Saturday, August 30, 2014

The Problem We Have - God is alive


Yesterday (Friday morning, August 29, 2014) as I drove by a house in Lake Shasta area, a lady opened up a garage sale. On seeing me approaching the lawn-ground where she spread stuff, the lady started out complaining about the water bill. I said, "What is wrong with your water bill?" "What is your problem??" She said, "The City punished me with a fine." "How much?" I asked. "$50", she said.

I don't know why she complained to me, a total stranger. Perhaps she did it to let me know why she had to put together a yard sale, that is, she needed cash money in anticipation for the water bill going up.

The penalty she was hit with made me concerned for I was considering developing in my backyard a small plot of ground to grow some vegetables like tomato or cucumber which need lots of water.


California has a drought problem. In Shasta Lake, violators of the updated rules for water consumption could face a misdemeanor charge, up to $1,000 fine each day per violation and as many as 30 days in jail.

But according to the Bible the real problem is not drought itself but the one who causes the drought, for Amos says, "He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns midnight into dawn and darkens day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land—the Lord is his name." Amos 5:8 As if this is not enough, Amos repeats, "he builds his lofty palace in the heaven and sets its foundation on the earth; he calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land - the Lord is his name." 9:6

The citizens living in the ancient city of Nineveh understood this better, so on hearing Jonah's message, "Forty more days, the city will be overthrown", they all repented, turning to God saying,

"Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”

Ninevites believed God is alive. They knew God [of Jonah] not they is the ruler. So they gave up what God hated. Then God relented. Problem solved.







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