Pressure!

This morning, at the worship service with Wishaw Baptist Church, the young people of the Bible Class presented us with a News Bulletin!  It was, basically, sharing some of what they have been up to in recent times.  However, the script was excellent (better than much of what is delivered as "entertainment" on most TV and Radio broadcasts!), and the gathered congregation was, at times, "in stitches"!

The main part of the presentation concerned the strength of the humble egg.  The pastor was invited to attempt to crush one between his hands.  He could not do so.  We watched a video of the Bible Class themselves attempting to do the same thing.  They could not do so, either.  We saw some of them literally walking on eggs - and not one egg even cracked.  We even saw eggs bear the weight of two crushed cars, without them breaking!

The lesson from all of this fun was, and is, very serious.  It was, surely, no accident that the pastor's message was on the suffering church - and, No, there had not been any previous collusion!  Because of its unique, double-curved, shape an egg is extraordinarily strong.  Yet, it is, simultaneously, extremely fragile!  Disciples of Jesus are like that.  As we put our faith/trust in the Lord Jesus, we have a strength that the world cannot really understand.  How does one explain, in merely human terminology, how 21 young men could kneel on a Libyan beach and, knowing the fate that was about to befall them, die with the Name of Jesus on their lips?  One cannot!  It is not 'natural'!  It was, however, a wonderful testimony to the grace of God at such a time.    Tremendous strength.

However, most of us, including disciples of Jesus, are not immune from the lesser suffering that is common to mankind.  We live in a world that has been tainted, and corrupted, by sin.  We experience illness and disease; financial, and relational, problems; unemployment, and bereavement.  We are fragile beings, with bodies that are subject to decay as we grow older.  Each of us will, until the Rapture, experience physical, mortal, death.  The wonder is that, in Jesus, His strength can overcome our difficulties - not remove them, but see us through them.

One further point was made, this morning.  It was that, in the 'experiments', all of the eggs were facing the same way. There is great strength in unity.  That may be why the anonymous writer of the Letter to Hebrew believers wrote: "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,  not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."  (Heb.10:23-25; emphasis added).

That "Day" refers to the glorious coming again of the Lord Jesus, the Christ - not as a helpless Babe in a Bethlehem manger, but as King of kings, and Lord of lords.  Are you ready for that Day?  Will you be among those who will have loved His appearing (see II Tim.4:8)?  I trust that you will and, if I may be of any assistance at a personal level, please feel free to use the e-mail address at the top of the page, to contact me.