Grief

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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...

No Such Thing as Terminal Christians

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Themes of Ephesians 2 surface again in Romans 5, which should come as no surprise, considering the source. We who needs be reminded often are able to learn once again a deeper truth concerning the principle set forth here, namely, that when we are at our worst, God did his best.

We often use the phrase, “I did my best,” when we return to the dug-out after striking out;
Or when scooping up the casserole off the floor between the kitchen and dinner table;
Or realizing that all the time you spent caulking the bathroom, you used the wrong caulk.

Not so with God. When He gave His best, that’s all He had and He accomplished all He set out to do in giving His best. There was no defeat on His part. Look at what Paul wrote:

  • We were dead in trespasses and sins (Eph 2), without strength (Ro 5);
  • He made us alive in Christ Jesus (Eph 2), who died for the ungodly while we were still sinners (Ro 5);
  • He in his rich mercy loved us (Eph 2), demonstrating that love in Christ’s death (Ro 5);
  • We were children of wrath (Eph 2) and are saved from His wrath by His blood (Ro 5);
  • We are made alive in Christ (Eph 2), reconciled to God (Ro 5);
  • We are saved through faith (Eph 2) by His life (Ro 5).
God makes sons out of enemies those who by faith in the shed blood of Jesus die to sin and enter in to new life. He brings alive those who are dead in sin—He does not wait until we deal with sin. Ever heard the expression, “turning over a new leaf?” Well, God doesn’t do that—He makes a new leaf.


The story goes that Socrates was once asked concerning his country of origin, to which he replied, “I am a citizen of the world.” The Christian can only say he or she is the citizen of heaven because he is moved from earth to heaven through faith in the captain of his salvation! We are not caught in between, stranded without citizenship like someone stranded in an airport terminal.

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