Beyond Your Wildest Imaginings

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1 Corinthians 2:9 King James Version

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

 

Jessie came to live with us from rural Kenya where she was born and grew up. She had come to study in the U. S. She’s my daughter by an interesting custom amongst her people. When a brother in the family becomes wealthier than the rest of the family, a man can send a child to the wealthier brother and proclaim the child to be his. The new father can do anything he wishes with this child. Often the child becomes a servant in the new family, However, sometimes the new father will educate the child and send him/her off on a lucrative career.

I was best man in her father’s wedding and, as such, became his “brother”. Since I lived in the States, I must indeed be wealthy. So, she showed up unannounced on my doorstep with a letter from her father stating that she is now my daughter and I can do with her as I wish. I was unaware of my position as her “father” until she handed me the letter.

Jessie’s father and mother were high school teachers in Kenya, so she came from an educated family. They owned a car and lived in a home much like ours here in this country. Since she aspired to be a medical doctor and was a high school graduate, I took her down and introduced her to the student finance person at our local college, who got her set on a firm financial footing so that she could attend the local college.

Most of the things she encountered in her new home were no surprise to her. However, there were a few things that she hadn’t experienced in rural Kenya. One thing caught her attention immediately: a garage door that opened and closed by the push of a button. Every time we went anywhere in the car, she insisted on pushing the button. It became an absolute delight to her to feel the power she wielded to make the door open and close, merely by the push of a button.

We have lived during an unprecedented age. Many things have changed since I was a kid. Where I once used a typewriter, I now have the computer I’m typing this blog on. As another example, we have a “new” car, and yesterday I felt it nudge me when I got too close to the edge of my lane on the freeway. That is totally new to me: even five years ago I wouldn’t have thought this possible. Therefore, I can’t even imagine the marvelous things God has prepared for us in the Earth Made New.

Wow! Lord! What a wonderful life You have in store for us! I can hardly wait! Thank You!

 

 

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[1] https://pixels.com/featured/what-god-has-prepared-deborah-d-campbell.html

Created for Good Works

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Ephesians 2:10 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

¹⁰ For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

Earlier in January I went uptown to a stamp show. With all of my cancer fight and what that has entailed, I hadn’t been to one for well over a year. One of the dealers whom I count as a personal friend told me he has been seeing blood in his urine. He is, of course, running scared. He pointed out that we are both well into our seventies and both born under Aquarius—not that I attach any meaning to Zodiacal signs.

His father was a conservative Christian pastor, and my friend had attended a conservative Christian university where he took a theology major. But the years have jaded some of his Christian zeal. His Christian world view, however, still affects his life. I encouraged him to get some immediate medical attention. Between dozens of interruptions by visitors to his booth, we also spent some very meaningful time reviewing the marvelous hope we have in Christ Jesus.

A couple days ago there was another stamp show uptown. I told my wife that I felt I needed to go to this one, too, in order to see my dealer friend. He was there, and I spent several more hours at his booth. He, his wife, and I were able to chat some more. Things had not gotten any better. In fact not only was there still blood in his urine, his wife mentioned that his bowels had also been totally shut down for over a month now.

He had looked gaunt last time and appeared even more so this time. At least he now had several appointments this week for various medical checkups, lab work, x-rays, and other tests. I have fears that things may not go well with him, but at least he seems to have a blessed hope in Christ and his future. I pray for his well being and wisdom on his part and the medical people who help him.

The very next day I had an appointment with a doctor whom I have known for many years. I sat in the waiting room and in an examination room for over two hours. When the doctor came into my room, he closed the door behind him. He sat down and told how a mutual friend of 50 plus years is now on life-support in intensive care. He told me further that he had been chosen as the chair of his church’s finance committee. The experience has been a real eye-opener to him as to how church policies are actually implemented—or simply ignored.

I told him about our experience when my wife and I first went to Africa as full time employees of the church as missionaries. Over the first two years we were shocked at what happened, how policies were ignored, how lies were told, etc. It became a real crisis in our Christian experience: After all, we were working for an organization that we considered to be God’s organization on earth most closely connected with our hope of salvation. After discussing and praying about it, we decided that we were still working for Jesus Christ but were being paid by a human organization. Furthermore, we chose not to fault our Savior for this weak, imperfect, and at times corrupt big business—the church.

Lord Jesus, we thank You for the privilege of working for You for our entire career. We pray not only for our own salvation but also for those devoted, but often confused, humans who do things in Your name and for Your sake.

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[i] https://www.tsdastamps.com/