A Glimpse of Spring

A couple of weeks ago, one blossom opened on a geranium plant in our sun room. To see a burst of pink among the green leaves was quite thrilling! Spring is certainly on its way.

Today, the pastor of our church spoke on Jesus' transfiguration on the mountain in front of Peter, James, and John. Jesus had shown as lightning, displaying His divinity. This, too, was a glimpse of the glory to come, namely Resurrection. We are entering the Lenten season, where we see the sacrifice and suffering of our Lord for us, leading us to Calvary. But, as with spring, Easter will soon be here, and He will rise.

2,000 years ago, He did rise. At the time of the Transfiguration, in Mark 9: 9-10, the three disciples did not understand the critical events to come.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what "rising from the dead" meant.

We know what "rising from the dead" now means. His glory has been revealed to the world. We praise Him for this miracle, as it has given us true Life as believers. We live in Him and Him in us. And we are now free from the grip of sin and the sting of death. Spring has come for us.

West Beach in February

Below is a picture taken last Sunday, February 8th, of West Beach in Beverly Farms, MA. We are blessed to live so close to the ocean and always enjoy the views, even when the sand is partially covered in snow. This day was an unseasonably warm day, reaching 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Do Not Lose Heart

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Since the first time I read this verse, oh some 7 years ago perhaps, I have always been encouraged by Paul's admonition to not lose heart. Throughout the years, this verse has drifted from my forethoughts, until today when I came across it providentially, at just the appropriate time. Light and momentary troubles of this world will soon achieve for us an outweighing eternal glory... I cannot wait for that day!

The more I live life, the more I realize that this world is not ideal. I find myself longing for the day when everything will be made right. I have deeply believed in the first part of the verse in Philippians 1:21, "To live is Christ," but the second part, "to die is gain," was a far-off idea. I am only in my 20s afterall, and I thought perhaps when I was 80, I'd truly be ready to die. Well, God has made that statement a true conviction in my heart through the recent struggles of this past winter... I cannot wait to be with my Lord. It is a beautiful longing.

I have recently downloaded a terrific album, Your Kingdom Come, by singer Matt Papa. I must give a plug for Noisetrade.com where artists are collaborating to provide their music for fans to pay what they want or to refer the albums to friends. Check it out!

Below are some Spirit-filled lyrics from Matt Papa's song, Hymn in C,

So if I live in want or I die in shame,
to live is You and to die is gain,
I in You and You in me,
my God, my brother, my Daddy,

And were I tempted with the best of Earth,
all its pleasures and all its gold,
and the fame of all its kingdoms were in my hands to hold,
I'd scorn it all for you given me the treasure of your Son,
now I'm richer then the richest
for you've given me your love.

Beautiful truths of our pilgrimage.

The Generous Life

Well, Jesse has a horrible stomach bug. I've never seen him vomit until today (let alone 8 times). I have been his bedside nurse, offering sips of water, taking endless temperature readings (with our cool, new digital thermometer that I ran out and bought), and helping him hold the garbage can during the uglier moments. Oh yes, this is what marriage is all about! I'm glad to report that he seems to be relaxing a bit more and may be on the upside of the vomiting, no pun intended. As a precaution, I just finished spraying him with Lysol.

This, though the excitement of my day, is not my main intention for writing. The past three Sundays, an interim pastor at our church has brought us a series of messages on giving. I've also picked up a book by Gordon MacDonald, titled Secrets of a Generous Life, which I have read today during the vomit reprieves. Notwithstanding, the topic has been on my mind.

When it comes to generosity, a Christian is given the true picture of a Generous Life from the get-go, namely the Son of God. When a sinner becomes saved by grace, the crucified, risen life of Jesus replaces the damned life of fallen man. The Gospel could not be more generous. As John writes in 1 John 4:9-10,

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Again, this sacrifice is seen in the familiar verse John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son...". Giving is central to our faith, without God's gift, we would have no hope. And as children of God, we have this divine ability and desire for generosity in our very marrow. Yet all too often, the church is caught up in the economic fear and selfishness of the current times and the body of Christ fails in generous living.

Over 2,000 verses devote themselves to the topic of money in the Bible. Severe censure and warning is given on the dangers of wealth and greed. Money all too often has a deceptive power over man, as wealth gives false security and false significance. Man becomes obsessed with acquiring more, and materialism becomes a god. Families are broken over greed, and the true God is not deemed as needed. Jesus declares, "Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" (Luke 18:25).

However, we see illustrated in the Gospels a new principle, that what you give will be given back to you, and in abundance. The supernatural act of giving offers a clear picture of the soul's condition. In the parable of the ten minas, we learn that the servant who earned ten minas more was rewarded ten cities to rule over, while the servant who hid his mina, lost it. What we have, we have been given by God, and to hoard this wealth is to squelch the mysterious power of God, and the resulting joy.

I must conclude with the story of the widow's offering,

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.

Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on. (Mark 12:41-43)

She put in everything. What telling words of the condition of this widow's soul, and her faith! I certainly do not have the topic of living generously all figured out, but God has sparked in me an excitement over the miraculous act of giving. Like prayer, this act is intercepted and magnified by the God of the universe. We cannot understand how, but God uniquely works in the generous lives of His children to bless the world in need. I pray that my heart will always treasure Him more than any subservient possession, and in doing so, His generous life will flow through me.

I pray that I will put in everything.