Friday, December 28, 2012

God Is Constant

God Is Constant

12/28/12




Human nature calls us to move around at times even if our movement is just next door to visit the neighbor.  Human nature also allows us to change our minds if we need to about certain or all types of conditions that we encounter and as humans we make choices on a minute by minute basis and most of the time we do not even bat an eyelash when we accomplish this measure.  It is difficult for us to understand a being that is constant and does not have the need for change, especially since this person has already figured out every circumstance that a human can encounter.  So, why do we struggle so much with God and His ability to stay constant, shouldn’t that be a positive for our daily lives?  I guess giving up the “self” portions of our lives do not come as natural as one may wish.

Growing up in a minister’s home brings many opportunities for plans and personal activities to be altered at any given moment.  That is part of the territory and it should not be questioned at all.  Some pastor’s kids resent this activity and others have no problems with it and readily accept the challenge of constant change within their walls.  But with all of the changes we are still human and we have to adapt to a new person in our home at 10 pm or we have to one day leave our friends and move across the state or maybe even across the country.  This type of activity can take a toll on our lives but for the most part humans have the capability of being mobile in our desires and it is no big deal.

When you look at society today one will notice that the living conditions are very similar to a pastor’s family, there are not many people these days that actually have the opportunity to stay in one town or area for their entire lives.  The communication options and easy travel methods have changed our sedentary lifestyle and made it a global one and as stated above this is really not a bad thing for our lives.  However, when we have been at work for a long time or have been on a long trip out of the country it is always nice to return back home or see familiar sights within our houses.

This type of change can happen within an individual as well and it very common as we get older and so called “wiser”  I have to admit that I fall into this category and in fact it was not too many days ago that my wife actually told me this when a certain moment occurred at the house.  I had no reason to disagree with her for she was right and if that circumstance had happened a few years back, I would have reacted totally different.  Wiser?  I do not know, but I would like to believe that this action of mine that I had a few days ago was a whole lot better than my actions would have been a while back.

If we stop and think about things for a bit we have to admit that everything that humans do will change in some shape, form or color at some time.  We color our hair or our hair changes color by itself.  Our food tastes change over time and so does what society considers to be “hip”.  The buildings that we build shift with time and their foundations are subject to cracking, yes the concrete on our roads even cracks at some point and has to be repaired.  Limbs on trees break off and birds migrate to another part of the land.  We are totally subject to changes around us and we could not leave out the changes in the environment including the seasons.  So if we can withstand all of these constant changes in our lives why is it so difficult for us to believe in a God that is constant, kind of ironic and puzzling don’t you think?

God cannot change and He has no reason to change since He has already provided humanity with all of the answers.  Our only problem is that we ignore or refuse to accept the liability of our vulnerability to our enemy.  We do not like to believe that there are unseen forces that control our decisions, motions, thoughts and actions but these forces are real and they influence us on a constant basis.  Now, if God was not constant and all knowing then the enemy would automatically have the advantage in the area of choices.  Think about this for a moment, if God did not have all things and situations covered beforehand then our enemy could actually block us from having any contact with God and then influence us to ignore God since He had not provided a direct connection to Him.  The choice to accept Him and to have a relationship with Him would be shut down and cut off from us and would force God to change His ways and if this would ever to happen our enemy would automatically say that God is fallible and made a mistake.

A while back I wrote a little bit about our minds and the capability that they have.  Our minds are fascinating structures and the abilities that it has are still being discovered.  But we are limited in how many things that we can comprehend even if we try and cram all of the information into the world our minds still cannot compose any logical meaning to some of these things, but we have the opportunity to learn more and more and as science, medicine, and other areas of study come into light our potential for learning continues to grow.  But with God this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to His knowledge and it is impossible for us to understand or comprehend this type of knowledge capacity.  And this type of knowledge explains why His path is one of he straight and narrow and not broad in stature.

A steady and consistent course is provided for those of us who accept that God is all knowing and in control of all things.  There is no need for the major changes that the world has to offer which we all know would lead to destruction since our enemy has control of this domain.  We cannot change the fact that we are in this world and that we have to walk on our paths while living in this world.  But we do not have to accept everything that the world has to offer especially if it separates us and demoralizes us from God. 

Many human laws have changed over the years but God’s laws have remained constant, why is this?  Well, it is because has already made His laws based upon the fact that He knows everything including the past, present and the future so why would He make an irrelevant law?  Our only problem is that we as humans try and interpret His laws in the human form and apply these laws to our own standards, which totally negates the reasoning for God’s laws in the first place.

We do not have the authority to override God’s laws and believe me humans in the past have tried their best to accomplish this feat and everyone who has tried has failed miserably.  So why is it so hard for us to accept this fact that God is constant for a reason and that if we look towards Him for our guidance that everything will be ok in the end?  Things may not always be easy and we must admit that while we are going through our messes that we have created for ourselves that we should learn from them and understand that we do not have to make the same mistake again if we choose not to.  This is a principle that God established a long time ago and it is called restoration and through this process we do not have to recreate the failures of our past all we have to do is to accept His laws and we will know in the future what is acceptable and what is not in our lives.  Is there a real problem with having this type of concept in our lives?

God’s plan for our redemption and restoration does not fall within the change category either.  From the fall of man it has been God’s desire and plan for humanity to be restored back unto Him.  It was OUR decision to break the perfect state of our lives way back when and it was OUR decision to play into the hands of our enemy and it OUR choice to accept that we have made these past mistakes and to accept the restoration process that God has provided for us.  All of us live within this world and the laws of the land and all of us have the choice to obey the laws that man has made or to break them, the same goes with God’s laws as well.  Man’s laws have up to a lifetime of consequences but God’s laws are eternal in nature and in stature. 

It is not God’s desire for us not to have the ability to change our minds or our philosophies concerning our lives and our world.  Changes are a part of nature but it is important for us to remember that God is the one that allows us to complete these changes to our lives d it is His desire that the changes that we decide upon would bring us back to Him and not further separate us from our true Father.  His ways are only present to protect us from all harm and against the enemy that wishes to destroy us.

God loves us very much and it His desire for us to be restored to our rightful place within is Kingdom but in order for this to occur we must accept the fact that nothing God has created cannot change and this inability of change is actually the initial means that provide for our restoration.  We will never understand or comprehend everything that God does or has done or even will do but if we accept that He is in control of everything, restoration is present within our lives and our ways will automatically begin to fall away.  This act is the definition of true freedom and it is a freedom from within first and then outward which is exactly the way God intended for us to live.






