for wilma

I know a great lady in this little town. I saw her a few weeks ago and promised her a post. So, Wilma, this one's for you.

I thought a small update was in order.

First, I am seriously considering applying for a small pastor's college in Bloomington, IN. (Thanks to Alex for telling me about it.) I visited this last weekend and am nearly positive that I'll be throwing my hat into the pool of applicants. Lord willing, I'll get some much needed discipleship and training.

Second, I'm loving my new church, CCC. So are my parents. It's fantastic. Christ-exalting fellowship is always a good thing.

Third, I'll be back to regular blogging next Monday. I've been slowly working on some posts for the last month, hoping to get enough ready that I won't have to physically think of and write something every day. With that will come, sporadically, the rest of my series on Grounding Election.

And now, on to more excellent matters.

I've been reading and studying Hebrews for years now. I love that book. And, I think it has officially passed Ephesians as my favorite. That's saying a lot. Ephesians held that place for over 6 years.

Here's a taste (from chapter 2):

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

Jesus HAD to be made like us. Had to. Think about that. It was a necessary part of the Gospel. God could not save us without this. Jesus had to become a man. He had to have bones and blood. He had to experience pain. Physical and emotional. He had to know what it meant to cry. He had to feel the tempting spirit of Satan. He had to get calluses and skin his knees. He had to grow up from an infant, needing his mother to feed him and change him. He had to.

What else though? Just before that portion we read:

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

It fits that Jesus, FOR whom and BY whom all things exist, should have to do those things. It makes sense that the God of the universe had to humble himself to the point of death, even death on a cross, for his creation. The majestic Word of God that spoke into creation all things and that still holds them together. That God. The one that is eternal. All-powerful. All-wise. All-knowing. All-loving. Perfectly Holy. That Lord.

Meditate on that for awhile today.

How good is our Heavenly Father?

So good that He sent his Son.

Amen.

-joe