Grief

-
Sometimes the news comes quick. Sometimes the news comes slow. No matter how or when it comes, grief travels in the wake of the news. Grief is heavy, weighty, a burden, especially when it involves someone deeply loved. Grief is not meant to be carried alone. It’s too heavy and may last a while—and that’s ok. That’s what family and friends are for, to share the load. Jesus stood outside the tomb of his friend and wept but He did not weep alone. It was a deep, human moment. “ Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted ” (Matt 5:4). If anyone knows how we feel in grief, it’s Him. But His grief did not linger long, as at the mention of his name, Lazarus came forth. We are not meant to dwell in grief, but should leave room enough for it. Let it run its course. Like the song says, “ Every Storm Runs Out Of Rain .” Another song says, “ The storm We will dance as it breaks The storm It will give as it takes And all of our pain is washed away Don't cry or be afraid Some things...

Reflections on World Christian Week

-
By CIU Professor, Dr. Shirl Schiffman

Picture this: A woman in a poor, animistic village in Rwanda tries for nine humiliating years to have a child. Never having heard of the God of the Bible, she repeatedly offers animal sacrifices to curry favor with the spirits. To her great joy, she finally bears a baby boy – Musekura. He is still a child when his mother entrusts him with the responsibility of offering sacrifices for her continued fertility and protection from evil spirits. One day an American missionary walks into the village. In God’s mercy, adolescent Celestin Musekura is saved, but expelled from his home for fear of spirit reprisal. He struggles on his own, frequently in rags, until an elderly lady in the missionary’s home church in America hears of the young man’s plight and begins to send a small amount of money each month for his education.

Now picture this: Dr. Celestin Musekura stands on the platform of Shortess Chapel at Columbia International University. He is the keynote speaker for World Christian Week 2008. The power of his testimony during the first session was unmistakable: Someone went; someone stayed home, but played an equally strategic part in fulfilling the Great Commission. And today? Dr. Musekura is mightily used by God as a pastor, outstanding Bible teacher, and leader in the reconciliation movement in Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Sudan and other parts of the world. It was an incredible privilege to have him at CIU during the conference. No one will easily forget his teaching on Nehemiah: Are we aware of what God is doing around the world? Do we care? Do we pray? Do we have compassion? Do we have God’s vision for what we are supposed to do?

Dr. Musekura’s messages and another incredibly moving story of God’s work through American missionary Dave Ray are available at http://www.ciu.edu/rss/podcast.html. If you were unable to attend the conference, listen to these messages. Reaffirm your own determination to be vitally involved in God’s global mission. The time is short. The fields are white unto harvest. CIU’s World Christian Week 2008 was a reminder: Every moment counts.

Popular posts from this blog

Rock Me, Epictetus!

-
Image
“Keep constant guard over your perceptions, for it is no small thing you are protecting, but your respect, trustworthiness and steadiness, peace of mind, freedom from pain and fear, in a word your freedom. For what would you sell these things?” EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 4.3.6 b –8 
Read more

The Smooth-flowing Life

-
Image
Legend has it that the astronomer Ptolemy (1st century A.D.) suggested that falling stars were caused by the gods moving in the heavens, thus knocking stars out of their places. Somehow people reasoned that that if the gods were moving, they must be getting close to earth so they would lift their "prayers" or "wishes" (literally, "desires") whenever they saw the stars falling in hopes the gods would notice and grant a favorable answer. But how does one wish on falling star? Once you see it, it's gone before the wish or prayer can be made! The answer is simple: meteor shower. That's how to get your wish. Mrs. Ann Hodges had a wish fall right into her lap. Sort of. In 1954 Mrs. Hodges was sleeping on the couch when a 8 1/2 pound meteorite fell through her house and into her living room where it bounced off the radio and struck her left hip leaving her with a bruise. Not sure what she was wishing, but that's not how to do it. Epictetus hel...
Read more