Jacobs Thoughts and Doings

Walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:4

This was the head verse in Daily Light for this morning.  Anna Ruth and I pondered it as we had our morning prayers after a nice breakfast.  This is Paul writing to the church in Rome, a place he had not yet visited but was aware of what the brothers and sisters were doing in that great capitol of the Roman Empire.  Paul spent a long time as a prisoner in Rome.  In fact the latter portion of his life, as we have it, was lived in Rome.  He had visitors from the many churches.

Paul began by seeing discipleship as walking.  Not running but walking. Not creeping but walking.  Not sitting but walking.  Paul used walk to describe our new life in Christ quite often.  Walking describes best our relationship with Jesus Christ.  We walk. Walking is so common that as we do it we almost forget how meaningful it is.  Jesus calls us to walk with Him.

It is not walking as it was in our unredeemed state but as new creatures, learning to walk as newly born men and women, boys and girls.  It is common to all who love Jesus, walk with Him. 

Walking gives us time to think, to talk, to ponder what we are doing, where we are going, etc.  Not only that but we walk with Jesus and with all believers.

I am now 91 – having walked many, many miles in my lifetime.  Jesus walks with me as do his followers.  What a wonderful way to live!

Summertime was for our family, a time to plan for a week together where we could be all to ourselves, with pool and such right there.  Jane and Glenn left yesterday to pick up Marie in Baltimore and go on to Cape May, NJ.  The Snow Hill bunch will join them there.  Our thoughts are there, of course, and we recall the many wonderful times we had together as a family on our summer week together in that historic place.  It is our kind of place!  Sunset Beach, bird watching, swimming in the clear water, just lazing about!  Happy memories.  We are so pleases that the tradition holds for those who can make it.

We love these Summer Days here in Lancaster.  Our frogs croak, gold fish come up for a gulp of air, catbirds and house wrens, with robins and sparrows are busy with raising their young.  Anna Ruth and I love sitting on the back porch with nature all around us.  One of the joys of growing old!

One of the delights of mid-summer is sweet corn, like these pictured,  We bought these from an Amish roadside stand near us for $2 a dozen – can you believe that?  We are blessed to live in this most productive land in the nation.   Enjoy!

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

John 19:30

Daily Light returns again and again to the fundamentals, here once again on the first Sunday of August our attention is drawn to that moment of moments – eternal and unrepeatable – when Jesus gave his life so that our sins might be forgiven and that we might receive all the blessings that follow.

His life blood was draining out of Him, as he hung there on that horrifying Roman cross!  The hours of torture were coming to an end as the sun was going down.  Jesus was hanging there, paying to the last farthing our spiritual debts.  What more can he give?  His life blood is spent.  All is dark.  Silent.  Then the work was done, the sacrifice for sins for me and all who believe was given.

That, my friend, finished the matter of sin – settled forever for all of us who believe.   We stand in light of knowing the awful price Jesus – and all of heaven, paid.

We bow the knee, open the door of our hearts and receive the most blessed of truths, Jesus died that I might live.   Bless his holy name forever and ever.  Amen.

Examine the delicacy and completeness of this lovely flower.  How blessed we are to have insights into the work of God in nature, and in us!  I love the green serrated petals between the showy yellow ones.  This is in Jane and Glenn’s garden.  A special gift of God.

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.  The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:17, 18

When we believers are at the end of ourselves the only thing we can do is to cry out for mercy, for strength, for a way forward.  All of us who have given our hearts to God understand these amazing words.

Being destitute might seem to us to be how we feel when we are far from God, God sees things differently.  Such feelings are, in the eyes of God, marvelous because when we feel like that we are, in fact, near to our Savior, Jesus Christ. That is where we should be!

Read with me, again, our word of God, The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

I suppose I have been thinking, blessed are those who need little from God, they are self-sufficient.  Lord Jesus, accept me as a contrite follower, not a prideful person who does not feel a need for the God who saves the weary.

I see as I review my writings, especially those done more recently, I see that it is a blessed opportunity to express my love for Jesus and all that he did and is. He made it possible for me to know Him and he me! I suppose I knew this from the day of my conversion.  But now it is more formative, more life-giving.  My walk with Jesus is front and center for me.  This relationship sheds light on all of life.

I am identified, I suppose, in several ways – a Mennonite, a missionary, an American, white, fairly well educated (in cultural terms), a writer and scholar, if I may be so forward as to say so.  I am so many things.

For my wife I am one thing.  For my children another.  These perceptions do not depend on me.  I find myself less interested in how I am viewed but how I view Jesus Christ.  Life spins webs in a hundred trees, my living faith places Jesus Christ at the center of it all.  I assume all God’s saints find themselves like that!

