We All Fall Short Of The Glory Of God

21 But now, irrespective of law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, ²²the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, ²³since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; ²⁴they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,(Rom. 3)

Then there has to be some kind of dividing line.  A point at which a sinner becomes, what is referred to as, evil.

So here I go. 

If we live in an imperfect wheat-world filled with weeds.

And if in this wheat-world the seeds, of God’s will and purpose, have a hard time staying rooted.

And if some hear the word planted in them and rejoice; and then lose their joy because of complications in the soils possibilities.

How then is it that God’s word works with the well planted, the not so well planted and all those in-between?

What is on my heart are the many young people, and indeed some older people, who once had inquiring minds, who are now strangers to the community of faith. 

Those who seem to have taken a different path for living.

Or those who question God’s active activity in their lives?   Those who feel they have messed up and have become unworthy of God’s love?

Or those who think that God is not truly present in this imperfect wheat-world today?  

I'm thinking they certainly have reason to wonder.

What of those who now, because of the world we live in today, believe there is no God; because “if God were real how could He” let the many weeds continue to destroy the wheat’s positive growth?

Now my mind is going a different direction.

What if some of the wheat has not continued to follow the ways of God; because they have begun to think that the weed’s life as more attractive?

That seem to be what happened to King Solomon.

All this is to wonder how those who really caught on to the seed’s possibility; but have become stunted by their life experience?

Can they ever return to their original planting, no matter how good the soil the seed fell on? 

What I am thinking is: with the truth that the world will always have weeds;  then there must be levels of weeds.

For there is no distinction, ²³since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;(Rom. 3)

If we are all sinful beings, what does that truly mean?

And how do we know when, or if, we have met the ultimate moment of evil?

And, is there still the possibility of being forgiven? 

The truth of all of this is, God only knows.

What we have been told is that God forgives abundantly --  seventy time  seven.


If you are confused by all my wondering, you stand with me.

A Word Of Hope

I am still sorting out the confusion in my mind about the wheats and weeds, and the soil and seeds issue.  But when I read Psalm 145 this morning I thought it was a good message about how God approached we who are all sinners and ;fall short of the glory of God."

¹ I will extol you, my God and King,

   and bless your name for ever and ever. 

² Every day I will bless you,

   and praise your name for ever and ever. 

³ Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;

   his greatness is unsearchable……

⁸ The Lord is gracious and merciful,

   slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 

⁹ The Lord is good to all,

   and his compassion is over all that he has made…. 

¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

   and your dominion endures throughout all generations. 

The Lord is faithful in all his words,

   and gracious in all his deeds. 

¹⁴ The Lord upholds all who are falling,

   and raises up all who are bowed down. 

¹⁵ The eyes of all look to you,

   and you give them their food in due season. 

¹⁶ You open your hand,

   satisfying the desire of every living thing. 

¹⁷ The Lord is just in all his ways,

   and kind in all his doings. 

¹⁸ The Lord is near to all who call on him,

   to all who call on him in truth. 

¹⁹ He fulfills the desire of all who fear him;

   he also hears their cry, and saves them. 

²⁰ The Lord watches over all who love him,

   but all the wicked he will destroy. 

²¹ My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,

   and all flesh will bless his holy name for ever and ever. (Psalm 145)

Much To Wonder About

Here is what is going on inside of this simple brain.  Seeds and soil, wheat and weeds. And how they all work.

Seeds are what God generously sows upon the earth.

The soil — the earth — has many depths of possible growth. Some is compatible producing good growth; and some offers a challenge for healthy maturation.

Wheat represents good.

Weeds represent something not so good. Like an irritation.  Or even more that an irritation — evil.

In all of these metaphor, something is missing in the  purely nature based, parables.   

I am thinking the parables somehow are suggesting a forth component, in the process of activity, in God’s kingdom.

What is troubling me is it seems all to neat and definable. 

But we all know that all created ecosystems get messy and unclean; not predicable and often undefined.

I am thinking that in all of these elements, of nature, there are levels — layers — of growth, death and failure to bring God’s purpose to the whole of life.

Nothing is clear cut, nor understandable.  

There must be many variables involved in God’s creation — and all of His creatures.  Nothing fits in to boxes abled A, B, C, D or X Y and Z.  

If the Apostle Part is correct, and I am thinking he is.  Then all of nature and human elements fall short.

21 But now, irrespective of law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, ²²the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, ²³since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; ²⁴they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,(Rom. 3) 

Did you catch it?   

 Then there has to be some kind of dividing line.  A point at which a sinner becomes evil.

In the maze of theological thinking there is a point of no return.  A time when the weed’s irritation become a follower of the evil one.

Sad but seemingly true.

Yet, even thinking that puts up a red flag for me.  The robber hanging with Jesus on the cross who realized his mistake, with his last breath.

