I stand in awe - part 2

Who manages the Salmon Run

In this blog we will relate the natural phenomena called the salmon run, a phenomenon so carefully and scientifically orchestrated that it defies human understanding. At the core of this story is the question - who manages this run, as it can only take supernatural management and organizational skills that can ensure it runs so smoothly and scientifically correct, although some aspects of this is not even understood properly by us.

The atheists on the other hand will maintain that it is driven by random events, and that what is to be done is stored within the cells of these fishes. If you give it enough time anything is possible and time will make it perfect.

New year, New Beginnings: Zaccheus

Luke 19:5-9 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Don’t let your encounter with God leave you untouched!

Since it is Christmas time, I'd like to share with you one of my favourite poems and discuss the meaning of it. I hope you enjoy it, and find a little bit of the hope of the Christmas miracle by reading this.

Don’t let your encounter with God leave you untouched!

"Journey of The Magi" by T. S. Eliot

I am a Friend of God!

God wants to be your best friend. You were created to live continually in God's presence and to have an intimate friendship with Him.

'Now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God - all because of what Jesus has done for us in making us friends of God.' Romans 5:11

Jesus said, "I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father."

God wants you to know Him intimately.

Life in the afternoon: My Personal Testimony - Freedom and Peace for ever

Life in the Afternoon Part 7 - My Personal Testimony ... Freedom and Peace for ever.

I started this story off with the intention of writing it only in one or two parts, about a specific enjoyable soaring flight, but one thing led to another - as it usually does in life - and I am now find myself in Part 7, observing how the thought thermals of my mind developed around me. Yes, I was personally involved in this flight, but on reflection, it seems to me that I was also just an observer and an onlooker as this story developed and unfolded into much more than that.

I must confess that I have no free will, when I start to write, as it just flows out in a never ending stream. I can resist it, if I try hard enough, but I do not wish to to upset the muse or exercise my free will unduly.

Mover of Men & Mountains

Suggested Reading:Le Tourneau: Mover of Men & Mountains
(true story)

When an industrialist invites God into his business, miracles happen. Despite never having gotten past seventh grade in school and experiencing many failures early on, R.G. Le-Tourneau rose to eminence in the competitive world of manufacturing and construction. Although his competitors thought him insane, history has proven that his inventive genius was decades ahead of its time.

Striking up a conversation with God - Part 3

Conversing with God - Part 3 - by P.K.Odendaal - 23 June 2011.

The question I wish to ask is - How can we fulfill our obligation towards God to strike up a conversation with Him ?

My view is that we need all the skills we can muster to communicate all these things to God. He wants to know what our problems and aspirations are, how we feel, what we think of Him, what we like, how we adore His creation, how we adore our fellow men, what He can do for us. what do we like and what don't we like and a myriad other things. We need to communicate with Him on all levels.

Chris Barnard wrote a very basic prayer (Prayer for the Earth) by someone he knew, and I repeat and translate it here as best I can :

Striking up a conversation with God - Part 2

Conversing with God - Part 2 - by P.K.Odendaal - 23 June 2011.

1. God wants to talk to us.

This is His main need and the reason why He created Adam and Eve, and it 'made'  His day when he could go to them every evening to talk to them.

Gen 3:8  And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.  v:9  And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? (He is looking for them to hold conversational communion with Him).

2. God wants us to have our own thoughts, ideas, feelings etc.

Striking up a conversation with God - Part 1

Conversing with God - Part 1 - by P.K.Odendaal - 23 June 2011.

Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir.

This adage is a corruption of the nursery rhyme : Baba Blacksheep, have you any wool?

But, it says so much and has a very subtle innuendo of blaming the person spoken to for being dictatorial in the sense that one cannot do or say anything that undermines his authority - so the most one can do is give him a totally useless reply, confirming one's subordination to him, but saying less then nothing. It is also a veiled accusation of the misuse of power by the person spoken to.

And this is the way some of us talk to God.