Time with Jesus - Sunday, 08 April
2012
Hi all,
Consequences! Everything we do
has an end result. Even doing nothing has an outcome. Many of the things we do
are coincidental. They are the result of natural laws that God has put in place
in the universe. If I step off the roof, the consequence could be fatal. The
fact that I was standing next to someone may be a coincidence. If he pushed me
off the roof it couldn't be a coincidence. It was someone using the upshot of
the law of gravity to “get rid” of me. Some would argue that God had told him
to do it. Others would say, “The devil made me do it!” Others may suggest that
I was foolishly testing my own jumping ability. The outcome for me would be the
same.
We often warn our children not
to do certain things. “Don’t touch the hot plate, it will burn you” is a classic
example. The child does it and gets burned. That was the outcome of
disobedience. Often, children do these things to see if what we say is true.
They get a quick lesson in effects. Hopefully they won’t test the consequence
of playing hop-scotch on the motorway.
There is an aspect of
consequences that we don’t understand when we make choices. The impact it will
have on life in the future. Having children is perhaps the greatest example.
Even if the choice was accidental and unplanned, the consequence is permanent for
the mother and the father. In the vast majority of cases, the children will
outlive their parents. So for the parents, the consequences are life long.
For a Christian, the decision
to make Jesus Christ Lord of life has eternal consequences. It is life changing
on this side of the grave and, on the other, dictates our ultimate destination.
Today’s meditation refers to
an unfortunate incident in the life of a friend of mine. Circumstances “conspired”
to give him “arc eyes”. For the next couple of weeks he had to visit the sick
bay for treatment. It was the brilliant light from welding that caused it. He
had looked at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Scripture informs us that to look
at the face of God would kill us. 20 But
you can't see my face," he (God) said. "No one can see me and stay alive." Exodus 33:20
NIrV
But the day will come when we
will see Him and will not die. This will be the day He returns! 16 For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a
commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of
God. First, the Christians who have died
will rise from their graves. 17 Then,
together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be
caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 1 Thess 4:16-17 NLT
Now this is something to look
forward to. The consequence of committing our life to Jesus will become reality.
Blessings
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
Seeing Clearly
There
was a silly accident to someone close to me.
Another
friend was welding; and so he “struck an arc”.
A light
so very blinding, he wore a pair of dark
“Glasses”
on his helmet to see the welding place.
And
also keep the sparks away from flying on his face.
The man
who did the welding was very highly skilled.
They
called upon him often: The company was thrilled,
Because
of his ability to do the hardest job.
A
talent that had raised him above the average mob.
My
other friend was watching. He should have turned away.
But he
was not quite quick enough when he stood there that day.
The
welder started welding and as the arc was struck,
It
seemed on this occasion my friend was “out of luck”!
The
light, in all it’s brilliance, went straight into his eyes,
And
left him semi-blinded. If only he’d been wise,
It never
would have happened. A price he had to pay.
To let
his eyes recover in the company’s sick bay.
The
moral of the exercise is something Moses learned.
Just a
little look at God; he could be badly burned.
A welding
flash is nothing compared with what will be,
If by
some odd coincidence, the face of God we see. Exodus 33:20
My
friend was semi-blinded. The flash was very bright.
But
that is next to nothing. If somehow, we catch sight,
Of
Father in His Majesty we cannot stay alive!
His
purity and brilliance; we simply can’t survive.
And
yet, the Lord has told us, that there will be a day,
When we
will look upon Him and not be blown away!
John
tells us in his letter; his first one in God’s Word,
We’ll
see Him and be like Him. I know it sounds absurd!
But we’ll
be like the Saviour! He will protect our eyes. 1 John 3:2
We will
not need a helmet when we meet Him in the skies.
If we
continue doing, the things He says are right,
He said
He’ll turn the darkness into everlasting light!
The
shout of the archangel and the trumpet of the Lord, 1 Thess 4:16-17
Will
snatch us from the graveyard to come for our reward. 1 Thess 4:16-17
And
nothing could be better than being face to face,
With
Father, Son and Spirit and feeling their embrace.
Jim Strickland – written Sunday
8th April 2012.
