"Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, 'Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.'” Luke 10:23-24
I remember how hard I tried to upgrade my seat on a business trip to Honolulu, but could not. I prayed and called the airline and did everything I could… but my seat was fixed. Then, I sat down on the plane and a gal in her young 20s was there… eager to talk. As the trip went on, it turned out she was a Christian who had been in rebellion for the past several years and was on her way back to Honolulu to break up with her live-in, controlling, and abusive boyfriend. She had been home for Christmas and as the flight went on, she was afraid of what she would face. We talked…. we prayed…. and, well, I won’t know exactly what the Lord said through me to her, but I do know our travels were His plan.
It’s not uncommon for those of us who belong to Jesus to find ourselves in many situations that are ‘so coincidental’ that we later realize they were divinely appointed.
I hope you are starting to realize that about ministry. Are you seeing just glimpses of how the Lord may be using you or others in your group to speak truth, encouragement, conviction or support into each others’ lives. Divinely appointed!
This verse reminds me of how privileged we are to see things others don’t see… to share in an understanding that is divine… and just how privileged we are to enjoy fellowship with the Lord, who is the Living Word and His people…. And that is is so precious that prophets and kings (David? Solomon?) used to long for what we have…. but could not attain it.
The enemy wants to clutter our life, minimize our ministry and lie about God’s word and fellowship so that we lose our perspective of how precious a gift we have been given. This week, I am in refreshed in the greatness of His gifts to us and all He is doing in and through our groups… and the lessons we learn on Tuesday through our dedicated leader and teacher, Lina. Coincidence? No. Divinely Appointed!
Lord, I lift up my sisters in Christ to you… I pray we all are made aware in a new way of the preciousness of the fellowship we have in you… Refresh us in your word. Give us the flush of a newlywed bride as we adore you and treasure your love for us.. and those in our groups.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
The Ultimate Accomplishment - Magnified Through You
Thank You God for Tuesday.
Monday was back-to-work for me. We are budgeting for next year’s expenses, including plans for professional development. I was researching grad schools and laughing to myself that I’m still planning what I want to be when I ‘grow up’… yes, trying to plan what I can do so I can someday retire from full time work and have a flexible enough schedule that I can pay bills, serve the Lord and help with grand kids. And, I may need a Masters for that!? I guess that is what needs to be done to remain marketable in an educated, competitive work force.
Our society is so accomplished and accomplishment oriented. My mom had a Masters degree. She got it when I was in High School. But when I was working again, she discouraged me from getting one, because of the toll it took. Now, that she is gone, her degree sits with other accomplishments from her life… in a special place in my basement.
I was reading Hebrews 9 yesterday and struck in a fresh way about the ULTIMATE ACCOMPLISHMENT of all time….when Jesus, as High Priest, ‘entered the Most Holy Place once for all BY HIS OWN BLOOD and obtained eternal redemption’ for mankind and ushered in a new covenant.
I’m sure there will be replays of this most sacred moment when we get to heaven….when Jesus entered the Most Holy Place for the very first time by his own blood. I have to wonder if that was when the temple curtain was torn from the top down? I’ll bet as we watch the ‘replay’ all heaven, earth and even creatures under the earth will break out in spontaneous worship and adoration of Jesus as we look on with an eternal grasp of its significance.
The part I love most about Christ’s Ultimate Accomplishment is that it wasn’t done to exalt himself or to showcase how great He was… instead it was accomplished through great sacrifice and suffering….with a motive of doing something very significant for a whole lot of somebody’s who were hopeless and helpless… and we were among them.
I also love the fact that Christ’s Ultimate Accomplishment brought new work… new life… and new meaning to our otherwise insignificant lives.
So I wanted to encourage you today, as you face another day, in a busy, Christmas season, to keep your focus and purpose stayed on Jesus. Love with His love and abide in His Strength and Humility... and as you do, take heart that the work you do for Him and the sacrifices you make for others... are all part of the His Ultimate Accomplishment that is being magnified through your life…. And by His grace, it will last!
Editor's note: I apologize that I have not been posting some of my work this year. I recently had a few friends ask about it.. so I'll try to round some of it up and post it. Watch facebook and twitter (suetomson)... and I'll get this updated before the year's end. Hope you are blessed.
Monday was back-to-work for me. We are budgeting for next year’s expenses, including plans for professional development. I was researching grad schools and laughing to myself that I’m still planning what I want to be when I ‘grow up’… yes, trying to plan what I can do so I can someday retire from full time work and have a flexible enough schedule that I can pay bills, serve the Lord and help with grand kids. And, I may need a Masters for that!? I guess that is what needs to be done to remain marketable in an educated, competitive work force.
Our society is so accomplished and accomplishment oriented. My mom had a Masters degree. She got it when I was in High School. But when I was working again, she discouraged me from getting one, because of the toll it took. Now, that she is gone, her degree sits with other accomplishments from her life… in a special place in my basement.
I was reading Hebrews 9 yesterday and struck in a fresh way about the ULTIMATE ACCOMPLISHMENT of all time….when Jesus, as High Priest, ‘entered the Most Holy Place once for all BY HIS OWN BLOOD and obtained eternal redemption’ for mankind and ushered in a new covenant.
I’m sure there will be replays of this most sacred moment when we get to heaven….when Jesus entered the Most Holy Place for the very first time by his own blood. I have to wonder if that was when the temple curtain was torn from the top down? I’ll bet as we watch the ‘replay’ all heaven, earth and even creatures under the earth will break out in spontaneous worship and adoration of Jesus as we look on with an eternal grasp of its significance.
The part I love most about Christ’s Ultimate Accomplishment is that it wasn’t done to exalt himself or to showcase how great He was… instead it was accomplished through great sacrifice and suffering….with a motive of doing something very significant for a whole lot of somebody’s who were hopeless and helpless… and we were among them.
I also love the fact that Christ’s Ultimate Accomplishment brought new work… new life… and new meaning to our otherwise insignificant lives.
So I wanted to encourage you today, as you face another day, in a busy, Christmas season, to keep your focus and purpose stayed on Jesus. Love with His love and abide in His Strength and Humility... and as you do, take heart that the work you do for Him and the sacrifices you make for others... are all part of the His Ultimate Accomplishment that is being magnified through your life…. And by His grace, it will last!
Editor's note: I apologize that I have not been posting some of my work this year. I recently had a few friends ask about it.. so I'll try to round some of it up and post it. Watch facebook and twitter (suetomson)... and I'll get this updated before the year's end. Hope you are blessed.
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