Devotional

Venice gives a whole new meaning to "Getting there is half the fun."
The churches are beautiful but they tend to be filled with "FOJs" (friends of Jesus) and FOMs.
Those two have been stuck in the corners while all of the old dead rich men are holding forth in the spotlights. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. As if that is going to give us a token for heaven? Don t think so.
I grabbed a copy of "Fresh Wind Fresh Fire" to read on the trip. It is the story of the Brooklyn Tabernacel. What a wonderful contrast between true faith and the dead churches here. Over here the churches are mainly concert halls and museaums.
I once heard a preacher preach on the topic of "What would it take for you to loose your faith?"
It seems the horrors of WWII disheartened the Europeans to the point that they lost their faith in God. I can certainly understand but it has given me pause to think:
A realtionship with God is like a marriage.... We don t know we are seriously committed until the horrors and our wosrt fears are faced. That is when the relationship is settled.
As I stand in the glory of these buildings that were for the most part built with pure intentions to the glory of God I am humbled. Lord -- let me see you in the ordinary and grand and help me to stand. He is a good God.