Today I am sharing a word about resilience as I comment on Matthew 6:34.
With all of the drama and trauma of the past year, no doubt many of us have experienced a high level of emotional stress which has, at least from time to time, become distress.
We all have dealt with this situation in the best way we could, and that reminds me of some experiences from my past service in the Army.
A Stressful Time:
During the summer of 1981 I went to Fort Bragg, NC for several weeks of advanced officer cadet training and evaluation. The course was designed to put cadets under mental, emotional, physical, and social stress to evaluate if we were able to adapt and to exert leadership under those circumstances.
While I had previously completed the US Army Airborne School, and I had already experienced living in an open-bay barracks before, I found myself having some trouble standing up to the stress I was feeling.
While I was still functional, I was very stressed, and unsure how to handle it. One particular area of trouble was the fact I was not sleeping well because I was thinking about the challenges of the next day.
Peaceful Moments:
Then, one night in my bunk, God brought an idea to my mind. He taught me to not dread tomorrow, but to focus on my current situation. In fact, the very words that He led me to say to myself were, “No matter what they might do to us tomorrow, right now I am O.K. No one is bothering me at the moment, and I need to enjoy this peace while I have it.”
From that moment, my attitude was transformed, and I went on to successfully complete my cadet training, and after graduating from university, I was commissioned as an officer in the Regular Army.
Although the purpose of our cadet training was to produce capable leaders by screening out those who did not meet the challenge, my time at Fort Bragg has another, more spiritual, effect on me. It brought to life a passage of Scripture that I had heard many times but had never before needed to apply to my life:
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34)
I knew that Scripture, but until I had lived it, it was not real to me. Living that Scripture required that I experience difficulty and stress. Without those I would have known this truth in my head, but not in my heart.
Now, nothing I have said above implies that I have become immune from stress; far from it. I still have to deal with stress, although I am now more concerned about taking care of those for whom I am responsible than I am about myself.
The Key Take-aways:
1. Our world is fallen and imperfect (and stressful) because of mankind’s sin, but God loves us, and He helps us in our infirmities.
2. Things always work better when we do them God’s Way as revealed in His Word.
May God bless us all in 2021 and may we all learn to live empowered by God’s Word and by His Holy Spirit.
People are tired. Pastors are tired. I am tired. 2020 was a dumpster fire of a year; in fact, someone designed a 2020 Christmas tree ornament in the shape of a dumpster fire. I find that most appropriate. We all need a new start.
The last time I felt this tired was ten years ago at the end of my deployment to Iraq as a chaplain in the Alabama Army National Guard. I was not only chaplain for a very busy unit, but I also was pastor of the largest chapel service on Camp Victory in Baghdad.
During the week I burned the candle at both ends and by the time Sunday afternoon arrived I was so tired that all I could do was lie on my bed and close my eyes. I was so tired I could not even sleep, much less read a book, watch a movie on my computer, or listen to music. By supper time, however, I had revived enough to make my way to the dining facility for a good meal, and by Monday I was back up and at it, starting another busy week of ministry.
I am not quite as tired today as I was in Iraq, but the past year has presented us all with stresses and challenges that have made us all tired and we are all looking for some relief in 2021. The good news is that relief is available to us, as the writer of Hebrews reminded us:
There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:9-11)
To be clear, the writer was talking about our rest from relying on works for salvation, and resting in Christ as our Savior, but if we can rest in Him for salvation, can we not also rest in Him for . . . rest?
The Corona virus has negatively impacted many areas of our life, but participation in church worship and other ministries has been impacted more than most in my estimation. What lessons can we draw from our experience of 2020?
Build Spiritual Endurance:
First, and most immediately, we must take every opportunity to build our spiritual endurance. We can do this through private and family devotions, through use of technology and the internet, and, most importantly, through safely gathering as often as possible with our church family for mutual support and encouragement.
Remember the Lessons from Jospeh:
Second, as the Corona virus situation improves, and I am confident it will, we need to remember the lesson of the seven fat years and the seven lean years in the story of Joseph. We need to build our spiritual strength in the easy times, because one thing is for certain, hard times will come again.
Be of Good Cheer:
Finally, we all must remember that our ultimate rest in Christ is yet to come, when we cross over the Jordan into the Eternal Zion of Heaven. Even if the Corona virus continues to bedevil us, God has prepared a place for us with Him for Eternity, so be of good cheer, child of God!
