“A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health, and a successful outcome to every situation and action“. – Ramez Sasson
“I was blinded by the devil, born already ruined,
stone cold dead as I stepped out of the womb“. – Bob Dylan.
Ever pondered what exactly gets you out of bed in the morning (assuming you are able to sleep at nights)?
The mind ‘games’ we usually have to play are pretty elaborate – presumptions that spin a fabric of social and personal ‘norms’ by which we can not only face but hopefully invest something into each fleeting moment called a day – granting the game some worth, so long as we do not probe or question too deeply.
The problems come, often, as we grow older. The mask of such illusion begins to slip as we become aware that the value of such a dance is flawed, and that so much of what is deemed ‘the norm’ is but a pretense – a device to keep us busy, distracted, from facing reality. The cracks are always there – the perpetual corruption in every aspect of life, whilst it may seek to change it’s spots, continues apace, and the reality of decay and death encroaches, however we seek to project the ‘I’m fine’ persona to ourselves and to others.
In an honest analysis, we quickly find ourselves in agreement with the sobering analysis of Solomon – all of life amounts to no more than a painful futility.
The broken record of ‘normal’ life leaves us there, stranded and abandoned in a world which has us reaching for something to dull the pain – a darkness too terrible to comprehend – fueled by the misnomer that there is no true remedy. In the modernal mind, there is no actual escape – no aid or answer to this tragedy. Life becomes little more than ‘dodging the bullet’ for however long this can be achieved, until the moment when death slams us against the darkness from which there is no return.
Jesus Christ entered the arena of this dreadful malady and extinguished its rule.
He seeks to confront each of us with a greater reality – that our lives are not meant to be marked by such pathetic tragedy, but with life that has enduring value.
His death and resurrection reveal that the pain and misery of the present darkness have sought to usurp our true purpose and connection to what we are and are meant to be.
The choice is stark – a world enshrouded in a darkness which holds and devours all, or one marked by ultimate freedom from pain and sorrow, because of the one who has made us free, even in the midst of this present trial, to taste of eternal life.
In our mad world, that truth conveys a goodness and mercy which allows our troubled days here to be savored with a richer meaning than any broken dream.
– Howard Nowlan
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You guys and gals that don’t vist Howard’s blog http://wwwjustifiedsinner.blogspot.com/ are cheating yourself out of a very bold underline of the Word.
Howard would never say that…but I’m saying it…because it’s true.
Thank you, Howard!
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The Old Adam Lives! 
” Life becomes little more than ‘dodging the bullet’ for however long this can be achieved, until the moment when death slams us against the darkness from which there is no return.”
So many people live this way. Nothing more than merely existing until their ‘time’ is up. You can see it on their faces and hear it on their lips.
When witnessing, it is these kind of people that you don’t have to spend too much time in the Law before Grace can be magnified to them.
Good post Steve.
I think the whole question of “themeaning of life” that man at some point just has to ask the question, shows that we know life is broken, we know death is coming.
Death robs life of meaning. If death was not inherent in all of us, we would never ask the question, we would just live and enjoy life. So this life is futile, purposeless, pointless. But “Living the Purposeless Life” probably wouldn’t sell enough books to buy a nice church off the freeway.
It is because Christ conquers death with his own, that life is given worth. We Christians have been given the gift of life, eternal life. I don’t much care anymore what the purpose is, what the meaning of life is, because death has lost meaning. We have today, we don’t know we have tomorrow. We don’t have to fake happiness, blind ourselves to death in order to live. We celebrate life in the face of death, tormenting him with taunts as we praise Christ. We feast in the midst of our enemies: sin, death and the devil. And they look at us and say how is it these are not afraid. The devil says “ah, I caught you sinning.” and we reply with nonchalance “yep you did. What are you going to do about it?” That is the beauty of the gospel, we have life, and we can enjoy that life even now!
We enjoy it without abusing it. Living a life of self control, not for fear of death, but for love of the life God has given us, out of love for those for whom Christ died. And we enjoy life nonetheless, sharing a beer or scotch with a good friend, smoking a cigar, loving our wives. And we do so without falling into debauchery that is not enjoyment, but a painkiller in the face of death, and the meaningless reality of this life, when this life is all you have.
Howard, this is excellent- just what I needed to hear on this Monday morning.
It’s encouraging to know, amidst all the ‘heat’ of our present futility (life outside the garden) that someone is reading these scribblings. I only hope that they can help generate a little light in the darkness, or at least prompt us to taste and truly see that the Lord is good.
In the fellowship of His life,
Howard.
Thank God for Jesus.
Steve, sorry I haven’t stopped by in awhile. This is a busy season for a youth pastor!
Just so you know, the above comment was from Steve L. Sorry!
John 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Excellent post. Thanks Howard.
Steve… that link didn’t work for me… I can’t seem to find Howards Blog… even with a “.” after www.
Patrick,
I just clicked on the link and got a page that had a nother link that said the ” page dod not exist”. I clicked on that link and then Howard’s site came up.
Also, try the link on my blogroll (right side of the Old Adam page)
This should take you straight there:
http://wwwjustifiedsinner.blogspot.com/