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...

Jesus, Our Owner

-
"Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ's, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he [is] Christ's, even so we [are] Christ's." (2 Cor 10:7)

If you belong to Christ, know that you are individually owned. “He is Christ’s.” Twice in his previous letter, Paul reminds the Corinthians of being “bought at a price” and with that purchase we are free to glorify God and no longer be slaves. The chains are gone!

If you belong to Christ, know that you are corporately owned. "We are Christ’s.”

Have you ever visited a model home? The Church is a kind of model home, a preview house of what the rule of Christ should look like, a sample of what will be. Our doors should be open to invite future residents to Christ. We are not isolated survivalists who hoard for the apocalypse of the end times, but a local version of the new city within the old city.

“Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, ‘The kingdom of God does not come with observation; ‘ nor will they say, “See here!” or “See there!” For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you." (Lk 17:20-21).

The land is already His, so in this model home we live a lifestyle as citizens of the heavenly city that one day will come. We do not abandon our jobs or desert the city that is; rather, we are to 'seek the peace and prosperity of the city' to which God called us in exile (Jer. 29:7). Our business should be that the Church becomes as large as the development tracts.

Jesus is our owner, which underscores His Divine Position (from John’s Gospel):

  1. “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.”(3:35) 
  2. “All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.”  (16:15)
  3. “and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them.” (17:10) 

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