FROM COWS TO CHRIST: HOPE IN COLORFUL EQUATION
I grew up in rural America where the sight and sounds of white-faced hereford cattle in our pasture were part of my daily environment. Although our cows weren’t typically for milking, I remember we had one milk cow when I was a child.
My older brother’s chore was to milk that cow, and my self-appointed chore was to supervise. Anyone with a younger sibling may relate to how annoyed he was with me at times.
I remember that the milk did not always find its way into the bucket. If I stood too close I was sure to get “showered” by big brother’s accurate though wasteful aim. But I digress… back to the point I want to reach.
As a child I considered it a miracle that a reddish-brown cow could consume green grass and produce white milk. I won’t attempt to explain that process in this blog, but I will mention another “mystery.”
There’s a colorful equation that seems somewhat miraculous as well. It can be simply expressed as black + red = white. No artist can solve this color equation except One. Only the Master Artist of the Universe can accomplish the steps of applying red to black and ending with white.
According to the Holy Bible, each human heart (past an age of “accountability” or spiritual awareness and understanding of right and wrong) is sinful and dark — let’s say black with sin.
When a person chooses Jesus as Savior and accepts His payment for sin, then His red blood that was shed as the payment covers the sin.
Then God the Father chooses not to see the sin but sees (through the red blood of Jesus) the person’s heart clean and forgiven. The new (reborn) heart has been washed white as snow.
It is a miracle, because only God is able to do it. No human can accomplish changing one’s own dark and sinful heart to one clean and white as snow. Only Jesus’ lived a purely perfect and righteous life, so His shed blood was needed for each of us. Thankfully He loved us enough to be our sacrifice and to pay our debt in full.
I think this can then be considered a miraculous equation: black + red = white. Of course, it may not be a literal equation, but I think it is a simple (and colorful) way to express a profound truth.
If this blog leads you to ponder this truth, then you may want to answer these questions:
Is my heart black with sin?
Do I trust Jesus to apply His blood payment and pay my sin debt?
Do I accept God’s forgiveness and receive rebirth and new life?
If you have already come to Him, then follow Him, live in hope, and share the good news! If you have not come to Him, then WHY NOT???
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:20, 21)
“For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
“But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9, 10)
“For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
“For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36)
Want to give your life to God but not sure how to pray? Prayer is simply talking to Him. Your heart’s attitude is more important than your words, but here’s an example of what to say….
“Dear God, I admit I am a sinner, I want to turn away from sin, and I ask you to forgive me.
I believe that Your Son, Jesus Christ, paid for my sins when He willingly became a sacrifice for me on the cross where He died. He was resurrected and now is in heaven praying for me.
I confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Thank you for new life with your Holy Spirit to help me obey You.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
Amen!
COME AS YOU ARE: HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS
Contemporary Christian songs can have lyrics that touch hearts just as traditional hymns have done in years past. One that speaks to me is “Come As You Are” by Crowder.
I noticed that it includes these words: “There’s hope for the hopeless.” (Hopeful truths just jump out at me….) My life has met the Hope referred to in this song. I invite you to find the song, listen with an open heart, and see if it speaks to you.
Even more importantly, I invite you to come to the Hope that is to be found in Jesus Christ. He’s ready, willing, and able to be your hope if you are hopeless. Come to Him now. Come as you are.
Come As You Are
“Come out of sadness
From wherever you’ve been.
Come, broken hearted,
Let rescue begin.
Come find His mercy.
Oh, sinner, come kneel.
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal.
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal.
So lay down your burdens,
Lay down your shame.
All who are broken,
Lift up your face.
Oh, wanderer, come home.
You’re not too far,
So lay down your hurt,
Lay down your heart.
Come as you are.
There’s hope for the hopeless
And all those who’ve strayed.
Come sit at the table,
Come taste the grace.
There’s rest for the weary,
Rest that endures.
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t cure.
So lay down your burdens,
Lay down your shame.
All who are broken,
Lift up your face.
Oh, wanderer, come home.
You’re not too far,
So lay down your hurt,
Lay down your heart.
Come as you are,
Come as you are,
Fall in His arms,
Come as you are.
There’s joy for the morning.
Oh, sinner, be still.
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal.
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal.
So lay down your burdens,
Lay down your shame.
All who are broken,
Lift up your face.
Oh, wanderer, come home.
You’re not too far,
So lay down your hurt,
Lay down your heart.
Come as you are,
Come as you are,
Come as you are.”
(Crowder)
Thank you, Crowder, for reminding us that there is no sorrow here on earth that God of heaven cannot heal when we come to Him as we are. That reality can bring hope to a hopeless heart.
“‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord,
‘Though your sins are as scarlet,
They will be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They will be like wool.'” (Isaiah 1:18)
“You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)
“Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.” (St. Thomas More)
JOHN NEWTON: BEYOND HOPE to AMAZING GRACE
John Newton was a cruel and vile man who seemed beyond hope, but he became an example of God’s amazing grace. His true story gives me hope, because his heart and life were so radically changed. The same amazing grace that transformed Newton brought hope to his contemporaries and still reaches our generation with hope today. Newton was a man of whom I could believe that if God would give him a hope and a future, then He will do the same for me.
