Middle of CSU day two.... (Jesus the iconoclast)
This morning's group session in the arena was once again very introspective. One speaker mentioned a catch-phrase of C.S. Lewis'---that Jesus was the great "Iconoclast," or breaker of our "small" images of who God is. In Luke 7, people come to Jesus with major problems that no one else could solve. A dying servant, a dead son, a crisis of faith... We were challenged to bring our challenges to the Lord and expect Him to carry them...
...then we were shown a heart-rending film. Several years ago, a son was born, like our daughter Emily, with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. Only, unlike in her case, the result was devastating. The doctors told the parents there was no brain activity. He was mostly paralyzed and unable to communicate.
The parents refused to believe the diagnosis and approached a university to have them create a computerized means for him to communicate. His first words were, "go, Bruins!" Over a period of years, he convinced his father, a self-described "porker," to take him on runs. First 5K, then marathons, then triathlons and Iron Man competitions. The image of the father carrying the helpless son was so powerful! Can God not even do this for us? What is too hard for Him? As the poem says, once we've reached the end of our hoarded resources, He begins to work:
Once again, we've been shown insufficient in our support-raising. God having met our previous goals (on average, exceeding them by about $5/month) in answer to everyone's prayers, the bar was raised yet again. And this time it's in the middle of summer when so many people are on vacation. We also have the mandatory Staff Conference we're now attending, so we've essentially been put into a position of utter helplessness. We're depending on Him to move this mountain, because we're unable to contribute anything to the effort. We'll keep you posted on what happens, but, as we reported earlier, we're at about 61-62%--and we need to be at about 75% in the next nine days!
...then we were shown a heart-rending film. Several years ago, a son was born, like our daughter Emily, with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. Only, unlike in her case, the result was devastating. The doctors told the parents there was no brain activity. He was mostly paralyzed and unable to communicate.
The parents refused to believe the diagnosis and approached a university to have them create a computerized means for him to communicate. His first words were, "go, Bruins!" Over a period of years, he convinced his father, a self-described "porker," to take him on runs. First 5K, then marathons, then triathlons and Iron Man competitions. The image of the father carrying the helpless son was so powerful! Can God not even do this for us? What is too hard for Him? As the poem says, once we've reached the end of our hoarded resources, He begins to work:
He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.
When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father's full giving has only begun.
His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power has no boundary known unto man;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again
Once again, we've been shown insufficient in our support-raising. God having met our previous goals (on average, exceeding them by about $5/month) in answer to everyone's prayers, the bar was raised yet again. And this time it's in the middle of summer when so many people are on vacation. We also have the mandatory Staff Conference we're now attending, so we've essentially been put into a position of utter helplessness. We're depending on Him to move this mountain, because we're unable to contribute anything to the effort. We'll keep you posted on what happens, but, as we reported earlier, we're at about 61-62%--and we need to be at about 75% in the next nine days!
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