. . . and if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15).
On the Saturday night after Thanksgiving, Helen and I were driving home from Kansas after having celebrated the holiday with Helen's side of the family. Making an effort to keep me awake and knowing I was scheduled to have the Communion meditation the next day, she asked me, "What are you planning for a Communion meditation?" I said, "I've been thinking about Revelation 20:15," and then I quoted the scripture to her. I can't remember the exact words Helen used, but she strongly implied that she thought I was being excessively negative. However, I went ahead and did do the meditation based on that text.
The truth is that the most important blessing that we have for which to give thanks is the pardon and forgiveness we have because of the incarnation, crucifixtion and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ; that is good news! God has warned us about the wrath to come: . . . Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come (I Thessalonians 1:10). Consider also Romans chapter 5 verse 9: Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
During the Thanksgiving season we often make an attempt to make a list of things for which we are thankful. Prominent on that list should be the salvation we have in Christ Jesus because we are able to look to our own coming death with peace and hope because of him!
The wrath of God has been the subject of many theological debates, but what is undebatable is the existence of hell and that people outside the protection of Christ will find that as their destination. Thankyou, Father, for Jesus Christ.
Our Father's Love,
Tom
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Dr. Steele, I've waited a bit to razz you about your hawkeyes getting plucked by our wonderful huskers. I know it takes a while for you to come out of your depression after the hawks loose. When are you going to become a husker fan and be a winner?
Dr. Steele, you being a marriage and family counselor, could you enlighten us on why you went ahead and did the meditation even though Mrs. Steele was against it? Did it cause an argument at home?
Somewhere in the Sandhills,
Husker Red
As always, it's good to hear from you HR. Being a fan is more than about winning and losing--it is about loyalty, emotion, tradition, though success does have a part in it. Because I am an Iowan, I'm a fan of Iowa teams, whatever the sport, although, from the time I was a little kid, I was emotionally connected to the Hawkeyes because we listened to the games each week.
The Tim Tebow phenomina is interesting to me. Because he is a man of faith and a game winner there are a lot of Tim Tebow fans who are not Denver Bronco fans.
Yes, I was in a mild depression because I really believe Iowa would win--I thought the real James Vandenberg would show up, but that didn't happen. Still, I enjoyed the game and am glad it is an annual event. And it is still true, the Iowa Hawkeyes are still the only team in the country that acknowledges the importance of American agriculture with the ANF sticker on their helmets. If I donot get a Hawkeye ANF shirt for Christmas I am going to be sad.
As for Mrs. Steele--she understands me. That is necessary to being a submissive wife in the Biblical sense. What I presented in the communion meditation was something I had spent time praying about and was comfortable with its presentation.
Post a Comment