Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Broad Shoulders and Restored Hearts

" ... The government will be upon His shoulders ... " -

Today we will have a new president in this country. In a sense the mantle of government (at least one of the three branches) will pass onto his shoulders.

But these words are not about about Barak Obama. They are not about any president. They were written ages and ages ago by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 9:6) about the King who would come to be the Savior who alone can restore our hearts and our world to put things really right as God intended in the first place. Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! He is the real Peace-Maker - both between God and man and between men, women and children as He changes one heart at a time with His saving love and grace!

Our times, our culture and our country are under the gaze and sovereign authority of King Jesus! His shoulders are worthy and able to rest government upon.

Pray for our new president. He will assume the mantle of tremendous responsibility this day. He will need King Jesus to do his job well. We need to pray that King Jesus will bring His restoration to our country, to our hearts as only He can!

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Long Time - No See - New Year

I'm involved in a journey. It began in 2008. My good friend is dying of cancer. It is a special gift to be walking this journey of pain with her and her daughter.

Today Joni Eareckson Tada writes in her daily devotional about New Year resolutions and 2 Corinthians 4:16: Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

My friend is outwardly wasting away. The cancer has a death grip on her body. My prayer for her and her daughter is that they will discover the secret of God's inner renewal. It's the only way to make this painful journey with peace and confidence!

Cancer is an ugly disease. Unseen it winds its nasty tentacles through organs, tissue and bone until it chokes out life. There are treatments like chemo and radiation. There are drugs for the pain. There are friends like me for loving support, but the truth is that none of these stop the deadly onslaught of the disease process once it is well-established. The body outwardly and inwardly wastes away.

The ONLY hope to hold onto is God's restoration of the heart!

On His way to Gethsemene and betrayal, Jesus spoke words of comfort to His disciples. He knew they would soon desperately need the truth of what He spoke. He said, "Don't let this throw you. You trust in God, don't you? Trust Me. There is plenty of room for you in My Father's home. If that weren't so, would I have told you that I'm on My way to get a room ready for you? ... I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from Me." (John 14:1-6, The Message)

Jesus was promising "heart renewal" for now and for ever. That's the only hope to hold onto - Jesus, the Road to God and heaven! He's the only path to heart restoration! He promises to make "all things new" (Rev. 21:5) - even bodies riddled with cancer!