To Be Visited of God

I saw this on a friend's status today:

"Whether God come to his children with a rod or a crown, if he come himself with it, it is well. Welcome, welcome, Jesus, what may soever thou come, if we can get a sight of thee; and sure I am, it is better to be sick, providing Christ come to the beside and draw the curtains, and say, 'Courage, I am thy salvation' than to enjoy health..., being lusty and strong and never need to be visited of God."
- Samuel Rutherford

Of Men and Women

Daniel Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary writes some humorous lines on men and women in his book, God on Sex:

Is it a cat? Is it a woman? Maybe it's both! Why?

1. They do what they want.
2. They rarely listen to you.
3. They're totally unpredictable.
4. They whine when they're not happy.
5. When you want to play, they want to be alone.
6. When you want to be alone, they want to play.
7. They expect you to cater to their every whim.
8. They're moody.
9. They can drive you nuts and cost you an arm and a leg.
10. They leave hair everywhere.

Conclusion: Cats are tiny little women in fur coats.

Is it a dog? Is it a man? Maybe it's both! Why?

1. They lie around all day, sprawled out on the most comfortable piece of furniture in the house.
2. They can hear a package of food opening half a block away, but they can't hear you even when you're in the same room.
3. They leave their toys everywhere.
4. They growl when they're not happy.
5. When you want to play, they want to play.
6. When you want to be left alone, they still want to play.
7. They are great at begging.
8. They will love you forever if you feed them and rub their tummies.
9. They do disgusting things with their mouths and then try to give you a kiss..
10. They can look dumb and lovable all at the same time.

Conclusion: Dogs are tiny men in fur coats.

Reflecting on this with tongue firmly lodged in cheek, let us not be men and women who reflect the image and glory of our pets, but let us be genders that glorify God. And men, let us lead in the manner to which we have been called.

Let us be men who love their wives as Christ loves the Church, by laying down our very lives. Men who lead as Christ led, by washing feet, blessing children, and bearing others' burdens. Husbands whose faithfulness mirrors the faithfulness of Christ. Fathers who care for our children as our heavenly Father cares for His. Men who hold their God-given authority as those who are held responsible by God and will give account for how we spent it. Men like Christ, the First One who stepped down to become last.

(final paragraph adapted from a sermon by James Hamilton)

Your Passion, O Loving Christ, is My Refuge

"You have offended the infinite God with your sins, but an infinite price has been paid. You ought to be judged for your sins, but the Son of God has already been judged for the sins of the whole world, which He received in Himself. Your sins ought to be punished, but God already punished them in His Son. The wounds from your sin are great, but more precious is the balm of the blood of Christ.

Moses pronounces a curse against you (Deut 27:26), because you have not kept everything that has been written in the book of the law, but Christ has been made a curse for you (Gal 3:13). The handwriting has been written against you in the court of heaven, but Christ's blood has deleted it (Col 2:14).

Therefore, Your passion, O loving Christ, is my ultimate refuge."

~Johann Gerhard, Sacred Meditations