God is Sovereign.

In the end, God will have His way.

But meanwhile, today, God doesn't always get His way.

This explains why there is evil in the world, and why we have the power to choose between good and evil. He has given us each free will, with which we choose.

This writing was instigated by a discussion regarding the Doctrine of Divine Impassibility. I found myself at odds with my reformed brethren, who hold steadfastly to various previously affirmed doctrines, of which this is but one. Whereas they are zealous to affirm the various doctrines which comprise the foundations of their faith, I, on the other hand, am more inclined to simply argue in accordance with my own personal experience, and with what God has taught me about Himself over the years.

Most modern arguments for Intelligent Design focus on the complexity and elegance of all the various forms of life in our world, including ourselves. Indeed, one only has to look at any of the many sub-processes of the human body, such as the Krebs Cycle, in order to be filled with a sense of wonder about who it was that put all this together.

… Then the Lord God made the rib He had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man.  And the man said:

This one, at last, is bone of my bone
and flesh of my flesh;
this one will be called “woman,”
for she was taken from man.

This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh.  Both the man and his wife were naked, yet felt no shame.

—Genesis 2:22‭-‬25 HCSB

When I was about seven years old, I met God. I don't know how, or exactly when it happened, though I recall a couple of pivotal events. One was at the Douglas County Fair. There was a small tent in which my buddy and I were invited to see a short slide show about Jesus. The Gospel was clearly presented, and I recognized it as what must surely be truth.

The greatest gifts, and the deepest truths of God are given and revealed only to those who trust in Him. Seems obvious on the surface, but wait until you receive one! Only then will you understand the greatness of the blessing, or the deepness of the truth. My experience has been that it's one thing to seek the blessing, and there is an element of nobility in the seeking.

I'm making my way back
To where, I haven't always been sure
And at times, I had no clue
But now I know, and I will die,
Seeing it through. 

There was a day that I launched out
On my journey through life.
Whatever direction, it didn't much matter
For I was on my way.
But "way to where?" I paused not to consider.
As long as it was my way, and
Not the way of another. 

“I think, therefore, I am,”
thought the thinker.

“As I do, so am I,”
thought the doer.

And yet!—do they not both think, and do?

For the doer does what he thinks best,
As the thinker does his thinking, as best he can.
Do they not both do their best in what they do, or think?

Then what of God's opinion of either?
Shall we imagine that He cares?
Does He in fact prefer one over the other?

And is God, Himself, a thinker or a doer?
Surely He thinks before He does,
and surely He does what He thinks He shall do.

I waited, seemingly forever
to meet the one who is you...

And since that day I cannot resist
this unction to love you for all my life,
As though I am reflected in a mirror
of God's love for His own.

My love for you
is a reflection.

Two in one,
One in two,
are we destined to be
this reflection?

Time might tell,
but I already know.
My love for you is a reflection
Of God's love for me.

Sometimes I complain.

Sometimes I just feel sorry for myself.

Sometimes I am so self-absorbed, so self-centered, so preoccupied with myself and my circumstance that I loose sight of what's important.

What's important? In the grand scheme of things, in view of God's great plan, in view of eternity, what's important today, in my relatively meager, temporary life? Only after acquiring a grasp on what's important, versus what's not important—only then am I able to discern God's blessings that I have received, as well as those for which I should rightly hope.