Meaning of Life- Under construction

So sorry. I intend to blog on the meaning of life. I started to but as I began to try to answer the questions I came up with more questions and problems. It was kind of like the cartoon in the boat where the character plug a leak only to see two more pop up. I working on this in my head. I would appreciate any comments or anything you think might be helpful. I would never publish anything that you said only think about it for ideas. Initial thoughts are God, money, love, relationships must be apart of the discussion.


 You can send me personal email if you like to revallred@gmail.com or post comments here.

Freedom!

Man, I so often find myself down and depressed about my own sinfulness. Why because so often it is the same thing over and over. Shouldn't I at some point grow up and move passed my faults. My understanding is that God understands my sins to the point he sent Jesus to die for them. God was aware that I was ensnared in a way that I could never free myself. I share the same faults as the disciples that walked with Jesus yet failed to understand completely what he was up to. This is me. I walk with him awhile but then there are times my selfishness takes center stage. So this came to me this morning the idea that Paul talked to the church of Rome about. It is the idea of freedom from sin.  Before knowing God in a personal way I know I was doomed to make choices that dishonored God. What about now though? Am I doomed to continue in the (strive, fail, apologize) pattern or can I rise above it being free in Christ? Paul though he also penned the words, "I do what I know I shouldn't and don't do what I know I should" seems to suggest that indeed we are free in Christ.  


Rom 8
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,awho 1do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For bthe law of cthe Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from dthe law of sin and death.


It seems that rising above means learning to walk in the Spirit. I watch my children struggle with walking in the Spirit. I often wonder if they will ever do it. But really theres me. I don't do as well as I should and I would propose even though it is possible it is very hard. It takes commitment and sacrifice and prayer when you really want to sleep or do something else. 
God help me to learn to be free. God help to learn to walk in your Spirit. Thank you for the grace of the "no condemnation in Christ" part without that we would all be up a river without a paddle. 


Amen

Adam where are you?

It seems that many have a great fear about being themselves. They tend to hide or try to blend. What if people knew this or that about you? They would not accept that. But perhaps if they knew this about you they might actually be relieved to know that they are not crazy.  Wouldn't be refreshing to know that we are not alone in our struggles? When I go to church, I see so many people. The conversations in the hall are, "how are you today?" "I'm doing fine." over and over again people are doing fine. How can so many people be doing so fine when I've have so many struggles. Don't get me wrong, I've struggled with what to say in that situation. I think we say we are fine because we don't want to deal with what we really are. So so much hurt and pain gets pushed down and not dealt with. I believe that like Adam in the Genesis creation story most of us even Christians are: a) not real with God b) not real with others c)not real with ourselves. The power in the Gospel is that God comes to save or  lend help to those who realize their helplessness. Folks I'm helpless. I experience great comfort in God but I also experience God in relation to others. Can we stop hiding and help each other?