|
Cover Article
“New Beginnings"
The arrival of a “new” year suggests our topic. The Bible is
filled with occurrences of the word “new,” and we will examine some of those
references here. Our “old” things are a mix of good and bad. Some of the good
would be memories of home and school days, relationships with people (some of
whom are now gone), that church you loved so much and can’t find one like today,
the sense of security and safety we seem to be losing, and so much more. Some of
the old things are bad, and best left unmentioned. Reviewing our sins in public
is like hanging out dirty laundry. Reviewing them in private is best done for
purposes of confession.
But, O, when God came into our lives, things began to change,
and all for the better! One poet said it this way, “Heaven above is softer blue,
earth around is sweeter green, something lives in every hue, that Christless
eyes have never seen.” When Jesus comes in, our perspectives on life change,
allowing us to see more of the beauty He created around us and for us. But
that’s just old things looking new because we are new. Let’s take a look at some
really wonderful new things we have in Christ.
First, there is a NEW YOU! Listen to Paul as he writes about
how in Christ we are different from our former selves. “Therefore, if anyone is
in Christ, he is a new creation;” (2 Cor 5:17). And again, “...the new self,
created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph 4:24). The more
I see the “old me,” the less I like him. But the “new me” in Christ is a
different story. We are thoroughly changed, now made acceptable to God. It’s
great to be NEW!
Next, there is the matter of a NEW DESTINY. Since by
definition “eternity” lasts “forever,” making sure that we are going to end well
should be our top priority. Once destined for eternal separation from God in the
lake of fire, in Christ I am “heaven-bound.” Jesus said (John 14) He was coming
to get me one day so that I could be with Him! Paul wrote (1 Thess 4:18) about
the same event, “and so shall we ever be with the Lord!”
Another new thing we enjoy in the Lord is a NEW NAME. Not
that there was anything wrong with the names our parents gave us, but in heaven
I’ll have a brand new name, and everyone will know it, best of all, Jesus knows
it. He said, “He calls his own sheep by name.” One of my Mom’s favorite choruses
at church was, “He knows my name...” We who are “in Christ” can sing that with
all confidence.
It has been my joy many times over the years to say to a man
who has just trusted Christ as Savior, “Welcome to the family.” Yes, when Jesus
saves us, we are born into a NEW FAMILY! As wonderful as our earthly families
may be, the family of God is even better! Earthly families have a physical
resemblance; in God’s family we are all becoming like Jesus, and so we have
spiritual resemblance. Thank You, Lord, for allowing us to be born into Your
family through faith in your Son (see Gal 3:26).
There are some wonderful new things ahead for us in addition
the things we already enjoy. Some who struggle physically will be pleased to
remember that we are going to get NEW BODIES. Gone will be the soreness, the
headaches, the arthritic joints. No more will “cancer” be in our vocabulary. No
one will limp in heaven, and none will be bound to oxygen tanks or insulin
syringes. What a joy to say “hello” again to loved ones gone before, knowing we
shall have no more “good-byes.”
In Revelation 21 we even read about a NEW HEAVEN and a NEW
EARTH. Both arenas have been stained by man’s and Satan’s sin, and both will
need purging to be fit places for saints and holy angels to dwell throughout
eternity. We believers in Christ will occupy the heavenly, new Jerusalem, the
city of gold, where the Lamb is the Light and the Temple. O, what a time that
will be for us all!
Sadly, so many don’t know the Savior, and therefore they are
not bound for the glorious eternity that shall be ours. How awesome is our task
of sharing the good news of new life in Christ. Thank you for being partners
with us in that great mission. In 2011 we seek your prayers, hands-on help in
volunteering, and financial support. Together we will reach as many as we can,
helping them to have a better life here and eternal life into the hereafter.
We’ll tell the old, old story that brings NEW LIFE IN CHRIST!
Superintendent's
Corner
"So, after Christmas, what?"
We have come through Christmas, and made it here quite in
a hurry. It’s time to un-decorate, to put away the gifts (at least the ones we
plan to keep!). Maybe it’s a good time to reflect a little about Christmas -
evaluate how we handled the temptations to overindulge in spending, giving,
eating. Let’s spend a few moments looking at Christmas differently.
