Book of Life

August 19, 2021

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
(Romans 8:28 ESV)

I hoped that being a Christian might save me from living in a marred world. Now I can say, in as far as I have the direction, peace and protection of God: it is true. In as far as, I still see, know and have bad things happen: it is false. This can seem a bit of an insult at times, as when a friend of mine was murdered or a work colleague committed suicide.

Unsuspecting, I soak up the world on my way to glory; I become captivated by its unwanted attentions and temptations and fail. Yet, I am called not to withdraw from life, to pass by on the other side of the road and avert my gaze. I am to be whom God has made me: fragile, fallible and dependent on Him in the mess and muck of life but not sucked in by it.

Jesus incarnate lived, ate and breathed in the midst of the mire of this world (Eg. Jesus eats with sinners -- See Mark 2:15-16). He experienced the full range of emotional pain and suffering including his betrayal by Judas (Eg. last supper -- See Matthew 26:21-31). So failure comes as no surprise to Jesus because He has seen it all before.

However, this is not the whole story because I also succeed. Like Zacchaeus (See Luke 19:6) I rejoice in being accepted as a follower of Christ.

Jesus commissioned his disciples to go into the surrounding countryside and heal the sick, deliver people from evil and most of all to proclaim the coming Kingdom of God. How excited they were about the events they had experienced. On their return, Jesus reminded them of a more important issue:

“...rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20 ESV)

Without our names written in the Book of Life, all the rest counts for nothing both then and now!

PRAYER:
LORD, before we go out into the world once more today, grant us Your focus on what is important to You and Your vision for us to see how we can bring Your Kingdom’s Light to bear in our hearts and where we are. Amen.

Rod Marshall

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