DLB

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Christmas Tree in the Clouds

Christmas Tree in the Clouds

12/18/12




There are certain examples about God that we cannot understand and then there are those that God allows us to equate with Him.  Many people try to limit these sayings, phrases, stories and other symbols that remind us of God.  This is a constant battle that has occurred for many centuries just not now.  It is our duty as a human race to cling to these symbols as tightly as we can for our eternal gratitude of life itself will be washed away if we decide to give them up in any way.

This fall in Colorado has been a very unusual year with warm temperatures and no real measurable moister to speak about.  The days were shorter of course but for many of these days there were hardly any clouds in the sky which provided us with warm temperatures, so warm that some people were still cutting their lawns on a routine basis in mid November.  Usually in the fall we see a few storms that produce moisture and bring in colder temperatures as well.  It is these storms that serve as a foundation for our winter blanket of snow which will in turn serve as the water source for our crops in the spring and summer.

With this year being unusually dry and warm even the skeptics of cold weather have been wishing for storms to come in the area.  For the first time in a while a minor storm was approaching the area which gave us an opportunity to receive some badly needed moisture.  One of the people in the area said that one of our main reservoirs was about 45 feet low, which does not seem like much but one must consider that the reservoir that I am talking about is approximately 40 miles or more in length when you add in all of the branches and coves that is a part of its capacity.  So any precipitation that can begin our recovery would be surely welcome.  What we fail to recognize is that it is our lack of giving that is actually responsible for our dryness and our lack of the necessities of life, I am not talking about water now but the necessities of life itself, and our eternal life is what is at stake.

The other day I was walking around my work complex and I was looking at the clouds and as I was scanning the sky I saw a cloud that was lower than the other clouds and it was in the shape of a Christmas tree.  Now, I have always been one that had trouble with making out shapes of clouds unlike others that I have known.  They can look at a cloud and picture at least three different shapes that a single cloud can form, or so it would seem to form, but me I cannot do this.  So this was a shock to me when I looked up and immediately saw this cloud shape.  And of course it was not me that noticed the shape it was God who showed it to me because as soon as I got over the idea that I could see the Christmas tree shape God began to show me what He was saying.  Yes He had a message for you, that was a cloud in the shape of a Christmas tree.

First of all God wants us to know that He understands the meaning of the Christmas tree and that He knows that the Christmas tree is really not a true symbol of Him alone but it is a symbol that we as humans put up to remind us and others that our hearts are filled with cheer, thanksgiving and giving no matter what our circumstances have been for that year.  And it is through the gifts that we have received from Him that actually fill our hearts with gladness for everyone to share.

God also wants us to know that He sees and understands all of the troubles that we have faced over the past year.  He also sees and understands the tense times that we are facing right at this moment and He also sees and understands the future and all of the things that humanity will face then.  But most importantly God wants us to know that He loves us and that the only way that we can understand life and everything that it has to offer is if we continue to have the gift of giving residing within our hearts.  The gift of giving actually is a part of God and it this part of Him that is responsible for the spirit of the Christmas tree.  So, even though the Christmas tree is not a direct symbol of God in the physical sense, it does represent God in the spiritual sense when it comes to the act of giving.

The greatest gift that was ever given to humanity was the gift of Jesus Christ and everything that He represented to the concept of giving.  No God did not have to provide this way of life nor did He have to allow His Son to die a horrible death so that we might have an opportunity to be in contact with God the Father once again.  But because he loved us so much He gave His Son for us and it is through the gift of giving that we can receive true life as we have never known it before, even in bad or tough times.  It is for this reason that God desires for us to keep the concept of giving close to our hearts and for us never to lose the desire to give for when we have lost this gift then we have lost a direct connection to God.  The concept of giving should be a continual act within our lives and not just for one season, it is a privilege for a person to give something to another and it is not an obligation for an obligation is not an act of love but of selfishness.

The act of giving also recognizes that the person who loves to give has established a relationship with life itself and through this example there is no better way to express one’s caring for humanity.  The Christmas tree in a child’s eyes represents every hope that he or she will receive the one true gift that they desire, which is exactly what God the Father did for us many years ago, not only on the cross but also when He gave us life itself.  Everything that we know about life is a loving gift yet we sometimes forget this concept.

We forget this concept about giving because we have allowed ourselves to fall into the trap of receiving.  There is nothing wrong with receiving a gift or even multiple gifts from others but it is when the desire to receive these things becomes greater than the desire to give gifts to others that our lives take a tragic turn.  For when this event occurs in this order, our concept of living becomes selfish and it is in this state where our hearts become cold and distant from humanity.  If you look at our society today, this concept is exactly what is being filtered into our minds and the ideology of take, take and take is becoming our rule of law.  When people operate in a selfish manner no relationship no matter what the size or category cannot survive it will die a slow and steady death.  Why is this?  Because when self comes before others you are actually stealing from humanity and since you are part of humanity you are stealing from yourself first and then turning around and stealing from others, which provides you with a net of zero or nothing which is a very grim outlook on life.

God understands that dry times are coming and for some it has arrived now.  These dry times will test us and it will test our courage and strength to continue to have the willingness to give to others.  It is very important that during these times that we do not give up the desire to give and to actually water the Christmas tree spirit within others.  Not only do we need to continue this concept of giving but we need to continue to keep God in our lives as well.  We cannot rely on others to show us these ways, it is our responsibility and a necessity for our survival to follow this guideline.  For if we do not then our hopes and dreams of life itself will be dashed from our hearts and we will sink into a selfish society in which it will demand everything from us and then we will be in need for everything.

So please remember God wants us to live in happiness and with cheerful hearts and the only way that we can do this is if we continue to have the Christmas tree image within our hearts.  Ignore the worldly calls for abolishing the Christmas tree spirit and embrace its love of giving to everyone that you meet.  It will do wonders for you and your family when you defy the world’s listings of selfishness.  Everyone desires to have pure relationships and there is none better than having a relationship with others through the spirit of the Christmas tree.  The tree farmer grows trees so that one day a child can sit beside it and look at the gifts that he / she is about to receive and with a thankful heart open those gifts and proudly display them to everyone around the room.  As parents we glow in the expressions on our children’s faces when we see them open gifts so why should be deprive others from this same experience.  Give and give freely with a glad heart and many rewards will be given to you in return.