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Manger scenes are one of Christianity’s great Christmas traditions. In the days leading up to Christmas, churches, homes, and many public places will be adorned by the figures of Mary and Joseph and the little baby Jesus in a stable, surrounded by barnyard animals, shepherds, and Wise Men who had come from afar. These figures create beautiful tableaus which allege to tell the story of that first Christmas.
Some churches will even host a live nativity scene with people, animals, and a new-born babe. The best of these, in my opinion, include a Gospel presentation, giving people the chance to actually worship “Christ the new-born King” by giving their lives to Him.
Nativity scenes for the home are popular and they are best sellers. One of my personal favorites was acquired during a mission trip to Peru and depicts the Holy Family in traditional Peruvian dress, and instead of donkeys, cows, and sheep, it features llamas.
Yes, nativity scenes are a wonderful staple of Christmas celebrations . . . except that they are all wrong. OK, they are not all wrong . . . just mostly wrong. Before anyone gets angry, let us look at the Bible and see what it says.
No Wise Men:
The first correction we need to make is that we should never include the Wise Men in a manger scene.
Matthew 2:1 tells us that the Magi came to Jerusalem “after Jesus was born in Bethlehem.” Although Mary and Joseph did receive visitors that night, they were the lowly shepherds who had been abiding in the fields, not the Wise Men from the East.
No Stable:
I remember hearing a colleague once criticizing a manger scene as not being Biblical because it depicted a wooden barn instead of a cave. It is true that visitors to the Holy Land are taken to a cave which is said to be the place of Christ’s birth, but if we want to be Biblical, we must realize that neither account of Christ’s birth in Luke nor Matthew mention a stable.
Or animals, either.
We do know from the Biblical record that Jesus was laid in a manger, and so we assume that an animal feeding trough was in a stable, surrounded by animals, but that is only an assumption. The Bible does not say where Jesus was born, it only tells us where He was not born.
The fact that Jesus was laid in a manger does not mean He had to be born in a stable. I can see a situation where, as Jesus was being born, a young boy or girl was sent out to find something to lay the newborn baby in. This well-meaning adolescent grabbed the first crib-like device that was close at hand – the manger used to feed the family’s animals. Regardless, there is no mention of a stable.
In fact, Matthew 2 tells us that the Magi came to Jesus at a house. Yes, this was several days after Jesus was born, but while Matthew and Luke never mention a stable, Matthew does feature a house in the story of the birth of Jesus. This leads me to my next point.
No Innkeeper (and Maybe No Inn, Either):
As they tell the story of the first Christmas, live nativity presentations will often include a scene in which Mary and Joseph are turned away from an inn by a heartless or even evil innkeeper. Please look closely at Luke 2. No innkeeper is mentioned. Did one ever exist?
Proving a negative is always difficult, but we know that Luke was a researcher and that he included many details of the life and ministry of Jesus that are not found in the other Gospels. That is why it is a longer account: he included more details.
From what we know about Luke, can we take the absence of an innkeeper as a fact? No, but we also cannot say there was an innkeeper either, especially if we consider there may not have been an inn.
The NIV translation uses the term “guest room” instead of an inn. Although the ESV uses the traditional “inn” in the text, it allows for the term to be translated as “guest room” in a footnote. With the background of middle eastern hospitality in mind, I think that “guest room” is the proper translation.
So, no inn, and therefore no evil innkeeper. But in saying that, I don’t lose sight of the fact that there was no proper place available for Christ to be born.
No Problem:
As I have recounted the problems that I have noted with traditional depictions of the first Christmas, does this make me some kind of doubter or heretic?
No, not at all. We really do not need to add in stables, animals, or harried innkeepers to realize the humble nature of Christ’s birth.
He was born to a young, officially unwed mother who was traveling to an overcrowded and strange (to her) town because of a government dictate. The birth of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords was only celebrated by lowly (and probably smelly) shepherds, and there was no proper crib for the baby to lie in.
This description of Christ’s birth is more Biblically accurate, and it is totally in line with Philippians 2:5-8 which reads:
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
No Excuses:
So, is there anything wrong with our traditional depictions of manger scenes?
Well, as long as the Magi are not included there is nothing that we depict in a manger scene that contradicts Scripture. I think we can do better, however.
The thing is, like the notes in a study Bible, or the section titles that are included in many Bibles, we must be sure to note that our nativity scenes are culturally oriented messages that must be accompanied by solid Biblical preaching. Let me explain.