As much as the right wing conservative Christians what to put all sinners in the same fatal box doomed to hell.  Jesus forgives at the very last moment before the last breath is taken.

To be continued.

Once Wheat, Now Weed

I am trying  to wrap my head around Wheat and Weeds; and where seed sown by God find good growth — or not.

This is all going on in my brain because I was thinking of Solomon’s request to God in 1Kings 3.  

⁹Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?’(1Kings 3)

The first time I read this passage, many, many, years ago, I thought it was the greatest thing one could ever ask of God.  

I still think so.

God was pleased with Solomon for not asking for fame and fortune.

God granted Solomons request and more.

It is what happened soon after this conversation between Solomon and God that intrigues me this morning.

It could be interpreted that Solomon was one who received God’s blessing on good soil.

But somehow Solomon/wheat became Solomon/weed. So maybe God's seeds actually fell on rock soil.

I say this because, as so often happens, ones faith collides with the world
 around them.  

Power often leads to becoming out of alignment with God’s ways.  

It is quite common in todays world as well as ancient times.

People with privilege sadly find it easy to misuse the blessing.

Solomon soon forgot what God told him at the end of His blessing:

¹⁴If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life.’

As generous, and gracious, and forgiving God is;  it take an obligation -- a desire -- on our part to try to stay connected with God's will.

Solomon, as far as I can remember, never ask for God's forgiveness for playing God.


There is much more to this circular conversation going on in my mind.  I am not sure where to go with it.  Do any of you gave any suggestions?

Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt; he took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into the city of David, until he had finished building his own house and the house of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem. ²The people were sacrificing at the high places, however, because no house had yet been built for the name of the Lord.

3 Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David; only, he sacrificed and offered incense at the high places. ⁴The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the principal high place; Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt-offerings on that altar. ⁵At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask what I should give you.’ ⁶And Solomon said, ‘You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart towards you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. ⁷And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. ⁸And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. ⁹Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?’

10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. ¹¹God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, ¹²I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. ¹³I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you. ¹⁴If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life.’ (1Kings 3)

Why Do The Weeds Have To Grow With The Wheat?

Yesterday, following the parable of sowing of seed, we will heard the parable of the good seed — the wheat — being invaded by the bad seed — the weed. (Matt. 13:24-30. 36-43)

Of all of Jesus’ parables this one touches every generation with a profound truth.

The Good and the bad must exist together until the final harvest.

Thought the years I have played a lot mental games about this obvious situation. 

One of my thoughts has been that maybe the good seed will, in the long run, have a positive effect on the bad seed.

I remember when I was growing up parents would say something like this:  “Don’t play with that kid, he/she is a bad influence.”

One of my dearest friend in high school was one of those considered a bad influence.  She was a great person and a good friend.  Her only problem was that her older sister had made some unfortunate choice and thus had a bad reputation.

My friend suffered because of her sisters mistakes.  

Fortunately my mother trusted me to do the right thing; and allowed me to be Sally’s (alias) friend.

We are still friends today.

In a perfect world everyone would be wheat — good growth.  And if you take scripture literally, I would have to say that God did say all He created was “very good.”

I have often wondered how the “evil one” got into God’s "very good" creation.  It is still not clear to me.

The point, that does seem clear, there is another force roaming around the earth. You can read of this in the first chapter of Job. 

⁷The Lord said to Satan, ‘Where have you come from?’ Satan answered the Lord, ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.’ (Job 1)

Satan is most certainly not good.   
                                                In my opinion of course.

It is also interesting to me that God did not — or seemed not to — know about Satan.

‘Where have you come from?’

Sentences, questions, like that make me wonder how God could not have know about this evil one. 

I grew up believing that God was all knowing, all wise. 

What I also learned from childhood was that God was not like us, didn’t think like us and didn’t do things our way.

So we just have to live with the truth.  Wheat and weeds need to grow together.  

That is just the truth whether we like it or not.  

However, what I also know is that Jesus/God are not at all fond of the activity of the evil one.

But don't ask me why.

What Might Be Missing In This Parable?

This last Sunday were heard the familiar parable about the sowing of seeds.  (Matt. 13:1-9 & 18-23)

I am thinking that it is not the intent of the soil to reject the Good News.  It is the presence of something else — the evil one — that gets in the way.

And how we allow such a force to influence our thinking.

The questions that came to mind is:  Is it impossible for faith to grow on impossible soil — in impossible conditions?  Conditions that get in the way when all growth comes by God’s grace?

If, if, it is true that nothing is impossible with God.  Then I would have to believe that even seed sowed on the path, or rocky ground, has possibility.

Most of us have seen green growth on pebble-paved bike trails; or on a cement side walk, or on the blacktop of a parking lot.    Right?

