Issue 1516 – Morning Mist – August 5, 2024
Happy B.C. day!
What is B.C. day? Some politicians decided we needed another long weekend, and a holiday was born. More appropriately perhaps, according to the Vancouver Sun, “On Aug. 2, 1858, the Colony of British Columbia was created in London, England. One hundred and sixteen years later, it provided the impetus for a holiday Monday on the August long weekend, British Columbia Day. The first B.C. Day was on Aug. 5, 1974, which means this is the 50th anniversary.”
We’ll celebrate by getting together later today with our church community group for a barbeque. We don’t meet formally over the summer months, but we try to keep regular contact outside of Sunday mornings.
I took the morning’s photo a week or so ago. I was looking at the hill out back and caught the last of the morning mist departing over it. I was taken by the low-lying mist with the vast blue sky beyond.
The big blue sky was looking so hopeful and promising. I could hear Irving Berlin’s words (in a Willie Nelson voice): “Blue skies smiling at me. Nothing but blue skies do I see. Bluebirds singing a song. Nothing but blue skies from now on”
The retreating mist made me think of death. Just moments before, it had obscured the view of what lay beyond it. Now, I could get a good sense of what came after.
To borrow a phrase from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, there will come a time when we “Shuffle off this mortal coil.”
Our world fears death and dying. That is universal across every nation and people group I have ever heard of. As Christians, we do not need to share that fear.
It is natural to want to hold onto this temporal life as long as possible. After all, it is the only life we have known. The Scriptures give us a taste of what is beyond, and that taste is delicious.
Death is defeated for the believer.
He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. Isaiah 25:8
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. Hebrews 2:14-16
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Revelation 21:3-4
Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. John 5:28-29
Enjoy this life for all it offers. It is a gift from God, a chance to practice serving Him and love others.
We can do that without fear because we know something better is coming. What a day that will be.
My friends, I look forward to seeing each of you here, there, or in the air.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the English Standard Version (ESV)