For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.  Romans 5:6-10

No greater love than Jesus dying on the Cross of Calvary. No greater power.              Believe and Receive.

Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.

This, the power of the cross:
Christ became sin for us,
Took the blame, bore the wrath:
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face
Bearing the awesome weight of sin;
Every bitter thought,
Every evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees,
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
‘Finished!’ the victory cry.

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death,
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.

This, the power of the cross:
Son of God, slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Stuart Townend & Keith Getty
Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music (Adm. by CapitolCMGPublishing.com excl. UK & Europe, adm. by Integrity Music, part of the David C Cook family, songs@integritymusic.com)

The most familiar hymn of all time might be Amazing Grace. Just a few bars of the melody is all that is needed for most to join in singing:

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind but now I see.

Perhaps the other stanzas are less familiar but this first one is quite recognizable to most Americans. It’s rare to watch footage of the now-too-familiar candlelight vigil or a somber memorial when this song isn’t played prominently or at least in the background. It’s a soundtrack to Americans in mourning.

But though the melody evokes strong emotions, nearly a tragic sweetness, the words ought to instill hope midst sorrow. I want to address the melody in a later blog but I want to highlight something that has recently occurred to me about the powerful truths this first stanza reveals.

I was at first considering the “sound” that is mentioned here. What is that sound so sweet? I polled some valued people and many wonderful answers were given. But I understand the sound to be… the name of Jesus. The Bible tells us that God the Father gave His Beloved Son, Jesus, the name which is above every name and the only name by which a person can be saved. Jesus saves. Jesus is the sweetest name I know.

Before any of us called on Jesus, there wasn’t even the realization that we were wretched. If a room is dim, it’s hard to see yourself in the mirror, but when it’s brightly lit, all the blemishes become quite apparent. In the light of Jesus Christ, not only can we see our own wretchedness but there is grace to acknowledge our own wretchedness. Perhaps we might compare ourselves to the song writer and say, “I’m not a God-cursing slave-trader,” which was John Newton at one point in his life. True, but would you examine your thoughts over the last 24 hours? All of them. Any murderous thoughts? If your thought-life were to be broadcasted like a movie, what kind of ratings might it be given? And yet, the Bible tells us that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. Those committed, those yet to be acted upon, those in progress. Not only so, the blood He shed on the Cross dealt with the Sin nature within me, not just the sins I commit. He gave all who believes in Him His very own life, so in God’s eyes, God sees His Son in place of the wretch like me.

You might tell me, so what? I don’t believe the Bible and I am still a good person. Why this talk of sin all the time? Ah, this consideration is the perfect lead-in to the next two lines. I once was lost. Truly, someone who is lost might not be fully aware of it. If you don’t have a charted path, anywhere will do. If I don’t know I have a destination or a home, I can wander in the world without the thought of being lost. But if someone leads me home or to my purposed destination, I would then realize that prior to that, I was lost, but now I’m found. Newton makes it so simple.

But the last line about being blind is revelatory. To someone born blind, sight means very little. There would be little motivation to see. Furthermore, any attempts to describe things visually would seem like utter nonsense. And the truth of the matter is that we are all born blind to God. To perceive a smell, we need a functioning nose. To perceive a sight we need functioning eyes. To perceive God, who is Spirit, we need a functioning spirit. And until we see for the first time, we would never even realize we were blind. When Jesus saves us, He gives us His life and His life makes our dormant spirit alive. And with a living functioning spirit, we perceive God in ways we could never perceive before. Before we believed in Jesus, the things of God seemed so fantastical, but afterwards, we just want to tell others, this is real. But like someone seeing for the first time, we still stumble in explaining what we “see” to others who haven’t seen. But we can say this about ourselves, … was blind but now I see.

