Late-in-the-day greetings!
I headed out fairly early in the morning to our doctor’s office in Silverton to have a fasting blood draw—required before my checkup appointment with my cardiologist on Wednesday. I was at that office when they opened at 8am, had the blood drawn, and still made it to the dermatology clinic in Salem for my 8:45am appointment to have my stitches removed following my squamous cell carcinoma removal two weeks ago.
I’m choosing again to replay an 8-year-old devotional with not much alteration.
Wow! I feel like throwing a party—kind of like the lady Jesus told about who lost a valuable coin—and when she found it, she was so relieved and happy that she invited all her friends over for her celebration party. Thano just came into the house bearing my favorite and regularly carried Swiss Army pocket knife that I have thought, for several days, I had lost. At the same time there is some embarrassment. I think he found it in the pole barn…right where I had left it. I’ll still rejoice.
Lots of cold, wind, and rain is our current weather pattern. That’s discouraging my urgent sawmill work. But on the good side it’s dumping snow on the mountain. There is no shortage of it up there now.
Have a great evening. Ray.
I’m impressed with the continuity of the basic Gospel message that runs through the Matthew account. John the Baptist began his inspired preaching with, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (3:2). Then, following Jesus’ baptism and temptation, He began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (4:17). Now we have Jesus sending His disciples out on a special outreach campaign where He prescribes the main message they are to preach: “The kingdom of heaven is near” (10:7). Hmm. Do you think there might be something important here? If continuity is intended, is it not likely that “the Lord of the harvest” wills that this same Gospel mandate be at the center of modern day churches and ministries—those that represent the Biblical Jesus and the Biblical Gospel?
As I process this appeal against an overview of Biblical revelation, there seems to be a similarity to some contemporary marketing strategies. Perhaps we could word the Gospel deal something like this: “God is now inviting everyone everywhere to take advantage of free passage to heaven (eternal life) through the exclusive provision of Christ. But hurry! This is a limited time offer. There is a deadline (Pun intended—because once the line of death is crossed, one’s eternal destiny is settled—forever settled—and if this offer is not taken prior to that line, the kingdom of heaven will no longer be near, but very very far). You won’t want to pass up this offer! You can’t LIVE without it!”
“The kingdom of heaven is near.” How near? It is as near as my willingness to turn to God, repent of my sin, and choose to live for Him. It is as near as the end of my life—my last breath in the here and now—which could even be today—at least at this age it can’t be very far away. In this regard, I have absolutely nothing of lasting value to lose and everything to gain.
I admit that I struggle deeply over why in the world this amazing offer is so regularly and typically rejected by so many. I invite you to join with me in the struggle.