A phantom pregnancy (Is 26:19) instills hope, while imposing pain, discomfort and inconvenience.
The mind evokes that if there is a strong need to be pregnant or as deep a need for attention.
Yet she can go through it all only to produce wind.
Paul's “a form of godliness without the power thereof”, also implied effort without fulfillment.
Marketers and managers manipulate perceptions to get more from us or to lull us into a false self of security; but busyness is no substitute for what really matters - as Martha found.
I must ask: is church a departure lounge or a terminus? Is this as good as it gets? Were we meant to be tamed by a pew, do weekly oil changes and then end our years with a groan (Ps 90:9)?
The Jews could have settled in the Wilderness, but God saw a Promised Land. Jacob could also have accepted the moving goalposts of Laban, but God saw his higher purpose.
We too need to know that our faith hasn’t arrived. There is more and it is real, not a thankless sigh for all our toils.
(c) Peter Missing: bethelstone@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment