Category: Thoughts

Last week I went to an Emmaus Bible College extension class that’s held on Monday nights at a nearby church. The topic was Daniel. I’ve just been reading Hebrews, and the comments made at the class pulled together some thoughts for me…

Imagine the pleasant surprise that awaited Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they were thrown into the fiery furnace. Instead of feeling the flames, they found themselves in the presence of the Son of God! What incredible joy they must have felt. When King Nebuchadnezzar called them out, I wonder if they thought, “Aww…do we have too??!”

How often do we fear suffering for Jesus–when actually God richest blessings and joy fall on those who are “counted worthy to suffer for His Name”. (Acts 5:41) Paul expressed how he wanted to suffer with Christ so he could experience a closer fellowship with Jesus through it. (Phil 3:10)

This life is too short to live “comfortably” here on earth. Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses (Heb 11:1 – 12:1) who have gone before us and found God faithful (even in great trial), let’s embrace their same faith–knowing that we have the same God. And may any wound or scar we receive along the way be counted as an eternal treasure. (1 Peter 4:12-14)

“Hast Thou No Scar?”

Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot, or side or hand?
I hear thee sung as mighty in the land,
I hear them hail thy bright ascendent star
Hast thou no scar?

Hast thou no wound?
Yet I was wounded by the archers, spent,
Leaned me against a tree to die; and rent
By ravening beasts that encompassed me, I swooned;
Hast thou no wound?

No wound? No scar?
Yet, as the master shall the servant be
And pierced are the feet that follow Me;
But thine are whole: can he have followed far
Who has no wound nor scar?

Amy Carmichael,
Gold Cord: The Story of a Fellowship

Photo: Abby Kramer

Photo: Abby Kramer

“Grace—I want to read you something!” my mom called to me yesterday afternoon.
“Okay” I said, not knowing that this was going to be an answer to my prayer.

My mom began reading me a newsletter letter from Roy Robertson, founder of TEL (Training Evangelistic Leadership, a missions organization). Here is what he had to share about his wife, who recently went to be with the Lord:

“…above all she gave top priority to her time in fellowship with the Lord. Her life verse was Philippians 3:10: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”

At this my ears perked up. I had just been memorizing in Philippians yesterday morning and that passage really popped out at me. I specifially prayed that the Lord would give me a deeper understanding of what it means and how to apply it in my life. I realized that this must be an answer to my prayer! Now I was really interested in what the rest of the letter said…

My mom continued reading, “…She rose regularly at 4:00AM in order to get three hours in the Word and prayer. She kept extensive prayer lists and prayed through them both day and night. She carried about her Scripture memory packs and reflected over the verses even while traveling, waiting in line or doing chores. She read through the whole Bible each year taking daily selections from the Old Testament, New Testament and poetic books. Shortly before her homegoing, I asked her how many times she had read through the whole Bible. After reflection she answered, “67 times—twice the year I was saved, and once every year thereafter.”

Wow—her goal really was to know Christ, wasn’t it?! It was obviously the passion of her life!

My mom went on to tell me some more things about what Phyllis was like. My mom had been able to get to know her while our family was in Hong Kong in 1990 helping with TEL and a Billy Graham Crusade. She said that Phyllis was always telling people about Jesus. She was always witnessing to the people sitting next to her on the Subways and buses. Wow, what a life worth living. I wonder what her entrance to Heaven was like.

She is an example of how when someone is walking with Jesus, it simply spills over into their life and their interaction with others. That’s why we should all make spending time with the Lord the #1 priority in our lives! Notice Jesus didn’t say to his disciples, “Go and become fishers of men”. Rather, He said, “Follow me, and I WILL MAKE YOU fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19)

May you be encouraged, as I was yesterday, to consider everything else as “rubbish” and give the Lord your full attention!

Stephen took this picture a few years ago when we went camping in the mountains. The water was so clear in this Colorado lake, I could see my feet. It made me imagine what the crystal lake in Heaven would be like… when we will truly be with Jesus and see Him face to face.

One more thing: Sarah would like to pass on a big “thank you” to all of you who wrote so many encouraging comments and exciting reports on the last post! It made her birthday very special and she enjoyed reading each comment as they came in… 🙂 Thanks and God bless you all!