I've been away from this address for a few days because I could not sleep a few nights ago and woke up, a bit confused as to whether I was coming down with something, or whether it was just another encounter with the fact, I am not getting any younger. For those who do not know, I plan on becoming 85 years of age in August. What really troubled me, I had obligations involving others. One was a long overdue "getting together" with a spiritual brother with whom I have enjoyed special times of "refreshing" for a number of years. The other was an obligation to my church, to facilitate a gathering this morning to reveal our interests in proving we are good neighbors in the community where we worship. It all worked out as we have many willing hands in our church and I am blessed to realize how true this is.
My good friend and I can get together, hopefully, next week. In the meantime, I had the experience of being served by yet another person who went out of her way to help me in a time of need.
I was reminded of these experiences a few minutes ago when I read of another friend of mine, Frank Viola, who has written another book to go along with the eight others he has written in the past. I am not sure that I have any of those others in my library, but I have read a lot of the things he has had to say by way of the Internet and generally speaking, I have agreed with what he has to say.
Now, in his new book, which will not be available until next month, Jesus Now, I have to say, the title misses the mark of what I have to believe is the "high calling of God in Christ Jesus". You may recall that the Apostle Paul used this term and reveals his motivation in the third chapter of Philippians. I love it, as I loved it when I first heard of it - so many years ago. Let me remind you of what He had to write in its entirety in verses 13 and 14: "Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet, but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
That reflects my own life when I first read this passage years ago and it remains my goal in these days.
Now, reading Viola's title, I have to wonder as Jesus reminded us, "I will not leave you.... I will come to you." (John 14:18) and goes on to say, "... the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance, all that I said to you."
It is my cherished opinion, that we do not have to wait another month, nor week, nor day, nor hour nor even a moment, to hear Jesus as He reminds us of the struggles we all face in a world in which we live today, or lived yesterday, or will live tomorrow, for He continues to say, "Come to Me. all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
It has to be my opinion having experienced His love, His comfort, His assurance, for all of these many years that what this world, our nation, our cities and the country places in which we live, need more than anything else has to embrace that promise, that even though we may be weary and heavy laden, He promises His rest; not as the world provides, His refreshing rest.
All others offer merely, more of the same. He, alone, is what is actually happening, today.
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