What a life changing word. My life long best friend called me a year or so ago to tell me her dad had cancer. I love my friend, and I prayed for her dad and the family, but honestly, I had no idea the effect that word has.
It is one of those things that if you have not been there, do not even try to say you understand. It is one of those things that truely gives insight into the whole God thing. God is in control and there is little we can do about it. God is just and soverign no matter how much we hurt. That is hard. Our flesh is so weak. Some things hurt so bad! The pain wants to taint our perspective and have us believe lies instead of Truth. Truth that makes no sense and rips away the illusions of us having any say in how we will live tomorrow.
My Nanny was told yesterday she has cancer. It is in her bones. She has been in severe pain for 8 weeks and now we know why. She takes care of her 3 grandchildren. She is going to the beach house because she does not know if she will ever get another chance to go. She got into bed with her husband of 30-something years last night knowing her tomorrow is in God's Holy Hands, and she has no say. What was important yesterday now means nothing. How incredible to have the perspective Ned must have right now! How incredible if we had that perspective. How shitty she got hers because of cancer.
This IS life. Our story is no different than anyone elses. We will not be featured on Oprah or even the local paper. This is just what happens in life. I trust God and believe He can and will do miricles. Even if He does not for Ned, He is still good. He is still Love. He is in control because He needs to be. What a mess we would make if we controled our own lives. I watched Click yesterday and it has a powerful message. If we could choose to skip the hard times, the trials, the things our flesh rebels from, we would. We are too weak to have that option. That is why we DON'T. We need those times. Mixed in with the trials is some powerful good. We just have to be willing to open our eyes and see it.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Thursday, November 02, 2006
A Different Opinion
I shared my view on Grace this am on a site I frequent and it was not recieved well. I do respect these other opinions, I just feel in the context of a non-Christian show, it may not be the intention of the writers. Anyway, like I said, here are some respected and very good Other opinions (get it? Other? HA!)
1 John 1:8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
Yeah, I agree with you on this one. I don't know the writer's intentions of the show, but I couldn't help but to compare my own religious beliefs. Eko said he didn't sin because he did what he thought was right to survive. He doesn't consider himself a sinner because he is trying to justify himself. He told his brother, "Everything I did, I did to save you." His brother said "You talk to me like I'm your brother."
This reminds me of Matthew 7:22-23Mat 7:22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?Mat 7:23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Eko never confessed his sins, instead he said, "Didn't I do this and this for you? I did it all in your name, to save you" His brother basically said, "You talk like I'm your brother, like you know me. But I'm not your brother, I never knew you."
I replied with this:
but don't you think the changes he made in his life were evident that he was sorry for his choices?
as a child he was forced to confess to stealing the feed his hungry brother. then he was forced to take a life as a child to save his brother. Those were not choises he should have to repent for in my opinion.
Remember when he killed the Other in self defense? Again, not a choice, but he repented and fasted for it. He took the grace and second chance when his brother lost his life and Eko got a chance to live right for a change. He killed those men in the church AGAIN in self defense. Well, maybe he did not have to kill them but this is secular tv. I do not expect it to line up with the Word. Not on any level.
Remember Eko talking about how to get to heaven in season 2? It was NOT Truth. The show never claimed to be bringing us the gospel.
Then another post in responce to mine, and this one I truely loved. I think the writers spoke more Truth than they intended:
Oh I agree with you, I don't think secular tv is spreading THE TRUTH. But sometimes it does draw out our own religious beliefs.
When Eko first said "no I didn't sin" that verse that Josiah posted (1 John 1:8-10) came to mind, that if we say we haven't sinned, then we make Him a liar. But then he started explaining why he didn't sin.
At first I thought about grace as well, but then I thought that he was trying to justify himself. He said he was PROUD of what he did to save his brother. He said he didn't ask for the life he was given, but he did his best. He would not confess or ask for forgiveness, he justified his own actions. When his brother said "you talk to me as if I'm your brother" and walked away, it was as if he was denying him.