God is the ultimate symbol of the gift giver and we are modeled in His image so it is natural for us to have the same quality of giving within our lives.  I pray that we do not lose the meaning of the Christmas tree within our daily lives.  It is a statement of relationship when do and a sign of death when we do not.  If you have lost your Christmas tree, then there is time for you to restore it back into your life and when you do you will experience the gift of life forever more.  So when your eyes see clouds or when your eyes see clear blue skies remember the Christmas tree in the clouds and the gift that you have when you see it.





DLB

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Do You Have A Lighthouse?

Do You Have A Lighthouse?

12/13/12




For those of us who live in a land locked state or country it is hard to imagine just how important a lighthouse is when the conditions of our world are not favorable.  Even living in these conditions we need to have a lighthouse present in order to make it through our own storm and it is just as important that we look for our lighthouse while we are going through our storm because we cannot make it on our own in good times much less in troubled times.

As most of you know the majority of my past articles have included some type of history or historical setting within their context.  Up until about two decades ago I really could have cared less about history especially maritime history.  I did not realize just how important this type of travel was in human history and as I embraced this portion of history the realization of its unpleasant parts appeared along with its advantages.  There were no airplanes or huge cargo ships to transport the goods necessary for human survival and their luxuries, only a large fleet of feeble ships that made dangerous journeys and at the mercy of the seas on a routine basis.

Given the fact that my country is a little over 300 yrs old it is a relatively new comer to the world stage yet we have become the most powerful nation on earth.  This fact still excites me but it scares me at the same time since the expectations are so high on a continual basis.  Yet, there are many people and nations throughout the world that do not approve of our positions and wish us some type of harm.  This is actually a normal position to be in when someone or in this example a nation is in this place.  Only in governmental controlled states is 100% satisfaction present and we all know what is occurring when this percentage of people are in agreement with the leadership.

There is an old song that some of us are familiar with and it has been sung in churches for decades now.  It was written in a prayer tower overlooking a valley and not the ocean.  The ocean is a few miles away but really cannot be seen from the tower but one has to remember that a lighthouse has a glass top that totally encompasses the lighthouse which allows the light to make a full 360 degree circle when the light, this is because storms do occur over land as well and people still look to the lighthouse for directions while on land.  The song continues and paints a beautiful picture of Jesus being the example of safety during the storm that is raging.  As one forms an image of Jesus in our minds as we sing this song we have to understand that the image that we have will be different than the person standing next to us, and even though the image may be slightly different the nature of Jesus is the same and His guidance and restoration shall never waiver o differ in any form.  There are many trials that our lives may encounter and we must remember that the lighthouse is strategically placed in a spot that will provide navigational support when things are not going as smoothly as possible.  

Yes, lighthouses actually help people that are on land as well.  Light will penetrate through the thickest of fog, driving rain, or any other natural conditions including thick smoke.  People on land need guidance just as much as ones on the water, the dangers are still as great.  So as the lighthouse is for everyone in its area so is Jesus to the entire world.  It is important for us to remember that if we go through storms that other people are going through storms as well and even though we do not know them it is still our duty to point them towards the light to help them along the way.  We may be alongside them in the storm or in their vicinity at the time it is not our responsibility to show them our light but the true light of protection and guidance that comes from the lighthouse.

The other day I was looking around some of my emails and I one of my groups that I am in is all about pictures of places, people, and things all around the world.  The majority of the emails within this group are of land scenes from countries around the world.  I have really enjoyed this group and the pictures that I have looked at over the past few years.  One of the emails jumped out at me as its title was simply lighthouses.  I instantly thought that this was unusual since the group does not post too many sea pictures.  So I clicked on the email and the pictures began to download onto my screen.

Lighthouses have always been a fascinating concept to me.  They are simple buildings that are strategically placed in areas that in time of need will provide a passing ship with the navigational support it needs to safely guide its way around and away from the dangers that are presented.  Lighthouses come in various sizes and shapes and have an array of colors that is spectacular to observe when the weather is good.  But in every case these physical features serve as a life saving beacon that stretches far and wide when the weather conditions are not favorable.  A sea faring person can tell you that it is always comforting to see a lighthouse as their ship approaches the harbor or a land surface, no matter how many times they have travelled that route.  One simple light going in one direction has the power to allow a huge ship with all of its cargo to pass safely without being damaged on the ground or shallow rocks as it approaches land.   And we all know that we cannot trust our compasses in every storm that we are facing, sometimes even they can guide us in the wrong direction, which serves as a perfect example of why a lighthouse is the essential guidance system for all ships that go through storms.

As the first picture opened on my screen I was amazed at the beauty of the lighthouse.  It was a simple structure that was white in color and it was relatively short in stature.  I sat in my chair and stared at the scenery for a few moments.  On top of the lighthouse was a Turkish flag and it was then that one of my so-called “duh” moments hit me.  Then I turned my eyes from the lighthouse itself and began to scan the other portions of the picture which included the surrounding coastal lands and of course a small shot of the water that was close by.  As I panned up into the upper left hand corner of the picture I was I saw the word “Turkey” which I knew that is where the picture was taken because of the flag but it served as some type of confirmation to me that the picture was real.

I continued my search of the pictures and I found out that all of them were pictures of lighthouses from around the world.  The “duh” moment came to me because for some reason I had never realized that lighthouses were present all around the world and have been for a very long time.  Now, one would think that a person seeing a lighthouse would believe that they would be present all over the place, but for some reason my head had isolated these countries from this life saving structure, even though I knew that the world was present and that their main international travel was by ship long before we arrived on the world’s scene.  So in other words my mind was locked into the fact that my setting was one of the few that were actually present in the world, yet my reading told me differently.  How many of us tend to forget this idea?  I know that in many areas of he church world we have done the exact same thing towards people and in showing them the true light that is out there for their protection and guidance for restoration.

I could not believe this oversight that I had of something so simple and basic.  It was shocking to me at the blindness that I had in this area, n short I felt foolish for my lack of realization and it was at this moment that God decided to place a thought into my head.  I continued my scrolling of the pictures and I noticed that all of them had many shapes, sizes and colors.  Not one of them had the same appearance as the previous picture.  None of the pictures were drawing they were all digital pictures that someone or some people had taken at some point in time.  It was this variety of structure shapes that God showed me what He wanted me to share.

