Change

 . . . then I will change my mind . . . . 

 - From Jeremiah 18

It is said that God "never changes."

But right here in Jeremiah, God states quite firmly that He can and does change His mind. He probably does it over and over again. And if true that God changes His mind, but in other plays the Bible states that He does not change . . . then we have a situation in Scripture that merits, not ridicule from scoffers (they love "inconsistencies" and pointing them out), but rather, a deeper look. 

Scriptural verses that seem inconsistent, or in conflict with each other, are indicators of Truth that may be hidden beyond the surface. We are made to disagree. This is how we learn creativity. It's where empathy comes from. It's where our greatest problems are solved. God models inconsistency in His own nature. 

When people point out Scriptural verses, to each other, that seem to contradict some other verse that has been offered, we normally find the person, that has been challenged, just ignoring it. Or they might do something really childish like call the other a name or mock their "stupidity."

But instead . . . we should step back, and begin working, together, to find ways to answer a question, or solve a problem, in which both of us find satisfaction, and probably, new insights. 

Stephen Covey called is win-win. 

Longfellow said "Do I contradict myself? Very well then. I contain multitudes"

Indeed. Let's hear it for contradictions and competing values! And let's pray the 2022 Generation figures it out, but fast, before it gets too late to change course in 2022, as it had become in the time of Jeremiah. 

Ask

Ask, and it will be given you 

 - From Matthew 7

So many prayer requests on Social Media.

People ask for specific things: to be brought through a serious operation, or illness.

They pray for wisdom for world leaders.

They make silent requests: something that must be kept secret. 

They pray for athletes before a game, or students before a test.

Do we pray for wisdom, for ourselves, much? Do we ask that God give us to tools, or the goods, to provide to others, what they have asked in prayer?

And then everybody else responds with something like "Prayers sent" (whatever that means). Or they'll see "Sending prayers your way" when the actual path of the prayers should be towards God. 

So I'm not sure about the modern way that we communicate thoughts. And speaking of "thoughts," that we put much thought into it. 

What about a simple ask? When we pray, do we stop to realize that we're asking God for something? And before we pray that other things get fixed, do we pray that God fix us? Isn't that what we really need, most of all?