Will was getting concerned. He had not received a response from the church where we were scheduled to bring a concert in Tracy, California. Finally, the night before we were to sing and share, he received a call from one of the pastors. An eight year-old girl from one of the families in the church was kidnapped and her body was discovered in a suitcase. Understandably, a broken-hearted church needed to cancel our appearance and meet the needs of a grieving family. Pastor Tim, our host in Sonoma, with only 20 hours notice, scheduled us to minister in his church. We had a fantastic evening of ministry and with the Sonoma church we spent quality time praying for our brothers and sisters in Tracy.
On we drove to San Diego. A close friend of mine hosting our team, shared how he had been admitted to the hospital for treatment. A friend called his hospital room and asked to talk. Rob shared that it was not a good time to chat. The man asked him if he was dying. Rob said “no” so the man suggested he should listen and proceeded to pour out his problems over the phone! Can you imagine!
Meditation
2 Corinthians 3:10—We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
Did you know that we “carry the death of Jesus in our body?” And what exactly does that mean? As we prayed last night, Georgia asked, “How can the Friday before Easter, be called, ‘Good Friday?’” That day was filled with staggering pain. Jesus for the first and only time in eternity was actually separated from His Father. But understand that horrific day was paradoxically GOOD. God planned tragedy to fashion victory. We are able to carry the death of Jesus in our body precisely because He smashed our sin. His resurrection is our rebirth. His graveyard grace imputed into us eternal life!
We live life able to respond and adjust to tragedies and unforeseen events because that’s what revealers do. We react lovingly to people who place demands on our time because of what is inside us. Circumstances are merely the vehicle God uses to allow us to model the inward presence we carry of our outward Hope. Revealers are God-containers infused with the message of eternity formed by grace proclaimed with joy. Hallelujah!
Inspiration
A servant is one who has given up his right to himself to the God Whom he proclaims, a witness to Jesus, i.e., a satisfaction to Jesus Christ wherever he goes.—Oswald Chambers in Studies in the Sermon on the Mount
