Thursday, May 7, 2009

Thursday May 7, 2009

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16.

Thursday already! I was sure it was only two days ago I last wrote to you! Forget the clichés about time flying; it just slips by unnoticed while we attend to the daily round. In fact, life itself can escape our grasp after “never getting around to it”—whatever “it” is—and leave nothing of value. And there’s nothing like passion for something to fill life with meaning and fervour. And there’s nothing like faith in Christ to arouse lifelong passion for the most startling act of sacrifice by our Creator himself.

You may have noticed a link to “Antinozzi Adventures” on our blogsite. Alexandra is our daughter who updates her family antics in funky and engaging prose, with pics and adornments that make her website a ‘darnsite’ prettier than mine! Today it relates the short time left for her husband Gino’s sister L. after a long fight with cancer. Please read it and pray for Gino’s family at this sad but precious short time.

It was because God took on a body like ours, walked the perilous road we all walk, and died an agonizing death, that he can relate to our suffering. That is why we can “approach the throne of grace with confidence” and be sure of finding his “grace to help us in our time of need.” We need never be alone in this life and certainly never need to die alone. Most of us have been where Gino’s family is now, and we will all someday follow L. into eternity. Their suffering is ours as well, but there is grace and comfort for grief in this life, and grace and assurance for the next. Why place ourselves anywhere else but in his hands?

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Sunday May 3, 2009

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. Ephesians 4:7.

The context of this passage is the gifting from Christ for various ministries in the Body of Christ. Charisma is the Greek word for gift, but the charis part means grace, for a gift is a gracious act of the giver. So as all of us committed to Christ are in ministry one way or another, he has given each of us specific gifts. In our latter years, Ann and I have discovered our joy of writing and rejoice in this gift that we are now able to exercise. We should have the first printing run of our book, Happy Together: Daily Insights for Families from Scripture, available in two weeks time, and are planning an initial launch of the book locally over the weekend of May 23rd. But more of that in a later blog.

You may recall that last weekend was a difficult time for me, not feeling so well and it seemed to be a definite setback on the road to recovery. Well, this weekend has been the reverse. It is the first time I have felt like my old self since the surgery. Not that I am out of the woods yet, and I recognize a few more weeks until I regain full strength, but It feels significant and is a great encouragement. But there are more instances of God’s grace and gifts. Those that have prayed for me; it is a gift of God’s grace—to the one who prays, and for me the recipient of those prayers. The ability of the body to heal itself is a gift of God’s grace, for he is the ultimate healer.

And especially the support and encouragement of Ann; her gifts are the grace of God for both her and me, as she herself continues to be a gift of God’s grace towards me for nearly sixty years—including our courting time! 2010 will be our fifty fifth year of marriage and will mark sixty years we have know each other—and also known the grace of God to us both.