Musing

O precious saint! Three questions call for your answer:

1. What were you?

2. What are you?

3. What shall you be?

1. What were you?

Dead in your transgressions and sins,

a rebel to your God,

a prodigal to your Father,

a slave to your lust,

the devil's captive,

on the highway to hell.

2. What are you?

Redeemed by Christ,

a royal child of God,

the spouse of Christ,

the temple of the Holy Spirit,

the heir of a priceless eternal inheritance!

3. What shall you be?

A glorious saint,

a companion of angels,

a triumphant victor,

a crowned king,

an attendant on the Lamb,

a participant in those soul-ravishing and ineffable excellencies that are in God!

You shall behold the King of Glory face to face--and enjoy immediate communion with Jesus Christ!

Nay more, you are made one with Him:

clothed with His excellencies,

enthroned with His glories,

crowned with His eternity,

and filled with His felicity!

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined . . . what God has prepared for those who love Him!"

~1 Corinthians 2:9~

O stand amazed at His free grace--and render all the glory to God!

~Thomas Sherman in "Divine Breathings"

posted by Lydia

And Then Came 20

Where does the time go? It seems like only days ago that we were making rock soup in the backyard, sliding down the stairs on sleeping bags, transforming ourselves into princesses with nothing but a box of old dresses and gloves, and risking life and limb to walk down the stairs in high-heels that were 5 sizes too big.

And then we blinked.

Carissa turns 20 today. Please help me in wishing this very special young woman a happy birthday =)

We love you, Carissa!

posted by Lydia

Resurrection Sunday

Magnitude.

It's the word that comes to mind today.

Today we celebrate the glorious fact that we have a glorious Savior who gloriously rose from the dead. If this is not so, as Paul said, our faith is futile. We might as well close down the churches and wallow as the most pitiable among men.

But this great Savior.

"My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things: That I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Saviour." ~John Newton~

Magnitude.

We can not fully comprehend what has been done for us, but I assure you if we could, we would be utterly overwhelmed by two things:

Number one, the magnitude of our sin, and number two, the magnitude of God's amazing grace.

"Guilty, vile, and helpless we, spotless Lamb of God was He. Full atonement, can it be? Hallelujah, what a Savior!" ~Philip P. Bliss~

This magnitude of love is beyond human comprehension. You will find this in no other religion. The fact that the God of the universe would send His only beloved Son to die for His fallen creatures....we can only shake our heads at such mysteries. We who were too depraved even to attempt to love Him.

"I love Thee because Thou has first loved me, and purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree. I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow; if ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now." ~Will­iam R. Feather­ston~

May it never be forgotten that the death of Jesus Christ in no way proves our great worth, but quite the opposite. It proves our total and utter depravity. So on this blessed Resurrection Sunday (and every other day as well), let us celebrate this undeserved gift with reverence and humility. What else can such magnitude do but make us fall to our knees?

"I can’t comprehend this fathomless love,

I’m gripped and amazed at what You have done.

Why would the Adored become the despised

To bear all the furious wrath that was mine?

How awesome this mystery

Of Your fathomless love for me."

~Steve & Vikki Cook~

Wishing you all a blessed Resurrection Sunday.

posted by Lydia