Truths to benefit from
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Editor,
As the New Year begins, I’m once again following my practice of reading through various books of the Bible; as well as other books written by biblical scholars. One of my favorite authors is Dr. J. Sidlow Baxter, a Scottish preacher who is now enjoying his eternal rewards.
Baxter writes in his book, “Awake My Heart,” “Have you noticed that in each of the nine letters which the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church, he expresses identical invocations?”
‘Grace to you, and peace, from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ’ (Romans 1:7).
Baxter writes that there are three wonderful and extremely needful truths in Paul’s earnest prayer for those people, namely, the Fatherhood of God, the Lordship of Christ, and the true blessing of all Christians. We may also benefit from these truths as we begin 2010. Folks in Lake County and our nation desperately need these three truths as we face the perplexing months ahead with unprecedented unemployment, political animosity and hostility, rampaging cost of living, spiritual degeneration and unparalleled fear of the future, etc.
Will all of these circumstances force us as a people to acknowledge the sovereignty God and to seek his favor? Surely, God the Father cares for his children. God, our ever loving, ever present, compassionately interested in our concerns Father, will accomplish his divine purposes for our ultimate good.
The second truth is the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Regardless of what people may think about Jesus, God the Father has identified him as both Son of God and the son of man. Baxter writes, “May we never cease to marvel that our Savior and Lord is the eternal Son of God, in whom there is the perfect union of human sympathy and divine power.”
How often we think that if we only had more money, authority, greater ability, or different circumstances, we would be better off. No, our real need for these troubling times is grace and peace; that’s the third truth. Jesus promises this and more to each of us as we begin a New Year.
Harvey A. Town
Polson
