Grace for the Race

God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud . . . (Genesis 9:12-13 ESV)

Even those who have never opened a Bible have heard of “Noah’s Flood,” the great flood described in Genesis 7 that covered the entire earth and destroyed all creatures that drew breath except for Noah, his family, and the birds and animals that God had directed Noah to take into the ark. Noah and his family were in the ark for just over a year before they reemerged into a world that had essentially been wiped clean and remade because of God’s displeasure with mankind’s inexhaustible appetite for sin.

To underscore this idea of new beginnings, the Sovereign Lord gave Noah a command that was virtually identical to the one He had given to Adam and Eve: “Multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number upon it” (Genesis 8:17). Noah responded in gratitude and worship to the God who had preserved him throughout the flood, and he built an altar and made a burnt offering to the Lord. It was at this point that God outlined His covenant with Noah and all living things, which is partly described in today’s verse, in which God uses the rainbow (or “bow,” as rendered in several respected translations of the Old Testament) as a visible reminder of God’s promise to never again send a flood to destroy everything that lives.

My professor of Old Testament Theology at Knox Seminary, Dr. Warren Gage, pointed out that God’s bow, the sign of the covenant, is pointed toward heaven, suggesting that the arrow of God’s wrath would be fired at God—not man—if there is a violation of the covenant.

This is illustrated again in Genesis 15, where God instructed Abraham to arrange sacrificial animals in pieces divided in half. God then manifested Himself to Abraham in the form of a smoking firepot that passed between the pieces. To pass between the cut pieces of sacrificial animals was common in biblical times; the parties to a covenant would do so as a visual representation of swearing, “May it be done so to me”—in other words, May I be destroyed—“if I break the terms of this covenant.” But in this remarkable ceremony, only the Lord passed between the pieces; only God swore that He would be destroyed if the covenant were to fail.

The Scriptures record the dreary history of man’s failed promises to obey God and serve Him only. Even righteous Noah, whom God chose out of all men who lived on earth to preserve throughout the flood, drank himself senseless in front of his sons, incurring the scorn of his son Ham. Abraham twice ignored God’s promise of protection and passed his wife Sarah off as his sister, apparently believing that his lies provided better protection than God could. Moses, who had taken possession of the Law of God, inscribed by the finger of God on tablets of stone, became so puffed up with pride and anger that He was not allowed to see the Promised Land. David, another direct recipient of God’s covenant promises (2 Samuel 7:8-17), committed adultery and then ordered the murder of the woman’s husband.

And then there’s you and me . . . how many times have we failed God? How many times have we ignored His promises? How many times have we directly disobeyed the commands of Scripture, believing that we had a better plan than God? Are our actions a pleasing aroma to the Lord? Can we possibly declare ourselves to be righteous before a perfectly righteous and holy God?

When we realize how wretched we are because of our sin—when we cry out with Paul, “What a wretched man I am!” (Romans 7:24)—it is then we can recall God’s promise: “I have set my bow in the cloud.” There is nothing you and I can do to atone for our sin . . . so God did it for us. We deserve to be utterly and eternally destroyed, but instead the arrow of God’s righteous wrath against our sins was fired at His only beloved Son, just as surely as the Roman spear pierced His side, and the punishment for our sin was freely and fully paid for by Jesus Christ.

Christian, when you see the rainbow in the sky, do not think only of the promise made to Noah, as glorious as that is; think of the promise that God made to you: “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Hebrews 8:12).

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men . . . (Ephesians 6:7)

There are many different callings for the people of God, but we have only one Boss . . . His name is Jesus Christ. Regardless of where you work and serve and regardless of who signs your paycheck, ultimately the One you work for is Jesus.

When you think about this truth for a moment, you realize that, at this level of living for the Lord, your work becomes a witness. Whatever those in authority ask of you on the job should be viewed as coming from our Lord Himself—as long as the request does not violate the revealed truth of sacred Scripture.

This understanding should transform how we view our work and how we perform it. It means there is no such thing as menial labor, because your labor is performed for the glory of God. Not only that, but it also means that your work has eternal value, because it is being done for the glory of the Eternal One.

Now, you may be thinking, “Pastor, you don’t know the job I currently have or the boss I have to put up with!” That’s true, I don’t. But God certainly does know, and He has not only called you to your current position, but He has given you everything you need to work in excellence.

Let’s look at a little more of Paul’s exhortation to the Ephesians:

. . . [B]ecause you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does . . . (Ephesians 6:8)

Wow! If we work wholeheartedly in serving the Lord, regardless of how pleasant or difficult the situation, we can expect the Lord’s reward! Now, let me quickly add that we do not obligate God to bless us by serving Him; but God, in His great grace, has determined to pour out His blessings upon those who work and live in the light of eternity. And that means that there is nothing you are currently doing on your job that is being done in vain. Your boss may not acknowledge you. Your boss may not even know your name. But your real Boss knows you and loves you and delights in blessing you!

In light of these truths, do you see the importance of whatever job you currently hold? It may not be important in the eyes of man, but it is important in the eyes of God. And if it is important to God, it truly doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. God has promised to reward you—not so much for your fruitfulness, but rather for your faithfulness.

Press on, Christian knowing that your real Boss is cheering you on.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Take a moment to read through today’s text, a passage that is beloved and repeated by Christians the world over. Did you ever notice that the word demonstrates is in the present tense, but died is in the past tense? Do you understand why the Spirit of God arranged it so? It is because God expresses His love for us in both a past event and a present experience.

Now, if that doesn’t light the fire of your faith . . . your wood is wet!