Then the black smoke attacked him. I thought the black smoke was like sin. He died in his sins/his sins killed him because he justified his own works and did not confess. Killing someone, even to save another's life, is still killing. And according to the law, it is a sin. Eko could have said, "I killed a man to save you, and I am glad that you were saved, but please forgive me for having to take another life to do so." Instead, he said he was proud.
Now if the LOST storyline had ended with Eko's speech, I might have continued to believe that he was justified for what he did. But their storyline of his brother walking away and the black smoke killing him only made me think of the scriptures about Jesus not knowing those who claim to know Him. And the black smoke killing him made me also think that he was not right in what he said.
1 John 1:8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
Yeah, I agree with you on this one. I don't know the writer's intentions of the show, but I couldn't help but to compare my own religious beliefs. Eko said he didn't sin because he did what he thought was right to survive. He doesn't consider himself a sinner because he is trying to justify himself. He told his brother, "Everything I did, I did to save you." His brother said "You talk to me like I'm your brother."
This reminds me of Matthew 7:22-23Mat 7:22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?Mat 7:23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Eko never confessed his sins, instead he said, "Didn't I do this and this for you? I did it all in your name, to save you" His brother basically said, "You talk like I'm your brother, like you know me. But I'm not your brother, I never knew you."
I replied with this:
but don't you think the changes he made in his life were evident that he was sorry for his choices?
as a child he was forced to confess to stealing the feed his hungry brother. then he was forced to take a life as a child to save his brother. Those were not choises he should have to repent for in my opinion.
Remember when he killed the Other in self defense? Again, not a choice, but he repented and fasted for it. He took the grace and second chance when his brother lost his life and Eko got a chance to live right for a change. He killed those men in the church AGAIN in self defense. Well, maybe he did not have to kill them but this is secular tv. I do not expect it to line up with the Word. Not on any level.
Remember Eko talking about how to get to heaven in season 2? It was NOT Truth. The show never claimed to be bringing us the gospel.
Then another post in responce to mine, and this one I truely loved. I think the writers spoke more Truth than they intended:
Oh I agree with you, I don't think secular tv is spreading THE TRUTH. But sometimes it does draw out our own religious beliefs.
When Eko first said "no I didn't sin" that verse that Josiah posted (1 John 1:8-10) came to mind, that if we say we haven't sinned, then we make Him a liar. But then he started explaining why he didn't sin.
At first I thought about grace as well, but then I thought that he was trying to justify himself. He said he was PROUD of what he did to save his brother. He said he didn't ask for the life he was given, but he did his best. He would not confess or ask for forgiveness, he justified his own actions. When his brother said "you talk to me as if I'm your brother" and walked away, it was as if he was denying him.
Then the black smoke attacked him. I thought the black smoke was like sin. He died in his sins/his sins killed him because he justified his own works and did not confess. Killing someone, even to save another's life, is still killing. And according to the law, it is a sin. Eko could have said, "I killed a man to save you, and I am glad that you were saved, but please forgive me for having to take another life to do so." Instead, he said he was proud.
Now if the LOST storyline had ended with Eko's speech, I might have continued to believe that he was justified for what he did. But their storyline of his brother walking away and the black smoke killing him only made me think of the scriptures about Jesus not knowing those who claim to know Him. And the black smoke killing him made me also think that he was not right in what he said.
Lost
Last night was more of what Lost should be. As long as we waited and wanted to 'meet the Others', I almost wished we had not come to this point in our saga.
