What "It Is Finished" Means to Me

On Palm Sunday the choir at First Baptist Church Dallas sang "It Is Finished." Through numerous rehearsals and home practice, my musings on those three words, "it is finished," led to these thoughts. If you read them, I welcome your own thoughts of what is finished in your life.

"It is finished!" I am struck by what those words really mean. This monumental statement--perhaps the greatest statement ever made marked the finish of the work of redemption planned from before the creation of the world. This meaning is enough, but I suspect that every person who has come to Christ in humility, asking forgiveness for their own sins knows specific things which are "finished" in their lives. Of course the conclusion of the work of redemption comes next week when the disciples discover, "He is risen!"

For me the things that are finished are these:

• Having a sin debt I cannot pay
• The inability to forgive others
• Having my life guided by the opinions of others
• Isolation and loneliness
• Hopelessness and fear

With each of these comes a forward movement

• The relief of not being required to pay the sin debt I owe
• The peace of forgiveness and freedom to forgive
• Freedom to obey God in the face of contrary opinion
• Access to speak to God about the most profound or trivial matter
• The empowerment that only hope in the resurrection can give me in overcoming sinful behavior and thoughts

Abraham's Frame of Mind

Since from God's view, Abraham is our father of those whose confidence is in the finished work of Christ, I started thinking about what Abraham did. Romans 4 gives this list:

--Abraham knew that his righteousness had been called into existence by God only because He believed Him.
--He knew he was dead in his sins and trespasses and that God had given him life.
--When there was no natural reason for hope, Abraham trusted that what God had said, would happen.
--In this face of his age (100 years old) and Sarah's old and barren womb, he did not weaken in his faith.
--He did not waver in unbelief.
--He was strengthened in his faith as he gave glory to God.
--He was fully convinced that what God had promised He was able to perform.

This gives me thought fodder for how to face my own life in faith.

After a long time--again

Hmmm--Those 205 boxes are still packed and Bert and I are in Texas living in a one-BR apartment furnished out of our son's storage building and the Goodwill store. I actually like living in a small place.

For any who don't know, Rachel is going to have a baby. We are all very happy.

I am attending a Bible study at First Baptist Dallas. The subject is the sovereignty of God. God figure. I have a house that hasn't sold in 7 months and I am studying that God is in totaly control.

I have to go. My sister comes tomorrow and we are going to the Kimball Museum in Ft. Worth to see the Impressionists. The next day we are going to the Wycliffe Center in Grand Prarie to see a quilt show with quilts made by, I guess Bible translators. I will update on this later.

Where Is Our Hope?

In my last post, a long time ago, I mentioned I had 55 boxes packed. I now have 205 boxes packed and have been to Texas twice. God's last instruction to me has been, "Keep putting one foot in front of the other." That involves not putting any hope in anything other than Him. For years now, I have been telling women at my church in Oregon, "You don't know the future. You just think you do." Now I walk this talk. The house in Oregon hasn't sold. Bert and I have been in a 12 x 13 hotel room (with Jessica and Rachel each spending a little time). The good news is, we aren't getting on each other's nerves.

I read this today:

Psalm 33:17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; [ESV says salvation] despite all its great strength it cannot save.

I can substitute words in the place of deliverance, such as insurance policies, houses and land, paychecks, (anyone notie these are all monetary)? I don't care that much about being skinny or what people think about me (God has done a good work). At any rate, does anyone else want to fill in a blank?

Packing & Pachelbelo

Today I taped up and catalogued my 55th box in preparation to move to Texas. I have until February 18th to get as much done as I can. Then I go to Texas for a day and then to Brazil for a crusade preparation meeting, then back to Texas for a day and back to Oregon on February 29th. In the meantime, someone sent me this link that has added a little levity to lighten the boxes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkVQy7QLM

Moving to Texas

Bert and I after prayer and journaling and Bible reading have decided to move back to Texas after 14 years for him and 12 1/2 years for me in Oregon. There are many good resons to move back, the greatest of which is we believe it is God's direction. But there are things I will miss about Oregon. They include:

The people at my church
Friends around town
Friends in Washington
Short cool summers
Oregon strawberries in June
Huckleberry picking in August (complete with bear tracks)
My house
Seeing snow-covered mountains on clear days
Waterfalls
Dozens and dozens of quilt shops
Not having to pump my own gas

Things I will like about Texas

Shorter winters
Fresh tomatoes in May
A longer growing season for vegetables
And surely God has a church for us . . . and some quilt shops. (I see 3 in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area)
A barbeque place on every corner
Gas that is a little cheaper
Closer to family
Closer to old friends
Easier access to Jason & Rachel
. . . and most of all MY GRANDCHILDREN!!!

International Fantasies

I am perplexed, bewildered, confused. This link http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2007/12/27/un_to_team_up_with_marvel_comics/3128/ tells me that the UN, yes that would be the United Nations, has decided to partner with Marvel Comics to depict superheroes cooperating with the United Nations to solve knotty problems around the world. According to the article, the purpose is

“to bolster its international image damaged by the unilateral diplomatic efforts of some Western countries by teaching children the value of international cooperation.”

I know, I know—we live in a world where anyone can stand up and say anything and call it truth, but the United Nations entering fantasy land of image maintenance baffle me. My flummoxed thinking comes to rest when I remember this—

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Hallelujah to the Lamb of God!