Saturday, October 25, 2014

“Beautiful Scenes"


(For Tom, JJ, Willam, Erin, Bryan, Peggy, Ruth, Sheree, Barb, and Diane, with much gratitude.  Oh yes, and Stormy and Sheba!  Woof!)



     Having spent a week with dear Christian friends in Tennessee and Georgia, Frances and I feel like we've been to an incredible Bible conference.   And we have!
     
     "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!  It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, that went down to the skirts of his garments, as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion.   For there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life forevermore" (Psalm 133:1-3).

     We dwell together in the unity of God's grace and truth, as revealed in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The dew descends when believers gather around Him with hearts determined to love God and each other.  This leads to great refreshing, and thus to the Divine enabling whereby our Heavenly Father prepares us for the adventures and challenges of life to come.  Frances and I are no doubt more equipped to trust, obey, and submit ourselves to the Lord Jesus because of the time we've spent with beloved brothers and sisters in Christ.  This is "precious ointment" indeed, and the blessing of "life forevermore."

    We hiked in the Smoky Mountains during the few few days of our trip.  We journeyed into "the mountains of Zion" afterward as we considered the Lord Jesus together with our friends.  Beautiful scenes of God's creation presented their glories to our eyes and hearts in the Smokies.  Beautiful scenes of God's Son graced us even more in the blessed time we spent with those who showed us so much of the Lord Jesus.  How good and how pleasant, and how strengthening for the days to come that will shine ever more brightly because of the illuminations viewed together in the mountains of Zion.

"God… hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."
(Ephesians 2:4:6-7)
     

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