Christ Insight

Based on: Luke 23:46

“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”  Jesus said from the rough wooden cross as life itself was allowed to leave his body.  With all of our offenses paid for he placed himself into the loving hands of the Almighty Father and gave up his spirit. 

Based on:  Ephesians 2:8-9

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

If you ever live or travel in the southern part of the United States – I’m talking about Louisiana and Mississippi – you just might hear the word “lagniappe”.  It is a Cajun word and it means “a little something extra.”  If you order French fries at Burger King and an onion ring happens to find itself mixed in with your fries, that's lagniappe.  If you ask your kid to cut your grass and he does the edging too, that's lagniappe.  If you put money in a vending machine for your favorite candy bar and two come out – that is certainly lagniappe.  You get the idea – it is a bonus you didn't expect.  

Based on:  Psalm 23

Where do you go to relax?  Do you have a place where you go where all your needs are taken care of? Where you feel safe? Imagine for a moment that you are in such a place.  Close your eyes if you want to.  Imagine that you have plenty to eat and drink, no one can bother you, and that you can rest.  It is a place of perfect peace.  God has such a place for us.  As our shepherd, God leads us to that place where we are safe and all our needs are met.

Based on:  1 Corinthians 15:50-57

As we look back on her life let's consider some of the victories in her life, some of those good things that happen to her, some little and some big.  Of course she enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren and so every time she could have her family gather together, especially at Christmas time, that was a victory.  Her victories also included things such as a winning scratch off lottery ticket or being able to drive her black Cadillac.  And we could certainly include among those victories in her life, among those good things that happened to her, meeting and marrying her husband.  Another victory is that she found out he could cook, she only wished she had found out even earlier.

Romans 5:1 - Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

As we look at and read that one short verse our eyes and ears tend to focus on that phrase in the very center of the verse, "peace with God."  As we approach Christmas that little word peace brings to mind what the angel said to the shepherds, "and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

I have only been here in Sleepy Eye five months, and I didn't know him all that well, but from all the things that I heard about him, I would guess that he enjoyed Christmas.  I would guess that he was a man who enjoyed peace.

Based on:  John 14:1-4

It is only natural that God’s people want to be where God is.  As children of God we want to be with our heavenly Father and with our brother, Jesus Christ.  We know that to be with God is to have life and peace and joy.  God’s presence is the amazing gift that we have through God’s Gospel.  It is his promise that he will be with us now and forever.

Based on:  Psalm 121:7-8

“The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”

Over the past eight or nine weeks I have gone to visit with her once a week.  Visiting her was a blessing to me because every time I went to visit and every time I talked to her it was very clear that she trusted in her Savior, Jesus, and she knew that one day her Savior would come for her and take her home.  She understood these verses from Psalm 121, these verses that were her confirmation verses.  She understood that the Lord was watching over and that he had been watching over her whole life, keeping her safe until that day when the Lord would take her home to be with him forever.

Based on:  John 10:27-30

Some of us have known her only for a few weeks, others for many years, but there is one who has known her from before he created the world – our Savior Jesus Christ.  His relationship with her is one of complete care and concern, so much so that he calls her one of his flock – one of his sheep.

How comforting it is to be called one of Jesus’ sheep.  Jesus says, “I know them” and he does know us.  The very first song we sang, “Borning Cry,” says exactly that – God, our Savior, was there at every stage of our life: when we were born, as we grow up, and when we die.  He knows us intimately.

Based on:  John 11:25-26

Jesus’ friend, Lazarus, was dead and in the grave for four days when Jesus came to see Mary and Martha.  Mary and Martha needed comfort after the loss of their brother and Jesus had the greatest comfort anyone could ever give.  Before restoring life to his friend's body, Jesus told Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."

She loved life.  It was obvious to me as the family told me about this person they loved.  I could see her love of life in the description her family members gave of her and also in the joy that it brought those family members to simply share their memories of their mother, grandmother, or whatever their relationship was.

Based on: Psalm 46:1

God is our refuge and strength. What does this mean? God is a place to be safe from the attack of our enemies. He is a wall around us, and not only that, but he is our strength – he uses his power for our good – to crush anything that would cause us harm.

God is our refuge and strength. Was this true of her as well? Yes. God was her refuge and strength. Even though to look at her you might wonder, “Where was her refuge? Where was her strength?” She was bound to her wheelchair or to her bed – dependent on many others. She seemed vulnerable to the sickness or loneliness that attacked her. Yet, God was her refuge and strength.