An Important Mission

The gift was unexpected. It wasn't a special occasion. My daughter handed me the bag, with the knowledge that I'd be delighted. As I lifted the adorable sock monkey out of the bag, I was immediately transported to my childhood.

We took our playing seriously. Stuffed animals came alive with a little imagination. Our favorite animals happened to be monkeys, and my brother and I built an entire imaginary world around these lovable, stuffed friends.

We spent hours coming up with elaborate schemes and plots that involved our furry monkeys. In our minds, they were witty sleuths able to catch the most sinister of villains. They jetted around the countryside on missions to wipe out evil. They were a force for good, and justice always prevailed.

Although I may not be a witty sleuth, it's exciting to think that I've been commissioned as an ambassador with an important mission. An official representative of Christ Himself, sent to share His message with others. The Apostle Paul spells out this special mission, "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Cor. 5:18-21; KJV).

The ministry of reconciliation. According to my dictionary, to reconcile, means to re-establish friendship between, to settle or resolve, as a dispute. My special mission, then, is to share with others the fact that God sent Jesus Christ to the earth to pay every man's sin debt, and because of His sacrifice, we can have a relationship with a holy God if we personally accept the payment Christ made.

What an important mission! A mission that wipes out evil and establishes a relationship between a holy God and sinful man. As I share this message, there will be those who eagerly accept it, and there will be those who reject it. Regardless of the response, I'm to be committed to sharing this word of reconciliation with others.

Do you desire to be a force for good, vanquishing evil in this world, and making an eternal impact? What an opportunity to carry out an all-important, life-changing mission. Choose to be a productive ambassador for Christ, sharing the ministry of reconciliation with others!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for giving me an important mission. Help me to be faithful to share the gospel with those You bring across my path. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Need Help?

I'm not sure how it happened. We were preparing to film another episode for Life Lessons, and I had run upstairs to get a towel to block some unwanted sunlight. I wasn't paying attention as I hurried back downstairs, and before I knew it, I was on the floor - with my right foot bent underneath me. Somehow, I had miscalculated how many stairs I'd come down, and stepped out thinking I was at the bottom of the staircase. With nothing but air to greet my extended leg, I pitched forward, landing on the top of my foot. Needless to say, nothing was filmed that day!

Remember the classic fainting spells on your favorite cartoons? I have to admit, they're pretty accurate. As I sat on the floor, propped up against the wall, I did indeed see stars and it was difficult to hear over the roaring noise that had taken up residence in my ears. Whatever I had done to my foot couldn't be good.

My husband, Steve, to the rescue! Although he didn't SEE me fall, he HEARD it. As I struggled to remain conscious, he was convinced that a trip to the doctor would be a good thing. I was in full agreement - I knew I needed help. Steve's calm demeanor helped me stay focused. Within just a couple of minutes, he had grabbed my purse and shoes and was ready to carry me out to the car.

   

I've battled weak ankles all my life. The good news? The x-rays showed no broken bones. I had only sprained my ankle. Armed with crutches and the determination to be more alert in the future, we made the drive back home.

There's a bigger truth here. Each one of us goes through life focused on our own plans. At some point, something happens and we're faced with the truth: life isn't all about me, and my life won't last forever. We realize we're NOT in control, and in fact, we need help. God's Word sheds light on our condition, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God," (Romans 3:23; KJV).

A decision needs to be made. Will we admit our sinful condition and our need for the Savior? Or will we stubbornly insist on doing things our own way, denying any need for help? The choice is ours. Will we put our faith in ourselves or in the Savior?

Jesus already died on the cross to pay the sin debt for all mankind. He's finished the work that allows you to be reconciled to a holy God. Will you have faith in His atoning work? "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation," (Romans 10:9-10).

When I hurt my ankle, I knew I couldn't make it to the doctor on my own. I was grateful my husband was able to help me. If you're on life's proverbial 'floor,' and you don't know Jesus, are you willing to trust in Him today? He'll give you a life full of meaning and purpose as you serve Him, and an eternal home in heaven.

If you already know Jesus as your Savior, will you share Him with someone today?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your grace and mercy in my life. Thank You for giving me Your Word that shows me the truth - I'm a sinner. How wonderful to know that You love me, and paid my sin debt, so I can be reconciled to God. Help me share You with others today. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Created for a Purpose

Something was definitely wrong. It was cold. As I stood at the kitchen sink, the air blowing out of the vent at my feet was anything but warm. Overnight, the temperature in our balmy state of Georgia had plummeted, causing us to flip the switch from air conditioning to heat. The only problem was that no warm air was rushing out of the vents to greet us. After a brief trip to the basement, my husband realized that the pilot light was not on and was stubbornly refusing to be re-lit. Time to call the heating and air specialists.

