Saturday, July 14, 2007
The Glory of His Grace
The whole creation has been groaning and travailing in pain right up to the present time (Romans 8:22). Nature itself groans as disasters of increasing magnitude and frequency are afflicting the earth more fortuitously than ever before. The rivers are sick of being polluted. The entire ecology with its flora and fauna is sick of suffering. The whole creation groans and beckons to be delivered.
Mankind himself too has been groaning (Romans 8:23) as we are sick of seeing our loved ones grow old, our young ones struck down by accidents, and our middle aged afflicted by diseases.
If there was ever a more critical time for Christians to rise up and introduce the glory of God’s grace (Colossians 1:27), it is TODAY. The whole creation is subjected to futility and awaits eagerly to be liberated from the bondage of decay and corruption (Romans 8:19-21). The whole creation, consciously or unconsciously, seeks to live in freedom from sin and suffering, which God’s children are destined to enjoy in glory (Romans 8:21;TLB).
The world groans and yearns after such a hope in a way it does not even recognize. Many place their security in things of the world that are perishable. Indeed, many have recently seen how their misplaced hope can be instantly vaporized. In these last few years God has clearly began to shake the world to remind us to place our hope in Him. Some have lost their homes and possessions to flee from ethnic wars and cleansing. There have also been more ecological disasters than ever before. The global scale of the economic crisis is increasingly unpredictable in its duration and span. Disease like AIDS alone has claimed more victims than all previous plaques and in some countries nearly 50% of the adult population are infected.
Many will have different explanations for the atrocities around the world, the pestilences, religious bloodbath in Indonesia, the economic uncertainties, the Middle-East conflict, the subtle emergence of the new world order hidden behind the all familiar word "globalization." Those without the Spirit can never see how the truth is unfolding. Furthermore, cynics cannot imagine an alternative that contradicts their current belief. People are prepared for everything except for the fact that beyond the darkness of their blindness there is a great light.
The coming few years are filled with many unknowns. The world will undergo more change in the next decade than it did it the last five. Many will be afraid or unsure of the future. And to them their fears are very real and we need to be sensitive to them. It is our responsibility to some extent to guide the weaker ones, or those still in darkness, to a higher plane.
No one is comfortable as we journey from the known to the unknown, but we can be comforted that the summit is not really new. We used to live on higher ground - and through Christ we are simply reclaiming it. As we journey along the long and narrow highway in the tough times ahead, all the more we need God's grace to see us through. The Spirit too groans (Romans 8:26) and beckons us home.
We live in a world of ungrace and often disgrace. A world filled with old scores, vengeance, hatred, racism, intolerance, judgment, unforgiveness, disunity & bitterness. The world yearns for change, but clearly it does not know how.
Christianity's gift to the world is the 'message of grace'. The great author Philip Yancey notes that grace "contains the essence of the gospel as a drop of water can contain the sun". He says that "the world thirst for grace in a way it does not even recognize; little wonder the hymn "Amazing Grace" edged its way onto the Top Ten charts two hundred years after composition. " John Newton (1725-1807) the hymn composer was once an infidel and slave trader thirst for such grace. Grace so amazingly rich and free....
Such priceless words.
"Amazing grace how sweet the sound,..
That saved a wretch like me,....
T'was grace that taught my heart to fear,..
How precious did that grace appear,..
Through many dangers toil and snare,...
'Tis grace that brought me safe thus far,..
And grace will lead me home....
Friends it is grace that will lead us home. Whatever dangers are ahead, we need not fear, for we are not leaving home, merely going home.
"Yes, when this heart and flesh shall fail,..
And mortal life shall cease,...
I shall possess within the veil
A life of joy and peace,.."
May we all as members of the body of Christ nurture this grace the world yearns for. We have all learnt grace by firstly being graced. In the year 2001 may this grace be conveyed in your lives, peace be in your homes and love continue to be the reason we live.
Happy New Year 2001.
Victor Chen
30 Dec 2000.
Mankind himself too has been groaning (Romans 8:23) as we are sick of seeing our loved ones grow old, our young ones struck down by accidents, and our middle aged afflicted by diseases.
HOPE OF GLORY
If there was ever a more critical time for Christians to rise up and introduce the glory of God’s grace (Colossians 1:27), it is TODAY. The whole creation is subjected to futility and awaits eagerly to be liberated from the bondage of decay and corruption (Romans 8:19-21). The whole creation, consciously or unconsciously, seeks to live in freedom from sin and suffering, which God’s children are destined to enjoy in glory (Romans 8:21;TLB).
The world groans and yearns after such a hope in a way it does not even recognize. Many place their security in things of the world that are perishable. Indeed, many have recently seen how their misplaced hope can be instantly vaporized. In these last few years God has clearly began to shake the world to remind us to place our hope in Him. Some have lost their homes and possessions to flee from ethnic wars and cleansing. There have also been more ecological disasters than ever before. The global scale of the economic crisis is increasingly unpredictable in its duration and span. Disease like AIDS alone has claimed more victims than all previous plaques and in some countries nearly 50% of the adult population are infected.
THE COMING YEARS
Many will have different explanations for the atrocities around the world, the pestilences, religious bloodbath in Indonesia, the economic uncertainties, the Middle-East conflict, the subtle emergence of the new world order hidden behind the all familiar word "globalization." Those without the Spirit can never see how the truth is unfolding. Furthermore, cynics cannot imagine an alternative that contradicts their current belief. People are prepared for everything except for the fact that beyond the darkness of their blindness there is a great light.
The coming few years are filled with many unknowns. The world will undergo more change in the next decade than it did it the last five. Many will be afraid or unsure of the future. And to them their fears are very real and we need to be sensitive to them. It is our responsibility to some extent to guide the weaker ones, or those still in darkness, to a higher plane.
No one is comfortable as we journey from the known to the unknown, but we can be comforted that the summit is not really new. We used to live on higher ground - and through Christ we are simply reclaiming it. As we journey along the long and narrow highway in the tough times ahead, all the more we need God's grace to see us through. The Spirit too groans (Romans 8:26) and beckons us home.
GRACE
We live in a world of ungrace and often disgrace. A world filled with old scores, vengeance, hatred, racism, intolerance, judgment, unforgiveness, disunity & bitterness. The world yearns for change, but clearly it does not know how.
Christianity's gift to the world is the 'message of grace'. The great author Philip Yancey notes that grace "contains the essence of the gospel as a drop of water can contain the sun". He says that "the world thirst for grace in a way it does not even recognize; little wonder the hymn "Amazing Grace" edged its way onto the Top Ten charts two hundred years after composition. " John Newton (1725-1807) the hymn composer was once an infidel and slave trader thirst for such grace. Grace so amazingly rich and free....
Such priceless words.
"Amazing grace how sweet the sound,..
That saved a wretch like me,....
T'was grace that taught my heart to fear,..
How precious did that grace appear,..
Through many dangers toil and snare,...
'Tis grace that brought me safe thus far,..
And grace will lead me home....
Friends it is grace that will lead us home. Whatever dangers are ahead, we need not fear, for we are not leaving home, merely going home.
"Yes, when this heart and flesh shall fail,..
And mortal life shall cease,...
I shall possess within the veil
A life of joy and peace,.."
May we all as members of the body of Christ nurture this grace the world yearns for. We have all learnt grace by firstly being graced. In the year 2001 may this grace be conveyed in your lives, peace be in your homes and love continue to be the reason we live.
Happy New Year 2001.
Victor Chen
30 Dec 2000.
