Practice the disciplines of grace
but don't rely on them.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Quote from today's sermon
Re: Galatians 4:21-30 - Craig Combs (about being free from the law)
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Grace Gives Life
It's funny how we think more about life when we consider death. There has been a bit more of death around us of late (esp. if we consider all of the past year) - a season if you will where several dear folks we know have died, as well as others.
Just yesterday a little girl - 5 years old - riding her bike was killed by accident on a dead-end street in a driveway. We didn't know her but the emotions inside are deep and real. They remind me of the loss of my own dear brother over 40 years ago. They remind me of wanting to reach out to a family I'm only slightly acquainted with who almost lost their then-5-yr-old in a similar situation. They remind me of a dearly beloved couple who lost their 6 yr old to cancer many years ago. And on and on. What does one do with these emotions?
Sometimes the deaths are ones long-awaited as in another death in our lives this past week of a dearly beloved gentleman from church who's battle with cancer lasted less than 2 years. He had lived a full life, and his love the for His God and Savior Jesus was palpable to the end. But while he truly has gone to a better place, his death is still very real. As our pastor likes to remind us, death is not as people like to say "part of life". It is the very antithesis of life. A quick read of the first few chapters of Genesis can and will clear up any confusion on that point. Death is the punishment - the consequences - the penalty - for sin.
Enter grace. Grace brings life. Real life. The kind that no one can take away. The kind that lasts for ever. All of us have sinned and deserve God's judgement - every single one of us. Only by grace - freely given by him to all he's chosen to give it to through faith in his son - can we live. And that grace changes both the life now and the life after death.
So what do I do with these emotions? I go back to my God - I find sufficiency in his grace. It takes time, and it is never easy, but he is all I need and he promises he will never fail me. And I trust him. "Here they are," Lord, "you can have them." Messy, overwhelming, sad, at a loss, discouraged, and often even sinful and ill-founded or selfish or whatever. But they are real - and so is my God. He can handle it and he will work on completing his work of grace in me until he brings me home. And in the meantime, I will declare to anyone who will listen "It is well with my soul!"
Just yesterday a little girl - 5 years old - riding her bike was killed by accident on a dead-end street in a driveway. We didn't know her but the emotions inside are deep and real. They remind me of the loss of my own dear brother over 40 years ago. They remind me of wanting to reach out to a family I'm only slightly acquainted with who almost lost their then-5-yr-old in a similar situation. They remind me of a dearly beloved couple who lost their 6 yr old to cancer many years ago. And on and on. What does one do with these emotions?
Sometimes the deaths are ones long-awaited as in another death in our lives this past week of a dearly beloved gentleman from church who's battle with cancer lasted less than 2 years. He had lived a full life, and his love the for His God and Savior Jesus was palpable to the end. But while he truly has gone to a better place, his death is still very real. As our pastor likes to remind us, death is not as people like to say "part of life". It is the very antithesis of life. A quick read of the first few chapters of Genesis can and will clear up any confusion on that point. Death is the punishment - the consequences - the penalty - for sin.
Enter grace. Grace brings life. Real life. The kind that no one can take away. The kind that lasts for ever. All of us have sinned and deserve God's judgement - every single one of us. Only by grace - freely given by him to all he's chosen to give it to through faith in his son - can we live. And that grace changes both the life now and the life after death.
Grace is the "portal" if you will - for reconciliation, for incredible growth, for joy, for peace, for so much good in our lives we can't even imagine it. The sufferings and difficulties of the life here on earth are fruitful and we have reason to hope - not only for the future but for the growth that is taking place at present. I get up in the morning with a reason to get out of bed. Even when I'm tired and looking at a tough day (or looking back at a tough evening). Even when I know there are difficulties to come or struggles I'm still in the midst of. I know where I've been and I know God will take me through what is to come. It's pretty incredible. I was lost and now I'm found. The emotions of loss are overwhelming when facing death, even that of a stranger, but life is everything I've hoped for and more.Romans 5:1-11: 1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
So what do I do with these emotions? I go back to my God - I find sufficiency in his grace. It takes time, and it is never easy, but he is all I need and he promises he will never fail me. And I trust him. "Here they are," Lord, "you can have them." Messy, overwhelming, sad, at a loss, discouraged, and often even sinful and ill-founded or selfish or whatever. But they are real - and so is my God. He can handle it and he will work on completing his work of grace in me until he brings me home. And in the meantime, I will declare to anyone who will listen "It is well with my soul!"
Sunday, May 9, 2010
A Mom's Love
I just read an article from our church's women's fellowship newsletter entitled "Thanks, Mom!". Today is Mother's Day so it seemed fitting to read it before heading to bed. Great read and all about a mom's love for her child (in this case daughter). Oh how gracious our moms are - I could fill volumes telling of my mom's grace for me. I was (am!) difficult and amazingly she still loves me after all that's happened between us (granted the years of no longer living under the same roof have helped).
