"For you have not come to...darkness and gloom....But you have come to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel." (From Hebrews 12:18-24, NASB)
Everything a person comes to in this world apart from Jesus Christ is ultimately, "darkness and gloom." Can you remember those days before Jesus? And are we aware that even now, "darkness and gloom," can overtake us when we, "lean...to our own understanding"?
Over my life time when I dwelt in my own thoughts, reasonings, longings, those of the sinful nature, and did not, "Abide in Me, and My Words abide in you,..the darkness and gloom," was too much for. Depression and aloneness could only dominate me. And you know as well as I do that every day brings the temptation to slip a little back into that, "darkness and gloom," existence. It may not be very long, but even just the glimpse of it is enough to keep me in the fear of the Lord. "But you have come to Jesus...." Ours is not a "coming to" or "going from" relationship in Jesus; we are forever, eternally in Jesus Christ and He in us. Our minds however, can bring us into that kind of coming and going bondage. When they do, "....you have...come to...darkness and gloom."
"You haven't come to a mountain that can be touched. You haven't come to a mountain that is burning with fire. You haven't come to darkness, gloom and storm. You haven't come to a blast from God's trumpet. You haven't come to a voice speaking to you. When people heard that voice long ago, they begged it not to say anything more to them. What God commanded was too much for them. He said, 'If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be killed with stones.' The sight was terrifying. Moses said, 'I am trembling with fear' (NIV, Reader's Version). No, my friend, in contrast to this, "You (and I) have come to Jesus." Every threatening mountain, fire, darkness, gloom, storm which life can through at us must bow in submission to the one great Reality of the Universe, a breakthrough and breakout Truth. All humanity is invited to, "come to Jesus." When we do, "darkness and gloom," turn to that which the hymn declares:
"O day of rest and gladness,
O day of joy and light,
O balm of care and sadness,
Most beautiful, most bright:
On Thee, the high and lowly,
Through ages joined in tune,
Sing holy, holy, holy,
To the great God Triune."
Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You so much for showing and confirming to me, by Your Words and life's journey, the Truth. Amen.
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* We now have 35 you have said they will be at the North Korean Briefing, May 20. Feel free to invite others, but I would need to know by Thursday, May 16.
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
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
