"Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow. I am weary with my crying...." (Psalm 69:1-3a)
Our text from yesterday's Psalm reading particularly spoke to me because of some situations in an local church with which I shared in yesterday's Sunday meeting. Sarah and I have known the pastor and his wife for nearly 40 years, and they are some of the most caring people we have ever known. They are as was said of Jesus, "And the common people heard Him gladly." Hurting people are drawn to them, and they have many people in their congregation who have never had the chance I had, viz., good, loving parents, Lovers of Jesus, serving Him all their lives, just simply no greater role models anywhere. Yet some of these whom society cast off have come to a church family which is a description of the writing on the American Statue of Liberty, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breath free." Some of their stories are heartbreaking. As we prayed for some of the people after the service, I could almost hear David's cry coming from the depths of their beings, "Save me, O God!...I sink in deep mire....I am weary with my crying."
Such folk are around you and me every day, yes, every day. We can judge them, disdain them, find them even repulsive, yet such were you and I when our Lord Jesus Christ knocked at our heart's door. Maybe outwardly we appeared differently, good "backgrounds," upstanding, respected members of our community, but inside we were, "full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness." Yet in spite of our miserable condition, "Jesus came and He spoke my name." He came in such grace as Paul described to the Roman Church, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." You and I could not do anything to earn such wondrous love, no amount of acts of penance, sorrow, or amends could save us. But Jesus did not wait for us to get "worthy," as we count worthiness. It is a classic picture of contrast, our miserable, self-serving, lost and hurting pain------ His unending mercy, compassion, forgiveness and love.
"Out of the ivory palaces into a world of woe
Our text from yesterday's Psalm reading particularly spoke to me because of some situations in an local church with which I shared in yesterday's Sunday meeting. Sarah and I have known the pastor and his wife for nearly 40 years, and they are some of the most caring people we have ever known. They are as was said of Jesus, "And the common people heard Him gladly." Hurting people are drawn to them, and they have many people in their congregation who have never had the chance I had, viz., good, loving parents, Lovers of Jesus, serving Him all their lives, just simply no greater role models anywhere. Yet some of these whom society cast off have come to a church family which is a description of the writing on the American Statue of Liberty, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breath free." Some of their stories are heartbreaking. As we prayed for some of the people after the service, I could almost hear David's cry coming from the depths of their beings, "Save me, O God!...I sink in deep mire....I am weary with my crying."
Such folk are around you and me every day, yes, every day. We can judge them, disdain them, find them even repulsive, yet such were you and I when our Lord Jesus Christ knocked at our heart's door. Maybe outwardly we appeared differently, good "backgrounds," upstanding, respected members of our community, but inside we were, "full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness." Yet in spite of our miserable condition, "Jesus came and He spoke my name." He came in such grace as Paul described to the Roman Church, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." You and I could not do anything to earn such wondrous love, no amount of acts of penance, sorrow, or amends could save us. But Jesus did not wait for us to get "worthy," as we count worthiness. It is a classic picture of contrast, our miserable, self-serving, lost and hurting pain------ His unending mercy, compassion, forgiveness and love.
"Out of the ivory palaces into a world of woe
Only His great eternal love, made my Savior go."
Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to observe more today. Amen.
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Read of the New US Congress' Commitment to Israel @: www.apf327.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to observe more today. Amen.
**************************
Read of the New US Congress' Commitment to Israel @: www.apf327.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