During a class on Bible translation at a missionary training center, an instructor was describing how translators must take into account local culture when producing Bibles in local languages. He told of a tribe where the sacrificial animal was a pig and that this tribe had never seen a sheep. He argued that in a Bible for that tribe John 1:29 should read “Behold the pig of God that takes away the sin of the world.” I disagreed with that idea then, just as I do now.
The idea that Jesus should be called a pig is wrong on many levels, not the least of which is the fact that the Bible called Him a lamb. Bible translations should consider cultural relevance, but frankly, that was taking things too far.
I could see translating “lamb” as “sacrificial animal” or some other descriptive term, but I believe it would have been better to be accurate and it should have been left as “lamb.” The role of the preacher is to interpret the Word and many other passages exist that need a preacher's interpretation.
As Christians, we all need to be one who “correctly handles the Word of Truth.”
We need to distinguish Biblical principles and facts from explanations or sermon illustrations.
We also need to make sure we do not overlay our own culture over the Biblical message in a way that excludes people of other cultures or implies that the Scripture teaches things that it doesn’t.
Paul said that being a teacher of the Bible is a serious business and that teachers are held to a higher standard. We need to do better as we worship Him and propagate the Gospel.
Today I want to comment on what I call "Ground Truths."
In 26 years of Army service, I learned a few life principles
which I call “Ground Truths.” These are practices that I have observed to work
well in my own life and the lives of others. I offer them up freely and you are
free to apply them as the Lord leads!
They include:
Mission First,
People Always!
Lean forward in
your foxhole (that means “take the initiative” for you civilian personnel); if
you aren’t going the extra mile you aren’t really trying.
There is no
right way to do the wrong thing; always do what is right even when no one is
looking.
There is no
such thing as a good surprise in the Army, and bad news does not get better
with age.
More
communication is better than less, so stay in touch!
Showing up is
90% of life; if you’re on time, you’re late!
Never let your ego write a check your competence can’t cash.
Always have a
plan; you can always call an audible if you need to.
Perception is
reality. You are only as good as your last time at bat.
You can only fall
on your sword once; make sure it is worth it.
Tell the truth
in love. It in an inherent part of your job!
You don’t have
to train to be miserable. Miserable comes naturally.
It is easier to
act yourself into feeling better than it is to feel yourself into acting
better.
In terms of
leaders, today’s peacock is tomorrow’s feather duster.
Know your lane
but keep a wide aperture.
Chaplains are missionaries to a warrior tribe. They have to speak the tribe’s language to be effective in their mission.
Put effort and planning into your invocations at ceremonies. This might be the only ministry some of your Soldiers ever get.
“Big boy rules”
mean that you are willing to live with consequences of either success or
failure.
Count Von Zinzendorf
“Preach the Gospel, die, and be forgotten.”
Theodore Geisel
(Dr. Seuss): “Do not cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
If it is
possible, as much as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone . . . But,
if you have to fight, fight like you are the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s
Ark, and brother, it is starting to rain!
You can never go wrong loving Soldiers and their families.
Today I am commenting on my experience over the past year with
following a lectionary.
A year ago, I took on the task of using the Revised Standard
Lectionary to create a year’s worth of devotions and messages. My thesis was
that the lectionary was an over-looked resource for Evangelical ministers. I wanted to test that theory and I am glad
that I did. It produced some interesting results!
Lots of Options:
First, the lectionary offers a surprising number of Biblical
passages which span the entire canon of Scripture. For each Sunday of the year,
and for special holidays and holy days as well, the lectionary designates passages from at least one Psalm, one other Old Testament Passage, one Epistle, and one
Gospel. On some days, the lectionary offers more than one passage in each
category. Thus, the lectionary provides a cornucopia of Scriptures for worship,
equal to well over two-hundred selections each year and over six-hundred passages
across the three years of the lectionary.
Baptists consider themselves “people of the Book,” but few Baptist
churches include more than one Bible reading on Sunday worship services, and
that is one usually read by the pastor as a prelude to the sermon. In contrast to
that, main line Protestant and Catholic churches will almost always feature the reading of
multiple Bible passages, including several presented by lay readers. This exposes
those who regularly attend worship a large variety of Scripture passages. I believe
this is commendable and a practice Evangelicals should seriously consider.
The Whole Counsel of the Word of God:
Second, I was surprised how many times that the lectionary
included a Scripture passage on which I had already preached a sermon. For
example, over several weeks the lectionary included passages from Romans that
closely matched a series of sermons I had preached on that book several years
ago. And that is just one example. This same thing occurred on several occasions,
and I think this points to a couple of points to consider.
