Good Things that Have Come

Living in the Spirit
October 29, 2015This is an image file scanned by a Microtek scanne

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 9:11-14

But when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. –Hebrews 9:11-12

A horrible tragedy occurred in Stillwater, Oklahoma on October 24, 2015, a car rammed head on into a crowd of people at a parade killing four, injuring dozens. A two year old little boy, a first child thus the only child, in a family was among those killed. He was medi-flighted to the Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City and all that could be done to save him was, I am sure, done. Yet he died and his parents made the wonderful decision to donate his heart to save another child in another place awaiting such a gift of life. What precious parents this young couple were hoping in their grief to spare another family the same great loss. They emulated the God of Love who allowed God’s own son to give his life for the good things that resulted.

We must never take our salvation for granted. The grace God extended to us by the gift of a Son to teach us, to show us the ways of abundance as children of God, and ultimately to give his life in achieving his purpose cannot be diminished. It indeed is the greatest gift ever given.

I have often thought that if the people had turned around and followed the ways of Jesus, He would not have been executed and God’s kingdom would have flourished throughout the earth. I fear we humans have not learned from 2000 years of experience that the good things of God are far superior to the tantalizing things of the world even in the presence of the grace of God. We still have the opportunity to Turn back, O man, forswear thy foolish ways. old now is earth, and none may count her days as the old hymn* says.

Prayer: God of Grace, forgive us for falling back into ways that do not lead to life as you designed it. Make us cognizant of the roles we play in changing the world to a place of shalom. Surround the family described here with your love and grant them the healing of their souls in this great loss. Amen.

*From Turn Back, O Man by Clifford Bax see at http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/t/t811.html. You also might recognize it from the musical Godspell

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.