Good Morning John:
I have some questions about the
parts of your message noted in red which are:
1. How does one "use the bad
times?"
2. What state did David see the
value of and does he articulate this clearly in Ps 51?
3. Is correct NT scripture and
church dogma synonamous?
4. How would one define a good
person?
These questions are also
relevant to a disturbing book a friend sent that I have been
reading.
judyt
Hi Kalena. I am suggesting that we use the bad times in our walk with God rather than reject them out of hand. Psalm 51:16,17 would be a good source passage here. Fallow ground is that which is not broken, un-disturbed, placid, if you will. Before the seed can be planted, this fallow ground must be broken. And when brokennes is handed to us in the form of some present distress, perhaps it is God's willingness to work in that sadness, bringing us closer to Him, that should ackowledged. That is not saying that He caused the problem. It's just that those things that the Evil One throws at us, well, in those things God often does His best service.
David was responsible for his circumstance, of course, but in that very terrible sin, because of David's turn to God, in his grief and contrition and brokenness, David saw the value of this state.
Belonging to the right church, believing in the right doctrine (one cup, music, plurality of elders, et al) has precious little to do with how we live our
everyday lives .... much as the teaching of sacrifice. David is not saying that sacrifice is unimportant, but that contrition and brokenness go to
a very different aspect of our lives. Being correct in the teachings of New Testament scripture is important, but when we rest in the correctness of
church dogma, we run the risk of missing the greater lesson of spiritual blessing.
Why do bad things happen to good people? They (the bad things) help to break up the fallow ground in our lives. God can use these bad things to prepare us for a closer and richer walk with Him, and in this "doing," He alone can counter the evil intentions of hard times.
John