After some reflection, I think the great advantage offered
by the lectionary is that it helps prevent a minister developing a limited
canon. While the lectionary includes many well-known and oft-preached passages
of Scripture, it also includes a broad selection of lesser-known and even arcane
passages as well. This would not prevent a minister from focusing on a favorite
passage for that week’s sermon, but at least the lectionary reminds all who may reference
it that the Bible includes a broad variety of passages and all of them, let me
say that again, all of them, are God’s Inspired Word to us.
Another point to ponder is that the lectionary seems solid
theologically sound. Just because it is used by main-line denominations whose
doctrine differs in several respects from Evangelicals in general, and Baptists
in particular, that does not make it deficient or defective. After all, ministers of
all persuasions are free to exegete and exposit these passages of Scripture as
led by the Holy Spirit. In that way, the selection of Scriptures for each week
is pragmatic more than anything else, which leads me to my last finding.
Free Church and Free Choice (Led by the Spirit, that is):
Finally, while the lectionary is a great resource, I am glad that I am not mandated by my denomination to use it exclusively for worship. On a number of occasions I decided to use a different passage which covered the same subject as the one designated by the lectionary, or I added verses to the message which came before or after the passage in the lectionary. To paraphrase what Jesus said about the sabbath, if we take the attitude that the lectionary was made for the preacher, and the the preacher was not made for the lectionary, I think we will find the right balance.
As an example of what I mean, when we served in England, I was once invited to preach at a joint community service. I reviewed the three passages of Scripture which were scheduled to be read on that occasion. I felt led to preach from the Epistle, which was from one of Paul’s letters and I asked the committee which was organizing the service if we could read this passage last, since I would preach immediately following the reading of the three passages and I wanted the Epistle read just before I preached which was, of course, the practice I was familiar with. The committee agreed, but I later discovered that I had caused something of a controversy, because the Church of England and the Catholic Church always read the Gospel selection last regardless of the passage which is preached upon. Apparently, several members of the clergy who in attendance were scandalized, although lay people of all denominations didn’t seem to notice at all. Knowing what I know now I would not have asked for such a change but coming from what the British call a “free church” tradition I am more flexible in my approach to worship planning. It would be easier for me to adapt to their needs than vice versa.
Conclusions:
In short, I have found the lectionary to be a good servant, but I would never want it to be my master, and in fact this is my conclusion about my experience with the lectionary. I can see value using the lectionary in several different ways in a Baptist church.
First, I think the lectionary would be a good tool for planning Sunday evening sermons or Wednesday devotions. It can be hard to develop a sermon series for both Sunday morning and Sunday evening and a series of Bible studies for Wednesday prayer meeting. A pastor could use the lectionary for one of those services, which would make selection of a passage somewhat easier, even though the work of exegeting the passage and writing a sermon would still be necessary.
Second, a place where the lectionary could be especially useful is during holidays and holy days. I have known the struggle that many pastors have faced of preaching during the Christmas and Easter seasons and the struggle to find passages that have not been plowed over many times. Each week during these seasons the lectionary will present a number of options for sermons which may not otherwise come to mind. This can be very handy.
Finally, as I mentioned above, using the lectionary can prevent a pastor developing a restricted canon. God’s people need to be exposed to the Whole Counsel of God, and not just a pastor’s favorite books of the Bible or what selection of passages may be fashionable at the time. The lectionary is a great tool for this purpose.
Am I glad I explored the lectionary? Yes, yes, I am. It has been an enriching and reward experience!
At Thanksgiving we are supposed to be thankful, but at times we feel like the man who fell off of a skyscraper. As he passed the 10th floor he was heard to say “So far, so good! So far, so good!”
Paul and Silas were once confronted with a situation in which they seemed to have nothing for which to be thankful. Let’s see how they reacted in Acts 16:16-36.
FIRST, THEY HAD VILE CIRCUMSTANCES:
Verses 16-24 tell us,
Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.
When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”
The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
Paul and Silas were ministering in Philippi. They had won Lydia and her household to the Lord, the first of an untold many European converts to Jesus. They’d done good work like casting a demon out of a slave-girl.
They were in the midst of a vital, powerful ministry, but they were upsetting the powers that be, human and spiritual alike.
Robbed of profit, the slave-girl’s masters were enraged. Robbed of a soul, Satan was enraged. So, they decided to take their revenge.