Many of us that have been in the western world have at one time seen a picture of a lighthouse and it has been compared to God and that through His Son our lives could be protected in a manner of salvation especially in a huge storm.  At first I kind of told God that I already knew this and so did everyone else that had laid eyes upon one of these pictures.  But it was another detail that He was trying to get me to see and to understand.

We all know that humans come in different shapes, sizes and colors.  These patterns have been a part of us for a very long time and this fact will not change as long as humans walk this earth.  It does not matter what shape or size we are packaged and it is our need to understand that even our names cannot separate us from these physical traits.  God wants you to know that Jesus appears to us in the same manner as these pictures of lighthouses.  To some He might be a short, fat red lighthouse and to others He might appear to b a tall 200 foot white lighthouse.  Each of our storms will be unique to our lives and so must be the lighthouse that is present along the rocks to protect us from crashing up against them.

For a very long time we have placed the concept of a lighthouse as a tall, one shaped and sized structure which everyone should immediately recognize.  This is so not true, each one of us are individuals and we have just as individual recognition points within our lives.  God understands that since we are individuals that we will have different ideas about all things and the way that we approach these things will vary just as much.  Having a true relationship with God is an individual experience and for us to come to this realization we must first realize what sacrifice occurred to allow us to have a personal relationship with our creator once again.  So, why wouldn’t God set His example to us in different shapes, sizes and colors that we can relate with?

When you look back in our lives one can honestly say that while we are going through storms our enemy is not providing us with a security light.  The only thing that he is providing is a storm that is quickly becoming the perfect storm that will surely take us closer to the rocks of destruction if some guidance is not present.  That is why in all of the movies or stories that we have witnessed tell of a person or people on the ship in a storm looking out to see what dangers are present and to see if land is around.  We perform this act within our lives as well during these times.

It must be acknowledged that not everyone will follow the light that is being given for them.  It is a fact that some will ignore the warnings and will travel on their own way.  Each person no matter what the situation is in their lives has the personal choice to look at the light and choose whether or not to heed its instructions of safety.  We cannot force them to see or to follow the light for if we try then we actually become a part of their storm instead of an instrument showing the light that will guide them out of the storm.  As with a physical lighthouse Jesus will never lose His light for the world.  There are backup batteries in a lighthouse that will automatically kick in when the main power source is removed and so is the eternal power source that flows from God through Jesus on a continual basis that shall never be dimmed or shut off, no matter how hard some may try.

For those who have travelled a path many times have said that they look for landmarks that bring back some certain comfort and peace of mind when they are headed towards their destination.  These landmarks can be anything that he mind can process and a lighthouse is a wonderful setting for this type of attraction.  In these familiar paths the lighthouse is an anticipated sight that secures our sense of security and to the person who is on an uncertain path the lighthouse provides a welcomes sight for the weary and unsure mind that someone has been here before them and has provided a monument of guidance.

So for those of us who live close to the ocean and are privy to look at a lighthouse on occasion please do their structures are wonderful to look at and please remember that I am jealous of your setting.  For those of us who do not live close to a lighthouse, I suggest that you go to the internet or to the bookstore and locate some items on lighthouses and place them into your memory as a reminder of their presence in our world.  In whichever category you fall into always remember that there is a place of reference that we can access to remind us that God is in control and that He has provided a guiding light, the one true guiding light, for all mankind to follow.  It is a simple light that is not fancy or elaborate by any means.  It is simply a light that shines bright so that we all have an opportunity to understand the dangers that we are facing whether it be in good living conditions or bad ones, this light shall never fail.





DLB

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Even the Ground Knew

Even the Dirt Knew

12/8/12




We know how the human portion of the story in the garden turned out and all of the happenings that transpired between God and them but have we actually looked at the perspectives concerning the dirt?  You know the dirt was there too and it did have a consequence placed on its existence as well.  Let us look at things from the dirt’s point of view since we do have a direct connection to this substance it will be an interesting story to understand.

As the sun comes up to begin a new day I can feel that the animals are beginning to stir.  It is always a comfortable feeling to know that another evening has passed and all of the animals are ready to go and take care of their daily activities.  Each footstep and hoof step I feel as the animals go about things without a care in the world.  I can smell the remnants of the dew from the previous afternoon and the gentle breeze stirring up my top layers a bit.  All of these activities thrill me beyond all content knowing that God is in control of things and that He will soon grace us with His presence and that my existence is present within a perfect state of being.

Most people would think that the life of dirt would be an easy one since all we do is just lie around and wait for some type of moment or environmental element to change our views.  This is not the case since we have a specific purpose that God gave us and we have a duty to uphold the standard in which He has charged us.  The duty that He gave us was creation of man and out of our specifications God chose to create His prize possession.  Now, I have no idea of why God chose us dirt particles to use to create humans but I do know it was a complex process that took God but a short time to complete but was interesting to watch.  I also cannot tell you exactly what happened during the creation process but I do know that God knew exactly what He was doing with all of the twists, twings, pokes and sowing together of thingy-doos which formed a human.  To this day I sit in amazement in how He actually made the masterpiece.

For a long period of time everything was great in the garden, there were no problems whatsoever and everyday was like a new beginning.  Happiness filled the air and the conditions for life were perfect with nothing left out of the mix.  Everyone looked forward to God showing up and spending time with all of us.  Even though He did not speak directly to us all the time just being in His presence gave us the assuredness that we were safe and that everything was just as it was supposed to be.  Even the animals would gather around to witness the conversations that God had with the humans, just to hear His voice not a creature would miss the opportunity to be a part of the event.

One day I heard an unfamiliar voice in the garden.  I tried to see who it was but me being in my current condition I could not move a centimeter.  So I waited and hoped that the voice would come closer so I could get a glimpse of who it was.  It was not long until the voice began to speak to another voice which the second voice I recognized.  The first voice was talking smooth words and phrases to the second voice which responded in receptive tones.  At first I was not concerned but after a while of listening to the voices converse back and forth the conversation became intense and serious.  The questions that the strange voice presented to the second voice, the female, wee of a provocative manner in which she entertained most readily.  This is where my concerns began since I understood both sets of voices and I knew that the stranger in town was up to no good.

