Dying in April, Part Two: “The Shepherd is Struck and the Sheep are Scattered”
Now the shepherd is struck and the sheep are scattered, and I’m lost once again in the wilderness of Chengdu. Only now do I realize how precious it was that you were indeed my pastor, and I have unconsciously received the unimaginable grace of God through your office, your authority, your diligence, and your faithfulness.
Receiving a baton or relaying a message? Part Three: “The race is over!”
We do not run because, when we think of Christ dying on the cross, we do not think his victory has become our victory yet. We do not feel his victory has been applied to us, and so we are not very happy or joyful. We do not feel his victory concerns our families, our futures, our eternity, and our lives. This is something worth thinking deeply about. This world is a cruel place. The power of Satan lies in his declaring to you that you are a failure, and he will continue to prove it over and over again. But the gospel tells you that you are a victor, and it will continue to prove it over and over again.