Mr Eko has been by far one of my favorite characters (yes, even more than Sawyer-shh). In a general way I related to him and felt like I had some insight into his character because of it. As a child, he made a decision, a sacrifice really, that left his brother to the Light side while Eko had to go the way of the Dark side. Sure he had a choice. But sometimes that choice is kill or be killed. Reguardless of our intentions and lack of choice in certain situations, the Darkness hardens your heart. Remember, it is kill or be killed. As a survival mecanizm, we even choose to harden our hearts more than the circumstances we find ourselfs in. Eko was bad because he was good. *sob*
Then enters Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound! In this weeks episode, Eko was told over and over to confess. To me that represented the legalism that had him bound most of his life. Be bad to be good. Be good to be bad. A Truth of God that Satan twisted to keep God's children in slavery. When Eko's life was spared and his brother's lost, it could be easy to say Romans 8:28 is not true (all things work together for our good for those who love God and are called according to His purposes). Satan would want Eko to believe he was being punished for his sins (legalism). But the Truth is, he was being given grace, a second chance. God spoke to me when Eko decided to say he was NOT sorry for what he did. God said ALL THINGS NEW.
When my first daughter died I was not a Christian and I believed for a while I was being punished. When I finally became a Christian and learned of God's love, I no longer thought that way. I also realized that when Rya lost her life, I found life-eternal life. Same with Eko and his brother. The brother lost his life but because of it, well, I am getting ahead of myself.
But when, as a new Christian, I learned about repeantance and confess your sins to one another and that line, I got angry and almost turned my back on God.
See, I was married and pregnant again but was not married the first time and I refused to repent for having pre-marital sex because my daughter resulted from it. It was a short life but it meant the world to me, still does. I told my spiritual mentor I was through with God and I was not sorry for creating my daughter. That was when she introduced me to Grace.
I feel like in the episode, Eko had to face his past (his fears) and view them in light of God's Truth. Remember, he is now a man of God. He took his second chance seriously. When he was able to see the Truth, he then had the strength to accept the grace (NOT an easy thing to do) and refuse to give in to legalism. It was then that Eko recieved Peace.
I am sad to not have Eko on the show anymore but I am happy for the way it ended. Romans 8:28 is still True on The Island. That's what Im talking about Eko!
Mr Eko has been by far one of my favorite characters (yes, even more than Sawyer-shh). In a general way I related to him and felt like I had some insight into his character because of it. As a child, he made a decision, a sacrifice really, that left his brother to the Light side while Eko had to go the way of the Dark side. Sure he had a choice. But sometimes that choice is kill or be killed. Reguardless of our intentions and lack of choice in certain situations, the Darkness hardens your heart. Remember, it is kill or be killed. As a survival mecanizm, we even choose to harden our hearts more than the circumstances we find ourselfs in. Eko was bad because he was good. *sob*
Then enters Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound! In this weeks episode, Eko was told over and over to confess. To me that represented the legalism that had him bound most of his life. Be bad to be good. Be good to be bad. A Truth of God that Satan twisted to keep God's children in slavery. When Eko's life was spared and his brother's lost, it could be easy to say Romans 8:28 is not true (all things work together for our good for those who love God and are called according to His purposes). Satan would want Eko to believe he was being punished for his sins (legalism). But the Truth is, he was being given grace, a second chance. God spoke to me when Eko decided to say he was NOT sorry for what he did. God said ALL THINGS NEW.
When my first daughter died I was not a Christian and I believed for a while I was being punished. When I finally became a Christian and learned of God's love, I no longer thought that way. I also realized that when Rya lost her life, I found life-eternal life. Same with Eko and his brother. The brother lost his life but because of it, well, I am getting ahead of myself.
But when, as a new Christian, I learned about repeantance and confess your sins to one another and that line, I got angry and almost turned my back on God.
See, I was married and pregnant again but was not married the first time and I refused to repent for having pre-marital sex because my daughter resulted from it. It was a short life but it meant the world to me, still does. I told my spiritual mentor I was through with God and I was not sorry for creating my daughter. That was when she introduced me to Grace.
I feel like in the episode, Eko had to face his past (his fears) and view them in light of God's Truth. Remember, he is now a man of God. He took his second chance seriously. When he was able to see the Truth, he then had the strength to accept the grace (NOT an easy thing to do) and refuse to give in to legalism. It was then that Eko recieved Peace.
I am sad to not have Eko on the show anymore but I am happy for the way it ended. Romans 8:28 is still True on The Island. That's what Im talking about Eko!
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