If the things of God seem ridiculous to you, won’t you consider that every one who has trusted Jesus was once in the exact same place as you. And throughout the ages, we all give the same witness. God gave His only Son, Jesus, not only to save us from sin and the judgment of us as sinners, but much more, that we may have Jesus’ eternal, death-conquering life. That is our purpose: Jesus Christ. This is why humanity is here on earth. This week, the world remembers Jesus’ substitutionary death on a Roman cross and His death-conquering resurrection on Easter Sunday. We have been given the reality of this truth in Jesus’ resurrection life moment by moment. When we believe, our eyes for God are opened. This is amazing grace.

Stanza two…

Well, perhaps you might be surprised that after a long break, from time of the solar eclipse, I “picked up the pen” again to post, the week of the lunar eclipse, to post about Super Bowl LII. The Super Bowl? Perhaps it’s because it’s been an incredibly busy season for me and I haven’t had time to do much writing, but this had been an unusual week and I will take a few minutes to see what comes of this.

Many of you are aware that it is my conviction that the Lord Jesus is coming back soon, just as He said so. I’ve felt that way for sometime now, since Y2K, actually, and 18 years later, I haven’t lost that sense. Well, you could say I have been wrong for 18 years, which would be true, but we are now 18 years closer to the Lord’s coming since 2000. And maybe you don’t care that Jesus Christ came the first time and why would you care that He is coming a second time. Well briefly, the Bible foretold Jesus’ coming the first time, and He came in such a way that all the prophesies that were spoken of His coming came true. How many prophesies you ask, at least 300 of them. From details regarding His birth all the way to the manner of crucifixion when at the time the prophesies were made, the Roman Empire had not yet existed nor it’s gruesome form of execution.

Before the Lord Jesus ascended to heaven, He stated that He is coming again, and I think we really should pay attention to what the Bible says about Jesus’ return. You can choose not to, but, nudge, nudge, give the Bible a read. The Bible hasn’t failed me, God hasn’t failed me, and though sometimes I get upset at God, He speak to my lowly heart and in humility, makes a way for me to hear that speaking. That is my experience. Christ is for real.

You say, I came to read about the Super Bowl, where are you going with this?

Yes, back to this week. I caught the last 10 minutes of the AFC championship two weeks ago and thought, what a comeback. Brady is the old guy, and I root for the old guy, even when the Patriots were the favorite and I favor the underdog as a rule, I can’t help rooting for Brady. The camera panned to the Jaguar’s quarterback with the tear streak down his face at the end of the game. He was so close to victory, but it was not meant to be.

Am I saying the Patriots were meant to win the game? To be at the Super Bowl? Well, let’s hold that thought and I shall ask, aren’t you struck by all the unusual occurrences this week from all over the place? Well, this week, there was the Super Blue Blood Moon visible in North America. That’s an unusual phenomenon. Simultaneously, there was a lunar eclipse, a double full moon in one month, all while the moon is closest to the earth in it’s orbit. The last time this happened all at once in North America was 1866. 152 years ago. When the “lights in the expanse” were created, it is stated, they were for signs and seasons, days and years. (Genesis 1:14). Signs. Let’s not skip over “signs.”

I know that the President isn’t the most popular guy. But isn’t it super unusual that Donald J. Trump is our President! Incredible! He made it through a year. And so did America. Though he has made it abundantly clear that he is leading under the banner of “America First,” at his State of the Union address this week, he makes a point to defend his recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Regardless of your politics, that is a bold move. I had no idea that there was an Act to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem from 1995. That’s 23 years ago! Do you remember who was president then? That’s right, William J. Clinton!  So, this is not a party thing. This is an American thing. America has stood by Israel when nobody else does. Why should America do so. She is meant to stand by Israel. Have you seen the map of the Middle East? It is incredible that Israel stands as a nation today. It is surrounded by enemies. It’s enemies print on their missiles “Israel must be wiped out,” but it still stands. Guess what, Israel is the nation who’s history lands it squarely in the Bible. Jerusalem is in the heart of the Bible. People in Israel can trace their lineage back to the people of the Bible! Yes! They have been the target of annihilation for centuries. Even if a Jewish person doesn’t think too much of his own ancestry, everyone who has the life of Christ loves the nation of Israel because Israel is beloved of God. So, moving the embassy to Jerusalem is kind of a big deal. Jerusalem is a big deal. Jerusalem has it’s place in the Bible, past, present, future.

