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                                                                         Pondering Life  

#AtoZChallenge: Letter P

4/18/2017

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Lots of words in today's poem that begin with the Letter P for the #AtoZChallenge: Pharisee, preach, pray, perfect, pious — can you tell I like alliteration?  

Pharisee Friend
 
“Why do you believe what you do?”
A friend asked me the other day.
“All I hear is vitriol
From those who preach and pray.”
 
I thought about my answer,
Not wanting to offend,
But needing to be faithful
In a world that’s filled with sin.
 
“I believe what the Bible says –
That God condemns such things.
I know that I’m not perfect;
I rely on grace God brings.”
 
I saw the way she briefly looked
And knew what went through her mind:
“I’ve seen you sin, my pious friend,
Do you think I’m completely blind?”
 
How do I explain myself
To someone who’s seen me sin?
To her I’m just a Pharisee
She tolerates as a friend.
 
God, help the life I’ve journeyed
Be an example of your grace,
Let others see your mercy,
Not the sin I once embraced.

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#AtoZChallenge: Letter O

4/17/2017

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Omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence — big words to describe a big God. But, what do they all mean? Use the poem below to remember these important attributes of God as the #AtoZChallenge continues with the Letter O. 

​
Omni-Everything

Omnipotent means “all powerful,”
God’s majesty displayed.
Omniscience means “all knowing,”
God sees each and every day.
 
Omnipresence means “God everywhere,”
He finds us where we are.
Omni-benevolent means “all good,”
Only God can reach that bar.
 
All powerful, all knowing,
God everywhere, all good –
He’s “Omni-everything” –
And through faith I’ve understood.

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#AtoZChallenge: Letter N

4/17/2017

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Did you make a New Year's resolution 4 months ago to read the bible through this year? Did you bog down somewhere around Leviticus? You aren't the only one! Others feel your struggle, too. Read about a different approach for next year in the poem below as the #AtoZChallenge continues with the Letter N.

New Year’s Resolution
 
My New Year’s resolution
Was to read the Bible through,
Both Old and New Testaments –
Maps, concordance, too.
 
Day one went really well –
The story of creation,
Followed by the ark,
In my best translation.
 
In those first few weeks
I read of Moses and the law,
The Ten Commandment tablets
And the blessings Israel saw.
 
But, along about day thirty,
Leviticus came in view,
All those rules and sacrifices
And offering guidance, too.
 
Instead of easy stories,
I was faced with rules of old,
And my New Year’s reading challenge
Started growing pretty cold.
 
So, here I am, once again,
Stalled before Book Four,
Maybe when the next year comes,
I’ll read a little more.
 
But, here will be my plan
From day one of that new year:
Start with Revelation
And work backward from the rear.
 
And maybe I might see
By looking at the end
The value of Leviticus
And the message that it sends.



From . . . And a Poem, Too by Kathy Mansfield

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#AtoZ Challenge: Letter M

4/15/2017

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Letter M of the #AtoZChallenge brings us to a little known Old Testament king: Melchizedek. What better time than Easter to learn about someone who foreshadowed the coming Christ. Read about Melchizedek in Genesis 14, and then find him mentioned again in Hebrews.

Melchizedek
Genesis 14
Hebrews 5, 6, 7
 
Melchizedek, King of Salem,
And priest of God Most High,
Greeted Abram after war
And brought him bread and wine.
 
Melchizedek gave a blessing
To Abram from the Lord;
Abram gave a tenth of goods
His victories had restored.
 
Melchizedek is remembered
As resembling God’s own Son;
He wasn’t Who would come,
But an example of the One.
 
Jesus is the final priest,
Atonement for our sins,
And Melchizedek was there
As the story all begins.

from . . . And a Poem, Too by Kathy Mansfield

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#AtoZChallenge: Letter L

4/13/2017

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Being called "lukewarm" by God is not a compliment, but that is the word that He used to describe the church at Laodicea in the book of Revelation. Read the post for the Letter L in the April #AtoZChallenge for bloggers.

Laodicea
Revelation 3:14-19
 
I'm often Laodicea --
Never take a stand,
Strong beliefs for sure,
But no dirt upon these hands!
 
Why stir up any trouble?
Why make matters worse?
I'll sit here with my mouth shut
And watch you rant and curse.
 
God will be so proud of me--
I didn't make folks mad!
Or will He simply spit me out
Since lukewarm tastes so bad?

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#AtoZChallenge: Letter K

4/13/2017

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The Letter K in the #AtoZChallenge brings us to the story of one of the Old Testament's most memorable kings: King Solomon. Read about his life in the poem below.

Solomon
 
Solomon had wisdom –
T’is a well-known fact,
But using wisdom wisely
Was a skill that he did lack.
 
It started back when he was young,
Just starting out as king,
He asked the Lord to give to him
Just one specific thing.
 
“Give me wisdom!” was his plea.
“I’ll keep away all strife!”
But God gave even more to him:
Riches, fame, long life.
 
At first the wisdom did him well,
He prospered in his reign,
But then a wandering eye
Gave his legacy a stain.
 
Not just one more wife –
Hundreds made a vow,
Then a bunch of concubines
Showed up to take a bow.
 