But what could I do about it, I had not the means to stop her from listening to the stranger who became more and more intense with his suggestions the longer she listened to him.  Another question popped into my thinking, where was the male and why was he not wanting to know where the female was at?  Not once did I hear him calling for her or even being in the same vicinity as she and the stranger.  I found all of this activity to be odd behavior upon both the male and female creations.  This activity went on for quite some time and the stranger and the female continued their conversations even though God stopped by and talked with all of us each day.  I did not trust this stranger but I had no authority to speak my concerns to those to whom it mattered.  All I could rely upon is that God knew what was going on and that He had everything under control.

One day as I was watching the wind blow and basking in its cool breeze I noticed the stranger and the female talking again.  But this time the stranger must have said something to her that was unsettling since the expressions on her face were not her usual happy tones.  As the moments passed he must have eased her mind since the smile returned and the conversation turned back into a two sided setting.  They began to move around a bit and then headed in a specific direction.  I had no idea of why she was going with the stranger to another place but I knew that they had a destination since neither of them was looking confused about where they were headed.

My curiosity got the best of me and I began to try and communicate with my fellow dust particles on the same path that the female and the stranger were walking.  You know how hard it is to grab another dirt particle’s attention when it is in the presence of a perfect and Holy state believe me it puts a whole new meaning to Holy ground.  Anyway, I finally got the attention of some other particles and I asked them what was going on and hey said that the two were headed for the center of the garden.  Immediately I sensed trouble and began to look towards the sky for a gust of wind that would take me towards that specific area.  I received my wish and a great gust of wind lifted me off of my resting place and carried me into the vicinity of where the two figures were headed.  I actually had a great seat which was on a rock close by.

I saw the two figures talking and then pointing to the tree.  This tree I knew about since God had made it very clear to every living creature that they should not have anything to do with it and not even to go near it for any reason.  But the stranger placed his hand upon the female’s shoulder and gently patted her which seemed to reassure the female of their position.  I quickly looked around to see if the male human was close by or coming but with no luck he was nowhere to be found.  At that moment both figures turned toward the tree and looked at it for a few seconds.  The female then took her arm and moved it slowly towards the tree; it was obvious that she was going to pick a fruit from the tree.  The garden was still and not much movement was occurring besides the arm and hand of the female.  I watched in horror as her hand reached the fruit and then grasped it.  As her hand touched the fruit she turned quickly to the other figure who nodded his head in agreement, but what I found kind of interesting is that he was not reaching for the fruit only she was. 

She then turned her head back towards the tree and pulled a fruit from the tree and immediately bent her arm and moved her hand to her mouth and bit into the fruit.  I was stunned since it was one quick motion after the decision had been made.  The strange figure then placed his hand on the female once again and patted her shoulder gently all the while him saying something to her.  Fear was in her eyes and nothing but small laughter protruded from his mouth.  The act was over and the choice had been made now the garden became still and quiet. 

Having been created some time back I had witnessed many different settings within the garden but change was not one of the things that I had ever witnessed before and certainly not the hush of the wind during the day.  Even the animals were not making their normal noises while they moved around.  Come to think of it, no animals are really moving around, that is odd.  What has happened to the surroundings that a few hours ago were bustling with all kinds of activity?  Why am I even questioning about things that are around me and what kind of feeling is this that I am experiencing, just as the humans are feeling now.

The female then ran to the male human and told him of what she had done and showed him the fruit and he noticed that not much had changed in her appearance.  He then heard a noise coming from one of the bushes and when he looked to see what was approaching he noticed the serpent with his cold dark eyes.  The female then turned to see what was approaching as well and when she noticed who it was she gave a gentle smile, returned her focus on to the male and presented the fruit to the male.  She gently said to the male for him to look at her and to see if there was any difference in her since she had eaten of the fruit.  The male looked at her and noticed nothing out of the ordinary and as his eyes returned to hers she looked at him with the smile that only she could give.  The male then gave in to the wishes of the female and agreed to eat and completed this act as soon as the fruit was close to his mouth.  

As soon as the bite was taken the changes began to be felt.  I immediately began to look around and it was unusually quiet for some reason and at that moment I did not fully understand what was happening but not much had happened even after the fruit was eaten however, something was odd between the humans they were standing around acting differently and having a conversation that was hard to comprehend.  As I listened to their words unfold I got the feeling that they had no idea of what to do or where to go, but was most puzzling to me was why they were acting in such a manner.  I saw them turning in circles as if they were looking for someone but not finding whomever they were searching for.  I followed their eyes and I too noticed that they were the only forms around and I found it odd that the other figure was now missing from the area as well.

It was not long afterwards that the humans left the area and headed off in another direction.  I did notice something else peculiar about their departure from the area.  Up until a few days before they did everything together and always walked together holding hands and acting as if they were two forms that could not be separated as one functioning unit, they were always together but now they seemed separated from each other and both looked lost as they disappeared from my sight.  I could not just lie around and watch them leave without finding out what was going to happen next.  It was almost time for our Creator to show up and to have the daily talk with us.  His presence always made everyone feel secure and when He arrived the most indescribable peace always filled the air as He approached I cannot wait for that feeling again.

I caught the next short gust of wind and placed myself as close as possible to the regular meeting place.  I had a few moments to spare so I looked around the area and marveled in the fact that I knew night was coming and that I would soon be fast asleep after another visit from the Keeper of the garden.  But as I looked around I could not help but noticing that something seemed odd and I could not understand why I continued to feel this way, yet I sat and waited for the events of the afternoon to unfold.

The time had come for God to show up and I was excited to feel His presence again and sure enough like the eternal timekeeper that He was He showed up right on schedule.  But this time the humans were nowhere to be found which was very odd.  God began to ask where they were at and His eyes searched all around the area for their figures but none were seen.  His voice called out for them but no answer was heard in return.  He called out again and the concern could be heard in His voice but not in a panicking manner but in an authoritative voice as if a parent was looking for their child. 

In what seemed like an eternity the humans did not answer their creator nor did they come out from their hiding place.  Why were they hiding, that would be a question that I would soon learn its answer but for now I did not understand what their reasoning was.  God continued His holy search for the humans but stopped sort of begging for their appearance.  I found it fascinating that the creator of all things who had proven Himself to everything with His knowledge would struggle with not finding His creations as soon as He called for them since He had already known what had transpired a while back. 

