Weight Limit

"It doesn't take a theological degree to win someone for Christ. It takes love willing to build a bridge sufficient to bear the weight of the Gospel." - Clarence Gillett

A retired missionary and current friendship partner sharing the love of Jesus Christ with international students, Clarence knows what he is talking about. If you took a snapshot of Clarence, he'd look like your average American fella. But to meet him, observe him, and hear him speak you'd perceive much more.

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience," states Colossians 3:12.

Had Clarence memorized that verse? Had he decided to make it the hallmark of his life? Or had he walked so closely with Jesus that the character of our Lord just shown through?

Clarence lives his words. Walks the talk. Living as a loving Christ follower. Sharing that love by his actions from his character.

Colossians 3 continues its challenge in verses 13-14, "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

Clarence made me think.

He should make you think, Christ follower.

Am I sharing the good news of new life in Jesus?

Am I loving others like Jesus as I share?

Are compassion and kindness traits I am known for?

Would my friends call me humble and gentle?

Am I patient?

Does my family know me as forbearing and forgiving?

And what about love. 

Do I love like Jesus?

Freely. Passionately. Winsomely.

It takes God-powered, other-centered love to build a bridge that will bear the weight of the Gospel.

The bridges I build will be limited by love I give.

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Come, Thou Fount

My spirit was stirred as when an angel touches a pool in singing “Come,Thou Fount of Evening Blessing” with those gathered in revival meeting last night.

A London hoodlum, 17 years old and full of self, went to hear Evangelist George Whitefield preach in 1752. He later recorded that he went with the purpose “of scoffing at those poor, deluded” Christians. Yet, in the power of the Holy Spirit, drawn by the irresistible grace of a loving, heavenly Father the hood was converted instead.

Robert Robinson, who had led a life of debauchery and crime, came to eternal, saving faith in Christ. His life was never the same. Soon he was called to preach and eventually to pastor. He penned what would become his most famous work, Come, Thou Fount, at 22 in 1757.

As you read his five, original verses that follow, will you let the cleansing, powerful fountain of God wash you anew. Or wash you for the first time.

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount, I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I'll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.

There is power in the imagery of a fountain, pure and clean, springing from rock and giving life to it's surroundings as with Refugio dos Falcoes, Brazil above.

There is greater power in God as the Holy Spirit can change any live. Confess your sins, friends, as He is faithful and just to forgive all sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. What you’ve done. What’s been done to you.

All the wickedness. All the guilt. All the pain. Can be washed away. In the fount of every blessing.

Spacewalk

U.S. Astronauts began a risky spacewalk about two hours ago to repair & upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope.  Among their maneuvers will be a camera upgrade. The old one allowed us never before seen views of space & will end up in the Smithsonian. The new one will look deeper into space & is the size of a baby grand piano.

The little boy inside me spoke up, "Wow! Wouldn't that be a cool thing to be doing this morning! Walking in space. Floating around. Seeing Earth like a glowing ball. Awesome!"

The grown man inside spoke next, "That took years of dedication & training to get there.  And even though those guys are weightless they are in those heavy, cumbersome suits.  And for each one guy out there working he actions are directed by countless many."  You've seen the space movies, right?  How many people watch monitors & give instructions & updates down here while a handful are up there?

The Christ-follower inside had the last word, "I can be weighed down & encumbered by the sins of this world, yet freed to weightless dependence as I confess to my Savior.  I am part of the Body of Christ, the church, & although we are many we seek our direction from only One, our Lord Jesus."  What needs confession today?  How is he directing me to follow?

Following Jesus.  A lifewalk.

Forgive Me

Seth & Mary Elizabeth are like most siblings. Occasionally they let loose. SWACK! Even hit the other. Seth, being the boy, being 7, is often the aggressor. And Mary Elizabeth, being the girl, being 4, is often deeply offended. Bit-part drama princess. Bless her heart.

The pattern: SWACK; gasp; silence; one crying; other denying; one accusing; parent intervening; one wailing; other denying; etc.

Getting the kids ready for bed the other night. SWACK! Seth hits Mary Elizabeth.

Melanie: Seth, that was mean. You ask Mary to forgive you.

Seth: Mary will you forgive m... heh-heh-heh-heh. Laughing at what he's done as he dives into bed.

Parental time out. Whistle in my head. Self-conversation. What now? This forgiveness thing is being mocked. Agh. God, help me out here. Sorry is just, "I got busted. My heart's not changed," but we desire brokeness, humility, & repentance for our kids, God. Thats real forgiveness, right?
 
Wish I could report the wise words I spoke. How I conquered the parental conundrum, brought righteous fear to my son, instilled loving hope into my daughter, & looked like I have it all together for my wife in one stirring fatherial oration. Nope. Can't say that I did.

Can say forgive me with a laugh isn't right.

Can say I'm convicted.

"Father, forgive me. Forgive me for the times I've laughed at You. Break my heart over my sin. Make me humble. Allow me to love others as You love me. I'm not laughing now."

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord;

O Lord, hear my voice.

Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.

If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins,

O Lord, who could stand?

But with you there is forgiveness;

therefore you are feared.

Psalm 130:1-4