"And Jesus said to him, 'Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.'" (Luke 23:43)
Okay, the "Labor Day" weekend is over in the United States; so, Back to work, everyone. Most people's lives for most of their lives are fairly predictable. Get up; go to work; come home; have dinner; relax a little; go to bed; get up, well, then it all starts again. If you and I do not see drudgery in it all, however, but rather the opportunity to walk with/in Jesus, it won't be depressing, boring, or cause us to look beyond the "day to day," or perhaps even "outside" that day to day routine and do something not wise to get "out of the rut."
I led our congregation last Sunday in an "extended" communion service. Sarah really appreciated it--- my best critic. I can tell you that we have enjoyed some of the greatest times together with/in Jesus when taking the bread and the cup, "As often as you do this, you proclaim the Lord's death til He comes." Such fellowship I think of as that which was intended from Creation. It's unimaginable to me what it must have been like to hear the voice of the Lord God as He walked in the Garden, "in the cool of the day." But wait; we can. This is what our text is telling us. "Paradise Lost," has become, can we say it?--- Paradise Found. "Today you will be with Me in Paradise", not on some distant date, but, "Today." On that Roman cross, Jesus was in the "process" of making those Words a reality. Yes, in a very real sense, we are now, "Today...with [Jesus] in Paradise."
Because of Jesus' Cross, Jesus' Blood, Jesus' Death, Jesus' Resurrection, Jesus' Ascension, we are in the Living Triune God and He in us. The Doors of Paradise are flung open. And, as His, "Breathed," Words tell us, "For great is the Holy One in the midst of thee....For I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee....The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." As the genius song writer, Richard Rogers once penned, "With A Song In My Heart," you and I can start and live each day. It is the, "singing," of Father, Son Jesus and Holy Spirit in and throughout, "Paradise." This can change that routine into a, "new every morning."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I have no words with which to "thank Thee, Dearest Friend." Amen.
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* Prayers for my time with the Brethren in CA and Berlin greatly appreciated
Okay, the "Labor Day" weekend is over in the United States; so, Back to work, everyone. Most people's lives for most of their lives are fairly predictable. Get up; go to work; come home; have dinner; relax a little; go to bed; get up, well, then it all starts again. If you and I do not see drudgery in it all, however, but rather the opportunity to walk with/in Jesus, it won't be depressing, boring, or cause us to look beyond the "day to day," or perhaps even "outside" that day to day routine and do something not wise to get "out of the rut."
I led our congregation last Sunday in an "extended" communion service. Sarah really appreciated it--- my best critic. I can tell you that we have enjoyed some of the greatest times together with/in Jesus when taking the bread and the cup, "As often as you do this, you proclaim the Lord's death til He comes." Such fellowship I think of as that which was intended from Creation. It's unimaginable to me what it must have been like to hear the voice of the Lord God as He walked in the Garden, "in the cool of the day." But wait; we can. This is what our text is telling us. "Paradise Lost," has become, can we say it?--- Paradise Found. "Today you will be with Me in Paradise", not on some distant date, but, "Today." On that Roman cross, Jesus was in the "process" of making those Words a reality. Yes, in a very real sense, we are now, "Today...with [Jesus] in Paradise."
Because of Jesus' Cross, Jesus' Blood, Jesus' Death, Jesus' Resurrection, Jesus' Ascension, we are in the Living Triune God and He in us. The Doors of Paradise are flung open. And, as His, "Breathed," Words tell us, "For great is the Holy One in the midst of thee....For I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee....The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." As the genius song writer, Richard Rogers once penned, "With A Song In My Heart," you and I can start and live each day. It is the, "singing," of Father, Son Jesus and Holy Spirit in and throughout, "Paradise." This can change that routine into a, "new every morning."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I have no words with which to "thank Thee, Dearest Friend." Amen.
*******************
* Prayers for my time with the Brethren in CA and Berlin greatly appreciated
* Read a tribute to a great lady at: jhs58.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.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
