i think flashbacks are in order. enter the Fall Fair with me if you will. much like the barn parties i used to attend in my youth they are filled to the brim with yummy, greasy foods, swarms of children bouncing from ring tosses to the dunk tank, and of course the great... big... JAIL! an absolute must for any child wishing to hold all the aces, if even just for a moment.... and then there's the adults. happy, cooperative, encouraging individuals wanting only the best time of fun and games for the little ones...
all except one individual. this individual we met at the 'bowling alley'. while happily waiting his turn in line, Bubsy attends to and tries to catch the fine art of throwing the ball just right so that it will smash every pin down the lane into smitherines. an art that has completely missed the poor lad who is now attempting his turn at bowling. we'll afford him this one, he is only 4. honestly now, i did not become a pro bowler until i was at least 8. and that was with that ever-cool ramp they reserved for the pro's and the grandmas. how i saw it anyway.
back to our 4 year old lad. trying his hardest which translated into "the pins were safe for miles". it was so cute to watch. your reaction? much like everyone else in the room, would be to shout out with gleeful cheering that it was a 'good job!', 'nice try!', 'oh, almost, try again!'.
instead of this rote response, our leader of the game, holder of all tickest decides to become an original. "aw man! you couldn't hit the broad side of a barn kiddo!" was his response. face drops, shoulders sag and our young lad walks away feeling less than worthy of a simple game of bowling. as i stand there, mouth agape, the individual resumes his commentary directed to me this time... "hey, i'm a realist, yeah?"... ARE YOU KIDDING ME! no. he was totally serious, and to boot oblivious to his murderous ways with these young, aspiring athletes.
on the way home, our fun had and happy to find that there was only one individual in question that day, it made me think about God. what if God were a realist? what if he said exactly what was going on rather than cheering us on to another day of grace and mercy? well, i know just exactly what he would say to me... "gosh Rach, don't think you'll ever sin like that again, huh? hahaHAAAA, don't worry, i'll be ready when you want to come say you're sorry again." or maybe "Rachel, you're a miserable sinner with not an ounce of good in your very soul, why in the world would you try again and again and again?..." But our saviour is NOT that way. he is NOT a realist, but an optimist beyond our own fathoming. Praise the Lord he reigns supreme in the category of forgiveness and love! Praise the Lord his mercy extends to the ends of the earth for those that love him and desire better than this world can give!
so here's my answer. plain and simple. if God were a realist... we wouldn't be able to "hit the broad side of a barn".
all except one individual. this individual we met at the 'bowling alley'. while happily waiting his turn in line, Bubsy attends to and tries to catch the fine art of throwing the ball just right so that it will smash every pin down the lane into smitherines. an art that has completely missed the poor lad who is now attempting his turn at bowling. we'll afford him this one, he is only 4. honestly now, i did not become a pro bowler until i was at least 8. and that was with that ever-cool ramp they reserved for the pro's and the grandmas. how i saw it anyway.
back to our 4 year old lad. trying his hardest which translated into "the pins were safe for miles". it was so cute to watch. your reaction? much like everyone else in the room, would be to shout out with gleeful cheering that it was a 'good job!', 'nice try!', 'oh, almost, try again!'.
instead of this rote response, our leader of the game, holder of all tickest decides to become an original. "aw man! you couldn't hit the broad side of a barn kiddo!" was his response. face drops, shoulders sag and our young lad walks away feeling less than worthy of a simple game of bowling. as i stand there, mouth agape, the individual resumes his commentary directed to me this time... "hey, i'm a realist, yeah?"... ARE YOU KIDDING ME! no. he was totally serious, and to boot oblivious to his murderous ways with these young, aspiring athletes.
on the way home, our fun had and happy to find that there was only one individual in question that day, it made me think about God. what if God were a realist? what if he said exactly what was going on rather than cheering us on to another day of grace and mercy? well, i know just exactly what he would say to me... "gosh Rach, don't think you'll ever sin like that again, huh? hahaHAAAA, don't worry, i'll be ready when you want to come say you're sorry again." or maybe "Rachel, you're a miserable sinner with not an ounce of good in your very soul, why in the world would you try again and again and again?..." But our saviour is NOT that way. he is NOT a realist, but an optimist beyond our own fathoming. Praise the Lord he reigns supreme in the category of forgiveness and love! Praise the Lord his mercy extends to the ends of the earth for those that love him and desire better than this world can give!
so here's my answer. plain and simple. if God were a realist... we wouldn't be able to "hit the broad side of a barn".
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