Greetings in the name that has the power to change our lives and give us purpose, Jesus Christ – THE Risen Saviour! What a beautiful early Autumn morning in the Kingdom – I trust that all is well in you and in your personal adventure of following the Master. We have been away – a bus trip to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It was a great time- met 30 new people on the bus, had lots of good food, saw a brilliant production of Jonah, visited a Mennonite ‘Walmart-type store’, hung out in Hershey’s “Chocolate Town” , enjoyed a musical show about Buddy Holly, and did I mention the good food! It was good to get away and even better to come back…home is always the best. Today, I will be praying for you, asking Father to speak to you in ways that you can understand and then respond to.
I heard someone remark that they had been at a worship event when a young person had made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour…”I think that it was one of the most beautiful things you could ever witness.” It truly is a beautiful sight to see the salvation of a sinner. However, for me, the more beautiful sight, the most powerful moment…and it is happening all around us, is when God displays moments of sanctification in the lives of saints. I enjoy the moments of transformation when God’s light breaks through a ‘saint’s’ heart-mind-soul. There is a beautiful power revealed when a ‘saint’ takes a step deeper in their relationship with God, when they experience a new understanding, when they know the reality of an answered prayer, when they are part of a miracle, when the reality of God is manifested in a way that reduces them to tears and quietness.
This is, to me, when Paul’s words become very plain: Now the Lord is the spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 NIV. You see, in my thinking, God is good…all the time–and sometimes He is even better because He keeps getting better. I suppose it is the words of the Psalmist that are provoking my thinking today: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…Psalm 23:6.
Here is something to think about…next time you respond to – “God is good!” – with your – “all the time!” — you are the proof of the statement. His goodness and mercy in your life is a beautiful sight…you being moved along from ‘glory to glory’. A new song from the group, Planetshakers, says: I am amazed-Caught in the wonder of Your love-Cleansed by the power of Your touch-Father,You call me beautiful. Another song, a prayer chorus actually, from years ago says: Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me-All His passion and purity-Oh Thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine-Til the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.
Two beautiful and powerful sights – the image of a sinner experiencing salvation and the video of God sanctifying a saint.
Have a blessed day – beautiful ‘saints!’