When you are 91 years old, physical issues do emerge!  I have some, of course, but that does not weaken my faith, but strengthens it.  I walk closer with Anna Ruth in our faith journey now more than ever.  We realize how precious this gift is, really.  We hope to celebrate our wedding anniversary in December – 70 unbelievable years.   Thank you, Jesus!

Last year brought huge changes in my health, my life in general.  Lost my driving license, got off all committees, and that sort of thing.  Now I am, in a sense, redefining myself!  An adventure, indeed!  I know my days are limited but I need to fill each one with joy and thanksgiving.

Family continues to be the dominant feature of our life.  Today, for example, is Friday, when Anna Ruth brings to the table her weekly creations.  As we sup together we are blessed, blessed.

We have had several visits from Tanzanian guests recently.  Each a joy beyond telling.  We praise the Lord for the life He made for us.  Our many friends attest to God’s faithfulness.

The calendar tells us that we will not live forever.  My sister Twila is now 105, mother died at age 95, etc.  Dwight, Arnold and Duane are older than I!

Workwise, I am in a new world, exciting and fresh.  I enjoy home, shop, garden, neighbors, etc.  In other words relationships are what gives life meaning.  Anna Ruth, who is a year and three months older than I, is a gift to me and to many.  Lord, you saw all these days and planned for each. Now we have the joy of discovering that way.

All I am, were and will be is in the hands of Him who guided me, at my side, through these many years.  Thank you, Lord, for your patience, for your grace and for your love.

All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.  Whoever has ears, let them hear.

Revelation 13:8, 9

As I think about it, I saw the death of Christ as a sacrificial lamb as something that was prophesied, was accomplished and that is now finished.  It was like an important episode in the ministry of Jesus Christ.  Then I read this revelation, ‘’the Lamb was slain from the creation of the world.”  Really?  That is a central truth and is essential to our faith, yet so difficult to make sense of.

Jesus was born of Joseph and Mary – raised in Nazareth – taught the truth of God and himself – then was crucified, risen and is now in Glory, looking after his followers.

And now this verse – the Lamb was slain from the creation of the world.  In other words, the Lamb is the crucified Lamb always.  Jesus Christ was the Lamb, is the Lamb and will be the Lamb of God!  Forever.  This comes to me as on a level I have never tried to plumb.  Maybe I can not do that now, but I am aware of this fact.  It is essential to believe that Jesus was the Lamb always. I know that is true, I need to rejoice even more in this amazing gift, this revelation.

Suffering is central in the life of Jesus.  If that is true of Him, is it true of me?  As I think of it, that is exactly the case.  I, too, suffer.  Following the Lamb does not mean we do not suffer, It is part of life!  Particularly the life of Christ now.  Lord, Jesus, God’s Lamb and mine, settle me on this eternal truth!

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.

Ephesians 2:8

This is true!  Of course, it is – it is Scripture!  How many times have I read this powerful verse – without asking what it means for all and for me.

I live in a culture that gives high value to personal power.  Weakness is almost their way of defining sin, if I can carry it that far.  No, our attention should be on the reality, it is the gift of God.  No matter how we might try, we can not work out our own salvation – that is a gift from God.  It is available freely for all who are desperate!  Jesus is not an “add on” but the Word of Life itself.

We are not saved because we desire it, we are saved because Jesus died for us!  Our salvation is not of our own making, but a marvelous gift of God.  The Bible says, “This is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”  God’s gifts are that, unwarranted and unearned.  They are given freely because Jesus paid the price!

The central fact is that God gives this grace, freely.  That grace is available to all, now and forever, here and to the end of the earth.

I embrace this truth with all my heart.  Lord Jesus, receive me as I am!

In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.

Hebrews 2:10

Now and again I need to remember that at the very heart of my walk is God is the suffering of Jesus Christ.  That is as clear as the noonday sun.  As we allow Jesus to take control of our lives, we see in his hands and side wounds of suffering that are signs of his heart that absorbs hurt and walks the way of the Cross.  I do believe that once we remove the Cross of Christ there is little left!

As we read the Hebrews we realize that as it was with Jesus so shall it be for all those who follow Him.  The writer of this precious letter knew the love of Jesus in all its forms, including suffering.  So, it is with all who follow the Lord Jesus in life, including you and me!

Those who love Jesus suffer!  This sounds a bit strange in our age when we think of life without suffering to be the best.  We need to bow the knee as we approach this reality of suffering that goes with following the Lamb wherever He goes.  If the goal of living with Jesus is to avoid suffering we face the fact that suffering is part and parcel of our life in Him, who knew suffering more than we can comprehend.

Lord, settle my spirit here!  I seek what is best for me, even if includes suffering.