October 28, 2009
The past two days, I have spent my time destroying weeds! Quite the difficult and challenging task, but truly enjoyable while out in God’s creation on a nice autumn day. I had plenty of time to think and pray while I was chopping and pulling. I was thinking about weeds and how they are such a good picture of the sin in our lives. We can spend our time, pulling and fighting and destroying sin, but right after uprooting one sin another one shoots up. Only through Christ Jesus do we have a remedy…only by His blood shed on the cross when He took our sin and gave us His righteousness can we properly deal with the sin in our lives. We must confess and trust in Christ Jesus. We could not and cannot take our own sin away---no matter how much chopping and pulling we do, it will never be destroyed---only Christ can remove our sin from us because He became sin for us. These were the thoughts I was mulling over today.
I also enjoyed a nice afternoon out in downtown Seattle today. I stopped at Subway for some dinner and then headed down to Tully’s Coffee for some WI-FI. I checked my e-mail and updated my blog. As I was downtown, my prayer to God was that He would give me a love and compassion for the lost people in this city…that I would not just pass by people and be glad that I’m not in their shoes, but that I’d see deeper beyond what my eyes can see---that I’d see their great need for a Savior and that my heart would be broken that they are lost and without hope. I have true and lasting hope---I know Christ---but I am so unmoved and unconcerned for the soul-condition of people around me. Oh, that my heart would yearn to share the Gospel and long to tell the lost that there is hope---that Christ came to save SINNERS. This is my constant challenge, battle, and longing---that I would have a heart for the lost. I believe I can only accomplish this, as I look unto Jesus, knowing the depth of my sinfulness, the height of His great grace and mercy, and the need to share such wonderful, good news with lost sinners.
Lord, You came to earth to save sinners---You did the unthinkable...You died for SINNERS. Oh, grant me a heart of compassion for the people around me---these desperately lost sinners who need You. Work in me as only You can and give me the same heart You had for the lost, may I be spent reaching sinners with the Gospel, and may I be Your hands and feet here in Seattle.
Ya know, when I read what you write I can hardly believe you are a young lady of but 19 years. You write as one who has walked with God for many miles. Thank you for all the timely spiritual nuggets of truth you bring out of the seemingly mundane and routine activities of life. And as always, I remain proud to be your daddy.
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