully difficult thing to deal with when we are here on Earth. But, death is such a part of our lives. To go from one season or stage to another, there is death. To be born, bringing life, there is death in that (no gory details), if nothing else, the death of the stage of being pregnant. To grow up and mature, bringing deeper life, there is death; death of childish thoughts and ideas. To begin your own family in marriage, there is death; death of the old relationships and birth to new and wonderful interacting for all involved. To move on to our final destination, there is death (a struggle, a time of pain and wreathing. . . much like our physical birth!); but then there is the new view of our eternal life, the heavenly view, to be present with the Lord!!! What a blessing!!!

Then you ice that wonderfully heavy cake with Pastor Johnston's teaching about God's Goodness in relation to the Fruit of the Spirit in the evening service. It is such a comfort, God can be trusted and He is Good regardless of our circumstances (Nah 1:7). Even in death of one season or another.

On a much lighter note, we had a huge coyote running around the neighborhood this morning. Right in our yard! Shadow (our dog) knew something was up. Wonder if they are being pushed out of their homes down by Greenwood airport with all the new construction? They are looking for ya Ross!

Well, as some would say, goodness out 'yall. And I will be praying for those of you I spoke with last night about your weeks. Let me know if you have more specific requests!