Salvation!

There is a story in Chile that has been unfolding for months. It's the story of more than 30 miners who have been trapped underground. It's a story I have been thinking about as I watch the efforts to rescue them.

This story has amazing similarities to the dilemma the human race is in regarding sin. We, like those miners, have been trapped! In spite of our best efforts we cannot get out of this mess ourselves. We are trapped! We need someone to rescue us. That is the drama of the last few months as millions have been spent to drill down to them, to save them, to rescue them.

They are trapped in their cave. There is no way out by their own efforts. Someone has to help them, dig them out and save them. As I thought about these men and their helpless situation it struck me that the human race is in a similar situation. We are trapped by sin and cannot rescue ourselves. We need help! We need someone to save us.

That is what the good news is about- God's rescue plan for the human race. Since we are unable to save ourselves he made his way to us and provided a way out...Deliverance! Rescue! Freedom! Salvation! It's only when we realize how helpless we are that we look for help from someone else. These miners know they cannot save themselves and so they wait...they wait for salvation.

How many of them will take advantage of salvation when it comes? How many will get in the recovery pod to be brought back to life by someone else? Do you think any of them will decline? Will there be any who would say, "No thank you, I can save myself. I don't need anyone else to save me. I'll do it myself, thank you very much." To even write these words is silly. None will remain behind. None will believe they can rescue themselves. All will respond to the saving work of others. All of these men will gladly say "YES!" to salvation.

Like these miners the human race is trapped and in need of salvation. God has come and done for us what we could never do for ourselves. He has rescued us, provided a way out....he's sent the recovery pod for us. Why would any say no to his wonderful rescue plan? Why would any turn down God's gift? Here is his salvation plan for mankind. Who wouldn't want to be rescued from the dark pit of sin and death? Who wouldn't respond to this free gift of life?

John 3:16-18 "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him."

Wages or gifts?

Which would you prefer? Wages or Gifts? That's the question and conclusion of Romans 6.

I've been reading Romans 6 daily for a few weeks now. I'm trying to wrap my mind around this amazing chapter. As Paul concludes his argument for both justification and sanctification he offers this contrast- Which do you want, wages or gifts?

Wages are the result of work you have done, the wage is due you for your efforts. It's payment for service rendered. Woven into this question is the reality that your wage is tied to what "boss" you work for (but that's a discussion for another time.)

On the other hand is the gift. A gift is given for no work done at all. You can't earn it, you may not deserve it, but it's based entirely on the kindness of the giver. It's given without any merit on your part. And, it's free.

This is the question at the end of Romans 6, a wage or a gift...which do you want? With that simple question comes other decisions- Which "master" will I serve? Can I humbly receive something I didn't earn? Or, will my pride keep me from the gift because I want to "earn my own way?"

Wages or gifts? That's the question for the human race. Surprisingly, for a race that loves free things, most will choose a wage rather than the gift. To be honest, our rejection of the gift amazes me. Why would you rather earn your own way than receive something even better for free, without work, without merit?

Here are Paul's closing thoughts on this topic in Romans 6- "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Wages or gifts? Which do you choose?

Happy Birthday

Our wonderful granddaughter, Alice, celebrated her 8th birthday today. It's such a blessing to have grandchildren and be part of their lives. I don't think I ever thought about this stage of life, but it is quite wonderful....did I use that word already?

Happy Birthday, Alice!

Imagining God

A new book called "America's Four Gods" by Paul Froese and Christopher Bader deals with the way we imagine God to be. We are a nation with images of God based on what we think he is like.

Here are the four Gods Americans have described:

1. Authoritative God

2. Critical God

3. Distant God

4. Benevolent God

It suddenly struck me, as I read the reviews of this new book, that nothing much has changed in thousands of years. More than 3,000 years ago the prophet Isaiah wrote these words as God spoke through him,

Isaiah 29:16
You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, "He did not make me"? Can the pot say of the potter, "He knows nothing"?

The problem we have always had as a race is the desire to create our own gods. We are quite reluctant to trust God as he describes himself. More simply than this is our lack of interest in knowing him at all. Few go to God's word to see what he is like and so we invent the god that makes us comfortable. I can't tell you how many times someone has said to me, "well, my god isn't like that..." and with that opening statement they tell me about the god they have invented.

Our greatest need is to know that God that is, but that means we have to pursue him, get to know him, talk to him....and that takes time. It's much easier to make up our own god....and so we have.