So it behooves us to wonder about the over all truth of the parable. 

Just possibly Jesus had a thought, that isn’t obvious in the telling, that we miss because we take the story at face value.

Notice in the explanation of the parable how all of the areas that receive the word “hear it.”

This to me is a key that needs unlocking.  

Think of the people you know who once were active in the faith and have fallen away.  

Or children who heard the word in Sunday School and then never came back to worship after confirmation until they have children of their own.

Or people who have experienced great pain of some sort and blame God.  And for a time, sometimes along time, become faithless.

There are at least two generations who “grew up” in church who are now absent from the pews.  But have not left God out of their live.

All this is to say that even the word that is sown in the toughest of conditions.  Can one day begin to grow healthy and strong.

The growth just blooms later with some.

God never ever give up on us.

I truly treasure it when people don’t limit God’s possibility.

18 ‘Hear then the parable of the sower. ¹⁹When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. ²⁰As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; ²¹yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. ²²As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. ²³But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.’  (Matt. 13)

“Language is only a lie told about the truth.”

Jacob The Baker is one of my go-to-books.  I started reading Noah benShea’s books in 1991.  Jacob the Baker the first book of a trilogy about a quiet unassuming baker; who is very wise.  I have read these books  many, many, times throughout the years.  Reading them gives me calm and focus.


“Tell us the truth about life!” Someone asked Jacob.

And Jacob responded.  “Language is only a lie told about the truth.” (p. 19 of Noah benShea’s Jacob The Baker.)

Clearly, we know of this kind of 'truth telling'.

When I read what Jacob answered I couldn’t help but think: “Language is only a lie told about the truth,”  refers directly to my last two posts on Isaiah 55.

Using language as a lie is quiet common in all areas of our lives; not just in the interpretation of the Bible.

We hear it in weather forecast where dangerous conditions are coming — snow storms, rain storms, tornadoes, hurricanes etc.. 

We certainly hear it on the nightly news all the time.   Whether is has to do with the pandemic, or politic,  or weather or whatever.

We observe it in individual conversations were people use the lie to embellish a story they are telling.

I am not at all sure if this ‘lie’ is meant as a lie — and untruth -- or not. 

It is probably more like a way to dramatize the story in order to make it more interesting.  

However when one is in the position of being God’s witness, this “Language is only a lie told about the truth,” can be extremely damaging  to those seeking the truth about God.

Clarification:  You have heard me, before, on the subject of extremely Pentecostal, conservative, Christian witness.

To be completely honest.  In one way I have great respect for their passion and faith in God.  On the other hand I have been privy to their way of telling their truth. 

And I do not appreciate the results.

I think I have told you before, in my blogs, that I myself have been the target  — and I mean target — of this kind of truth telling.  I have also been humbly present while others  talk to me about such a witness.

One example, that always come to my mind, is when I was having lunch with a college freshmen during spring break.  He had be confronted by this kind of truth telling on campus.  

What he said to me tugged hard at my heart:  “Pastor Marcia, if that is what it means to be a Christian.  I don’t want any part of it.” 

I invite you to consider how it is the you tell your truth about The Truth.

Isaiah 55 Continues

“God’s word not only provides abundance and fertility; it makes things happen.  In the same way that precipitation set off a chain of events, when God’s word goes forth, it produces God’s intended effect….The word goes out form God’s mouth, returns to God, and accomplishes God’s purpose and intent….culminating in ‘success’ in God’s sending…” (Steed Verbtk Davidson p.221 Feast on the Word Year A column 3) 

This morning  just two words, Davidson mentions, caught my attention:  “intended effect.”

If Christians would be attentive to God’s “Purpose”  — God’s “intended effect” — we just might be in a better place as Christ’s Body in the world.

Now saying that I am stepping into a pile of problems.

Because, to be clear, there are at least — at least — two ways to witness to God’s Word.  

First we have those who see scripture as black and white.  They interpret the words, printed on the pages, of the  Bible as the only truth without error. Words taken off the page defined by the English language.

The problem with this kind of interpretation is it limits God. This kind of thinking labels, and boxes in, peoples with all kinds of stringent rules.

This kind of theology tends to limit God’s creative activity.  That is to say, it stunts growth.  

The second way is to see scripture as the “Living Word.”

Understanding the Bible brings us the truth of God.  A Word of God that is still living, speaking and acting today. (See John 16:7-15) 

The theology of the Bible, understood as the Living Word, allows God the 
privilege of being God.  Which, offers the possibility of cultivation to full growth. 

My personal theology errors on the side of grace — “The Living Word of God.”  I clearly understand God as a gracious, loving and very forgiving God.

A God who accepts us where we are and, by the presence of the Holy Spirit, moves us forward in faith as we  are at any given moment.