Working on it . . .

Dear Friends, 

Saints are nothing but sinners who keep trying. Of course, to paraphrase John, it is also fitting to say,

I write these things to you so that you do not sin. But to remind you that if anyone does sin, we all have an advocate who stands before the Father — Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.  He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours alone, but also for the sins of the entire world (1 John 2:1-2).

No need to go any further than that! One sacrifice is enough. Christ suffered and thereby earned that right, not just for you and me, but for the entire world. Think of it! What a sacrifice. What a Savior. 

None of us is worthy; however, all are included in that promise. Every Christian, every Muslim, every Hindu, Buddhist, agnostic or self-professed atheist — all, there are no exceptions. All are included, "But why?" some would ask. The simple answer is that all are sinners in need of a Savior.

Ask any psychologist, pastor or psychiatrist, and they will tell you that the average Joe carries around a heavy load of guilt that nags at them, day and night, particularly with they are alone. Why is that? Because, to be blunt, they are guilty. They have sinned. You have sinned. Everyone has sinned. However, none of us has to bear the load of sin.

Thomas Dewar once remarked that:

“An honest confession is good for the soul, but bad for the reputation”

Unfortunately, how true that is many times; however, I would rather have a soul that has been cleansed, than a reputation that hides how rotten I really am without Christ. Therefore, I can joyfully sing,

You may think you've gone too far.
You may think there is no power
That can wash away your deepest sin.
There is hope for you my friend.
Jesus died and rose again.
So that you could know the joy of sins forgiven.

Friend, good news doesn't get any better than that. No more doubts. No more worries. No guilt. In Christ those things are a thing of the past, as far as God is concerned. The rest is up to you and me.

The monk, Thomas Merton, wrote a book called, "Practicing the presence of God" — which was nothing more than an autobiography to testify to the healing power of God presence. That cleansing presence is avail for all. Unfortunately, many— including "born again Christians," do not advantage themselves of that cleansing power; preferring instead to go it alone and struggle against all odds to better themselves. A sincere struggle is no substitute for the Spirit of God— only that will liberate you and cleanse your soul.

Take care-- JimR_/

Proverbs for Life 

Dale Decker, a missionary colleague of mine in Kolkata (Calcutta), was diagnosed with Mad Cow Disease and died a horrible death. Think of the Medieval concept of the harrowing of Hell and you have a fairly good picture of the hallucinatory agony he suffered. I will not attempt to detail, except only to say that since the disease is highly transmittable through saliva, even his wife, Beth, was not allowed to be near him. He died virtually alone and uncomforted. Prior to his appointment as a missionary, Dale had suffered with crippling rheumatoid arthritis and grimaced with pain with every step he took. When asked by the committee that interviewed him for his mission’s appointed, ‘How he proposed to deal with this in Bangladesh (his country of choice) that had at best limited medical services?’ His response was, “Well, I can suffer there as I do here. Suffering is not the issue, my calling is.” He was appointed and made a wonderful missionary, and role model not only for the nationals but also us as missionaries. The point of the introductory paragraph was to introduce you to a collection of proverbial comments that he made throughout his life which his wife, Beth, collected and shared with us at a Thanksgiving missionary retreat in Sri Lanka in September of 2017. Below is an edited version of what she said:

1. Jesus wants the real you, not just a role you chose to play. 2. Sometimes you must die to launch a project for God. 3. Jesus can keep you in any nation on earth. 4. If you take care of the depts of your life, God will take care of the breadth of your life. 5. Invest now in what you want to look like 20 years from now. 6. Joshua learned to lead by trusting in God. 7. Clay pots get broken, yet every piece is useful. To be Christian is to risk brokenness. That, too, is useful (2 Cor. 4:7-12). 8. Jesus always calls us to Himself. 9. The paradigm of our life is the Cross. 10. The trajectory of my life is to be like Jesus (Rom. 8:28-29). 11. The Gospel doesn’t need a pulpit, it needs a welcoming table. 12. Peter first saw who Jesus was, then he saw who he was. 13. Jesus did not call us to destroy us. 14. The agony of becoming is the path we must take to follow Jesus.

What a legacy. What a life. It was my pleasure to know him, not just as a brother in Christ but a friend who walked with me in this journey we call life. 

  JimR_/ 

The Retreat Nov. 1, 2024