Where Did I Put That...?

A wise man once said, “You will always find what you are looking for in the last place you look.” Of course looking in the right place makes that process much shorter. When Brenda is looking for something that I have put away she will often say something like, “I just have to think like you think so I know where to look.”  Otherwise she will be looking in the “wrong” places. (or at least different places than I thought of)

I was thinking of that when I read Luke 24:5-6.  "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!”

Of course, in defense of the women, the grave is exactly where they left Jesus just days before, so their behavior is perfectly understandable. But they hadn’t considered the possibility of Jesus leaving on His own.  Looking back we may think they should have since He told them,“The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.” (v.7) But still, after experiencing the trial and crucifixion, I can understand how the thought of rising again might seem a bit far fetched.

But the truth of Easter is exactly what the angel said, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” JESUS IS ALIVE!

And that makes all the difference in the world to you and me every day.  We don't pray to a Jesus who is dead, He is alive and He hears our prayers and answers them.  We don't follow an "ideal" or "philosophy" that Jesus left behind.  We follow a living Savior who walks with us and guides us through this journey of life.

I suppose that is what I like about the old hymn "He Lives!" It is the hope and strength of every believer.

"I serve a living Savior, He's in the world today. I know that He is living whatever men may say. I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer. And just the time I need Him, He's always near.  

In all the world around me I see His loving care. And though my heart grows weary I never will despair. I know that He is leading through all the stormy blasts. The day of His appearing will come at last.

He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way. He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart. You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart."

I for one am VERY glad!

I'm Leavin' In a Green Van...

Not quite the same as the 60's song and it's Jet Plane since I DO know when I'll be back again.  But this Saturday morning I will leave with one good friend from the church and one transient who wants a ride south in a 15 passenger Forest Service green van for Rio Chico, Mexico.

Another good church buddy gave me pictures from the time he went on a missions trip there so that I would know a little of what to expect.  I of course being a veteran of missions trips know full well that you can NEVER know what to expect on a missions trip.  But I appreciate the thought and am anxious to live the Rio Chico experience - complete with side trip to Copper Canyon of which I have heard many vague but awe inspiring descriptions. (I am hoping the hiking uphill both ways descriptions were exaggerated!)

So I will be working on a water system there, or something else, until we return ON A JET PLANE on the 23rd.  Pray for us please.

PS - I have NO idea what this is a picture of yet but I assume it has something to do with where we will be working.  But I expect NOTHING.

Imagine

While considering God testing Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son, Isaac, (Gen. 22) I came upon an interesting thought in my reading.  If we wanted to devise a test that would be comparable to Abraham’s test we could ask ourselves, “Are you willing to give up eternity in heaven for God?” That is a more accurate portrayal of the test than asking if we would be willing to give up our hormonally challenged, mood swinging, emotional basket case of a teenager.  That would be a tough thing for us most days, but its not the same as the test Abraham faced.

Abraham was being asked to sacrifice the promises God had made to him.  Isaac WAS the promise of descendants as numerous as the sands of the sea. Isaac WAS the promise of all the nations of the earth being blessed through Abraham. All of God's promises to Abraham were wrapped up in this boy.

Join me in the “Way-Back” machine for a moment and remember the lyrics to John Lennon’s song, “Imagine”.

“Imagine there’s no heaven

It’s easy if you try

No hell below us

Above us only sky

Imagine all the people

Living for today…”

Although Lennon was coming at this from a totally different worldview; he saw heaven and hell as fantasies that keep us from living in the “real” world; still these are valid questions for us to consider.  What would my faith look like without the hope of heaven or the threat of hell?  Would I give God my life if He gave nothing back but Himself?  Would I love God and live in relationship with Him if I were simply, “living for today?”

Abraham answered YES in his test with Isaac who was the embodiment of all of God’s promises to him.  My answer…your answer…something to think about.

(Thank you John Walton for the thought provoking concept)