We placed a call to FlowTech Mechanical Services first thing Monday morning. Fortunately they were able to put us on the schedule for later in the evening. Unfortunately, that meant we had to endure the arctic chill that had crept into our house overnight. Its icy fingers convinced us that layers were an absolute 'must.'

Clothed in winter coats and toasty slippers, I wrapped my hands around a steaming mug of coffee, resisting the urge to don a pair of gloves. Ok, so it wasn't quite that cold, but you get the picture! Since our upstairs heating unit was working just fine, both my husband and I retreated upstairs to begin the day's work.

Throughout the day, it was humorous to note that neither one of us spent an extended period of time downstairs. Each of us would only do what was absolutely necessary, before heading back to the comfort of the upstairs. The temperature difference from the chilly downstairs to the pleasantly warm upstairs was noticeable.

It didn't take the heating/air specialist long to determine the cause of our problem. The circuit board was bad and would no longer allow the igniter to do its job; hence the cold air in spite of moving the switch to 'heat.' If I'm not mistaken, when it was originally manufactured, the circuit board's job was to provide power to the igniter which, in turn, causes the unit to heat the air and push it out through the vents, warming the house.

What an accurate picture of our lives before salvation. God created each one of us in His image. Genesis 1:27 spells it out plainly, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" (KJV). He created us for a specific purpose: to walk in fellowship with Him, bringing Him honor and glory. When Adam and Eve chose to sin against God, man was no longer in fellowship with his Creator. He could no longer fulfill his God-given role. Similarly, when the circuit board in our furnace stopped working, the pilot light went out and the unit stopped performing the function it was created to fulfill. It no longer heated our home.

A blood sacrifice had to be made to atone for sin so man could once again enjoy a relationship with God (Heb. 9:22). Throughout the Old Testament, animal sacrifices were made according to God's instructions. When God the Father sent His son, Jesus Christ to this earth, He became the ultimate sacrifice to forever atone for the sins of the whole world (Heb. 10:10).

When we accept God's gift of salvation by grace through faith, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Paul words it beautifully in the book of Ephesians, "...in whom (Christ) also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise" (1:13b). We are once again brought into fellowship with God and we can chose to live a life that is pleasing to Him. We can chose to fulfill His purpose for our lives. In much the same way, when the faulty circuit board was replaced, power raced to the igniter, and once the pilot light was lit, warm air coursed through our house. The furnace was doing the job it was created to do.

What about you? Have you accepted God's gift of salvation by grace through faith so you can walk in fellowship with your Creator? If so, are you fulfilling the role He's called you to?  Pray for His guidance as you follow Him, today.

*A re-post from October 2009.

Love Letters

February. A month devoted to love.

When I was in grade school, I remember clutching the wrapped shoebox under my arm as I rode the bus to school. It was carefully decorated and would serve as a mailbox during the class Valentine's party. I secretly hoped I would receive a card from a special someone. Among the many cards I got that day, I saved that one, and read it over and over again.

To this day, I still save cards. The ones from my husband are especially precious. His love for me is evident in the sweet words he pens. The same is true of the love letter written to me by my Heavenly Father. The Bible contains countless verses testifying to the unconditional love of my Savior. Among my favorites, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life," (John 3:16; KJV). A familiar verse, no doubt. But read it carefully. Because God loved, what did He do? He gave.

True love is about giving. Not a very popular concept in today's world, where love is easily confused with lust.  Two four-letter words with very different meanings. Lust involves getting. Love involves giving. Giving without expecting anything in return. It is characterized as patient, kind, and trusting. Love is absent of jealousy, pride, and resentment (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

Consider the love of a King. The King of the universe who loved His creation so much that He left His throne in heaven to become a lowly man. He lived a sinless life, then willingly died on a cross, shedding His blood to pay the sin debt of all mankind. What an amazing love!

God continues to offer His gift of love to anyone who will receive it. Simply realize you are a sinner, understand that Christ paid your sin debt, and accept Him as your Savior. Are you willing to receive His gift of love? Once you have, spend time getting to know Him. The Bible is one love letter you'll never tire of reading!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your unconditional love. Help me to love without expecting anything in return. Thank You for the Bible, Your love letter to me. As I read and study Your Word, help me to become more like You. In Jesus' name, Amen.