This week, the stock market took a tumble. Prior to that, the market reached record highs this year in all the indices only to tumble 666 points on Friday. 666 points.

Ok, I’m getting back to the Super Bowl. It’s Super Bowl LII. LII is 52. 52! 52 is an interesting number. I am not saying that the Super Bowl is in Bible Prophecy, but who is playing against Brady and the Patriots? The Eagles, the Philadelphia Eagles. Philadelphia! Do you know that Philadelphia is in the Bible, in the very last book of the Bible. In fact, the only mention of Philadelphia is in the book of Revelations. Of course, the city of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania was named after the Philadelphia mentioned in Revelations. The city of Brotherly love. That Philadelphia church, among the churches in Asia minor (modern day Turkey), was the only one commended without rebuke. In her letter, Jesus says, I am coming quickly. When we consider Philadelphia, we should consider that the Lord Himself says, I am coming quickly.

So, yeah, the outcome of the game doesn’t mean that much to me. But these teams serve to remind us of some truths. Undeniable truths. The New England Patriots call Boston home. Boston has an interesting city motto. Are you ready for this? The city motto for Boston is, “Sicut patribus sit Deus nobis” (Latin)” “As God was with our fathers, so may He be with us.” This nation was founded by people who revered God. Massachusetts was founded by the Pilgrims who came on the Mayflower in order to worship God freely. Pennsylvania was founded by a Quaker, a pacifist Quaker who was imprisoned several times in the Tower of London for his faith. During such an imprisonment in the Tower of London, William Penn wrote, “No Cross, No Crown” which was published first in 1669. He wrote about the daily bearing of the cross, self-denial. (This is not just a topic favored by speakers we know!) William Penn, who was also a real estate developer, founded Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love, in 1682.

So, no matter who wins the Super Bowl today, America wins. We still declare, as God was with our fathers, so may He be with us. This is our prayer as a nation under God. And what will bring this nation together, and more importantly at the Lord’s soon coming, is that He find us loving one another. The Son’s life is in us. The One who laid His life down for us dwells in us. My love is limited, but the One who lives in me loves perfectly. May He love in us.

Do I have a favorite for this Super Bowl? I have never favored any opponent of the Patriots, but this year, I’m going with Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love. May we be reminded that our Savior Lord is coming quickly. With the little strength that we have, let’s hold fast. Let’s keep His word. Let’s not deny His name.

Revelations 3:7-13: “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:

‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.  Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you. Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

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What an interesting phenomenon is the solar eclipse. Though the sun is roughly 400 times bigger, the moon is roughly 400 times closer to the earth. So when the sun and the moon align themselves just so, for those brief seconds, the moon is able to block the view of the sun from earth. Darkness will fall in the middle of the day as the sun is eclipsed. So something doesn’t have to be big to be able to block one’s view of something much greater.

So, you clicked this link to read on. So here’s the rest of the story. Well, if you are interested to know, I am willing to share.

This story is my story. And my story is Jesus. I believe we are all actually living out His-story. Yes, I’m a clinician, I continue to be a student of science, and I am fully convinced that this vast universe that we are a  part of is here by design. The mechanism of how it all comes together is contested, but whenever I consider the eyes and how it is we can see the world around us, and how that is related to language, learning, love, and beauty, I become more convinced than ever that all that our eyes can take in of creation, that beauty is intentional.

So then, why Jesus? Well, I must say that Jesus resonates. The Biblical account of how man came into being resonates. Even why humanity exists resonates. Even the way the Bible calls me out as a sinner resonates. And we measure time by His appearing. There are many calendar systems of this world, but the one used universally measures time according to Christ. B.C. stands for Before Christ, and A.D. anno domini, the year of the Lord, the Lord Christ. Christ is central. Why is His birth universally celebrated, over the centuries? Could a Jewish carpenter’s son warrant such an honor if He were merely that? And why does the symbol of the cross appear wherever there is healing, rescue, and salvation? Have we forgotten that crucifixion is a cruel and painful form of execution?

