Just finished Sunday’s message. I WANT TO LET IT OUT! I’ll try not to blog it early, but no promises.
As a way of getting around that, here are some lines I wrote in my journal today. Only a slice of it made it to the message, but it is definitely worth thinking about…
Before the holidays I started a discussion on the implications and uses of Romans 8:1. The first post reminded us that there is hope in Christ that when we sin, we are not condemned again and lose our salvation. Rather, having been made new in Christ and striving to live a life of holiness, we can be confident that we are in the hands of God and His grace extends to us when we fail, for we shall certainly do so until the day He returns or we are taken to be with Him.
I am reading my second title of the new year, and it has spurred me on to finish this thought started so long ago. The book is “The Pursuit of Holiness” by Jerry Bridges, and you will see a review of the book here when I finish reading it. For now, though, let us continue our thoughts on Romans 8:1.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…
(Romans 8:1, NIV)
Most Christan adults have read or heard this verse, written by Paul to the church in Rome. It is a verse that is quickly set to memory, and so finds itself quoted often.
I think, though, that this statement is often misused. Is it true? Indeed…and its truth is powerful and essential to our lives. The trouble comes when we misunderstand what is said, resulting in terrible misapplication.
Have you had your flu shot this year? Millions line up each winter to protect themselves against the flu, and this year’s H1N1 pandemic has multiplied the need and the panic. Like the common cold, influenza is spread by a virus. As we walk through malls, enjoy a meal at our favorite restaurant, or travel to and from work, we find ourselves walking through clouds of air that might be filled with the flu virus.
If you skipped the flu shot this year, chances are you find yourself ducking away from those who are coughing and sneezing around you, and they seem to be everywhere you are. You’ve probably got a handy bottle of anti-bacterial hand sanitizer in your purse or coat pocket, and you can’t wait to get hold of a bottle of Lysol.
The flu is one of those illnesses that can cycle through a household for a number of weeks. My mother-in-law lives behind us with my wife’s sister, her husband and their three children. It seems the common cold lasts several months instead of 7 to 10 days, since it’s repeatedly passed from person to person to person. Everyone’s contagious, and everyone is susceptible to the virus.
I was paging through a magazine recently and came across a familiar advertisement for the book, Becoming a Contagious Christian. Its message is about showing how simple it can be to share your faith, but today I couldn’t seem to keep the thought of being contagious out of my mind.
If you have young children, you may recognize the title of this post as a quote. For those that may not have the powers of kid-TV-knowledge, the quote comes from a character beloved by many: Winnie the Pooh. Whenever he gets in a bind, you see him with hand tapping the side of his head, with that arm held up by the other. “Think…think…think…”
I learned a new game this summer at work. It is simply called, “The Game,” and as soon as you think about it, you lose. (For those that know the Game, you just lost!) What thoughts have held your mind’s attention today?
It’s ironic, I think, that as we stand at the gateway to the Christmas season, we find ourselves suddenly in a panic. When we should be echoing the angel cry, “Peace on Earth,” we instead find ourselves full of fear, uncertainty, and doubt.
What’s driving this sudden assault on peace in our lives? If you’ve been in a box for the past week or so, it is the H1N1 virus.
I’m not going to take a stance on whether or not you, as a Christian, should go out and get the vaccine. Something tells me that if you want to find an argument for one side or the other, there are plenty out there on the internet. For some of us it might be as simple as logging in to Facebook. Like I said, though, that’s not why I’m writing.
Honestly, it seems that whether we have had the vaccine or not, we still find ourselves handcuffed by the spread of this virus. What does that mean for us? Does it reveal something in our lives? That’s why I’m writing today.
Chris MacKinnon 