I heard some noises coming from some of the bushes and then a human voice replied to Him with their location. I had never known them to hide from God nor have I heard such an unsteady voice coming from their mouths.  I could do nothing but sit and watch what occurred as each second passed and as I realized what was happening I knew that things had changed between god and man when He took a step backwards from them and the expression on His faced changed.  It was not of anger but of sadness yet He had a knowledgeable look upon His brow.  The serpent suddenly appeared from the bushes as if he had been supernaturally summoned in which he stood sheepishly in the background as if to try and stay hidden from the direct contact from God eyesight.  Why did God summon the serpent and what did God want from him during this tense time?  This was another question that I figured that I would witness being answered in a matter of a few moments; it was all a huge puzzle to this speck of dirt.

From my point of view it was difficult to understand what was being said so I looked around for a better spot and waited for the right gust of wind to place me into my desired spot, I had to wait for some time since the wind was still eerily calm but it finally came and I was blown to a much closer spot and my ears were now able to hear the detailed conversation.  From the first words that I heard it was not a pleasant conversation and the answers that the humans were providing to God was really not making any sense until the female spoke up and said a very powerful sentence.

The sentence was concerning the forbidden fruit and how she ate of it while being tempted by the serpent.  My eyes quickly turned towards the serpent who was standing out of line of questioning but well within hearing distance from the parties involved.  He had no expression on his face and he really did not seem too concerned with what was occurring between the humans and God, nor did it really seem to concern him that he had been implicated as the one who tempted the female.  I had never witnessed the serpent act in this manner, but I really never trusted a serpent either since they could be very tricky and sly at times.

The humans were really concerned for themselves and really did not truly address the real reason for disobeying what God had commanded, oh boy that was the answer to one of my questions and it also answered the question of why they were hiding, whatever happened to them they now understood what they did was wrong.  I could not believe their actions towards their creator, or lack of action I should say.  I could see the tension building up between the two humans and it got to the point where the male actually blamed the female for eating claiming that he was only doing what she wanted him to do.  This is when God dropped His shoulders and began His explanation to His children about the deeds that they had done.  He then told them that there had to be some consequences of their actions and that the consequences had to be placed upon them since of the disobedience.  At that moment I thought I saw a tear swell up in God’s eye as He began to speak of the results of their actions.

From the look that God had on His face this was not going to be a pleasant experience for the humans and I immediately thought to myself that I was sure glad that I was not involved in what they did.  At this time I had forgotten one small detail that I had thought about not too long ago and it was the connection between me and the humans which would link me to their punishment.  God stood there for what seemed like an eternity and as I sat and watched Him I knew that His heart was crushed and that He did not want to speak the words of correction.  But at the same time you could feel His presence all around the area and everyone knew that even in this uncertain time He was still in control and that whatever He had to say next would be just and complete.

God’s voice rang out clear and strong yet it was calm and authoritative in its manner in a language that none of us could understand but immediately afterwards He turned towards the serpent who dropped his unconcerned look and took a step backwards and took refuge behind a tree all the while not breaking any eye contact with God as God began to speak to him.  I found it quite interesting that the serpent, who did not seem to care a few minutes ago, automatically came to attention when God turned towards him, it seemed like all of his fancy, cocky and arrogant powers betrayed him as soon as he made eye contact with God hence the retreat to the tree.

God began to address the serpent and calling out his deeds that he had accomplished with the female.  The serpent stood silent and watched God as He continued His presenting the truth.  While I was listening to God speak I could not help but wonder why the serpent was just standing there and not defending himself to all that was being said about him, but then again this was God speaking so everyone knew that the truth was coming forth. 

As God was speaking I witnessed something that I did not understand but the scene was awesome in its own right.  While God’s words were being spoken towards the serpent a figure began to emerge from the serpent and eventually stood next to the serpent.  The figure was just standing there and not moving yet God continued to speak towards the serpent like nothing was going on.  I wanted to speak up to God and to remind Him that another figure was there but He acted as if He understood what was occurring and did not break His words at all while the event unfolded.  The figure did not react to the Words of God towards the serpent nor did he even hesitate to defend the serpent while God was speaking the consequences of its participation, he just stood there and did not say a word.

I noticed that this figure had a unique appearance to him and yes he appeared as a man to my eyes.  I do not really know if he was an actual man or even human for that matter but I do know he was real and his presence was definitely not normal.  His beauty was overwhelming and his seductive being was almost all consuming yet it was suppressed at the same time by the aura that surrounded God.  It was like two forces that were competing for the same territory but even though one force had obviously won this round the greater of the two forces still had total dominance over the other, which explained why the figure was just standing there and not moving in any direction or saying a word.

The punishment came from God’s mouth and cursed the serpent to the ground and would be now loathed even from the cows in the land.  Ouch, that has to be a terrible feeling to be looked down upon by a cow.  I really did not feel slighted at all for I did not mind having another creature scurry about on my domain.  As God was continuing His words the shape of the serpent began to change with twisting and cracking sounds as its structure morphed into a new shape and within a few seconds it was reformed on its belly and the punishment for being a willing participant in the deception of the humans was completed.  The serpent knew not to leave since the task at hand was not complete but said nothing in return either.  I thought that this was going to be an interesting setting since all of the other creatures in the garden were created to walk or crawl on the ground but the serpent was in unfamiliar territory which made it a stranger to its own living environment.

I turned to look at the humans for a moment and the look on the human’s faces were of a somber nature and then another look came over them that I had not seen before.  It was hard to explain but it was like they now could not look at God face to face and that they did not want to look at Him for some reason.  I guess it had finally come to them that if the serpent’s actions had consequences then their actions will have their own consequences as well.  But within a few seconds after I had turned the presence of God surged again and His voice began to rise up with an enormous sense of authority as He then turned to the other figure and began to speak to him.

There was no need to for me to be any closer to the scene than where I was located, for God’s voice could not be misunderstood by any means it was clear and precise in its content and texture.  The overwhelming command in His voice was intended to be just that and there was no mistake that what He had to say was very direct towards the figure, yet it was also made for the human and even I to understand exactly what was being said.  God spoke to the figure with no condemnation but with a level of authority which at first I did not understand.  But as God was speaking one could tell that this was not the first time that the two had met and that something had transpired between them in the past.  God spoke to the figure as if at one time the figure had been a part of His world, or even had been a friend of His at some time; there was a connection there but I could figure it out right at that moment.