In Newton’s own words from his diary…(March 21, 1748): “On that day the Lord sent from on high and delivered me out of deep waters.”
And 57 years to the day later… (March 21, 1805): “Not well able to write; but I endeavor to observe the return of this day with humiliation, prayer, and praise.”
Of Newton and his ministry… from Christianity.com:
“Only God’s amazing grace could and would take a rude, profane, slave-trading sailor and transform him into a child of God. Newton never ceased to stand in awe of God’s work in his life.
…in 1764, at the age of thirty-nine, John Newton began forty-three years of preaching the Gospel of Christ.
In 1779 Newton left Olney to become rector of St. Mary Woolnoth in London. His ministry included not only the London poor and the merchant class but also the wealthy and influential. William Wilberforce, a member of Parliament and a prime mover in the abolition of slavery, was strongly influenced by John Newton’s life and preaching. Newton’s ‘Thoughts on the African Slave Trade,’ based on his own experiences as a slave trader, was very important in securing British abolition of slavery. Missionaries William Carey and Henry Martyn also gained strength from Newton’s counsel.
For the Sunday evening services, Newton often composed a hymn which developed the lessons and Scripture for the evening. In 1779, two hundred and eighty of these were collected and combined with sixty-eight hymns by Newton’s friend and parishioner, William Cowper, and published as the Olney Hymns.
The most famous of all the Olney Hymns, ‘Faith’s Review and Expectation,’ grew out of David’s exclamation in 1 Chronicles 17:16-17.* We know it today as ‘Amazing Grace.’
Newton lived to be eighty-two years old and continued to preach and have an active ministry until beset by fading health in the last two or three years of his life. Even then, Newton never ceased to be amazed by God’s grace and told his friends, ‘My memory is nearly gone; but I remember two things: That I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Savior.'”
The words of the beloved hymn penned by John Newton acknowledges God’s amazing grace as he experienced in his own life.
AMAZING GRACE
“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost but now am found, was blind, but now I see.
T’was grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed.
Thru many dangers, toils, and snares I have already come ‘Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.
When we’ve been there ten thousand years bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we first begun.” (John Newton)
“Although my memory’s fading, I remember two things clearly: I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Savior.” (John Newton)
“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, … to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” (2 Peter 1:2)
* “And David the king came and sat before the Lord and said, ‘Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house that You have brought me to here? And yet this was a small thing in Your eyes, O God; for You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come and have regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O Lord God.’” (I Chronicles 17:16, 17)
NEUROSCIENTIST QUOTE: HOPE for NEW MERCIES EVERY MORNING
According to Neuroscientist Dr. Caroline Leaf, “…every morning when you wake up, new baby nerve cells have been born while you were sleeping that are there at your disposal to be used in tearing down toxic thoughts and rebuilding healthy thoughts.”
I found the above quote very interesting, because it reminded me of verses in the Bible’s Old Testament. I have always found hope in these verses especially because they relate to hope in the Lord.
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’” (Lamentations 3:22–24)
If God gives new mercies to us every morning, then perhaps He prepares new nerve cells to be ready to receive these new mercies. I fully believe God blesses us in many ways that we do not realize. Maybe Dr. Leaf’s “rebuilding healthy thoughts” equates to receiving hopeful thoughts. I have always believed that hopeful thinking leads to healthy thinking. Most doctors recognize that toxic thinking contributes to unhealthy minds and bodies.
Surely the Creator God Who knows everything knows best what we need even the time of day that we need His new mercies. I have no proof that we gain while sleeping new nerve cells to access when we awaken. However I like to consider Dr. Leaf may be right. It seems interesting to ponder. If it is true, then it’s one more blessing for which to be thankful… and one more reason to hope in the Lord.
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)
ORGAN DONOR: GIFT OF LIFE GIVES HOPE
In December 2018 KFSM 5News shared the information below about a young Arkansas man who became a hope donor, because he had chosen to be an organ donor.
“Ricky Joel Young will be honored… in the New Year’s Day Rose Parade.
Ricky Joel Young loved life and lived it to the fullest. He enjoyed helping others and never missed an opportunity to do so. His hobbies included fishing, hunting, fast cars, and working in the logging industry.
On April 29, 2012, Ricky was in a horrific accident…. airlifted to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas,…. did not recover from his traumatic injuries. His parents did not know until that day that Ricky was a registered donor.
While Ricky was in the hospital, his family was praying for a miracle. Through his generosity, Ricky provided a miracle to others.
‘It is a great comfort to know that part of Ricky lives on in the life of others,’ Donate Life Rose Parade Float wrote on Facebook, ‘His family has received letters from some of Ricky’s organ recipients, and they are comforted to know that each of them is very thankful for his gift of life.’