There is a strange irony about Christmas in that it brings out the best and the
worst in us. By the best I mean a spirit of compassion and concern that is
unequalled at any other season of the year. Just this morning I received two
calls and one email from people wanting to help us help others at Christmas!
Folks are so generous at Christmas - church offerings increase, gifts are
purchased and shared with the less fortunate, random acts of kindness increase
in their frequency. We are so blessed here at PRM by a host of friends who
provide us with toys, clothes, candy, pies and cakes, to bless the needy in
Christ’s name. Yes, Christmas brings out the best.
Perhaps it seems odd to say that Christmas brings out the worst - but I need to
explain what I mean by that. For many families, this will be their first
Christmas without a loved one who has passed away. Just when they thought the
pain of loneliness and absence had become manageable, the holiday comes along to
open up the wounds. Tears return to a once-dry pillow; red eyes are not the sign
of a cold or flu, but of a heart that yearns for someone. We remember all the
Christmases we had together, the love shown in smiles, hugs, sharing. We know
that not until heaven will that privilege be ours again.
So what do we do when our pain spikes at Christmas? How can we bless another
person who might be going through some similar struggle? I have observed over
the years that getting outside ourselves, even outside the shelter of our homes
and ministering to others is a great help in personal distress. The more we sit
and think, the more we tend to spiral down in self-pity. When we visit the
hospital, go by the nursing home, travel to the homeless shelter, we encounter
people whose depth of difficulty puts our problems in a better perspective. It
doesn’t take away our pain, but it helps to soften it by giving us the
opportunity to be concerned about someone else, if only for a short time.
If you are one of those who said “Good-bye” to someone you love this past year,
get busy in your church, or with meals on wheels. Let your pain motivate you to
bless someone else, even as you need blessing. You may find out that your giving
love actually turns into your receiving love. Your “after Christmas” may keep
the season alive a little longer.
A Note From Alan
"Mom & Dad"
While my articles typically focus on the stories of our
residents, their lives, and their growth in the Lord, I thought I would share a
short story of my own growth. Some of you may know that I was born and raised on
a cattle farm in Birchwood, Tennessee, about 30 miles north of Chattanooga. My
parents have remained on that farm all through the years. As they have aged,
their strength and health have declined, and the farm has slowed down.
As usual, we came down to spend Thanksgiving with my folks, my sister, and her
family. It was a nice time. After Thanksgiving, my family and I left Birchwood
and headed into the Smoky Mountains for a couple of days. While we were there,
my sister, who lives near Mom & Dad called and told me Dad was not doing well
and had called an ambulance. Many of you have gotten those sorts of calls and
know very well the thoughts that immediately begin to race through your minds.
So many questions…so many unknowns…
The next few days were a blur of emotions… Dad's situation went up and down day
by day. There were some significant decisions to be made regarding the care of
our Mom. We slept very little, and we didn't feel like eating anything.
Exhaustion set in, and we seemed to reach a point of numbness.
As a minister I spend a good deal of time talking to the residents of PRM about
how much God loves them and cares for them; how He is worthy of all our trust
even when the road ahead is dark and unknown. Believers encourage one another
with statements like these all the time. They are easy words to say to a
struggling person as long as our own worlds make sense.
As my own world recently stopped making sense, I was challenged to take those
words and promises (that I know to be true in my head), and genuinely let them
alter the way I view my circumstance. Through the course of the week we watched
God be everything He's ever promised to be – strong, faithful, and so much more.
Every question in our minds has been answered exactly when it needed to be (God
was never late, but He often made us wait on Him :)
Psalm 40:5 has become my verse during this time of unknowns. It says, “Many, O
LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one
can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to
declare.” For every question we fretted over, God already had a plan, and in His
time He revealed His plan to us.
Please pray for my folks as you think of them. At the time of this writing my
Dad is on the mend, and my Mom is getting the care she needs. Thank you for
letting me share this with you.
|
 |
