Sunday, October 21, 2007

My Favorite Father-In-Law's Favorite Hymn...

Started out as a poem by John Newton. A friend of ours asked the other day if we knew that there were more than just the verses that are in our hymnal, so I looked them up and here they are. It's the beautiful testimony of a sinner Saved by Grace, just like me:

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.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

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’d first begun.

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

What Do You Think?

Talking with my teenage niece the other day and playing a little guitar, she mentioned how she enjoyed playing and writing music. Then she asked an interesting question. “Uncle Allen, do you think God expects us to use the gifts He has given us in our jobs and our church?”

My answer was, Yes, why would He give you a gift if He didn’t expect you to Glorify Him in your life with it. Then I started to think about it…Yes, absolutely yes, and so I should be…what exactly? Well, perhaps using the gifts He has given me to glorify Him with my life.

That caused me to take some inventory. What exactly has He gifted me with? Which gifts have I given back to Him, and which gifts have I excused myself from using for His glory?

It’s an odd dynamic, but the more I give to Him, the more He blesses me with.
Stay tuned, more to come.