More than one paradox. A powerful Luther quote found in "The Structure of Lutheranism" by Werner Elert:
"Of him whom He wants to make pious He makes a despairing sinner.
Of him whom He wants to make wise He makes a fool.
Him whom He wants to make strong He makes weak.
Him whom He wants to make alive He puts into the jaws of death.
Him whom He wants to lead to heaven He lowers into the abyss of hell, and so on.
Him whom He wants to honor, to bring to happiness, to power, to exalt and make great, on him He inflicts every disgrace; He damns him, makes him a servant, base and small.
Here the verse applies: 'The first, the last; the last, the first.'
He who wants to be great, let him be small.
He who wants to walk in front, let him walk in back.
Now this is the wonderful and strange King; He is closest when He is farthest away. And He is farthest away when He is closest."
( WA 19, 154, 22.)
All God's deeds are done in this paradoxical manner.
Everything God does is contrary to reason (alles widdersynnisch, was Gott machet) (WA 24, 569, 31; Enders 5, 182, 29).
I take my dogs for daily walks through the park. One day as I was upon my stroll, I ran across a boy standing near the edge of a woods... just adjacent to one of the many paths of the park. I noticed that the boy was throwing something...what I thought looked like a boomerang. I asked the youth, "does it really come back"? "Does what come back?"...he replied. "Your boomerang.". The boy simply laughed and said, "No, never". He shrugged, "These are just broken twigs and fallen branches!" as he furled another deep, very deeply into the woods. "So, why do you do it?" I further inquired, feeling the gentle, but persistent tug of my dogs in their leashes ready to continue their own canine pursuit of life and happiness. The little boy without pause, picked up another piece of wood and chucked it... "to save them!"... what appeared to be a distance more than half a football field, but it was hard to tell with all the tree limbs blocking my clear view. "Save them? Why... they're dead!! It doesn't matter if you throw them back into the deep woods!!!". The boy gave me a smirkish grin and then heaved another stick deep into the woods as the clattering of a crescendo of sounds echoed through the forest. The boy turned, looked straight at me, and said, "Well, it mattered to that one." I walked on with my two dogs.
Strong source on understanding Islamic theology. One detail I’d add is the emphasis on Arabic and the use of the Quran in Arabic, especially to jihadis, because it is thought to be Allah’s language. It’s believed, therefore, that it can only be understood in Arabic, which brings in an ethnolinguistic consideration.
The Boomerang Paradox seems to go hand in hand with the pendulum of happiness and despair. Whenever we turn to ourselves for the comfort or control we miss / lose the gifts of mercy, grace and salvation given to us by Jesus’ suffering and dying on the cross for us.
The Boomerang Paradox is the truth right in front of our face that is so hard to see. Probably because we don't want to. I will be thinking on this for a while.
More than one paradox. A powerful Luther quote found in "The Structure of Lutheranism" by Werner Elert:
"Of him whom He wants to make pious He makes a despairing sinner.
Of him whom He wants to make wise He makes a fool.
Him whom He wants to make strong He makes weak.
Him whom He wants to make alive He puts into the jaws of death.
Him whom He wants to lead to heaven He lowers into the abyss of hell, and so on.
Him whom He wants to honor, to bring to happiness, to power, to exalt and make great, on him He inflicts every disgrace; He damns him, makes him a servant, base and small.
Here the verse applies: 'The first, the last; the last, the first.'
He who wants to be great, let him be small.
He who wants to walk in front, let him walk in back.
Now this is the wonderful and strange King; He is closest when He is farthest away. And He is farthest away when He is closest."
( WA 19, 154, 22.)
All God's deeds are done in this paradoxical manner.
Everything God does is contrary to reason (alles widdersynnisch, was Gott machet) (WA 24, 569, 31; Enders 5, 182, 29).
I take my dogs for daily walks through the park. One day as I was upon my stroll, I ran across a boy standing near the edge of a woods... just adjacent to one of the many paths of the park. I noticed that the boy was throwing something...what I thought looked like a boomerang. I asked the youth, "does it really come back"? "Does what come back?"...he replied. "Your boomerang.". The boy simply laughed and said, "No, never". He shrugged, "These are just broken twigs and fallen branches!" as he furled another deep, very deeply into the woods. "So, why do you do it?" I further inquired, feeling the gentle, but persistent tug of my dogs in their leashes ready to continue their own canine pursuit of life and happiness. The little boy without pause, picked up another piece of wood and chucked it... "to save them!"... what appeared to be a distance more than half a football field, but it was hard to tell with all the tree limbs blocking my clear view. "Save them? Why... they're dead!! It doesn't matter if you throw them back into the deep woods!!!". The boy gave me a smirkish grin and then heaved another stick deep into the woods as the clattering of a crescendo of sounds echoed through the forest. The boy turned, looked straight at me, and said, "Well, it mattered to that one." I walked on with my two dogs.
My apologies, I thought this was supposed to be a commentary if one had a personal story about a 'boomerang' and a 'paradogs'. 🙏👍
Please explain why as a pastor you always warn people about thinking about their motivations.
Thank you
Bazinga!
Strong source on understanding Islamic theology. One detail I’d add is the emphasis on Arabic and the use of the Quran in Arabic, especially to jihadis, because it is thought to be Allah’s language. It’s believed, therefore, that it can only be understood in Arabic, which brings in an ethnolinguistic consideration.
The Boomerang Paradox seems to go hand in hand with the pendulum of happiness and despair. Whenever we turn to ourselves for the comfort or control we miss / lose the gifts of mercy, grace and salvation given to us by Jesus’ suffering and dying on the cross for us.
I love the Boomerang Paradox, but I got so far as learning about the other things and it seems too much to digest unless I quit my day job. Grin.
Thanks! The other stuff will wait for you.
The Boomerang Paradox is the truth right in front of our face that is so hard to see. Probably because we don't want to. I will be thinking on this for a while.
Good thoughts and at the end of the day, we're sinners. Even our best.
throwing the boomerang guarantees a miss - therefore, don't throw the boomerang at God's righteousness?
Love this! So very true.