A New Creation

Once there was a man on a train going across the desert in Arizona. He was the only person in the car who had not pulled down the window shades to keep out the glare of the hot sun on the parched earth. In contrast to the other passengers, he kept looking out his window, and seemed actually to enjoy the dismal scene.

After a while the curious man seated across the aisle, asked, "Sir, what do you see in that wasteland that makes you smile?"

"Oh," he replied," I'm in the irrigation business, and I was thinking if we could only get water to this land that the desert would become a garden."

That's what Jesus is teaching His disciples. He wants us to see the world's people as He sees them. Every one of them is precious in His sight. By divine grace, they can become a new creation, made beautiful in holiness.

Journey in the Lent

"Looks like a lamb that has been slain,

And wears his priesthood still."

"We shall see his face, and never, never sin

But from the rivers of his grace, drink endless pleasures in."

Thy wounds, oh Jesus! Thy wounds; these are my refuge in my trouble. Oh sinner, may you be helped to believe in his wounds! They cannot fail; Christ's wounds must heal those that put their trust in him.

Isaiah 9:2

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

Thoughts on Today's Verse....

This great promise in Isaiah was fulfilled with the coming of Jesus (see Matthew 4:15-16; Luke 1:79). As darkness falls tonight, look out at a street light and capture it in your memory so that every time you see a light shining in the darkness it will remind you to do two things: give thanks to God for sending his light and commit yourself to sharing that light with those you know.