Interesting Thing 1:
All Thing's Considered's "This I Believe" essay for today is really good. It's written by a peace activist in Iraq who was kidnapped and held for six months. He talks about how all of humanity - the torturers and the tortured alike - are connected to one another. Like I said, it's really good. You can read it here.
Interesting Thing 2:
This is a really interesting post. In it, Catherine (whom I met because we share a love of the name Asher) talks about how we read The Old Testament through a New Testament worldview. So, when the Psalmist refers to hope in the midst of suffering, we think of the hope of the resurrection and eternal life. But the writers of the Old Testament didn't believe in eternal life, and didn't yet know about a resurrection. She isn't arguing against eternal life; what she's saying is that there is hope in the moment as well as the future. That the kingdom of God - I'm saying this part - is in the present, too. She writes, But imagine life within a community that lifted you up to Him in the midst of busyness, pain, and distraction. Imagine the purity of worship that praised God for his faithfulness, eternal nature, and beauty while not expecting to see more of it that we already had. Imagine the preciousness of every moment, every smile, song, and blade of grass if we truly believe they are gifts from the Creator, given to us for this very moment, and that our enjoyment of them is limited to this day. I told you it was good.
2 comments:
---- So, when the Psalmist refers to hope in the midst of suffering, we think of the hope of the resurrection and eternal life. But the writers of the Old Testament didn't believe in eternal life, and didn't yet know about a resurrection. She isn't arguing against eternal life; what she's saying is that there is hope in the moment as well as the future.----
I may be in the minority, but I have never read that "hope" to be Christ's resurrection. I always read it as hope in the moment, simply because God is with us now. Hope, b/c God is bigger than me and He knows what He is doing. Hope b/c He has plans for me, and this moment is a part of the life He has laid before me.
But I tend to be a bit different in how I think, anyhow.
Hey there! Thanks for the link and the comments on what I said...its so exciting to realize that someone is actually reading and enjoying. Hug Asher for me. :)
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