It has truly been a week of sadness. On Tuesday we went to the funeral in our village, and on Wednesday we received sad news from home. We got a call from my father telling us that my Uncle Menno had passed away. I knew he had been sick, but I really wasn't expecting this news on this day. Why? Because last week we had learned that another uncle had been diagnosed with leukemia and didn't have long to live.
While we were still processing my Uncle Menno's death, the phone rang again. I asked Wes to get it, because I knew in my heart that my Uncle Don had also passed away.
I'm still in shock as I think about the fact that in one day, two of my uncles went to be with the Lord. The good news is that they both had their house in order. If you haven't read my previous post, you need to do so. The sad thing is that they will be missed by so many.
I think of my Aunt Vi who lost both her husband Don and her brother Menno in one day. I can't even imagine her sadness. She's my very special aunt who prays for us all the time, makes us homemade jam to bring back to Zambia, and always makes sure we come for dinner when we are home. Now it is our turn to pray for her.
Although we are so far removed from our families, I remember both of my uncles with fondness. My Uncle Menno owned a small country grocery store when we were kids. He spoiled us with goodies from the store every time we came to visit. He was a big man, with a big heart. My Uncle Don was a quiet and gentle man. I never heard him raise his voice or say an unkind word about anyone. I doubt if anyone could ever say that about me.
Wes and I are reading a book together called, "A Life God Rewards" by Bruce Wilkinson. Have you ever thought about the fact that this life is like a little dot on a page, and eternity is a line that goes on and on forever? Wilkinson says, "Jesus' teaching shows us that what happens inside the dot determines everything that happens on the line." Most of our life happens after our physical death. This is a sobering thought for us who are still living.
Well, two great men are gone, two families are grieving, but in heaven, two men are rejoicing with their Savior and just beginning their life on the line.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Get Your House in Order
The sad news came to us that the headmistress (principal) of the main school in our village, had suddenly lost her husband when he did not recover after an asthma attack.
We went to the funeral in our village where hundreds of people had gathered to honor the life of a man who had touched their lives. We learned at the funeral, that he himself had been the head master before his wife, many years back. Both he and his wife had invested in many lives in the community, especially through the avenue of education.
The funeral message was good, but it fell short of the truth. The young pastor talked about how Hezekiah of the Old Testament was told he was going to die, and to get his house in order. The point of the message was, "Get your house in order because you do not know when you are going to die." Sadly, the message focused on works. To get your house in order, the pastor implied that you must make sure you are doing enough good works to ensure you are righteous enough to enter into the Kingdom of God.
I wanted so much to stand up and say, "Yes, faith without works is dead, but it is by grace that we are saved through faith." The Bible plainly tells us that we are not saved by our works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Salvation is a gift of God to all those who confess Him as Lord and believe on His name. (Romans 10:9-10). If we try to work our way to heaven, we will always fall short. (Romans 3:23). We can NEVER do enough good works to deserve God's favor. To get our house in order, we must first put our lives into the hands of the only one who was ever without sin (Jesus). He died that we might have life. We are put right with God (justified), not by our good works which are like filthy rags to Him (Isaiah 64:6) but by faith in His Son Jesus (Romans 5:1).
The message was good, but the most important thing was left out. To get one's house in order, one must first enter into a relationship with God through believing in His Son Jesus. We have all been created by God, but not all have a relationship with Him. John 1:12 tells us that, "Yet to all who received Him (Jesus), to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God." It is not the ones that have done enough good works that are children of God, but those who believe in Jesus-- that He died for their sin, rose again (proving that He is God) and are willing to confess Him as their Lord (the master of their life).
Death is always an opportunity for the living to look at their lives. Is your house in order? Have you entered into a relationship with God through His Son Jesus? If you have not, read Romans 10:9-10 and 13. You can also email us at wilcox@zamnet.zm and we can share more with you. If you are already a child of God, are you living the godly life that you have been called to live? Perhaps you need to get your house in order in other ways, by living the life God intended for you.
We went to the funeral in our village where hundreds of people had gathered to honor the life of a man who had touched their lives. We learned at the funeral, that he himself had been the head master before his wife, many years back. Both he and his wife had invested in many lives in the community, especially through the avenue of education.
The funeral message was good, but it fell short of the truth. The young pastor talked about how Hezekiah of the Old Testament was told he was going to die, and to get his house in order. The point of the message was, "Get your house in order because you do not know when you are going to die." Sadly, the message focused on works. To get your house in order, the pastor implied that you must make sure you are doing enough good works to ensure you are righteous enough to enter into the Kingdom of God.
I wanted so much to stand up and say, "Yes, faith without works is dead, but it is by grace that we are saved through faith." The Bible plainly tells us that we are not saved by our works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Salvation is a gift of God to all those who confess Him as Lord and believe on His name. (Romans 10:9-10). If we try to work our way to heaven, we will always fall short. (Romans 3:23). We can NEVER do enough good works to deserve God's favor. To get our house in order, we must first put our lives into the hands of the only one who was ever without sin (Jesus). He died that we might have life. We are put right with God (justified), not by our good works which are like filthy rags to Him (Isaiah 64:6) but by faith in His Son Jesus (Romans 5:1).
The message was good, but the most important thing was left out. To get one's house in order, one must first enter into a relationship with God through believing in His Son Jesus. We have all been created by God, but not all have a relationship with Him. John 1:12 tells us that, "Yet to all who received Him (Jesus), to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God." It is not the ones that have done enough good works that are children of God, but those who believe in Jesus-- that He died for their sin, rose again (proving that He is God) and are willing to confess Him as their Lord (the master of their life).
Death is always an opportunity for the living to look at their lives. Is your house in order? Have you entered into a relationship with God through His Son Jesus? If you have not, read Romans 10:9-10 and 13. You can also email us at wilcox@zamnet.zm and we can share more with you. If you are already a child of God, are you living the godly life that you have been called to live? Perhaps you need to get your house in order in other ways, by living the life God intended for you.
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