Thought for Thursday April 12th

April 12, 2012

A Series of Spiritual Ponderings

With Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn

This here series may seem a bit peculiar to some of ya’ll folks: but then life itself can be a tad bit peculiar some of the time.  Over the next few days the writer of these here thoughts has decided to take a gander at some spiritual insights from the perspective of Tom and Huck, a couple of characters from Mr. Mark Twains novels.

Next

Our Desires

We’s got to make most certain they stay more Godly than not.

Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.  Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:  For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

Proverbs  23:4-7

And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.  And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.  Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?  And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?  Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

  If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Luke 12:18-34

Quote of the Day

“He had discovered a great law of human action, without knowing it [referring to Tom Sawyer] namely, in order to make a man or boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to attain.” – Mark Twain

Today’s Thoughts and Insights

Tom – Huck do ya reckon a feller ever gets to a place where he’s plum content and satisfied with what he’s got?

Huck – Well Tom I reckon some fellers does, but then some fellers don’t.

Tom – Your most probably right bout that Huck.  Reckon which fellers we’s is?

Huck – Well now I be reckon’n that might just be dependin’ on what day of the week it is and what time of the day on that given day it might just be.

Tom – Reckon so, but don’t ya think God wants us to be more tolerable content and satisfied than that Huck?

Huck – Reckon He does and I done reckon we let our desires for adventure and fun get in our way of us doing what the Good Lord would most often be a like’n for us to do.

Tom – Now that is probably the most honest truthful thing a feller could go and say Huck.

Today’s Prayer

Father, I suppose I tend to let my desire get the better of me sometimes and I forget to remember that your grace is sufficient and that I need to spend more time desiring the things of your kingdom; rather than the things of this world.  Forgive me and help me to do better.

“A human being has a natural desire to have more of a good thing than he needs.”

– Mark Twain

“I’m forgiven, because you were forsaken;

I’m accepted, you were condemned:

I’m alive and well, your spirit is within me,

Because you died and rose again.

Amazing love, How can it be

That you my King would die for me?

Amazing love, I know it’s true:

And it’s my joy to honor you,

In all I do, let me honor you. “

-  Lyrics from ‘Amazing Love’ by Billy James Foote