Tuesday, January 09, 2007

It's late...

so I'm going to be deep...

This is the scripture I read to our congregation on Sunday morning. It's been swimming in my head since Sunday. I've been thinking alot about how even as your body gets older or sicker or fatter, you are renewed in Christ. In other words, I think, your body really is just a shell. Is it really possible to just get sicker and sicker and yet still be joyful and graceful and beautiful and even happy? I've been thinking about my brother-in-law and even about us, who seem to be fighting the clock and time. There aren't enough hours in the day. But even when Dennis is frustrated and baggy-eyed; even when I'm stressed out and eating moon pies to recover; even when Pancho is emaciated and hairless and looks so pathetically sick- in all of these circumstances there exists something stronger than our bodies and our own worries, found in the love of God. (whether we want to love Him back or not.)

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(Romans 8:28-39)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Our body is just a shell, yes, I agree. What matters is the soul. :) One can be pretty, ugly, fat, thin and bald.. but what matters in the end of how God "sees" us. :)

We are equal in His eyes>
I just hope the humans sees the same way and start treating people equally.

Eh.. did I comment out of topic? :P