Quote of the day

"Christianity can never be only an experience of the secret place; it must be a life in the market place." -William Barclay, his commentary on Romans

Stupid people

You've met them, haven't you? Stupid people. They are everywhere! As I think about these people I realize that they get this title because they don't agree with me! It's our way to deal with the dissonance in our lives when we run into someone who is different, believes different things, lives a different lifestyle. If they don't fit with our worldview they are just plain stupid!

But honestly, they would probably think the same thing about you! From their view of the world they would call you stupid. This description of people is a wonderfully large bucket we use to dismiss the lives and thoughts of others...they're just stupid. They don't know any better. If they knew what I knew they wouldn't do that, say that, live that way, believe that....but they don't, they aren't, so we have to deal with them and we simply dismiss them.

Wouldn't it be amazing to ask, "Would you tell me about your life? I would really like to know why and how you have come to where you are." With that question we have dismissed our fears and resolved the dissonance with the realization that this is a real person that Christ died for. They might be different, think different and even live different from you, but they are people God loves....we should do the same. The only stupid person is the one who sees a political party, a religion, a category and misses the person.

Those we often put in the category of "stupid people" are the very ones Jesus would have been drawn to. He would hang out with them, love them and spend time with them.....and most of us, like the Pharisees, would raise an eyebrow and be irritated with Jesus for wasting his time, but remember.....he "wasted his time" on us.

Distractions

Sorry, the very thing I need most, my mind, has run off in a hundred different directions. I'll be back as soon as I can wrestle my mind back into submission.

Quote of the day

Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold. -Helen Keller

Just thinking about the church

I've been part of the church for more than 45 years. When I say "church" I'm speaking about the body of Christ, the gathered group of believers all trusting Christ and headed for heaven.

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It has often amazed me that God is able to get anything done in the world with the people I have met over the years. (I include myself in this bunch by the way.) How can God take broken, selfish people and build a kingdom? But he does! One heart at a time, one moment at a time he's drawing us to him, conforming us to the image of Christ and building an eternal kingdom.

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But what a funny bunch we are. One person said to me, "I'm leaving because you don't teach the bible here." Another told me yesterday, "I love it here because you teach the bible." One person tells me they love the music while another can't stand it. You can imagine how many different contrasts exist in this discussion and I have heard them all. How on earth can God work with people like us!? But he does.

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For me there are two great miracles I see- 1. Salvation. That a person like me, by simple faith in Christ, can know and experience forgiveness and eternal life, and 2. The Kingdom. That a group of people like us can be used by God to bring about his eternal kingdom. With the crew he has working for him it's a miracle he gets anything done. And it is a miracle indeed. I like miracles.

The Third Third

One of our dear friends, Merrikay, is leaving "the nest" and the security of her own business to become a missionary. She's going to be working with BEE World. We are really excited for her. If you want to read more she has a new blog site called The Third Third. Stop by, tell her hello, pray for her and support her if the Lord leads. She still needs support to make the leap full-time. Here's her site if you missed the link above: http://merrikaylee.blogspot.com/

Monday's cartoon

Church

Around the world on this day, Sunday, Christians meet for worship. I'm always amazed that God works through us the way he does. He could simply do it all himself and cut out the middle-man, but instead he uses frail and broken men and women to tell the world about his love and desire for relationship with them.

I'm at the church this moment getting ready for the day ahead. In our small church people will gather to worship God. Many are hurting, some dying and others struggling with major issues. I pray that today, in our church family and in those around the world, that God will comfort, encourage, direct and empower his people to reach the world around them.

The gathered ones, that's what the word "church" means, gather today to worship the King. I pray the King will work among us all to reach those he loves who don't know him yet.

Influence

As I grow older I am more aware of how small our circles of influence really are. At best we might touch the lives of a handful of people through our lifetime and then, as sad as it sounds, we will be remembered by only two generations...our children and grandchildren. Then, like the rest of humanity, we fade into the background...forgotten but for our name on the grave stone somewhere.
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Sounds negative? A little, but it's true, so how do we best impact and influence these few lives for these few years we are here? The key to all of this is what Jesus told us to do in relationship- love one another. To truly love someone you must listen, care, think about them, connect with them, reach out to them, cry with them, in other words really love them. That is the one life changing decision we each make that changes the lives of those few other lives we influence. A genuine love of others is the secret to influence that will last beyond your memory....it's the one decision that has impact into eternity.
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(The photo? It's one of our amazing grandchildren, Vaughn. Isn't he cute?)

A moment in time

At breakfast with a friend this morning:

Waitress: Would you like hashbrowns or home fries with that?

Friend: What are home fries?

Waitress: They're fried chunks.

Me: Yum.....fried chunks.

Friend: I'll have the hashbrowns.

Life in America