"A Redeemed Place"

"A Redeemed Place"

     As I write this, I currently sit in the hospital where our third grandchild was born less than an hour ago - a boy, 7lb. 8oz.  He and mom are fine, and we are reminded of the glorious affirmation…

    "Children are a heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is His reward" (Psalm 127:3).

   Interestingly, I visited this same hospital 46 years ago this month, as a patient.  Playing first base in a baseball tournament, things went well until our shortstop made a bad throw on a routine ground ball.  My reach for the ball put me directly in the path of the oncoming hitter as he raced down the line like a runaway freight train.  I collided with the train, my neck snapped back as I crumpled in a heap, and next thing I knew, I was on the way to this hospital in which I now rejoice (it's a lot bigger now, but somehow seems strangely familiar).   X-rays of my head and neck revealed nothing (as you might expect), and I left with nothing more than a sore neck that healed quickly (the head, however, remains after all these years pretty much empty!).

   I share this with you because it reminds me that our perception of places can significantly change as time goes by.  Until today, mention "Thomas Hospital" and I think of collisions, freight trains (the human kind), crash landings on hard base paths, and a tiny, one story hospital that surprisingly had an X-ray machine.  From now on, however, Thomas Hospital will mainly elicit memories of our new grandson, and the shared experience of our family as he entered the world.  I'd call that a redeemed place in my heart and mind for which I will be forever grateful.

   A lot of sad places exist in this world, scenes of pain, loss, sorrow, sin, and death.  Turn on the news, open a newspaper, or visit websites that report the events of the day, and  the sadness stares us in the face.  We live in a fallen world wherein God is present, but also wherein the ravages of sin and its consequences pervades much of human experience.  "We know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves" (Romans 8:22-23).  Venues of sadness exist in every corner of the globe, places of groaning and travailing.  

    A new and different day approaches, however.  "Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness… I saw a new heaven and a new earth... And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (II Peter 3:13; Revelation 21: 1; 4).  You don't need a lot of comment from me about such blessed promise and assurance.  Suffice it to say that the entire earth will one day be a redeemed place, redeemed because the Redeemer Himself will grace all venues and all things with His glorious presence.  I think about such things as I sit here in this place of joy, this redeemed place...

"Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; to the end that my glory may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent.  O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto Thee forever."

(Psalm 30:11-12)

Weekly Memory Verse

   "Give me understanding, and I shall keep Thy law."

 (Psalm 119:34).

    

    

    

   

   

“How? Who!”

"How?  Who!"

   The Bible's declaration that "there is one God" constitutes the simplest truth of its holy pages - except for the fact that God is also triune (I Timothy 2:5).

   "To us there is but one God, the Father… Unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, o God, is forever and ever… Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?... thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God" (I Corinthians 8:6; Hebrews 1:8; Acts 5:3;4).

    Scripture identifies three distinct Persons and personalities existing as one God.  Thus, the simplest truth becomes complex beyond our full understanding.  We can know enough to personally relate to the Father, through the merits of the Son, as enabled by the Holy Spirit.  However, the glorious One retains an element of mystery, just as we would expect of an infinite and eternal being.  As the Apostle Paul wrote regard the enigma of seeing God, but not seeing Him, "The King of kings, and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see" (I Timothy 6:15-16).  He dwells in light, but He cannot be approached or seen - we must become comfortable with the Truth that seems contradictory to some, but which joyfully fills and thrills the heart "hid with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3).

