Grab our RSS feedA Five Sentence Update
Yesterday I wrote a five-sentence update about Grace Church for Bethlehem's worship bulletin. Those who know me, know that I have a hard time saying anything in five sentences or less, let alone a two-year update!
Because our church has been visited by repeated sorrows, griefs, challenges, and pain in these first two years, and because God's grace has been abundantly sufficient at every turn, I wanted to communicate His lavish provision for our deep need.
But there's also much more that our Lord has been doing among us, so I wanted to communicate that too. Ahh the challenge of saying a lot of stuff in a little space. God is great at that. Me, not so much.
Here's what I wrote:
We rejoice that our Lord has granted a Christ-ward culture among the people of Grace, and a zeal to commend Jesus to our city. Even in the midst of a series of substantial challenges and trials in these early days, God has lavished His grace upon our young church. Oh, please pray that we will not live for ourselves, but for Him who died and rose again on our behalf! Being part of this body, where the congregation is laboring together for one another's enjoyment of God, is a blessing beyond measure. Thank you Bethlehem! With love, John 3:30 - Jordan Thomas.
I was encouraged as I read John Piper's post today that unfolds how joy and sorrow must always accompany one another if we are to have a "seasoned soul." Grace Church, take heart! Here's what Dr. Piper wrote...
It is not a sign of a seasoned Christian soul that steady joy is untinged with steady sorrow.
Or to put it positively, the seasoned soul in Christ has a steady joy and a steady sorrow.
They protect each other. Joy is protected from being flippant by steady sorrow. Sorrow is protected from being fatal by steady joy.
And they intensify each other. Joy is made deeper by steady sorrow. Sorrow is made sweeter by steady joy.
For the seasoned Christian soul, I do not see how it can be otherwise while people are perishing and we are saved. I do not see how it can be otherwise while these two passages are written by the same inspired man:
I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. (Romans 9:2-3)
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)
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