day no. 13,348: to the mothers

Happy Mother's Day!

To the mom that gave birth to me: Thank you!

To the mom that gave has played guesthouse to my 5 children: Thank you!

To the mom that gave birth to my wife: Thank you!

I am thankful today for the mothers God has used in my life.

day no. 13,346: completed works.‏

John 17:4-5

4 I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.

Jesus finished the work He came to accomplish.

Each and every last bit of it.

Praise the Lord!

He paid it all, achieved it all and grants ALL of it to us.

day no. 13,345: so that you may have peace‏

John 16:32-33

32 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. 33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

Jesus just told them that they were going to abandon Him in His greatest moment of need.

Why did He tell them that?

So that they would have peace.

WHAT!?!?!

Peace IN HIM.

He knew they would flee. He knew they would abandon Him. He knew they would deny Him and leave Him to face His greatest temptations and trials on His own.

And He still chose to go through it all FOR US.

He didn't even have to. It wasn't His cross to bear per se.  It was ours.  And the very ones who should have been cheering gratefully for their champion failed to show up to support their Hero as He went into the battle for their lives.

In all of this, Jesus had His Father with Him.

Jesus had PERFECT faith and never strayed or wandered away.

He prevailed.

He persevered.

And He offers that PERFECT record to us who believe in Him.  wandering, abandoning, scared, petty disciples.

He told us all of this so that IN HIM we would have PEACE.

day no. 13,344: unguarded strength is double weakness‏

"Unguarded strength is double weakness." ~ Oswald Chambers

A fire is strong.

It can accomplish a great deal of good or bad depending on where it is and how it is handled.

But it IS strong.

Either way.

Harness it and you can heat homes, cook food, light the dark, etc...

Leave it unguarded or unprotected and it can destroy homes, burn food, blacken the earth, etc...

You'd be better off NOT having fire than having fire that you don't guard.

It is the same with any strength you may have.

Physical, mental, emotional, etc...

Whatever time, talents, treasures you may have that possess in themselves power can be harnessed for great good and glory to God.

But ignored or left unguarded they can burn others and yourself down to the ground.

It would have been better in the end to not even have the money, talent, gift, etc.. than to have it and have left it unguarded and ignored.

day no. 13,343: one, two, three, four, five, six, voorst

So because I am who and what I am, I come up with stuff like this:

SeVVen

or

Sevan Voorsts

Either way, come October 31st (Deo volente) there will be 7 Van Voorsts living in our humble abode.

Very excited!

Can't wait for ultrasound time.  It's been a while since I flexed my "naming things" muscle.

day no. 13,342: living to die or dying to live?‏

John 12:24-26

24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. 25 Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.26 Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.

If the only life you care about is the one that involves making the best and most of this life only, it will be taken away from you.

You've seen it a thousand times.

People die.

It's what they do best.

No one has ever lived who has not died.

If they lived only for this life, this life was certainly taken from them and it will be taken from you if you do the same as well.

BUT....

Those who live for the life that is to come and spend their lives as citizens of a better country, that is, a heavenly one, they will inherit life everlasting and be honored by God Himself.

day no. 13,339: dance of the dead‏

John 11:43-44

43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”

The dead man came out.

AMAZING!

Dead people, not sure if you know this, don't DO anything.

They are actually defined by what they are NOT doing: living.

That is the essential characteristic of someone who is dead.

Jesus can make even the dead move and the dead live.

He can unloose the bonds of death and dying and sin and suffering.

He gives freedom and life to dead slaves of sin like us.