Pondering A Little Wondering

– Pondering:

I usually sit outside in the morning while my dogs do “their thing,” but not this morning. I got sidetracked pondering whether Jesus – in human form – ever saw snow, and the answer is maybe. According to my Google research, far northern Israel has seen snow, especially on the mountaintops, but it’s rare. On the other hand, the Bible mentions snow several times, so there was obviously some reference point for it.

I was next looking at the news and I saw a report that someone at an art auction paid $6.24 million for an “acclaimed work of art” consisting of a banana duct-taped to a wall. According to the article, “Maurizio Cattelan’s “Comedian” is comprised simply of a banana stuck to the wall with a strip of silver duct tape and is hung exactly 160 centimeters from the floor.” Would it have sold for less if the banana had been taped 150 centimeters from the floor? What amazes me is not just the price tag. This happened at an auction, meaning that more than one person competed and engaged in a bidding war to arrive at that price. What happens when the banana rots?

There’s a saying: a fool and his money are soon parted. It’s not in the Bible (in case you were wondering), but the Bible makes a similar point. I particularly like Proverbs 17:16: “Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no intention of acquiring wisdom?” The Bible also speaks, on several occasions, of how we should be wise with our money, caring not only for our needs but looking to the needs of others.

I realize this morning’s “pondering” has been a little wandering, but that happens sometimes. Last night at Bible study we were talking about the kingdom of God: what it will look like and what our roles in it will be. We did a lot of pondering and here’s what we came up with: It will be a time when God’s will is done on earth, and the earth will be restored. There will be no more wars, and people will live in peace. The earth will be prosperous, and people will have enough to live and enjoy life. There will be no more disease or death or pain. People will have enjoyable work and we will continue to learn and grow in knowledge, truth, and faith. There will be no oppression or injustice. In sum, God will put right all that is wrong in the world.

On this cold and slightly snowy day, here are words of promise from Revelation 21: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God … And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and be their God; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more’ … I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.”

Can you see it? What an amazing thing to ponder. Have a blessed day!