Anyway, the article made a point of comparing a mom's love (very gracious!) with God's love expressed for his children, through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ - his amazing love far surpasses that of even our moms!. The article closed (more or less) with the following quote which totally floored me in its simplicity, and said it all; "My mom loves me because I am her daughter, but I am God's daughter because he loved me."
Anyway, the article made a point of comparing a mom's love (very gracious!) with God's love expressed for his children, through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ - his amazing love far surpasses that of even our moms!. The article closed (more or less) with the following quote which totally floored me in its simplicity, and said it all; "My mom loves me because I am her daughter, but I am God's daughter because he loved me."
Monday, January 25, 2010
Lyrics that mean a lot to me
Be Ye Glad
Michael Kelly Blanchard
In these days of confused situations
In these nights of restless remorse,
When the heart and the soul of a nation
Lay wounded and cold as a corpse
From the grave of the innocent Adam
Comes a song bringing joy to the sad.
Oh your cry has been heard and the ransom
Has been paid up in full, be ye glad
Chorus:
Oh, be ye glad, oh, be ye glad.
Every debt that you've ever had
Has been paid up in full by the grace of the Lord.
Be ye glad, be ye glad, be ye glad
So be like lights on the rim of the water
Giving hope in a storm sea of night
Be a refuge amidst the slaughter
Of these fugitives in their flight
For you are timeless and part of a puzzle.
You are winsome and young as a lad.
And there is no disease or no struggle
That can pull you from God, be ye glad
Michael Kelly Blanchard
In these days of confused situations
In these nights of restless remorse,
When the heart and the soul of a nation
Lay wounded and cold as a corpse
From the grave of the innocent Adam
Comes a song bringing joy to the sad.
Oh your cry has been heard and the ransom
Has been paid up in full, be ye glad
Chorus:
Oh, be ye glad, oh, be ye glad.
Every debt that you've ever had
Has been paid up in full by the grace of the Lord.
Be ye glad, be ye glad, be ye glad
So be like lights on the rim of the water
Giving hope in a storm sea of night
Be a refuge amidst the slaughter
Of these fugitives in their flight
For you are timeless and part of a puzzle.
You are winsome and young as a lad.
And there is no disease or no struggle
That can pull you from God, be ye glad
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Wherever you are
I had a wonderful conversation w/a relatively new friend today. We met a few months ago through our children who attend school together. She's originally from Quebec, where those who know the Lord are few and far between - maybe even fewer than further between, and then some.
Today finally I was able to ask, point blank, "So how does a Quebecoise like you come to know Christ? I mean, that just 'doesn't happen' very often..." And I got the "You're right, it's amazing, let me tell you!" story I'd been longing to hear.
In summary, God will find His children, no matter where they may be. And His grace is not only sufficient to save them, but also to sustain them in virtual spiritual starvation over time. May I not forget to pray for such people and those He's called, both to live there and to go there. My heart just SINGS to know He is at work in the French-speaking, and (most often) God-cursing culture, to His glory. Pray for her and her family, that He would use them to reach the many they know there still, such as her parents, who do not know God, but who are watching those who do, like she and her husband, wondering if He's real, and whether He can be trusted. May their blinders fall off and may they SEE HIM - truly see Him and love Him and KNOW His amazing grace.
Today finally I was able to ask, point blank, "So how does a Quebecoise like you come to know Christ? I mean, that just 'doesn't happen' very often..." And I got the "You're right, it's amazing, let me tell you!" story I'd been longing to hear.
In summary, God will find His children, no matter where they may be. And His grace is not only sufficient to save them, but also to sustain them in virtual spiritual starvation over time. May I not forget to pray for such people and those He's called, both to live there and to go there. My heart just SINGS to know He is at work in the French-speaking, and (most often) God-cursing culture, to His glory. Pray for her and her family, that He would use them to reach the many they know there still, such as her parents, who do not know God, but who are watching those who do, like she and her husband, wondering if He's real, and whether He can be trusted. May their blinders fall off and may they SEE HIM - truly see Him and love Him and KNOW His amazing grace.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
That's what faith must be
Here is the chorus from a Michael Card song I came across this evening. Very succinct and to the point I thought...
To hear with my heart,
To see with my soul,
To be guided by a hand I cannot hold,
To trust in a way that I cannot see,
That's what faith must be.
To hear with my heart,
To see with my soul,
To be guided by a hand I cannot hold,
To trust in a way that I cannot see,
That's what faith must be.
Immortal, Invisible
Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible, hid from our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.
Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice, like mountains, high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.
To all life Thou givest, to both great and small;
In all live Thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish - but nought changeth Thee.
Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;
All praise we would render - O help us to see
'Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee!
A hymn from 1876 by Walter Chalmers Smith
In light inaccessible, hid from our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.
Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice, like mountains, high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.
To all life Thou givest, to both great and small;
In all live Thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish - but nought changeth Thee.
Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;
All praise we would render - O help us to see
'Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee!
A hymn from 1876 by Walter Chalmers Smith
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