God spoke and told the figure that what he had orchestrated was the divine definition of division and that to his eyes it had seemed that he had accomplished his mission.  God recognized the fact that there was now a division between Him and His prized creation but He also said something at the same time that stunned the figure which caused him to rage with fury, not on the outside but on his inner being and the instant switch of inner emotion of the figure was fascinating to witness.  God said that even though there would be a great war between him and man, God would provide an escape from that battle that would come from the dirt lineage that He had created and that the escape plan would be aimed at his ultimate defeat in this war.

The punishment of the figure was complex in its consistency and it was not at all clear as to what would be allowed to transpire after the meeting was completed.  A couple of things were certain however, one was that the figure was allowed to continue his mission with man which was the intriguing portion of the situation because this portion was not surprising or worrisome to the figure it was the second part of the conversation that was the most puzzling to me yet very concerning to towards the figure.

It was riveting to wonder what was meant when God said to the figure that an escape plan was going to be made for His creation and that it would come through man himself and why this portion of the conversation made the figure so furious.  To me, a lowly piece of dirt, would think that from what had happened to the serpent that the figure actually got the better end of the deal since his shape was not altered nor was he confined to a certain location or job, in essence he was allowed to continue what he had started.  But I guess the escape clause had a deeper meaning to it that what I could understand right now and I guess we would have to wait and see what happens with that scenario.

God and the figure stood in their specific spots and stared at each other for what seemed like forever.  Even though no words were spoken verbally I could tell that some type of communication was occurring between them and I knew that it was not a pleasant conversation at all. I could almost see the two forces around them battling for supremacy but it was clear that God’s authority was far greater than that of the figure’s and yet they continued their standoff in a militant fashion. 

God continued His spiritual fight with the figure even though He now had turned towards the humans and focused His attention upon them.  The battle was so intense between God and the figure yet God still had the ability to focus His attention elsewhere and still maintain His authority in the ongoing battle so much so that the figure could not move an inch for he knew that if he did, he would automatically lose the battle yet it was obvious that he was losing anyway.

God then walked over to His beloved creations and gently stood with them as He began to speak with them.  I still was in no need to draw any closer to the scene since God’s voice was loud enough, yet gentle enough to be heard from my position.  He began with the words of acknowledgment about what had occurred with the disobedience with the one law that He had made between them.  He also stated that He understood the reasoning that both of them had for disobeying the law and then He stated that he understood the motives that the figure had for completing his mission upon their lives.  This was reassuring to them but at the same time the sense of urgency was still in the air as God began to deliver His message of separation between them. 

God stated the fact that every one of His creations came from the ground and that every one of these creations was created from a Holy state and that even they had been created from this environment.  God lifted His head towards the area around them and gently moved his arm in a single direction while saying that all of my creation has only known perfect and holy conditions and has not had any need to struggle for anything.  Every cycle has been completely provided for and want has not been a factor for their survival.  But through your disobedience against My one law everything that this earth knows must change in response to your acts.

Now, why did God just say that I thought to myself?  Why does He have to involve everything and every creature since it was them who disobeyed and not us?  Then another thought hit me as God said to the female that she would be in pain when she gave birth and that the multiplying of humans would come through her, that I too was dirt and they were formed from me and that means I would be in line for punishment as well, because if the female was going to experience pain in creating new things, then I would be the recipient of the same during the same conditions.  I then looked around and saw all of the vegetation that was coming from the ground yet up until now I did not feel any sort of discomfort when it grew from my being.

As God continued to speak to the female He made another remarkable statement which riled the figure to beyond a seething state.  Yes, he was sticking around as it seemed like he was still battling God’s forces all around him yet he completely heard the message that God was delivering.  God made it very clear in His words that the escape plan for the humans would come from her and that even though this process would be a painful experience the birth would provide an everlasting escape and that no man would be exempt from this opportunity.  Once again these words infuriated the figure but even so he could not turn away from the presence of God nor could he flee the area either, he had to listen to everything that was being said just as we were.

This was twice now that the idea of an escape plan had touched off a severe reaction from this figure, which his actions towards this plan further encompassed my beliefs that something big had happened between him and God sometime in the past and for some reason an escape plan for the humans was the pinnacle to their battles.  But right at the moment I had other things to witness as I returned to look at the female sitting before her creator and water coming forth from her eyes.  I had not witnessed this act before and it was quite gripping to watch.  God did not say anything in this situation but gently turned towards the male and looked at him with a concerned expression.

God began the conversation by saying something bold but truthful. He stated that the male was the completed form of the disobedience and that even though he was not the first to engage in the deception it was his act that completed it.  God’s voice did not change at all during this exchange but one could sense that it was of great importance of what the male had done and that his act that placed this new order into the world.  In other words, it was another sign of lineage that became the forefront of the attention of God which once again pointed its “finger” towards me.  I did not see this coming in my direction I thought but looking at the Holy order that God had created things it made perfect sense to me and I knew now that I was not going to escape the consequences of my lineage.

While God was making his point in letting the humans understand about the consequences of their actions He was also making his case for their escape plan which was totally getting under the skin of the figure across the way.  I could sense that God knew exactly what He was saying and that even though the words of consequence were making their mark on the humans their effect upon the figure was of a greater impact.  To look upon him was to see the true nature of anger and you could sense the feeling of revenge projecting from his being, but the question of “why” was still the remaining question that had not presented itself to me.

God continued explaining to the male the consequences of his actions which included the ground that which provides all things for the man, which brought my ears to attention very quickly since this was directly about me.  I gasped when I heard the word cursed even though I did not understand what the word actually meant but I had a sense that I was about to find out since as soon as the words came from the mouth of God I felt an unusual feeling within me one in which I had never known before.  What is a thorn and what do thistles have to do with my life but what I found frightening the most is that is if I understood God correctly, and deep down I knew that I had, He said that man would have to work the ground for his food and then weep when the day is over.  This process I did not understand since all of the environmental conditions that all of us had ever known was of a pure and natural state in which God was constantly providing.  Could this mean that God was leaving the earth and that we on the earth would be subject to another system of environmental conditions?  The punishment was beginning to hit home now since I was becoming directly involved in the line of consequences; and there is another one of those new painful sensations of mine but this time it was strong enough that I had to find another spot to move to, this one must be unsettling to me.