So, back to Calvary, at the Cross of Jesus, God who became man to right the course of humanity, took on sin for all mankind. The Son of God is righteous altogether but bore humanity’s collective unrighteousness. He who is light would appear to have been swallowed by darkness. For those hours He hung on the cross, it would appear that evil triumphed over good. It was while He bore our sins, that the Bible, along with regional historians of that time, recorded the sun being darkened for about three hours. That was not a solar eclipse, could I say it was a Son eclipse. The One who fed the 5000 with 5 loaves of bread and a few fish, cast out the demons, caused the blind to see, brought the dead to life, this One was nailed to a Roman cross of execution and remained there until He died. In a single location, a moment in time, all evil focused in on one Man. Did He not change the course of humanity by dying and taking all of us with Him?

If the account ended at the Cross, there would be no reason to celebrate. His heart was pierced through, they wrapped Him in grave clothes, and buried Him in the tomb. But just like a grain of wheat gets buried in soil, dies, and comes back to life to bear a bunch of grains of wheat, our Jesus was buried, and on the third day, He appeared to His disciples once again, ALIVE, to over 500 people. He took humanity with Him in victory over death. And humanity’s course got righted because His life in resurrection is meant to be shared.

How do I know this? The Bible, which has proven to be trustworthy over centuries, nearly 2 millennia, and over all the decades I have read it to heart, tells me so. How do I get to share in this resurrection (life overcoming death) life of Jesus? I put my trust in Jesus, in His-story. And that is what others have done and shared with me. And He wants to share His life with everyone who believes. And with all humility, I share what I have enjoyed of His life with you.

Over two thousand years ago, on a hill called Calvary just beyond the city wall of Jerusalem, a Jewish carpenter was executed by Rome as ordered by one Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. The charge leveled against him: He was the King of the Jews — though he lived not a day in a palace nor ever sat on a gilded throne.

Nearly two thousand years before this took place, on that same hill, called Mount Moriah then, Abram, the son of Terah, the father of the Jews and Arabs, steadied his hand to pierce through his beloved son, Issac. The son was spared when a substitutionary ram was provided and offered in his place.

Today, in 2015, beyond the walls of Jerusalem, beyond the borders of Israel, beyond the tribes of Abram’s sons, why does the world continue to memorialize the execution of this man, who was called the Lamb of God, on this holy day of the Jewish Passover when a lamb without blemish was to be killed as the first-born’s substitute.

Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God, God’s beloved only begotten Son, took my place and died on that Roman Cross on Calvary. The sinless one taking the place for each one of us born in sin. He became our substitute. All He asks of us is that we believe. I believe. Believe.

Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart.

I imagine the Day After the Crucifixion of Christ may have felt to be the longest day of His disciples’ lives. While Jesus was still alive and even as He hung dying on the cross, I think they still “held out for a miracle.” But when He took His last breath and the spear was thrust through His heart, it must have crushed the disciples as they buried Him just as any ordinary man.  Following the rush of turmoil and violence on Crucifixion Day, in the stillness of the Sabbath, I can imagine the despair and disappointment, the death of every expectation and hope. Whatever plans the disciples had for “ruling and reigning” in Jesus’ Kingdom on earth had come to an end.  I might have packed up to go home to Emmaus, too. 

But that day was the True Sabbath. “It is Finished” was the cry. All the Work had been done. What was once ruined was now restored. What was once off-limits to man Jesus opened the way. We now rest in His Finished Work and wait for His Promised Resurrection. But the day must have seemed so long. And the thing that Jesus said again and again about “rising on the third day” was just incomprehensible to the disciples. The words did not compute.

On a much smaller scale in significance is our longest days. It seems we are constantly brought to “death” experiences where we’ve watched something in us or in our lives come to a brutal end. Though we have heard and received a promised word that everything will work out for good, we can’t even imagine how the promise will be fulfilled. How, Lord? But we have an advantage over the disciples since we know what happened on the Third Day. There IS the overcoming over death! He IS the resurrection and the LIFE! While man rested, Christ overcame. So, while we can’t see with our physical eyes what our enthroned Savior is doing as He rules over all, we choose to put our confidence in Him. That is faith. And though we have experienced how Jesus works things out in un-thought-of ways in the past, we seem to still struggle with it in present trials.

