Sunday, December 28, 2008

The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let everyone who hears say, "Come." And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let Everyone Who Wishes Take The water Of Life Without Cost. Rev. 22:17.

Isn't it amazing how many people wait until their deathbed to apologize to either a family member or a friend? It seems that when people are bedridden, or in a weakened state, or near death, they start to contemplate their life and the impact that they might have had on people. Hospital chaplains witness such deathbed confessions, many times.

Why do people wait until the end? Why do they procrastinate until it is too late to undo the injured feelings tht have partially destoryed someone else's life? Why didn't they make their amends when it would have done some good instead of waiting until they knew others would have pity on them? Is this not cowardice? fear? human pride?

People do not like to risk being made a fool. The fear of appearing to be foolish, or worng, is so strong in most of us that we spend our lives pretending that everything is OK. We are afraid to admit that we were wrong, afraid to appear foolish to others-especially our own families!

But who was the biggest fool that ever lived, according to human standard? Who endured total humiliation in order to reestablish a relationship with you and me? Christ, of course. He never once feared making a fool of Himself. Even when others jeered, "He saved others, . . . but he can't save himself!" (Mark 15:31, NIV).

Jesus became the beggest fool that ever lived so that the real fools might come to love Him as He loved us. He put relationship before His own people. Tempted to come down from the foolish cross, He still reached out to us, not caring if people called Him foolish.

The book of Revelation, as we have seen, is full of unusual stories and even stranger creatures. It would be easy to get the impression that war, famine, pestilence, and judgement are its primary themes. But our text for today reminds us that the fundamental topic of the entire book is the "revelation of Jesus Christ."

Revelation reminds us that salvation in Christ came at infinte cost(Rev. 5:6;12:11;13:8), yet it is absolutely free to us. But the foolishness of the human heart rebels agaisnt receiving anything that it hasn't earned. We humans fear the foolishness of admitting that we are wrong, that we need what Christ offers(Rev. 3:17). But in His sacrifice we see that it is foolish pride that causes us to postpone the day of our salvation.

Lord, I accept the water of life that You offer so freely. My pride suggests that I do something speical today to earn the gift. Help me to trust in Your loving and graceful provision.

Where the treasure is, there the heart will be. In every effort to benefit others, we benefit ourselves. He who gives money or time for spreading the gospel enlists his own interest and prayers for the work, and for the souls to be reached through it; his affections go out to others, and he is stimulated to greater devotion to God, that he may be enabled to do them the greatest good(TFMB 90).