Tag: gospel

Determined – thoughts on the state of the world

This is Jasper, a border collie-maremma cross. His temperament is by far more maremma than collie. he is very determined. He lived with us when we had the acreage, but when we moved to the city, he and Misty, the border collie, moved to a friend’s farm, where they live happily today.

Border collies are hyperactive herding dogs that seem to have to work to live. Maremmas are livestock guard dogs that are content to lie on a raised area, surveying their kingdom and flock with regal authority until danger arises. Then watch out.

Jasper is a master at regally surveying his domain until danger arises. Unless there’s a squirrel. A squirrel throws a switch in his brain, and he just must get them. Then he thinks he’s a hunting dog crossed with a beaver.

You can see from the picture that he has a squirrel treed and is determined to bring it down. Yes, he gets so excited that he gnaws the tree.

That’s determination…or madness.

There’s a lot of that sort of determination come madness in the world. The world is determined to dethrone God and do whatever it wants. That’s bad enough, but they want everyone else to celebrate the insanity.

What is evil is now considered normal, even virtuous, by many.

The Bible has some thoughts on that subject. The prophet Isiah was inspired by God to write on the subject 2800 years ago.

Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood, who draw sin as with cart ropes, who say: “Let him be quick, let him speed his work that we may see it; let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near, and let it come, that we may know it!” Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight! Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink, who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of his right! Isaiah 5:18-23

Paul opened his epistle to the church in Rome by talking on the subject (it’s worth taking a moment to read Romans 1 in full).

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Romans 1:20-23

Such people are under the wrath of God. Still, there is hope they will see the light and turn back before it’s too late.

Our job isn’t to hate or judge these people; it’s to love them. Loving them doesn’t mean that we accept or follow their view, but it does mean that we pray for them, meet their needs when we can, and treat them as our neighbours.

We, too, were lost in our sin and enemies of God at one point, and in His mercy, He reached down and saved us. Let’s pray He does the same even for those we might consider our enemies.

Be blessed

Kevin

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28 January 2026
Crowns of glory

I like to watch water drip and form perfect little crowns as it impacts the surface beneath it. I’ve never quite managed to get the photo of that event I wanted, so this morning I’m using someone else’s shot to illustrate it (I couldn’t track down the photographer’s contact info, so I couldn’t give them credit).

What can I say? Some people say small things amuse small minds, but personally, I think we simply become blasé and ambivalent about much of what we see about us. We look and see, but we never truly see.

The physics involved in creating the drop aside, I think that it is quite a spectacular event every time it happens. We tend to overlook it because it is small and common, but every one of those marvelous crowns is unique and really something to behold. It happens so fast that it is very difficult to appreciate without the aid of a photograph, but it is majestic, nonetheless. None of the crowns worn by any king or queen has the same beauty as that of a simple raindrop or the drip of atap.

That’s kind of humbling in a way. God dresses the everyday raindrop in a crown of splendor that surpasses the crown jewels of any monarch that ever lived. We are surrounded by infinite beauty created by God that we simply never take the time to notice.

The crown of the raindrop, the puff of a dandelion, the curve of a mouse’s whiskers, and more escape our gaze, yet they surround us.

When I am trout fishing, the flash of a rainbow as a trout leaps out of the water should take my breath away, but I often miss it in the excitement.

Such things are not seen with our busy eyes. They require us to be still and truly look at our surroundings. When we do that, we can sample a taste of the glories of God.

These things are to be appreciated, but not worshipped; after all, we worship the creator, not the created. Yet they can draw us ever closer to Him.

We are called to pause and think on Him.

Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him, and he will act.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
    and your justice as the noonday.

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
    fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
    over the man who carries out evil devices! Psalm 37:5-7

“Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10

I can hardly wait until glory, when we will be able to truly appreciate all He has created without the veil of sin on our eyes. When we can do that, I think we will be much more able to give Father the praise and glory due His name.

When was the last time you stopped and were still? I mean, truly still with no background music, no cell phone, just you and God and the wonders of His creation. When was the last time you paused to look at the wonders of His handiwork?

If you are like most of us, it has been too long. Take some time today and just look for the crown jewels our Lord has put in your path.

Be blessed

Kevin

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26 January 2026

Tag: gospel

Determined – thoughts on the state of the world

Crowns of glory

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