Letter from Dad, God.

Some time last year whilst i was out of home, after a fight with one of my sisters; she found the time and patience and love enough to give me this letter, a letter from God. it broke my heart, it renewed my thinking and was a great factor in my turn-around and desire to seek God.

"My Child

You may not know Me, but I know everything about you (Psalm 139:1). I know when you sit down and when you rise up (Psalm 139:2). I am familiar with all your ways (Psalm 139:3). Even the very hairs on your head are numbered (Matthew 10:29-31). For you were made in My image (Genesis 1: 27). In Me you live and move and have being (Acts 17:28). For you are My offspring (Acts 17:28). I knew you even before you were conceived (Jeremiah 1:4-5). I chose you when I planned creation (Ephesians 1:11-12). You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in My book (Psalm 139:15-16). I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live (Acts 17:26). You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). I knit you together in your mother's womb (Psalm 139:13) And brought you forth on the day you were born (Psalm 71:6). I have been misrepresented by those who don't know Me (John 8:41-44). I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love (1 John 4:16) And it is my desire to lavish my love on you (1 John 3:1) Simlpy because you are my child and I am your Father (1 John 3:1) . I offer you more than your earthly father ever could (Matthew 7:11) For I am the perfect Father (Matthew 5:48). Every good gift that you receive comes from My hand (James 1:17) For I am your provider and I meet all your needs (Matthew 6:31-33). My plan for your future has always been filled with hope (Jeremiah 29:11) Because I love you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). My thoughts towards you are countless as the sand on the seashore (Psalm 139:17-18) And I rejoice over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). I will never stop doing good to you (Jeremiah 32:40) For you are My treasured possession (Exodus 19:5). I desire to establish you with all My heart and all My soul (Jeremiah 32:41) And I want to show you great and marvellous things (Jeremiah 33:3). If you seek Me with all your heart, you will find Me (Deuteronomy 4:29) Delight in Me and I will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4) For it is I that gave you those desires (Philippians 2:13) I am able to do more for you than you can possibly imagine (Ephesians 3:20) For I am your greatest encourager (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17) I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). When you are broken hearted, I am close to you (Psalm 34:18) As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to My heart (Isaiah 40:11) One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes (Revelations 21:3-4) I am your Father, even as I love My Son, Jesus (John 17:23) For in Jesus, My love for you is revealed (John 17:26) He is the exact representation of My Being (Hebrews 1:3). He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you (Romans 8:31) And to tell you that I am not counting your sins (2 Corinthians 5:18-19) Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled (2 Corinthians 5:18-19) His death was the ultimate expression of My love for you (1 John 4:10) I gave up everything I loved that I may gain your love (Romans 8:31-32). If you receive the gift of My Son Jesus, you receive Me (1 John 2:23) And nothing will ever separate you from My love again (Romans 8:38-39) Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen (Luke 15:7). I have always been Father, and will always be Father (Ephesians 3:14-15). My question is... Will you be My child? (John 1:12-13) I am waiting for you. (Luke 15:11-32)

...Love, Your Dad

Almighty God"

I pray that this may have been an encouragement to you as it was to me during my trying times.

PART I - sight of life - my theory

Because it's not a finished project, i havnt quite figured out how to start it, il be sure to re-post the finished product...once i finish it.

for now..

like being blind- in a sense. Or having countless blindfolds that with age, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, experience, responsibility and influence gradually begin to come undone and sight changes- from a narrow view to a widened perspective: around, below and above; the draw distance of my vision is lengthened allowing one to see furthur ahead and what is close in greater detail, significant minor differences that affect what is seen, how it is understood and how different people would interpret it.
Be it a poem, being able to understand certain words that before might have been meaningless- noticing capital letter, full stops, spaces and/or comas that affect the meaning of what is being told/shared, not to mention the choice of words and analogies.
Or perhaps a photograph; gone from a passport size photo of a ceiling with indistinct drawings on it to Davinci’s 16th Chapel. The difference is massive. …perhaps a better example: your task in life is to try to complete a 1 million piece jigsaw puzzle, you only 1 piece to start off with, where it goes, who knows? The point is: it’s there, and until you make sense of the next piece won’t come, let’s assume that you do make sense of it and the other piece comes, they fit together and yourealize that what you thought that other piece was, wasn’t at all, however, without that second piece the first idea makes sense but then you step back and look at it and becomes something else altogether that you couldn’t see from a close distance, and so you get close to see if you can still see it but you end up frinding something else, now there’s probably dozens more things that you can’t see, but you get a third piece anyways and it becomes a whole new something else altogether. It’s like moving forward by taking 5 steps back, more becomes visible, more makes sense.

