Good Saturday morning! Not so cold last night, but we have been given notice that winter has indeed begun. Last night I went to see a friend and he was out. Nothing unusual about that, most folks get out a lot more than I do. However, I wondered if an annual event was taking place that, now, I am excluded from? Yes, the annual MIS Christmas party, that event that we tried to get home for those ten years ago when an accident happened. The funny part was that I felt sad for my exclusion (I don't even know if they are having one this year), because I have not attended that same event for the last 3 or 4 years. It amazes me that God will pull us out of a certain path, set our feet on a new one, and then the first thing we want to do is cry, "I wanna go back!" At least now I can laugh about this kind of reaction. :-) Remember the words of Jesus, "He who looks back is not worthy..."
Many organizations and events will exclude us in this lifetime. The exclusion may be done overtly as in men not being allowed to join a sorority, or it may be done with the cold shoulder, the gradual realization that we are not welcome at some event or gathering. The excluding, especially in the cold shoulder case, may hurt, we may very much want to be included. Even a person such as myself, one who is generally content to be alone, wants to join in some groups and activities. There are very few folks who do not want to be included in anything at all. Exclusion can be a painful thing. I always like to compare that to the coming reign of Jesus on a new earth. I believe that none will be excluded under His gentle rule; at the same time there will be plenty of opportunity to get alone with God too!
In this life we often feel the sting of emotional pain for some reason or another. You may not have wanted to be among that select group diagnosed with cancer, the dreaded "c" word, you or I may not have wanted to be an auto accident statistic, we may want to be numbered among that very small group of major lottery winners, or you simply may want to belong to a church where no noses are pointed up in pride and arrogance. I have not personally found a church like that, but I have been assured that they do exist. If you have a story of that type, please be sure to forward your tale to me. I think it would be fun to pray for a revival to take place in that church! :-) Wouldn't a good old revival be the sweetest revenge on a place like that?
Praise the Lord for His saving and reviving grace!
Speaking of revival, each of us goes through personal renewals almost daily it seems. A bit more bad news about the economy, a loved one loses a job (or we get booted out of our own!), a friend is depressed, any of these things can cause us to get down a bit, and then we turn to Jesus, and the renewal begins once more! We fall down, Jesus picks us up. We get down, Jesus douses us with joy. We lose a little faith, and Jesus says, "Trust in Me!" One cannot stay down in Christ!
Enjoy some Good News from our Lord Jesus today!
Bucky
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