Have you tasted the Lord's graciousness?

In I Peter 2:1-3, we are told to lay aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and all evil speaking. Then, having done that, we are, like newborn babes, to desire the pure milk of the word that we may grow by doing so. The passage concludes with this proviso: "If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious."

Not everyone, it seems, is able to lay aside all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and evil speaking . . . only those who have tasted the Lord's graciousness.

Have you tasted the Lord's graciousness?

~~

"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;

Blessed is the man who trusts in Him."

~Psalm 34:8

Not everyone, it seems, is able to place his trust in God . . . only those who have tasted and know that the LORD is good.

Have you tasted the Lord's goodness?

~~

The Book of Romans speaks of God's forbearance with mankind through the generations. After listing man's multiple transgressions and concluding all under sin, Paul assures us that, without forgiveness, we will not escape the judgment of God?

"Or do you despise the riches of His goodness,

forbearance, and longsuffering,

not knowing that the goodness of God

leads you to repentance?"

~ Romans 2:4

Not everyone, it seems, is able to enjoy the riches of God's goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering . . . only those who have tasted God's goodness and repented.

Have you tasted the Lord's forbearance and long-suffering? 

If you can answer yes to these three questions, you are blessed indeed. If you cannot, perhaps you should spend some time today asking God to give you a taste of His graciousness, goodness, forbearance and long-suffering for it is the goodness of God that will lead you to repentance and Son-ship.

Just One Week to Go--Seven More Days

The Oregon Christian Writers Summer Conference begins in one week. Just one week to go. And you can be sure that conference organizers, as well as attendees, are making last-minute preparations like crazy!

Is everyone provided for? Are rooms ready for presenters and conferees? Is the menu better-than-good? Is my work as polished as it can be? Am I ready to make my "pitch"?

Suppose we knew that Jesus was returning in exactly one week. How would our lives reflect that knowledge? Would we be on our knees repenting for actions we planned to do today? Would we be on the road telling our loved ones, far and near, about the goodness of God?

For it's the goodness of God that brings repentance.

Our world, our nation, our people, our friends, our relatives, ourselves . . . we all need to repent. Jesus is coming again. Will we be ready, our lamps filled with oil to greet the Bridegroom, or will we cower in shame at His appearing?

It may be at morn when the day is awaking,

When sunlight through darkness and shodow is breaking,

That Jesus will come in the fullness of glory,

To receive from the world "His own."

O Lord Jesus, how long, how long,

ere we shout the glad song,

Christ returneth! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Amen.

Hallelujah! Amen.

Let's be ready when He comes. Keep looking up. It could be next week. It could be today!

Hopelessly Devoted to You

Do you remember Olivia Newton John's popular song, Hopelessly Devoted to You (more recently recorded by Taylor Swift)? The song tells of a failed human love, and the chorus goes like this:

"But now there's nowhere to hide since you pushed my love aside
I'm out of my head hopelessly devoted to you."

Most, if not all of us, have experienced the heartbreak of a lost love. That's the bad news! The good news is that there's a love that will stay true to the end.

Jesus is hopelessly devoted to us! 

Sent by his father to redeem the world, he will not turn anyone away who comes to him in love--anyone who comes with a repentant heart. And, even when we mess up, he forgives and welcomes us back into his good and loving arms. For it's the kindness of God that leads to repentance.

Furthermore, there's nowhere to hide from his love.

"Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast."

~Psalm 139:7-10

If you've experienced the loss of fickle human love, there's no better news than the constancy of God's love for you.