Solomon made alliances
With each and every one,
And worshiping all their idols
Made his kingdom come undone.
 
Although he reigned for 40 years,
No such luck with his descendants,
Until the Son of David came
Accepting man’s repentance.
 
So, Solomon wasted gifts from God
And squandered what he had,
But God used him anyway
To bring lots of good from bad.



From . . . And a Poem by Kathy Mansfield

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#AtoZChallenge: Letter J

4/12/2017

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Today's focus in the #AtoZChallenge is the letter J, and I've chosen a topic that might seem rather gruesome: the story of Jael in the book of Judges. Judges 4 gives the gory details of the end of Jael's life. Read Judges 4, as well as the poem below, to discover what happened!
​

Jael’s Peg
Judges 4
 
Sisera was an enemy
In a Hebrew nation war
A fact he would have changed
Had he known what lay in store.
 
The battles he had won
Made him proud and prone to boast
He thought Israel would fall
Just as easily as most.
 
But God had other plans
And used a woman in a tent
To bring a warlord down
And cause a nation to repent.
 
As Deborah had predicted,
A victory would be won
But not by any man --
By a woman it was done.
 
Jael called to Sisera:
“Come hide inside my tent.
I’ll give you milk to drink,
And they won’t know where you went.”
 
Jael grabbed a peg
While Sisera took a nap;
She nailed it through his head
As he lay upon her lap.
 
As Deborah had predicted
Victory was at hand,
With credit to a woman,
Just as God had planned.



From . . . And a Poem, Too by Kathy Mansfield



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#AtoZ Challenge: Letter I

4/11/2017

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For Day 9 of the #AtoZChallenge, enjoy a poem based on the story of a blind man in the book of John whose life is changed forever after an encounter with Jesus.

I Was Blind
John 9:1-41
 
“Why was he born blind?”
The disciples asked of Christ.
“The sins of his parents
Or his own preventing sight?”
 
“Not because of sin –
His own or his parents –
But so that man would see
God’s power is apparent.”
 
Then Jesus made a paste
From saliva and from dirt.
He placed it on the eyes
So the blindness would revert.
 
Jesus sent him to Siloam
To wash in waters there.
The beggar’s eyes were healed
Which brought amazement everywhere.
 
“Who healed you? What has happened?
Where’s this man? Who is he?”
The beggar said, “He’s Jesus.
I was blind, but now I see!”

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#AtoZChallenge: Letter H

4/9/2017

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The heroes listed in Hebrews 11 give us a glimpse into a kind of faith few of us have known and a reminder that our hope in God is well-founded and honored. 

Hebrews 11
 

Faith is the confidence
That what we hope for will come true
Giving us assurances
Of things we cannot view.
 
Because of their faith
The people in days of old
Earned a reputation
For trusting what’s foretold.
 
By faith we understand
That by a word from God alone
The universe was formed
Out of things that were unknown.
 
Abel had that faith,
And his offering pleased the Lord,
And his example is just one
Showing faith’s reward.
 
Enoch had that faith;
As a result he didn’t die;
Because he pleased the Lord,
He was taken up on high.
 
Noah had that faith
And chose to build an ark;
He believed what God had warned
And told his family to embark.
 
Abraham had faith
When God called him from his home.
He obeyed and went at once;
For God he chose to roam.
 
Both Isaac and then Jacob
Had faith like Abraham,
Looking forward to a city
Ruled by God’s only Lamb.
 
Sarah had that faith
And conceived a little boy,
And from his very seed,
The world encountered joy.
 
All these people died
Believing in God’s word;
They didn’t see the end,
But had faith in what they heard.
 
By faith an only son
Was brought for sacrifice;
Abraham believed
God could bring him back to life.
 
By faith that son named Isaac
Gave blessings for his sons,
And Jacob passed that on
To Joseph’s little ones.
 
By faith God’s servant Joseph
Believed the Israelites
Would leave the land of Egypt,
And indeed they all took flight.
 
By faith the baby Moses
Was hidden for three months
And grew to be a prince
Who saved his people more than once.
 
By faith the Red Sea parted
And God’s people saw dry ground;
When Egyptians tried to follow,
Every one of them was drowned.
 
By faith the Israel nation
Marched for seven days,
And the walls of Jericho
Fell beneath their praise.
 
By faith the harlot, Rahab,
Gave shelter to God’s spies,
And she alone was saved
When her city heard Death’s cries.
 
By faith so many others
Whose stories could be told
Earned a reputation
For being brave and bold.
 
Yet none of them received
The promise that they knew--
A promise we embrace
Thanks to a faithful few.


from . . . And a Poem, Too by Kathy 
Mansfield


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#AtoZChallenge: Letter G

4/8/2017

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Jesus' response to a Pharisee question lets us know how to live our daily lives. The Greatest Commandment is the focus of Day 7 of the #AtoZChallenge. 

The Greatest Commandment
Matthew 22:36-40
 
The Pharisees asked Jesus,
“Which commandment in the Law
Is the one that should be kept
As the one above them all?”
 
Jesus replied with this:
“Love the Lord with all your heart.
This is first and greatest
And is the way you each must start.”
 
“A second law that equals this
Is love your neighbors, too.
The entire Law encompassed
In these commands I give to you.”

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