Rich Maffeo on Nostr: “And now, the end is near, And so I face the final curtain. My friend, I'll say it ...
“And now, the end is near, And so I face the final curtain. My friend, I'll say it clear, I'll state my case, of which I'm certain. I've lived a life that's full, I traveled each and every highway. And more, much more than this, I did it my way.”
Many of you recognize these lyrics which became the signature song of Frank Sinatra.
I thought once again of that song as I read this verse in Acts 14 – it’s part of what Paul told the crowd at Lystra: “In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” (Acts 14:16-17)
I stopped a while at “He permitted all the nations to go their own ways.”
The older I grow and the more I see and experience, I can think of nothing more tragic, more miserable, more HOPELESS than for God to let people go their own way.
Read the last five chapters of Judges if you doubt that to be true. Or the last dozen or so verses of the first chapter of Romans.
And so, I want to say it as plainly and as clearly – and as urgently – as I know how to say it: We do NOT want God to let us go our own way. We so much need Him to lead us in His paths of righteousness, to make us lie down in green pastures and lead us beside still waters. If He lets us go our own way, we will NEVER know what it is like to have our souls restored.
And so, I hope it will not take YOU as long as it has taken some to finally realize Sinatra had it so terribly, terribly wrong.
Many of you recognize these lyrics which became the signature song of Frank Sinatra.
I thought once again of that song as I read this verse in Acts 14 – it’s part of what Paul told the crowd at Lystra: “In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” (Acts 14:16-17)
I stopped a while at “He permitted all the nations to go their own ways.”
The older I grow and the more I see and experience, I can think of nothing more tragic, more miserable, more HOPELESS than for God to let people go their own way.
Read the last five chapters of Judges if you doubt that to be true. Or the last dozen or so verses of the first chapter of Romans.
And so, I want to say it as plainly and as clearly – and as urgently – as I know how to say it: We do NOT want God to let us go our own way. We so much need Him to lead us in His paths of righteousness, to make us lie down in green pastures and lead us beside still waters. If He lets us go our own way, we will NEVER know what it is like to have our souls restored.
And so, I hope it will not take YOU as long as it has taken some to finally realize Sinatra had it so terribly, terribly wrong.