A spiritual life
“Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.”
Buddha
I as a Christian firmly believe truth is truth no matter where you find it. The above quote by Buddha is correct. While I may not believe that Buddhism is the way to heaven what the Buddha says about man not being able to live without a spiritual life is true.
I believe in life after death and an almighty God who gives us hope beyond the grave. Not having that hope for me cheapens our existence in this life.
Peter John Kreeft a Catholic philosopher wrote,
“Atheism treats people cheaply. Also, it robs death of meaning, and if death has no meaning, how can life ultimately have meaning? Atheism cheapens everything it touches, look at the results of communism, the most powerful form of atheism on earth.
And in the end, when the atheist dies and encounters God instead of nothingness he had predicted he’ll recognize that atheism was a cheap answer because it refused the only thing that’s not cheap the God of infinite value”
Peter John Kreeft ph.d
I have met many people over the years that have had good lives. Many atheist that frankly have lived better lives than some I know claiming to be Christians. Still that does not negate the fact man is more than what we can feel, hear, and see. Man has a spiritual aspect to he being.
If you as an individual are honest with yourself you have to admit there are times when you wonder if there is more to life as full as your life may be.
For lack of a better expression I believe there is an empty space within the very being of every person. It is a hole that no matter what we try to fill it with, it never seems to be filled. A hole that can only be filled by God.
I know people who have reached the height of their professions who have made millions of dollars who have said they still feel empty inside.
Some turn to drugs and alcohol others to various other pursuits. Yet no matter what they do they feel empty inside.
Jesus said,
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
John 10:10.
Those who would deny the existence of God are to my mind thieves of a kind. They strip life of hope.
The Psalmist reminds us,
“The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
Psalm 14:1.
Jesus says to all men and women everywhere,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30.
God I believe offers all people everywhere a choice when Jesus said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”.
John 3:16-18
If I am wrong about all of this then no one has a thing to fear however if I am right then those who do not believe have a lot to at least think about.
Please think about it.
Showing posts with label life with meaning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life with meaning. Show all posts
Monday 16 November 2015
Tuesday 4 August 2015
Your Life
Your Life
Here is a beautiful piece of wisdom from Ben Zion Bokser I believe is a universal truth it is entitled The Rose Talked Back
The man sweeping the synagogue paused for a moment. He looked at the flowers lying about in disorder, ‘What waste!’ He said too himself. Those roses had adorned the pulpit at a wedding aan hour before. Now all was over and they were waiting to be discarded.
The attendant leaning on his sweeper was lost in thought when suddenly he heard a strange sound. One of the roses replied to him.
‘Do you call this a waste?” the flower protested, ‘What is life anyway, yours or mine, but a means of service? My mission was to create some fragrance and beauty, and when I have fulfilled it my life has not been wasted. And what greater privilege is there than to adorn a bride’s way to her beloved, what greater privilege than to help glorify the moment when a bride and groom seal their faith in each other by entering the covenant of marriage?’
Our little flower paused for a moment too watch the man’s face, and then continued her discourse.
‘Roses are like people. They live in deeds, not in time. My glory was but for a brief hour, but you should have seen the joy in the bride’s eye. I like to believe that I had something to do with it, by creating a suitable setting for the moment of her supreme happiness. So don’t grieve for me. My life has been worthwhile.
Having spoken her little piece, the rose was once more silent. The attendant, startled from his reverie and a little wiser, pushed the sweeper again and continued with his work.
Ben Zion Bokser
Question: is your life worthwhile? Have you done anything to help people? To perhaps even enrich the lives of those you meet?
It doesn’t have to be something great or earth shattering.
I remember when some years ago when we first moved into our house. It was winter and there had been a modest snow fall four or five inches. Enough that we needed to shovel the drive way. As we did we seen an older lady as it turned out in her eighties, across the street doing her best to shovel her driveway.
All we did was stop what we were doing and go across to shovel her driveway first. It cost us nothing but a few minutes of our time. Still you could see she deeply appreciated it. From then on for the rest of the winter my son’s or I after a snow fall slipped over to shovel her driveway before we did our own.
It was a small gesture but it made a big difference to that lady.
Such things are easy to do. It’s the little things that make a difference, volunteering at a food bank, a hospital, a hospice, or other places where there is need.
Someone once told me multimillionaires and billionaires give money and that is needed. But it is the average person who volunteers their time that makes the system work. Average people doing what they can when they can.
This is a Christian truth but one that I believe is echoed in all faiths. It a concept I believe even atheist can agree with.
As Christians I firmly believe we need to be giving of our time not just our money to help people. James the brother of Christ writes,
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?”
James 2:14-20
Please think about it.
Here is a beautiful piece of wisdom from Ben Zion Bokser I believe is a universal truth it is entitled The Rose Talked Back
The Rose Talked Back
The man sweeping the synagogue paused for a moment. He looked at the flowers lying about in disorder, ‘What waste!’ He said too himself. Those roses had adorned the pulpit at a wedding aan hour before. Now all was over and they were waiting to be discarded.
The attendant leaning on his sweeper was lost in thought when suddenly he heard a strange sound. One of the roses replied to him.
‘Do you call this a waste?” the flower protested, ‘What is life anyway, yours or mine, but a means of service? My mission was to create some fragrance and beauty, and when I have fulfilled it my life has not been wasted. And what greater privilege is there than to adorn a bride’s way to her beloved, what greater privilege than to help glorify the moment when a bride and groom seal their faith in each other by entering the covenant of marriage?’
Our little flower paused for a moment too watch the man’s face, and then continued her discourse.
‘Roses are like people. They live in deeds, not in time. My glory was but for a brief hour, but you should have seen the joy in the bride’s eye. I like to believe that I had something to do with it, by creating a suitable setting for the moment of her supreme happiness. So don’t grieve for me. My life has been worthwhile.
Having spoken her little piece, the rose was once more silent. The attendant, startled from his reverie and a little wiser, pushed the sweeper again and continued with his work.
Ben Zion Bokser
Question: is your life worthwhile? Have you done anything to help people? To perhaps even enrich the lives of those you meet?
It doesn’t have to be something great or earth shattering.
I remember when some years ago when we first moved into our house. It was winter and there had been a modest snow fall four or five inches. Enough that we needed to shovel the drive way. As we did we seen an older lady as it turned out in her eighties, across the street doing her best to shovel her driveway.
All we did was stop what we were doing and go across to shovel her driveway first. It cost us nothing but a few minutes of our time. Still you could see she deeply appreciated it. From then on for the rest of the winter my son’s or I after a snow fall slipped over to shovel her driveway before we did our own.
It was a small gesture but it made a big difference to that lady.
Such things are easy to do. It’s the little things that make a difference, volunteering at a food bank, a hospital, a hospice, or other places where there is need.
Someone once told me multimillionaires and billionaires give money and that is needed. But it is the average person who volunteers their time that makes the system work. Average people doing what they can when they can.
This is a Christian truth but one that I believe is echoed in all faiths. It a concept I believe even atheist can agree with.
As Christians I firmly believe we need to be giving of our time not just our money to help people. James the brother of Christ writes,
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?”
James 2:14-20
Please think about it.
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