Tuesday, April 10, 2012

The Sacrifice Fly

'Oh put me in coach, I'm ready to play today
                             look at me...I can be...centerfield' 
                                                               ('Centerfield' by John Fogerty- 1985 )     
                                
            of all thoughts that could have been impressed upon me this past week..
                  I didn't expect.. a ball game.           
        you know...end of the Season..playing at home..
       
the bottom of the ninth, one out -
                                 
                        winning run on third...
                                        kind of ball game.   
        about the ever capable Batter.. sent in by His Coach...
          to open the doorway for His team to win.
    that this Batter maybe could have chose  to blast that ball out of the park...

               run the bases.. to the applause of His fans

                                             but..
                      His Coach sent Him in.. 
                                  to use all His training..His power... His abilities...
                  to do the sure thing, that would bring His team Home in victory.
                                      
    - the Sacrifice Fly -
                                       Today...
       
             remember what an incredible opportunity..for billions on 'third base'..to know the Way
                  and because The Out .. is His ...
                                                                 The victory is ours.
                       He was brought into the game, and He remained true.. to 'the bottom of the ninth'..for you,
                                     so you could come Home.
 

Monday, April 2, 2012

signs of life

So excuse me forgetting but these things I do
You see I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue
Anyway the thing is what I really mean
Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen

                                                (‘Your Song’ from the 1970 album “Your Song’ by Elton John)

I had just finished eating an apple puff..

                Sitting at a table in a cafĂ© with a friend.

                And there were a few crumbs on my plate.

I said to ‘Harry’, as I looked at the plate,

                                        ‘Harry, there is something about this ..’

He probably thought ..

                                    this email is coming.

--31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

I asked him.. 
 
           ‘When you look up in the sky at night..

                                             Do you see stars… or groups of stars?
He said
   
       ‘stars.’

                And we agreed.

 We put them into ‘groups’, so we can identify with them.

                Another day

                 I asked ‘Wes’ the same question..

                       he said ‘stars’

                And continued  ‘It is all a matter of perspective
       
                                   and looking at stars from another, would not reveal things like a ‘dipper’.

 I began to think ..


27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
       
                Male and female…we are mankind.

How much more are we to Him than ‘stars’.

                To send His Incarnation…The Son,

that we can have the relationship again with Him..

        As in the Beginning.

                                As Creator of all…His stars.


      Jesus repeatedly said..

                                        ‘few’ are saved..

                                                because few are willing

                                                                    to encounter their Sacrifice.        
Mark 14
\60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.
   Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
   62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
 63 The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. 64 “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”
   They all condemned him as worthy of death.
  
 ‘To Go’

        Today

                        bearing the gift of Compassion

                                          Rather than one of ‘compromise’

                                                      Is to truly Love those,

                               With whom you share His Good News.
               
21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack…….

It is the difference between..

  sharing with someone that you heard about a wedding in town..

                                               or inviting someone to marry the One you Love.

                          __Think about that for more than a moment__


                       Compassion, is to sacrifice in Truth to anyone..

                                                                                because of Love

                                                                                                not compromise.
And then the Gift, is a Gift of Sacrifice, for all.

                                                               
        Remembering that we are the ones that divide the stars into groups…

                                                                                Not God.
               

And maybe the crumbs I leave on my plate

                                                Are the evidence left.

             That something I ate

                                      was worthwhile.

Signs of life.

     Matthew 26
 26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
 27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the[b] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
     Our Sacrifice…

          Has been made for us.

                                            He is the sign of Life.                                     

Revelation 5

The Scroll and the Lamb
 1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
 6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders……
And He is coming back…again.


Happy Easter