So how do we approach our present longest day experience when have heard His word and have not yet seen the demonstration of God’s power? Seize the opportunity. Once the Third Day dawns, the opportunity for faith comes to an end for Christ appears! He is the author and finisher of faith. It will all be turned into sight! So, today if you hear His voice do not harden your heart! Today is the day for salvation — in faith. We may be considered fools by the world for giving ourselves to Him in response to His call, but we have everything to gain and we have gained everything. By faith, the Spirit is indeed make real to us the unseen Christ in Whom is all our hope. He brings to an end our vain efforts and worrying and reveals and makes real to us what He has already done. 

Dear Lord, we repent of our unbelief, we turn from the world and our own ways and turn to You. You suffered and died on the Cross that my sins my be forgiven. You rose from the grave because you are the Son of God. In view of your soon Return, have Your way in me. Help me to walk in your ways and fulfill in me all that is in Your heart. And without faith, it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6) Our opportunity for faith will end when Christ returns. Will He find us faithful?

Last night, we read over the portion of Luke on the Good Samaritan. Luke 10:25-37. Every year we go through this passage, new light dawns on our hearts. Andrew brought out some key points including the fact that what the Good Samaritan did is not in us to do. This is so very true.

This recorded conversation is initiated by a lawyer that wanted to put our Lord Jesus to the test by asking about inheriting eternal life. This is very reminiscent of the rich young ruler’s inquiry regarding inheriting eternal life. When the Lord responds with a question regarding what the Law says regarding this, the lawyer quotes Leviticus and Deuteronomy, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.“ In true lawyer fashion, he responds with, “and who is my neighbor?”

I was considering the state of mind of this lawyer. For him to ask this means that he is quite confident of his “righteousness” according to the law and was challenging the Lord or putting his own righteousness on display. It is most striking that the Lord gives him an illustration of the “eternal life” at the same time. “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?”

In the parable, there is no controversy that Jesus is the good neighbor, the Samaritan. Why does the Lord use a lowly Samaritan in the parable? At that time, Samaritans were like the “scum of the earth,” and the Lord likened himself to the “scum of the earth.” WHY? Especially addressing someone who is quite elevated in society, why would he not liken himself to a doctor (He is the Great Physician), or a ruler (He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords)? The neighbor being loved is the man beaten, robbed, and left for dead. Putting ourselves in the parable, that would be us. Jesus had compassion on us when sin beat us and robbed us of our humanity and usefulness to God and left us for dead. Jesus came to us, bandaged our wounds (by His stripes we are healed) by pouring oil and wine on the wounds, put us on his own beast and brought as to the inn (a type of the church as Agnes so wonderfully brought out), and took care of us. This is the life of Christ, it cannot be done by imitation without His life. There are many in society that have outward good works, but their works cannot bring others to eternal life. And how often is the compassion born out of a lowly spirit like Christ’s?

In the lawyer’s eyes, there is probably no one more lowly than a Samaritan, and I don’t believe that he would aspire to be one. Can we show mercy in such a way that is born out of utter humility and lack of self? Today, charity and self-promotion are primarily inextricably intertwined. How many gifts to hospitals and universities are anonymous? Why are all your university buildings and departments named after someone? We can do good and kind things, but we could not feign humility. I believe the Lord Jesus gave to the lawyer, and therefore to us, an impossible task. “Go and do the same.”

