I had the great pleasure of photographing Baby M, not just once, but twice. First a spur of the moment shoot with grandma, who was babysitting when I stopped by on an errand, and again the following week with Mom and Dad.
Heard this on the way home from church tonight.
Listen to the radical way Paul puts it in 2 Corinthians 12 . . . You remember the situation. He’s got a thorn in the flesh. We don’t know what it is, but it is causing him pain. He says, “Christ, please take it away.” Three times. And Christ says, “No.” And then Paul says, verse 9 . . .And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. . . .
There’s more of Christ. Do you see that? Do you want more of Christ? Christ’s grace. Christ’s power. Christ’s fellowship. Do you want more and more and more because he is your treasure? Paul did, and therefore he said . . . Most gladly . . . Don’t miss that amazing counter-intuitive word . . . Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
For the sake of Christ, then, I’m content . . . . I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Magnifying Christ by being satisfied in him in pain, in calamity, in suffering, in insult, and weakness was the passion of Paul’s life. His passion was not the American Dream of escaping insult, calamity, pain, suffering. His passion was any life and any death that enables me to know you better, see you more, and magnify your greatness more. Bring it on, Jesus. All I want in my life and in my death is to make your worth more vivid for the world to see.
So, I ask you tonight. Are you going to throw away your life? Are you going to buy into the American Dream, minimize suffering, maximize comfort, maximize ease, maximize security, build bigger barns, work for the bread that perishes, lay up treasure on earth, covet the praise of man, and be happy for 80 years, and PERISH? Is that the way that you’re going to waste your life?
Or are you going to see Christ crucified and risen and reigning and bearing your sins as the infinite treasure in your life that he really is and then make life choices that display to the world his value?
on him in whom they have not believed?
and how shall they believe
in him of whom they have not heard?
and how shall they hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach,
except they be sent?
as it is written,
How beautiful are the feet of them
that preach the gospel of peace,
and bring glad tidings
of good things!
What better news has there ever been than that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again so that we might have hope in him.
Had you asked me last weekend what I would be doing this weekend, I would have said, “Not much.” God had other ideas and I ended up attending a Women’s Evangelism conference. It was a real blessing to see so many other women who were interested like I was in how they might be more effective in bringing the glad tidings of good things to those who need to hear, whether they are right next door or around the world.
Bonus: I got to meet Babbie Mason, who it was a pleasure to find out is just as warm and personable up close as she is on stage and take some pictures. She’s also a 3rd generation PK. Cool!