Then God said something that I had no comprehension about and when He began the words it even sparked the attention of the figure across the way.  At this juncture God spoke to both the humans and not individually as He had in the previous statements that He had made.  He used a phrase which was shocking to me and one that had to be explained to all of us, even though the words did not seem surprising to the figure at first.  God said that the humans would have to leave this world and that they would have to return to the ground in which they came from, but what was God meaning?  How could they go back into the ground and become a dust particle once again?  God said that one day that their lives would now end and that they would not know life as it has been and that while their physical bodies would not change much their functioning capabilities and the sustaining capabilities of their forms would at some point in time have to end.  So as I heard these words reach my ears I wondered it took a few moments for me to understand what God was saying.  When I realized what God was saying, even though I did not completely understand it yet, I quickly turned towards the figure across the way to see what he reaction was and evidently he had just figured it out as well and his temper flared once again which was automatically pushed back from the presence of God which was still in control of the area.  I took it that this act had something to do with the future escape plans that God had in mind, which as I turned back towards the humans it seemed like they had not fully received that memo but somehow the figure did.

God then said that this consequence was ultimately the result of both of the human’s actions since they were created as being one.  It was this consequence that would be eternal and that as long as human life existed that it would be the goal of every being to extend their presence on this ground but at some appointed time the conditions would be ripe for it all to end.  Some things were starting to make senses to me now especially with the behind the scenes knowledge between god and the figure.  The figure had specifically chose the humans to aggravate, why not the animals, the grass or vegetables?  There had to be something about the humans that the figure did not like or was it more than that in the fact that God created them for some special reason which made the figure look like an inferior being.  Then it would be a rational defensive and aggressive motive for the figure to retaliate against God, but why would he fight a losing cause?

Another pain hit me as I sat in my new spot on the ground this was becoming annoying I thought to myself and then looked around and noticed that I was not the only one having problems with unexplained pains, all of us were feeling the same way.  I could hear the grumblings of the other ground particles start as the pain began to make its way further the area and soon it was all that I could hear coming from the ground.  Shortly, I spotted something coming out of the ground next to me and my pain eased for a few moments.  It was a green looking object and was twisting and turning as it came higher into the air.  I had no idea at the time but my first thistle had appeared before my eyes.  The curse had begun in an instant and it looked like that it would be around for a while, but why would God allow this to occur on a place that He was standing on?

God then took a step back from the humans and lifted His eyes into the air.  Naturally, everyone followed by looking into the same direction as He, and we all saw a sight that we had never witnessed before.  A bright flaming light was descending upon the earth from an unknown location and its light was so brilliant that no one could seep a focus on it for very long.  As it came closer to the earth its magnitude and presence grew to an incomprehensible measure.  It stopped above the area and held its position as God lowered His head and looked towards the humans.  I had a feeling that this stage of the situation was going to be the most important, because as soon as the flame stopped the figure across the way became obviously nervous and the look that God had upon His face was of utter sadness.

God began with a shocking phrase which reinforced to the humans that He loved them very much and that He would never be totally away from them.  It was their responsibility to seek Him from now on and that it was His love for us that He would never truly be that far from us.  However, because of our actions and the consequences that had to be placed upon them and the earth that He could no longer dwell upon the earth as before.  These words actually sparked a smile from the unknown figure for it seemed like he now had won some sort of victory. 

God said that because of the actions that the humans did that they no longer could stay within the confines of their living area and that they had to leave immediately and God pointed into the direction in which the humans had to leave.  As soon as these words had been spoken the flame above all of us increased in size and the heat from it became unbearable.  There was no time for the humans to respond and they had no choice but to leave in the direction that god had provided.  When God pointed His finger in to the escape direction the figure became incensed because he now knew that God’s plan was in motion and that there would be no changing of the plan.  The flame once again began to move and it followed the path that God showed the humans to leave.  As the flame passed behind the humans I felt a sense of separation which I did not understand until I turned and looked towards God.

Up until now God had contact with the earth in the matter that His feet actually touched the earth as He walked around.  All of the times that He had been here His contact with the earth had been of a physical nature in which everyone could see and feel for themselves.  But now as the flame passed behind the humans God’s feet were no longer touching the ground but they were hovering over the earth, forming a divine separation from the earth in which He could no longer engage in since it was now unholy.  It was not a time for joy or happiness for all creation now understood a little of what was in store for their lives.

In an instant the stare down between God and the figure resumed and the tension was greater than ever.  As the two spiritual life forms continued their unspoken battles it felt like me and the other ground particles were being torn from God and that we now were not going to feel His presence in our lives.  Even though we had witnessed all of His glory, provisions, and creations we were now separated from His personal touch which was a feeling that we had not ever known before but I now knew that it would be a long time before this feeling would ever return.

God never took His eyes off of His most prized creation as they left the garden that day, nor did He say another word concerning the matter at that moment.  Even though He did not move an inch towards them His eyes followed them until they reached the garden edge.  When the humans reached the edge of the garden the flame took its position which would becomes its permanent home until the time was necessary for it to be moved by God.  The flame took the shape of a sharp object which had a point on the end of it but the flame did not go out nor did the image ever move.  It was clear that no human would ever enter the garden again and that life as we all knew it would never be the same. 

There was nothing said that the humans could not think about his time in the garden and I guess that he will always have the questions of “what if” cross their minds but I guess in reality this is the action that re-enforces the concept of the separation between God and man.  Even though we can remember what the garden was like and we can visualize it our minds and hearts, we can never close that gap that between Holy and unholy alone.  If one thinks about it this would be the perfect setting for the escape plan to be initiated, something to allow the human and god to be reconciled again even though the gap still remains.  God said it Himself that the escape plan would come through the human, no wonder the figure went wild when this was revealed.

God and the figure parted ways that day but I can constantly sense that they meet on a regular basis.  I still have not totally figured out all of the history between those two but one thing is definitely clear, the figure has no way of winning against the authority of God even though it appears that he has had at one time had access to God in some manner.  Kind of like God has set into motion a setting in which to prove to the figure that His creation will prove Him correct one day by means of their escape plan.

It did not take me very long to kind of understand what God had in mind when He created the human it was purely out of love and truth in creation.  I am still learning of all the potential that man has even though I am no longer in the garden myself.  I have witnessed many living conditions during my tenure and one thing has remained clear, that God still loves all of His creations just as much as He did when He first created them.  It is still difficult for me to understand my existence and for what I will be doing to contribute to this place called earth.  I still miss the direct presence of God in my life and I know one day that I will feel His touch again on my body, and even though I am small in stature and really have not made any significant marks on this earth, but I was privy to witness one of the most remarkable love stories that ever could have been written about, not too shabby for just a speck of dirt huh.








DLB