Jacobs Thoughts and Doings

Yesterday marked two weeks since my initial scalp work, so we appeared at Hershey to find out what next.  They are pleased with what they see.  They removed the funny cap and now the sores are open, except for the daily use of Vaseline.

After two weeks or so they will apply a skin graft to the sore and the funny cap again, for a couple of weeks until they are convinced that there is no cancer and that the graft took!

Sorry to bother you but I thought I would share.

You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. 

Micah 7:19

Things were not good in Israel during the time of Micah.  As God’s prophet, Micah pointed to the center of the problem, sin. I have no idea of how that impressed the children of Israel at the time.

Micah saw the big picture and saw how the people tried to get the blessing of God without any regard to their condition. They obviously wanted God’s blessing without repenting.  If that is the case, they were left dangling.  God forgives sinners who acknowledge their poverty.

That is still true.  Lord, be gracious to me, a sinner!  Is not this the ultimate prayer for all who seek God salvation and blessing?  It is certainly mine.

My sins under God’s feet, my sins hurled into the sea!

This morning Anna Ruth and Jane wll take me to Hershey where they will work on my head, after two weeks of healing, hopefully.  Please remember us in prayer as we go and that we will have patience and faith.

Tomorrow it will be two weeks since I had surgery, etc., on my noggin.  My wonderful Dr. embellished the scene by adding a fanciful patch.  What is under that patch is still a mystery.  The idea is to add a layer of good flesh to that part of my head that has been radiated, etc.  So here I am.  Jane snapped my picture just now.

My intention is to explain what is happening.  Keep in touch if you are interested.

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Mark 10:45

Jesus does a startling thing.  He, the Master and Lord, the Giver of all Life decides to wash the feet of all of his disciples gathered for their last meal on earth with Him, Good Friday.

This certainly raised eyebrows because the culture demanded that the lesser serve the greater.  Here, the Greatest there ever was, knelt before each disciple and washed hi feet, a task they should have done when they entered the room for their final supper with Jesus.  As they entered the room there was no servant there so they had to eat the most holy meal ever eaten by mankind – now with dirty feet.  Unbelievable! Amazing beyond telling.

This is our Jesus, our Lord, our Pattern of Behavior.  Watch Him as he kneels gently before each of the Twelve, and one after the other as He washes their feet.  Even Judas who was betraying Him.

I find it interesting that no one dared to wash Jesus’ feet because they recognized his greatness.  Nor was there one among them who would have dared to wash the feet of another, or even his own feet!  Certainly not the feet of Jesus! 

This scene stretches the mind of people in my culture.  It is so strange and jarring!  Culture emphasizes social order!  No superior person would even think of washing the feet of a lesser being!  So, once again, Jesus scrambles our neat rules and makes himself known.

Jesus came to serve not to be served.  Should we chose a different path?

The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

Proverbs 18:10

The “name” is the key word, we are thinking of the name of the Lord, the Father of all and overall.  He is the strong tower, open to all who are helpless, outside and forlorn.    The Word of the Lord is that door that is open to enter this safe place.  It is a welcome door for all who are needy.  They may enter and find safety.

This is an Old Testament reference, no less true than the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The door is always open to the heart of God.  All sinners are welcome and promised new life.

No other place is “safe.”  Our refuge is Jesus Christ!  In him is safety!

Health update

I had some serious work done to my scalp almost two weeks ago.  It is now trying to heal.  The op included a mesh of some kind that closes the area on my head that were radiated a few years back, now demanding attention!

My appointment at Hershey is Tuesday.  Do walk with us in prayer through this.

Love, Don with Anna Ruth

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

1 Peter 5:6

Becoming a believer is a most humbling experience.  A person receives the grace of forgiveness as he or she turns to Jesus for salvation and all that may mean, without condition.  The Holy Spirit then puts into the heart of the believer to stay humble.

Then the battle begins, because this world in which we live values power, strength, self-confidence, self-protection and a desire to be independent!  This smothers the goal of salvation which is to bring a person into unity with Jesus.  Satan uses it deftly.

I have been a follower of the Lamb since I was 16 years old.  I am now 91!  What more can I say?  God changed me!  I am still overwhelmed with thanks as I write this!  I praise Father, Son and Holy Spirit, with all my heart.

All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

1 Corinthians 3:21-23

Wow.  All are yours (life, death, present or future) and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.  This is the Word of the Lord, a sure and certain word, a truth that anchors our lives in Christ.  We live in this reality every minute of our lives!  The more I think of this provision for holy living I am drawn to adore the mercy and grace of our Lord more and more.

I have known this to some degree since I was 16 years old.  It is even more relevant to me now than ever before – I swim in its grace!  All good things are mine, and yours, my friend.   Are we not blessed beyond thought!

Knowing this is the basis of my faith, the heart of my love for Jesus, and God and Holy Spirit.

The Apostles are mine, Jesus is mine and all is wrapped in the knowledge that Christ Jesus, of Nazareth, now my Lord in glory also, all is of God!

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.

Philippians 3:7- 8

I embrace this – I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.  This is amazing.  All the good things are nothing when compared to the worth of knowing Jesus, the best thing possible.

I want to get to the heart of this!  To know Christ is better than anything!

As I ponder the words of Paul, I am struck with his testimony.  For whose sake I have lost everything.  The loss comes first, then the great gains!  Paul as a determined Jew had much to lose, but he did so, but in fact lost nothing at all, but gained heaven and earth!  This is the huge blessing that is ours in Christ Jesus.

This morning I rest with Paul on the love of God in Christ, not on any achievement I might possibly have done!  Thank you, thank you, Jesus, Father and Holy Spirit.