Well, what is impossible with man is possible with God. We can never do as the Samaritan in the parable did, not in ourselves, but He can do this in us. Just as the rich young ruler could not give all his wealth away, neither could this lawyer make himself out to be a Samaritan. When the Lord asked him which of the three proved to be a neighbor to the one who fell into the robbers’ hands, the lawyer’s response was, “the one who showed mercy towards him.” He could have said, “the Samaritan” but he couldn’t. Just as the children of Israel found it impossible to keep the law of Moses, there is absolutely no way we can live according to Jesus’ example as He lived a much higher righteousness than the law of Moses. EXCEPT, that He comes in and lives His life out in us. Glory to God! How does the Lord Jesus live His life out in us? We have a great example in pure-blood Benjamite religious leader, Saul. When the Lord’s life came into him, he gave up his credentials when he saw them as garbage in light of knowing Christ. When we read what he suffered, we wonder how he could go through it all. He actually acknowledged that he had become scum of the earth (1 Corinthians 4) for the sake of the Lord. And yet, the “scum of the earth” addressed king and governors as led by Christ and experienced horrific trials and abuse and miraculous deliverance and healing even as he became all things to all people that he might bring some to the inn. We read in his letters written while imprisoned for his faith in Christ, encouragement, love, and hope. How is that possible… eternal life in Christ. Jesus is the Good neighbor in us. In His time, in His way, for His purpose, He will work out His life in us that will unmistakably be manifested as the life of the One who gave Himself up for us.

A dear FB friend recently posted a link regarding a canine 9-11 Word Trade Center hero named Daisy. Daisy’s story was so touching but turned out to be a fabrication. Well, the link below tells of Roselle, the seeing-eye guide dog whose heroics at the WTC might possibly be the basis of Daisy’s fictional story. This loyal canine saved her unsighted companion and numerous others as she led them down 78 flights of stairs in darkened stairwells on that fateful day. Roselle’s true story is no less compelling and her human companion happens to be an UCI alum!

The loyal and loving animal companions. It seems that there were several devoted four-legged furry friends featured in various internet posts these weeks. A couple of days ago, in our daily reading, we came upon a particularly notable beast of burden, Balaam’s donkey in the book of Numbers. Actually, I’m not sure what to make of Balaam. He was gifted to be able to receive and to speak out a word from God, but he was obviously most interested in financial gain and ultimately provided the Moabites the evil advice that Balak sought for to bring down the Israelites. But I think there is something very noble about his insightful donkey. The portion in Numbers 23-24 records how the “diviner” could not see the angel of the Lord with drawn sword and yet his lowly donkey could, not just once, but three times. Does the love of money make one blind? Though the donkey was struck for her life-saving acts, she was loyal to her master and endured it for his sake. What’s interesting is that the angel was intending to spare the donkey and told Balaam so.

We have to remember that the animals, great and small were all created for God’s good pleasure as well. And the Lord Jesus Himself is called the Lamb of God and the Lion of Judah. Likewise, the Holy Spirit is often symbolized as the gentle dove. Perhaps for those who resist the truth of the Creator for mankind might consider the reality of the Creator for the animals. Animals often override the instinct for self-preservation in their interactions with mankind. There are numerous stories about military and service dogs, even pets, dogs and cats who put their own lives in danger for the sake of their human companions. If these creatures act above and beyond the sum of their instinctive behaviors, how does evolutionary theory account for that? The man most endowed with divine wisdom and reason peppers the Proverbs with examples from the animal kingdom, like the industrious ant, the rank and file locusts, and the soaring eagle.

The Lord Jesus Himself when with the disciples gives the most telling example of God’s care for the animals. The Lord reminds us, “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Luke 12:6-7. Every “insignificant” sparrow is remembered by God. Whenever we consider creation and the universe, we are impressed with the magnitude of God’s power and wisdom. More than that, we must appreciate the magnitude of His love and mercy and put ourselves on the receiving end of His love and mercy (by faith). If God cares for the sparrows, then surely, we need to trust His loving care for us. Even the hairs on our heads are numbered!

Creation waits eagerly for the Children of God to be revealed. (Romans 8:19) Can hardly wait!

