Sequence and Pattern

Ready for Tonight

I like sequences; they help me to sort out my world.

When I ponder why things are in specific places or why people behave in a different or confusing manner, I often find that it is usually a result of a process and a sequence explains the process.  

In my reading today, I found an unexpected pattern that led me into a hidden sequence.  This hidden sequence was right there in a plain site; but I did not notice it before.   

Paul writes to the Romans about sin and judgment.  His writings are full of anger, and prior to this morning, I used to cringe reading them, feeling the concepts hitting me between the eyes.  Today, however, I notice a 1-2-3 sequence; each step is caused by the step prior to it.  So I broke it down it order to understand it.  It goes that way:

1. Man knows God in his heart but choose to stop glorifying Him

2. Man stops thanking God and become futile in his thoughts

3. Hearts are darkened and the wise become fool

4. Man glorifies creatures: mankind, beast, fowl; he glorifies the temporary and corruptible - Instead of glorifying the Creator, the eternal, the non-corruptible

5. God gives up man to uncleanness and lust

6. Man at this stage starts to dishonor himself and his own body

7. Lack of self-respect leads to a lustful, unnatural usage of one's body

8. Since there is no respect for self, there is no respect toward others

9. Without respect of person, there is no respect of person's body; hence, an appearance of behavior which comes from debased, corrupted, fouled mind.

10. A long list of 20+ horrors follows, all are punishable by death

11. Approving such practices in others, willing to excuse the behavior.

So when someone abuses another, it is a result to refusing to glorify and thank God; and approval of such abuse is the natural progression of the disease called sin.

All sin is punishable by death.  Since all men are sinners, only God can judge.  He judges and He punishes but man's conscience bears witness to the behavior and his thoughts are either accuse him or excuse him.  

The final judgment of men's secrets is done by God via Jesus Christ.

Conclusion:  each of us sinners needs a savior; we need to accept Jesus as our savior, or we'll be judge and the punishment is eternal death.

357th Day of Praise -

I thank you God for opening to me your reasoning through sequences and patterns; I thank you God that you alerted me to it during this season of miracles when the Feast of Lights and the Messiah birth are celebrated.  I thank you God for reminding me that we need a savior and for explaining why we do, in a clear concise pattern.

Glad I can read,

Orith