Thinking about this topic reminded me of a Bible story that I hadn’t heard or read in a very, very long time. With Kez’s input I was lead to Mark chapter 8.

At first all I was looking for was in verses 22-26:
“Then they came to Bethsaida; and some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and begged Him to touch Him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on the man’s eyes and put His hands on him Jesus asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, “I see people that look like trees walking around.” Then He put His hands on him again. Then his eyes were opened as He made him look up, his sight was restored and saw everyone and everything clearly. Then He sent him away to his house, saying, “Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.””

The first time I every heard this story I thought, ‘It’s just another miracle.’ I’d taken no notice of what happened where, why what was said was said or the time it took.

Thinking about it again, remembering about the story so suddenly especially with it’s relevance to my life at the moment I decided to (like my last rant) seek opinions. First 2 were Kez’s and Raph’s […]. Then comes the internet, haha. The first page I checked was a sermon a tad furthur in depth of what I was pondering, something I was getting around to, im sure. The message was basically Mark 8:27-9:13 briefed and summarized in the unique miracle of chapter 8 verses 22-26, analogizing the Apostle Peter to Homer Simpson- odd yet accurate (in some ways..). You, reader, will have to read the passage through to 9:13 to get the zist of what I’m tripping on.

See originally, after analysing the miracle over and over (v.22-26) my initial view on this scripture was that it’s about knowledge and understanding as well as the way in which God works- Christ led the blind man out of the town (kinda like leading us out of the world, placing us in the midst of other godly people).
I found that despite all of these significant minor details there’s 3 aspects in this passage, could call it a list, the first step: Blind Sight the man could not see, it might seem like the obvious truth, but the truth is that most people over look it. he had no sight, no vision, he didn’t know what was around him, what the things around him looked like, or more to the point, he really didn’t know where he was going. Some are born blind, unfortunately and unwillingly ignorant, lost souls most probably heading the wrong direction .Others become blind. Verse 25 says that “…his sight was restored.” Giving the indication that once upon a time he could see, but lost his sight somehow, ‘how’ is irrelevant. The point is, it’s lose-able. Trying to imagine what it would be like to lose my sight, I think that I would be frustrated, I’d always be lonely, seen differently, I’d have to re-learn life with limitations. I praise God that I can see, that I am able, as well as, beg forgiveness for all the times when I sin because of what I see, what goes into the windows of my heart, my mind, and my soul, that which can pollute, separate and refresh, renew.

As I read on, and researched what others’ view(s) on the passage(s) and stories ahead in chapter 8 through to 9:13, my list grew and I will elaborate furthur on this in a moment.

The second phase is Blurry Sight. Think back to the first week, a new believer, hyped up in the newness of it all, on fire for God ‘ready to take on the world’ however, as you begin to get into this new life reality hits, and the truth is you’ve got so much to learn, and that takes time. Someone put this as “You’ve arrived, but in reality, you’re not quite there yet.”
The former blind man now had some sight, some vision. For the third time he’s having to adjust to learn life again. Going back to that jigsaw example, the first time around this man may have had 20 puzzle pieces that he spent a lot of time trying to make sense of and then BANG! he had to start again, this time he’s blind- the first piece was different, he doesn’t recognize this piece, so slowly and gradually he is having to learn again one by one. Let’s say he get’s to 5 and then JC comes along and BOOM! the 20 that he had the first time are restored and so now he has 25.

i know the explanation gets a bit laggy and boring... il fix it when i finish it.

my apologies for any inconveniences.

untitled - moving

time for a much delayed post
.
about a month or 2 ago i was in sydney on business, but thats not what i want to share..
on one of the nights we (myself and the team i went with) went for dinner at a japanse restaurant, i dont remember the name of the area.
at the restaurant i couldnt help but eavsdrop and see across from me, a table for 2, father and son. i was so sad, and at the same time greatful to God the He had kept my family in unity that i was never in that boys position.
it was a very awkward dinner that they have, very quiet, the father was stressed out, but putting on a face to 'man-up' in front of his son, im not sure if the son picked up on it.
the father occasionally attempted to make conversation, the boy would've been about 14 years old.
i noticed that what they were eating was the cheapest dish on the menu at a very overpriced restaurant. once they finished their food, the the man kinda looked at his son, close to tears, and kinda trying to hide his disturbed look, he took out his wallet, shaking, he gave his son $20. from where i was sitting- i could see that that was all he had and with a trembling voice he said 'here you go son, i guess i'll see you again in 2 weeks, hopefully i can get you some more money before then, look after yourself.'

from the way i was dressed i couldn't build up the courage to go up to them and share Christ with them. but i wish i had. i never saw either of them again.