Ricky Young was an Organ, Eye and Tissue Donor who saved eight lives and enhanced the lives of over 140 people through his gift of life.“
Organ donation is clearly a selfless act by a donor that provides recipients new hope. I chose to be an organ donor decades ago and ask you to contact Donate Life for more information. Organ donors give hope for a second chance!
Thanks, Ricky Young and countless other donors for giving hope on planet Earth.
Contact Donate Life at donatelife.net. for more information.
CHRISTMAS NEWS: HOPE FOR IRAQI CHRISTIANS
According to “The Hill” News on December 25, 2018, the Iraqi government issued this announcement: “The Iraqi Cabinet has made Christmas Day, Dec. 25, a national holiday across its entire country.”
I believe this news brings hope for Christians in Iraq, who may now celebrate CHRISTmas openly. Because of the tragic history of persecution in Iraq by the Islamic State, I confess this announcement caught me by surprise. I consider it a huge blessing and pray for Iraqi Christians to be encouraged and filled with hope. I also pray that enemies of Christ will come to know the CHRIST of CHRISTmas personally and experience His hope, love, and peace.
A government tweet stated Monday this CHRISTmas greeting: ‘Happy Christmas to our Christian citizens, all Iraqis and to all who are celebrating around the world,’ and added Tuesday, ‘We extend our warmest wishes to Christians in Iraq and around the world for a very happy and peaceful Christmas.”
I am thankful that CHRISTmas hope still continues to be found on our planet!
SILENT NIGHT: HOPE ON A HOLY NIGHT
If you are familiar with traditional CHRISTmas songs, then you’ve probably heard one of the best-known and most beloved hymns, “Silent Night, Holy Night.” The words were written by Joseph Mohr in 1816, and the music was composed by Franz Gruber on December 24, 1818. It was first performed that CHRISTmas Eve night in Oberndorf, Austria, at a worship service exactly two hundred years ago.
“Silent Night, Holy Night! All is calm, All is bright! Round yon virgin, Mother and Child. Holy infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace.
Shepherds quake at the sight. Glories stream from heaven afar. Heavenly host sing alleluia. Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born!
Silent Night, Holy Night. Son of God, Love’s pure light, Radiant beams from Thy holy face With the dawn of redeeming grace. Jesus Lord at Thy birth, Jesus Lord at Thy birth!
Silent night, holy night! Wondrous star, lend thy light; With the angels let us sing,
Alleluia to our King! Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born!”(Mohr)
I don’t know if the first Christmas night was a “silent night” as Mohr imagined, but I do believe it was a holy night filled with great hope! A young virgin mother who experienced a miracle in a Son’s unique birth surely would have been hopeful for more miracles in His life.
A man devoted to the young mother and devoted to the mission God had chosen for him was hopeful that with God’s help he could become an earthly father to this Child born of Holy God Himself.
Lowly shepherds heard an announcement by a heavenly host of angels and had enough hope to hurriedly leave their flocks to witness the miracle baby that was proclaimed along with peace and joy to the world and even to them personally!
I imagine that one holy night was overflowing with hope! All these first CHRISTmas participants experienced hope, because each experienced Jesus, the baby in the manger, who had stepped down from heaven to become the awaited Messiah. Before the world was created God’s plan for our salvation was set in motion, and hope was always included in His plan.
Wherever there is Jesus Christ, there is always hope! A Savior with no hope to offer the world would be sadly lacking.
Are you looking for hope? Jesus is near to be found, and He has an never-ending portion of hope for you personally.
“Suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.'” (Luke 2:13, 14)
MEANING OF CHRISTMAS: GOD WITH US BRINGS HOPE
- As the Christian holy day nears, will you spend time pondering the true meaning of CHRISTmas?
In the book of Matthew in the New Testament we are told that the name of God’s gift to the world in the form of a baby was to be called Immanuel.
Immanuel means “God with us.” This name brings hope to our lost world. Surely there is no more hopeful reality than God Who loves the world enough to come be with us. He came to redeem us despite our falling short of His glory. He came to provide God’s salvation so we can be with Him throughout Eternity!
What could bring more hope than God with us? Yet too many people choose to ignore the awesome reality of the first CHRISTmas. Does it make sense to celebrate a birthday without inviting the Guest of Honor?
A “Scrooge” closes his (or her) eyes to the meaning of CHRISTmas. This results in being stressed and depressed and having too little peace in one’s own heart and no good will toward the rest of humanity.
In the busyness of life you may not give a thought to the One Who is CHRISTmas personified… God with us. Jesus Christ should be included in CHRISTmas of course. Even more than a passing thought, He should be our primary focus!
If you don’t know Jesus and want to… He is found in God’s Holy Bible, in God’s natural creation, in loving hearts of true believers. He can be found in your own personal life when you seek Him with your whole heart.
He came… He brings hope that makes our lives worth living… He is God with us!
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which translated means, ‘God with us.’” (Matthew 1:23 nasb)
“You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13 nasb)
“Emmanuel, Emmanuel,
His name is called Emmanuel.
God with us, revealed in us,
His name is called Emmanuel.
We love Him so, we love Him so,
His name is called Emmanuel.” (Bob McGee)