Lesson and class discussion over chapter 14 of Charles Ryrie's book Balancing the Christian Life, led by Bob Carroll. (Part 2 of 2)
Sunday, March 25, 2012
March 18, 2012 - Confessing and Forgiving (Part 1)
Lesson and class discussion over chapter 14 of Charles Ryrie's book Balancing the Christian Life, led by Bob Carroll. (Part 1 of 2)
Life and Death
The subject of life and death has been on my mind lately as our class has had a disproportionate number of us who have lost a loved one in the last few weeks. I am admittedly not good at knowing what to say much less what to do to comfort someone who has lost a loved one.There are no words, really. I do know that the Holy Spirit is very good at comforting and whose very purpose is to comfort so I lift my friends up to Him.
Like many of you, I also have a dear friend who is battling cancer. Again, not very good at knowing what to say that will ease her suffering. Even though life is filled with pain and suffering, each one of us clings to life. We want to live. We will sometimes go to extraordinary measures to prolong our life here on this earth. Even still there is sickness and death that we don't understand. With every friend or family member that passes, I am reminded of how very fragile life actually is. While I do not understand why my good friend has to suffer, I do marvel at her courage and grace in the face of her suffering. I can actually see God's beautiful face shine through her. It also compels me to give thanks for the health and strength I presently enjoy, knowing full well that it is a precious gift for today. Mostly it reminds me of the short time that I have to bring glory to my God and King.
Now for something a little lighter...
baptising from jesusfreaks96 on GodTube.
Like many of you, I also have a dear friend who is battling cancer. Again, not very good at knowing what to say that will ease her suffering. Even though life is filled with pain and suffering, each one of us clings to life. We want to live. We will sometimes go to extraordinary measures to prolong our life here on this earth. Even still there is sickness and death that we don't understand. With every friend or family member that passes, I am reminded of how very fragile life actually is. While I do not understand why my good friend has to suffer, I do marvel at her courage and grace in the face of her suffering. I can actually see God's beautiful face shine through her. It also compels me to give thanks for the health and strength I presently enjoy, knowing full well that it is a precious gift for today. Mostly it reminds me of the short time that I have to bring glory to my God and King.
Now for something a little lighter...
baptising from jesusfreaks96 on GodTube.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Not that different
I had been anticipating hosting a special guest for Global Missions week for over a year and the time had finally come. What would he or she be like? Would they like us or would my children drive them crazy? What kind of food should I serve? These were the questions that were rolling around in my mind as I waited to meet him as I found out that our guest was to be one man. I found him to be nothing like what I expected. He looked and acted like an ordinary traveler complete with a backpack just like the one I like to travel with. He was gracious, thanking me for our hospitality in letting him stay with us. He was wearing regular clothes, nothing out of the ordinary there. Also, when he spoke, he did not speak in Bible passages. Both of these things began to intrigue me.
When he finally came to our house later that night, as luck would have it two of our busiest kids were asleep. We would be able to break him in easy. We visited around our kitchen table and he told us where he was serving and how exactly he is going about it, fascinating! He also told us about himself and his family. This would be the first of several conversations we had with him that would forever change my perspective of what a missionary is.
I found our guest to be nothing like my pre-conceived image of a missionary, roughly someone who looks like Crocodile Dundee and talks like Jimmy Swaggart. Instead I found someone infinitely more complex and compelling. Beneath his everyman outward appearance was someone who considered it a "no brainer" to live his life across the world in service to Jesus Christ.
Man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7
We were both newbies on the scene, his first time to a conference and our first time to host. Perhaps this made sharing easier. He was transparent and forth coming about his life and work and we were also with him about ours.I realized though we were across the world from each other and have different itineraries, our final destination and goals are exactly the same! His visit reminded me of the common bond we all share as believers. It's unspoken, beautiful and a gift from God.
We fed him a healthy diet of tilapia and salad and he spent time getting to know our children. He insisted he enjoyed both although I will never really know on either account. We were sad to see him go, and so very grateful for the opportunity to get to know him.
When he finally came to our house later that night, as luck would have it two of our busiest kids were asleep. We would be able to break him in easy. We visited around our kitchen table and he told us where he was serving and how exactly he is going about it, fascinating! He also told us about himself and his family. This would be the first of several conversations we had with him that would forever change my perspective of what a missionary is.
I found our guest to be nothing like my pre-conceived image of a missionary, roughly someone who looks like Crocodile Dundee and talks like Jimmy Swaggart. Instead I found someone infinitely more complex and compelling. Beneath his everyman outward appearance was someone who considered it a "no brainer" to live his life across the world in service to Jesus Christ.
Man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7
We were both newbies on the scene, his first time to a conference and our first time to host. Perhaps this made sharing easier. He was transparent and forth coming about his life and work and we were also with him about ours.I realized though we were across the world from each other and have different itineraries, our final destination and goals are exactly the same! His visit reminded me of the common bond we all share as believers. It's unspoken, beautiful and a gift from God.
We fed him a healthy diet of tilapia and salad and he spent time getting to know our children. He insisted he enjoyed both although I will never really know on either account. We were sad to see him go, and so very grateful for the opportunity to get to know him.
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