Inspirations

                                                                                         You must  destroy   all   the   people s  the   Lord  your God gives over to you.  Deut.  7:16 As I read this I have often wondered why God would require this seemingly harsh treatment of people. Did he hate them? No, he doesn't hate anyone. I know he didn't want his people to learn the ways of the "world", but why everyone? Some of them may have done nothing wrong. Did they deserve to die? No, probably not, but they were sucked into the drama of those around them. They aren't the only ones to have that happen to them. Simon the Cyrene had that happen when Jesus was being crucified. He was forced to carry the cross.  He's not the...

I've been thinking about that first Christmas that occurred so very long ago.   I can't help but smile when I think about how, from a human perspective, The first Christmas seemed to capture life entirely, messy.  Mary had "plans", thoughts, or expectations for what her life would be like.   She would get married, then after a year, or two they would have children.  Joseph, no doubt, also had dreams and expectations for his life.  He would marry a "nice" Jewish girl and perhaps, once they had saved some money they would have a house and children.   They were a good Jewish couple.  Then ... God stepped in and suddenly life was very complicated.  Sometimes when we are following God, life gets harder.  Just like it did for Mary and Joseph.   Mary found herself pregnant in a society in which the penalty for this type of "sin" was death, and the only explanation she could give was one that no one would believe. I imagine that Mary mu...