Here is a question asked by the Pharisees:
‘ When will the kingdom of God come?’ We heard John the Baptist say: ‘ The kingdom of God is at hand.’ ( Mat 3:2)
Jesus answer was like this: ‘ The kingdom of God does not come with outward show, you can’t say it is here or there, for look the kingdom of God is in you.’
People expected Jesus to accept an earthly throne but He didn’t. He knew that to be efficient and rid the world of extortion, intolerance, and grinding cruelty, the person must individually have minds and emotions regenerated.
John says: ‘ As many as received Jesus, to them He gave power to become children of God, even to them that believe in His name: which were born not of the will of the body or a person of blood but of God.’ John 1: 12,13 Sandy’s understanding.
This is the power that can change people and it happens by practicing the Word of God.
‘ You are washed, sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God which is given you by Jesus Christ.’ 1 Cor 6:11 ( This whole chapter is challenging.)
May Jesus whose birthday we celebrate today liberate us from hurt, hate and deception that we may have a piece of peace and then completeness with Him in the Earth made new.
I will start this post with a fact I didn’t know and let it end with a ‘happening’ on the beach of Sagres.
Sagres is a village 6km from the southwestern most point in Portugal with one of the most powerful ligthouses in Europe. Then here are the facts I didn’t know: Only 65km / 40miles south west from here the ocean floor drops off by 4,000m / 13,200ft. These waters hold a mountain range known as the Goringe Bank. It is 5,000m / 16,500 ft high. The Eurasian and African continental plates meet here and frequently cause tectonic shifts. The Gorringe was where the epicentre was for the 1755 earthquake. This decimated the entire Algarve coast.
Let us look at the coast and a little more closely at the rocks.
Where the cliff has fallen away there is a photographic beach. I remember posting a, sunset picture in soft colours of it last year this time when in Sagres.
It was fascinating to see a line fisherman reel in a fish from such a high cliff. It was a good meal I am sure.
These limestone pavements are a typical formation which because they are fractured allow water to filter through and erosion occurs easily. The crevices become perfect places for plants to sprout. These plants can cope with salty winds and little soil. Salt bush is one of them. These plants retain salt in their leaves arranged alternately along the branches. They have little hairs which are bladder like and when cllapsed give a silvery, scurfy serface. The leaf blade may be entire, tooth or lobed.
This may be saltbush on the right of the rock.
Other plants growing here are: salsola / saltwort, wild carrot, sea fennel, sea lavendar.
Now for the ‘ happening’.
It was a cold beach but every now and then the sun came from behind the clouds and so many of us stayed outside because it was worth it.
This is how it happened. I was sitting on a large slab of rock with my rubber crocs (shoes) next to me. A dog with pointed ears and nose thin legs and mischievious eyes came over to play with Bess. Usually female dogs don’t get on but these two played well for a while as both were off their leads. Bess then grew tired and sat between me and my shoes. I put my arm around her and then wanting to make a point, the dog with the pointy nose and ears grabbed my shoe and made for the end of the beach. She wanted more of a game. Bess looked distressed, she likes my shoes. (she often takes my shoes off for me, something I tried to teach her to do, not too successfully because sometimes she bites me.)
The owner of the dog didn’t notice any of this but she later came to chat. I said: ‘ You have an interactive, clever little dog there!’
Then this was her answer. ‘ She was a street dog and I have just had her released from quarantine.’
How kind. They walked away and a person from down the beach brought my shoe back. I am no Cinderella but the shoe matched the one left behind on the rock. The real Cinderellas were the beautiful lady and her clever dog.
Take care and enjoy this day.
Sandy 🙂
Ps
Here is a connection to an amazing map and story involving a woman who helped map the ocean. ushttps://search.app/wxZfTttps://search.app/wxZfT