I'm a lover of quotes. Here are a few that I wrote down this week while studying the book of Hebrews and some other quotes I have pondered recently.John Calvin: In each of our hearts are the seeds of insanity. Our will is carried away by some sort of insane impulse to rebel against God... even though we know rebellion leads to despair and death. And obedience leads to peace and life.
CS Lewis: Those who claim Jesus knows nothing of weakness make a ridiculous claim. Those who give in to temptation after 5 minutes of struggle against it know nothing about temptation. Only those who struggle day after day in the face of temptation and yet do not give in... those are the ones who know fully about weakness and temptation. We have a high priest who identifies with our struggles.
From the Stewardship Bible: In the old covenant, the people of God offered sacrifices and tithes in anticipation of something greater. Under the new covenant, we give and sacrifice to God in response to the fulfillment of that promise.
Henry David Thoreau: Most men live lives of quiet desperation. I have chosen to live deliberately.
Also I think about this scene from the movie the Book of Eli. To me it differentiates the mindset of someone who believes God's goodness is dependent on circumstances versus a person of faith who believes God is always good despite circumstances.
There is a gun battle between Carnegie (an evil leader of a town) and his men versus Eli/Solara (the heroes in the movie).
Eli (Denzel Washington) is seriously wounded. Carnegie comes up to him and is about to finish him off.
Carnegie: "God is good, isn't He?" (sarcasm)
Eli: "All the time."
Carnegie: "Not all the time" (as he shoots Eli and leaves him for dead)
I thought about that scene as I read Romans 8:35-39:
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
What an encouraging word! No trial or amount of suffering in this world can take from us the promise of God's Presence and God's Place- Heaven/the new Jeru (city)Salem (of peace).
For God's Glory,
Ashley Hodge