Paul and Silas were dragged to the magistrates and accused of being troublemakers. These accusations were false, but the mob had its way and Paul, and Silas, had their rights as Roman citizens violated. In other circumstances, Paul was wise to claim his rights, but he did not have a chance at Philippi. They had a right to a trial but were afforded no trial. Instead, they were beaten with many stripes, imprisoned, and bound in stocks.
NEXT THEY DEMONSTRATED A VITAL FAITH:
Under these circumstances, what would most people Do? Cry and whine? Give up and die? Become angry and curse God? Cop out and change sides?
What did Paul And Silas do? They prayed! They sang hymns! They praised God! They witnessed to the other prisoners! Acts 16:25 says,
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
What possessed these men? They had faith in God. They knew Him to be powerful and trustworthy. They also had faith in each other. They knew what they’d been through together.
One of my favorite quotes comes from a letter General William T. Sherman wrote to General Ulysses S. Grant after the Civil War: “I knew, wherever I was, that you thought of me, and if I needed you, you would come.”
Paul and Silas knew their God and they knew each other, and they had the confidence that comes from such solid relationships.
What is the underlying principle here? Romans 8:28 tells us,
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
This means that anything that we can imagine, God can use to bless us. Even being accused falsely. Even being beaten and thrown into prison.
FINALLY, THEY HAD A VIGOROUS BLESSING:
Verses 26-36 tell us the rest of the story,
Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.
When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”
When things are at their worse, that is when we often see God’s power, which in this case was demonstrated by the earthquake which freed all the captives. Just like the Cavalry showing up in the nick of time, everyone was rescued.
And I think we should note here that God granted this temporal salvation to all in the prison, not just Paul and Silas. I believe this indicates that all can be blessed if we accept God’s intervention. Of course, the Jailer and his family were saved and baptized, and Paul and Silas had their wounds treated.
Although the situation faced by Paul and Silas appeared to be grim, God’s plan was clearly revealed:
Paul and Silas obeyed God and did ministry.
Paul and Silas were falsely accused, brutalized, and falsely imprisoned.
Paul and Silas praised God and witnessed by their faith. Then they and all the prisoners were released by God’s power.
The Jailer and his family were saved, and Paul and Silas were released, and God received the praise and the glory!
What Should We Do If We Think We Have Nothing For Which To Be Thankful?
We need to look a little closer, because God might be trying to bless us!
We need to look a little closer, because God might be trying to use us to bless someone else!
We need to look a little closer, because God might be about to demonstrate His power!
We need to look a little closer, because God might be about to deserve our greatest respect, devotion, love, and praise!
CONCLUSION:
This Thanksgiving may we all look a little closer and be truly thankful for all God is and all He has done in our lives!
Today I am commenting on Psalm 123:1-4, which reads:
To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, until he has mercy upon us. Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt. Our soul has had more than its fill of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud.
One summer when I was a teenager, I helped a friend of mine cover a newspaper route while the regular driver was on vacation. We would arrive at the newspaper building at 3am, fold and place rubber bands on hundreds of newspapers, and then distribute the papers along the route.
We thought we were working hard, but in truth we were hardly working. Still, on the last morning we worked the route, we decided to treat ourselves to a dozen doughnuts.
All day before our last morning on the route, I looked forward to those doughnuts, because we rarely had such treats in our house. The first two were delicious, but after the third doughnut I had had enough! I went from a sugar rush to nausea in just minutes. To this day I avoid eating doughnuts, although I admit that I do enjoy one every now and again.
As we look around us at the fallen world through which we sojourn, we often say the same thing, “Enough!” And like us, the Psalmist effectively said, like Popeye, “I’ve stood all I can stand, and I can’t stands no more!”
The difference between the Psalmist and Popeye is that the Psalmist did not look to spinach for his strength and his encouragement. With a child-like faith, the Psalmist looked to God. As Psalms 121:1-2 remind us:
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 121 goes on to tell us that our God never sleeps, and He watches over us wherever we may be. He will not let our foot slip, and He will keep us from harm. He even provides us the shade we need from the hot Sun!
2020 has been a trying year for people in our country It began with an impeached president and the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. It continued with a spate of civil unrest which was followed by a contentious and bitter election, a drama which is still playing out as I record this. How many times have we said in 2020, “Enough, already!”
When we have had enough, we have someone to turn to, the same Almighty and All-loving Heavenly Father in which the Psalmist found refuge centuries ago. I commend that same Sovereign Lord to you today.
Of course, this begs the question, “Why wait until we have had enough of this world to seek our help in God?” After all, Our Lord stands at the door to our lives and knocks, and if we let Him in, He will fellowship with us, and we with Him.