   In its most basic revelation - the nature of God - the Bible tells us much.  But it cannot tell us all.  This places us in our proper role as creatures who derive our existence from One transcendently greater than us.  However, the Bible also beckons us to draw as near as possible through Christ, that is, to know the living God as loving Father.  Thus, we may experience Him personally while never beginning to fully know Him in principle.  The Apostle John, for example, laid his head on the chest of the Lord Jesus during the Savior's earthly life.  The same John fell as dead at Christ's feet when seeing Him in His risen glory (John 13:25; Revelation 1:17).  How can God be both transcendent and immanent?  How can the Beyond dwell in the midst?  We need not concern ourselves overmuch with such inquiries, acknowledging that no complete answers exist regarding the "How?".  Our concern and blessed opportunity involves the "Who?".  Our Lord calls us by His Spirit and His Word into loving and personal fellowship whereby we may know Him better than we know anyone else.  We cannot see Him, hear Him, or touch Him, but this does not matter.  He dwells nearer to us than any other, literally inhabiting the spirits of those who trust in the Lord Jesus.  How can such a thing be?  How can we know One beyond knowing?  Again, the "How?" is not our primary concern.  We rather glory in the "Who?", that is, the Father who beckons us to draw near to His Son, as led and enabled by His Spirit.  Mysterious glory?  Forevermore, yes!  Magnificent grace?  Forevermore, and in this moment, yes!

"And He said, Thou canst not see my face, for no man shall see Me and live."

(Exodus 33:20)

"God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in theface of Jesus Christ."

(II Corinthians 4:6)

Weekly Memory Verse

   "Give me understanding, and I shall keep Thy law."

 (Psalm 119:34).

    

    

"Sparrow"

(Thanks for the inspiration to, who else?!  Sparrow!)

"Sparrow"

    Today is a special day in the Davis household as our beagle Sparrow celebrates her 10th birthday. 

   

   Before I proceed with a few thoughts, I'll answer the obvious question.  Yes, she is as beautiful and sweet as the picture indicates.

   Sparrow joined our family eight weeks after her birth as a surprise birthday present to my wife Frances.  I bought her on a Saturday morning, brought her home, and called Frances and our daughter Emmie just before I got to the house.  "Sit down in the living room, please" I requested.  When Sparrow and I arrived, I placed her in a gift bag, entered the living room, and told the girls to shut their eyes.  I then handed the bag to Frances and said, "Happy Birthday!".  She opened her eyes, and at first didn't know what was in the bag.  But she looked, and of course, she and Emmie fell in love with Sparrow upon first sight (I'd already had thirty minutes with her on the ride home, and had exactly the same feeling about her).  Sparrow had provided countless moments of joy, and continues to do so.  "Beautiful and sweet" really doesn't begin to describe what a wonderful beagle she is, and what an amazing gift of God Sparrow is to our family.

   I will always believe I've had the best portion of the blessing because I had the privilege of being the human side of giving the gift (God, of course, being the primary benefactor).  I would be hard pressed not to say that my favorite moment with Sparrow happened when Frances and Emmie first saw her and when she first climbed out of the gift bag and into their hearts.  I always think of Acts 20:35 when I recall that moment: "Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive."  Certainly it is, certainly it was, and certainly even in this moment I rejoice at my double privilege of both receiving and giving Sparrow.

    Sparrow will get chicken today, her favorite food, and she'll get an ice cream cone from McDonald's, her favorite treat (don't fuss at me, she doesn't get that too often!).  More than that, however, she will give, just as she has for nearly ten years.  And she will reflect the beauty and sweetness of the great Giver of all things.  No words can begin to adequately express gratitude for the gift of receiving and giving that our beagle Sparrow represents to our hearts.

I look up and I see God.

I look down and see my dog.

Simple spelling, G-O-D,

word spelled backward, D-O-G.

They would stay with me all day,

I'm the one who turns away.

But both of them just wait for me,

and dance at my return with glee.

Both love me no matter what,

Divine God and canine mutt.

I take it hard each time I fail,

but God forgives, dog wags his tail.

God thought up and made the dog.

Dog reflects a part of God.

I've seen love from both sides now,

it's everywhere, Amen… Bow wow.

I look up and I see God.

I look down and see my dog.

And in my human frailty,

I can't match their love for me.

God and Dog, Wendy Francisco   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H17edn_RZoY

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights."

(James 1:17)

"It is Your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

(Luke 12:32)

Weekly Memory Verse

   "The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him.  God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." 

(John 4:23-24)