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/6/prweb8608483.htm

Three years ago today, the family wrapped up a blessed vacation in Maui. Wonderful in so many ways. Susanna and I were “left behind” at the Maui Airport as the higher priority stand-by passengers filled up all the available seats on the first of two returning flights of the day. The stress of missing the last flight of the day became insignificant as we listened to the announcement of a pending tsunami coming from Japan, and that cooperation was requested in getting all the passengers boarded as quickly as possible. Very eerie. I believe we took the last two seats, and it wasn’t until we returned to California that the magnitude of the tsunami in Japan was realized in the images and videos that streamed on the internet and on television.

I remember it hitting me on all levels, spiritual to visceral. The images were difficult to take in and there was the sense that the end is very near. The tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004 seemed more remote as the images and footage of the devastation were rarer.  But in Japan, everything seemed so recognizable, towns like ours, better than ours, flushed out into the ocean as the footage rolled. What took centuries to build and had been neatly maintained turned into splinters and debris field with surging, unrelenting waves. Wood, hay, and stubble. Then the attention focused on Fukushima. Suddenly, Japan’s problem became China’s, and Korea’s, and Russia’s, and Taiwan’s and the world’s. But it’s always been that way. Nothing happens in isolation. For good or ill.

And in those days, just as when 9-11 hit in 2001, our hearts turned to God, and we acknowledged our mortality and the destructibility of all that we once considered indestructible. But now, we have seen too much. Mass shootings one following another on the news. One picture of a missing teenager after another on Facebook. Domestic violence filled with unspeakable and unimaginable horrors. Brutality of governments against their own people. It’s hard not to despair. It’s hard not to lose heart. It’s hard not to become indifferent, numbed, calloused. What can we do that would make a difference anyway?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

“Apart from Me,” the Lord Jesus said, “you can do nothing.” (John 15:5b) And looking at the lives of all the people recorded in the Bible, those that seemed to have made the greatest impact were the ones who could do nothing in themselves. That should be our encouragement. In the simplest way, they obeyed God as He commanded. Moreover, some did so with initial reluctance and protestation and fear and trepidation, and it took encouragement and empowering on the part of Almighty God for them to accept the charge. That should be our encouragement. God did not use people who in their own strength act out of their own initiative. Look at Moses in his “prime.” And when Moses thought he was at the end of his life (Psalm 90:10), he tried hard to prove to God how unworthy he was for the task. But what mighty things God did through him when Moses took every step in simple obedience and intimate fellowship with God. Did he not abide with God and God with him?  And in his singular act of going beyond God’s command, he dishonored God and it prevented Moses from entering the Promised Land. Jonah in Nineveh. He did not want to go warn the people of Nineveh when God commanded him. He headed for the opposite direction. And in the belly of the fish, Jonah recognized God’s resurrection power to bring him out of the death waters and that he had a vow to pay. In His great mercy, God re-issued the command and Jonah faithfully announced the proclamation of the destruction to come. “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” Would we think this gospel to be “too negative,” and “too simple?” It was an eight-word message. Truly the word of God is spirit and is life. God caused the entire wicked city, from the king on down to fast and to repent in sackcloth and ashes. And as they repented, God relented. Ananias of Damascus. Ananias was faithful to obey God’s command to go to Saul of Tarsus and speak the words God put in his mouth. (Acts 9) With his simple, “Here I am, Lord,” the Lord directed him to go via the street called Straight to the house of Judas. After a request for clarification of Saul’s identity, Ananias did just that, conveying not only the message but the love of God (“Brother” Saul, as Bro. Ted pointed out).

“He who abides in Me and I in him shall bear much fruit.” (John 15:5a) “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit.” (John 15:8) The nation of Israel marched out of the bondage of Egypt. The 120,000 souls of Nineveh were saved. A command was given to one Saul of Tarsus that opened his eyes to the Body of Christ. No obedience is too great or too small. In all aspects of our lives, God is working. Let us not resist the Holy Spirit. Let us relent. We don’t have to “do something for God.” That would not do. Only the Son can do the Father’s will.  It is just our abiding in the Son, responding with a “Here I am, Lord,” that anything that would please the Father can be accomplished. Apart from the Son, there is nothing. In the Son, powerless and good-as-dead human beings may glorify God the Father. Amazing.