Crazy about Crazy Love!

Tonight, our small group that is studying Francis Chan's CRAZY LOVE, had a couple special guests. It seems that while our assigned task was to discuss Chapter 2 that dealt with the idea that we have no control in life as to when we are going to leave this earth, God wanted us to spend some time with a couple that is living with the news of a terminal disease. We were able to ask questions to one that was diagnosed in April 2010 with a prognosis of living just 3 months. Well it doesn't take too much of a rocket scientist to realize that April was 6 months ago as we are now in the month of October. That isn't the point I want to make, but it does seem relevant to first of all that this appointed time, someone that was a complete stranger to our group was given a prognosis and has remained very much alive and was able to share as a brother in Christ some of what he has experienced. Many of us present comtemplated and wondered if our routines would change as a result of getting such news.

Here is what I was reminded of tonight:

• For the Christian, it doesn't matter if you are given 1 day or 100 years. It does matter in understanding that each breath is a gift from God. It does matter that God's word assures us that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). It does matter that God can give us the "peace that passes ALL understanding"(Phillippians 4:7).
• Routines are not necessarily a bad thing, but they need to be examined. Here is what I mean: Why do you do the things you do? Are you in a habit of daily quiet times that you are legalistic about? Or are you in the habit of a daily quiet time that builds upon truth and assures you of the hope we have in Christ (Colossians 2:2)? You see, the more you spend understanding God's truth, the more you can understand that His truth is reliable, dependable, and completely trustworthy! As you gain more and more understanding about the reliability of Scripture, you will be able to build on the peace that passes all understanding and realize more and more and more that God is in control!
• Meeting regularly with other Christians will help develop more and more assurance through the testimonies (Hebrews 10:25).
• The absolute worst thing through the eyes of those without Christ is death and the fear of death. The absolute worst thing that could happen in death for the Christian is to die and gloriously wake up in the arms of Christ. Trusting again in His word, Romans 8:28 reminds us that God can use ALL things for the good of those that love Him and are called according to His purpose.

As for our guest members of our group tonight, God led them to be reunited with some old friends after 19 years which in turn allowed our small group to learn a whole lot more about a Great Big God that knows everything about what we are studying, when we are studying what we study, what we are feeling, and just what we need to know to be assured that He is faithful! As the old preacher once said, "If that doesn't fire you up, your wood is wet!" Funny thing, I remember scripture telling me that even if the wood is wet, my God can still make it burn!