Easter - 2018

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

He Needs to Know Jesus... as do we.

On April 15th, 2013 two young brothers left their homes with bags filled with pressure cooker bombs. They deposited the bombs on the finish line of the Boston marathon. The two bombs took three lives and maimed and injured many more. A search ensued for three days until the two brothers were isolated in a suburb of Boston. The older brother was shot and killed in the crossfire while the young brother was injured in the fight. The next day after many events and police actions, the younger brother was captured, arrested and taken to a hospital under intense police guard. These events are tragic and horrific. The victims are in my prayers, as well as in the thoughts of so many Christians. The awareness of God's goodness also sparks within the believer a desire to reach out to the surviving brother. He committed awful acts of evil. He will be held accountable for his crimes against society. The eternal perspective of a Christ-follower is that he also needs to know Jesus.

The world is filled with people who have belief that God exists. The awareness of and knowing God are different. When a person knows God, the “knowing” draws a person to a place of goodness in response to God. It is this goodness which motivates followers of Jesus to be more like Jesus. Dallas Willard defines it with: “Discipleship can be made concrete by loving our enemies, blessing those who curse us, walking the second mile with an oppressor-in general, living out the gracious inward transformations of faith, hope, and love.” Our accomplishments are not as significant as how we touched others for the cause of Christ in this world.

"Oh Lord, please bring a message that has an eternal perspective to this young man. Remind me that I am significant in your plan of reaching out to the twisted and misguided so that you might bring a renewed hope again. I love you, Lord. Amen."

You know I love ya, Don

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