Wednesday, December 31, 2008

The One who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. May The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with everyone. Rev. 22:20, 21.

A woman once wrote to the famous columnist Ann Landers about the "best experience of my life." It happened on a bus in New York City. "It was a cold, rainy night-and also my birthday. . . . Having just moved from Phoenix to New York, I was feeling miserable, homesick, and alone in the big city. I board a crowded bus at Columbus Circle. The only seat left was at the back, behind the other bored and cold commuters, next to an elderly man."

She sat down feeling quite dejected. To her surprise, the elderly man turned to her and said, "You look so sad. What's wrong?"

Touched by the concern of this stranger, she poured out her heart and ended up sobbing. she finished saying, "I'm homesick and cold. It's my birthday, and nobody cares!"

As her tears continued to flow, the entire bus became quiet. Then the man began to sing: "Happy birthday to you. . ." Several people joined him, until soon everyone one on the bus was singing, "Happy birthday, dear. . . Happy birthday to you!"

Applause and laughter erupted.

The woman concluded her account Ann Landers, "I was showered with good wishes and warm smiles all the way to my stop at 72nd and Broadway. It was the best birthday present I've ever received."

Compassion has a healing quality. This story of a lonely woman demonstrates that an act of compassion will soothe pain, heal hurt, ease fear, soften a blow, and relieve anxiety. Our world always needs compassionate people-those who have an awareness of the suffering of others and who also have the willingness to relieve it.

Our journey through the book of Revelation has been a roller-coaster ride filled with war, famine, pestilence, wildl beasts, earthquakes, and scorching fire. Through it all we have tried to maintain a focus on the book's primary theme, the revelation of Jesus Christ. The plagues of the book are a demonstration of his power to save. So it is not totally out of character for an action/adventure book such as Revelation to end with grace. Grace is a special manifestation of the divine presence and power, an expression of kindness, mercy, and good will. An excellent traslation would be "healing compassion," the very thing the woman on the bus received.

As the book or Revelation draws to a close, I invite you to drink in the healing compassion of Jesus Christ. Let Him heal your wounds, soothe your hurts, and affirm your value as a person. There is no better friend when in need.

Lord, thank You for You overwhelming grace. I accept it with my whole heart.

Real piety begins when all compromise with sin is at an end. Then the language of the heart will be that of the apostle Paul: "This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." "I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ." Philippians 3:13, 14, 8(TFMB 91).