Something Sweeter than a Championship

Well, after 4 years of college and about that many more of seminary intramural basketball I can now officially say that I have won a championship! Big accomplishment, huh? Ok, so not exactly. We had fun though and I managed to get into a little better shape in the process.

After we won they gave us some t-shirts and we took a team photo (sorry, don't have a picture to post just yet). This morning at work I received the e-mail message below from my PhD supervisor who also played on the team with us. The story is priceless as is the challenge he offered those of us he sent it to. May this be so in our homes.

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Dads and Future Dads,

I was reminded this morning about something that is sweeter than any sports victory, even a championship. I noticed last night when I came in late that my boys (Hayden and Graham) had foregone their regular pajamas and were sleeping in their basketball jerseys. This morning when I was getting dressed, Graham woke up and I sat down with him in a chair for a precious, morning hug. As I sat with him, I noticed that he had put another t-shirt over his jersey. So, I asked him, “Graham, why are you wearing two shirts?” Without a pause, he said, “So, I could be just like you.”

Fellows, if and when the Lord grants us children, He blessed us beyond measure. Moreover, He is giving us stewardship over one of His precious creations (Mt.18:4-6,10 and 19:13-15), which comes with an awesome responsibility. Men, I appeal to you to remain (or become) an avid discipler in your home. Our wives need our loving, spiritual leadership. Our children best learn how to walk in the ways of the Father as they walk in the ways of dad. I am humbled by the role of being a dad. I am desperate for God’s grace so that I might reflect His Spirit and not my flesh.

A Prayer: Lord, help to walk in the wisdom of the Word so that when my children follow me, they are becoming “like YOU.”

Blessings,

[Jason K. Lee]

My Song is Love Unknown

Here is a most appropriate song for Resurrection Sunday. Our song leader, Gary Brumley, introduced it to our congregation this week.

MY SONG IS LOVE UNKNOWN
My song is love unknown,
My Savior’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake
My Lord should take, frail flesh and die?

He came from His blest throne
Salvation to bestow;
But men made strange, and none
The longed for Christ would know:
But O! my Friend, my Friend indeed,
Who at my need His life did spend.

Sometimes they strew His way,
And His sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the day
Hosannas to their King:
Then “Crucify!” is all their breath,
And for His death they thirst and cry.

Why, what hath my Lord done?
What makes this rage and spite?
He made the lame to run,
He gave the blind their sight,
Sweet injuries! Yet they at these
Themselves displease, and ’gainst Him rise.

They rise and needs will have
My dear Lord made away;
A murderer they saved,
The Prince of life they slay,
Yet cheerful He to suffering goes,
That He His foes from thence might free.

In life, no house, no home
My Lord on earth might have;
In death no friendly tomb
But what a stranger gave.
What may I say? Heav’n was His home;
But mine the tomb wherein He lay.

Here might I stay and sing,
No story so divine;
Never was love, dear King!
Never was grief like Thine.
This is my Friend, in Whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend.

Words: Samuel Crossman, 1664
Tune: John Ireland, 1918 (LOVE UNKNOWN)
Public Domain

Do you believe this?

"17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, 'Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you." 23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." 24 Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." 25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? 27 She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world" (John 11:17-27).

Do I believe this? Do I live in the light of this glorious truth? While I seek to turn my heart in faith and repentance to my risen Lord, I find myself weak and needy. I do not love as my Savior loves nor do I hope as I should in His return and the resurrection He will bring. Though He came to minister to the poor, weak, and needy, I am selfish. While He humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross, I am prideful and disobedient. In short, I am still a sinner. It has been rightly said that our best deeds, even as believers, are shot through with sin. In myself and my deeds there is no righteousness, no hope.

Thankfully, God has provided a righteousness, a right standing before Him, from outside of us. Christ was crucified and buried in our place and for the sins of the world. On the third day he rose as the conqueror of sin and death, vindicated against everyone who mocked and still mock him, and declared to be the Son of God in power. He has ascended to Heaven where He now intercedes on behalf of all who believe and will believe in Him. In him, believers have a covering for their sin and hope of eternal life as sons and daughters of God.

The salvation of God can be received by all who believe. Paul writes, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved" (Rom 10:9-10).

Thanks be to God for His grace, for His salvation. May our hearts trust ONLY in Him. Our great God and Savior Jesus Christ is our resurrection and life. Praise the RISEN Savior! He is the exalted King and coming righteous judge of the world. "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"

Grace & Peace,

Jonathan