It’s easy to understand that the “past event” I’m referring to is our Lord Jesus dying on a cruel cross to pay the penalty for our sins once and for all. When He cried out from the cross, “It is finished,” our atonement was accomplished and our sin debt paid in full. In taking our sin upon Himself, God the Son fully satisfied God the Father’s righteous wrath and His perfect justice. There is no greater demonstration of God’s love for His children—a love that has existed for all eternity—than the love that was poured out on the Hill Golgotha.

So why did the Spirit of God inspire Paul to write the word “demonstrates” in the present tense if Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection took place in the past? The reason is that the past event of Christ dying for our sins has present, ongoing implications for you and me.

It has been rightly observed, “Once saved, always saved.” God’s love was not only demonstrated 2,000 years ago; we experience the love of God in Christ Jesus daily, even moment by moment. And the fact of the matter is that God knew that would not be an easy thing to do! Jesus promised that we would have trouble in this world, because the world is broken and so is every person in it. If you read today’s verse in a fuller context, you’ll see why Paul wanted us to understand God’s love as both a past event and a present experience.

We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5)

The Spirit of God wanted to make it clear to us that, no matter what we are experiencing in this life, we are also experiencing God’s love. I am convinced that we would not be able to hold onto any hope at all if we did not understand the present reality of God’s love.

Have you ever gone through circumstances that made you think that God does not love you—perhaps that He is actively working against you? Christian, that is exactly what Satan wants you to think! And so our loving Lord has given us a written reminder that, no matter what circumstances we are facing, regardless of the storm winds that may be howling around us, we are loved by God. We were loved before the creation of the world, we are loved today, and there is nothing—no power in heaven or on earth—that will ever separate us from that love.

May that truth set all of us free!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work . . .  (Exodus 35:35)

In the book of Exodus, we read the detailed account of the construction of the tabernacle, the sacred tent that God promised to occupy in the midst of His people as they made their way into the Promised Land. Workers were needed to build the tabernacle, and the Lord gave these workers special skills to get the job done.

Did you know that God has given special, supernatural skills to all of His children to assist in the building project of the expansion of His kingdom in this world? Here is something you must remember: God never calls the equipped for His work; rather, God equips all those He calls. Every child of God has been equipped for the work of ministry in the expansion of His kingdom.

Those who worked at building the tabernacle had been blessed with various skills; they were designers, weavers, jewelers, embroiderers, and wood carvers, all with the necessary wisdom and intelligence to do what God needed done.

So, let me ask you a very important question: What supernatural skills has God given to you?

Whatever you are good at, whatever you enjoy doing, whatever you do that seems to fit you like a glove, these are areas in your life that God has equipped you in to excel in the expansion of His kingdom. Your gifts, talents, and abilities are unique to you, which makes you invaluable for the work that God has called you to do. There is no one else whom God has made like you. You are a vital component of His work.

Perhaps you are gifted in administration, hospitality, or teaching. Maybe you are gifted as an encourager or a prayer warrior or one who visits the sick or shut-ins. If you are not sure what your supernatural skill set might be, consider what those closest to you might say. Those who know you well will be able to offer valuable insight into your supernatural wiring and suggest where you may be able to plug in and contribute.

Here is a thought that I hope you will find to be as encouraging as it is empowering: God does not need any of us to accomplish His purposes in this world, but He wants all of us and gives us exactly what we need in order to do exactly what He is calling us to do.

May these words from the apostle Paul inspire you engage in the work of ministry that God has uniquely gifted you to perform:

We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

You have been formed and fashioned by God to do good works; He has filled you with the supernatural skill you need to perform them; how could you possibly do poorly? Go forth and rejoice in doing the work of the Lord!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)

Because the Christian life is a series of ups and downs . . . highs and lows . . . victories and defeats . . . we all must come to terms with the challenging concept of cosmic continuance, because the fact of the matter is that the life of the Christian will continue as a series of ups and downs . . . highs and lows . . . victories and defeats.

In every culture except the culture of Christianity, our identity is found in our performance. In the more traditional Eastern cultures, identity is wrapped up in the family or community. When you are serving the family or community well, you feel good about yourself; when you are not serving them well, you don’t. In the West, identity is wrapped up in the individual. The good of the individual trumps all other goods, including the good of the family or the community. When you are doing well, you feel good about yourself; when you are not doing so well, you don’t.

Only in Christianity is your identity fixed, regardless of your performance. This consistency creates a continual state of cosmic continuance.  You see, when we are in Christ, we don’t look to our performance to find our value and worth. Rather, we are to look to the Person of Jesus Christ, who has fixed our true value and worth in Him. When we locate our value and worth in Christ, nothing can diminish or discontinue it in any way, and we are now living at a level of cosmic continuance.

Your performance will always vary depending upon the circumstances you are experiencing, and if you are looking to your performance to give you a sense of identity, your sense of value and worth will vary accordingly. The lack of continuance in your Christian life can feel like a crushing blow and a hard burden to bear. But if you fix our eyes on the person of Jesus Christ, you will be rooted in a cosmic continuance that is eternal, unchanging, and immovable.

So when you are dealing with the inevitable ups and downs . . . highs and lows . . . victories and defeats in the Christian life, keep looking past yourself to your Savior for your value and worth. And if any of life’s extreme lows or defeats are pressing in on you, remember these words from our loving Lord: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3). God has always loved you! He sent His beloved son to die for you so that you can be with Him forever. He has promised never to leave you or forsake you. That is the ground for our cosmic continuance, the ground which provides the rich soil from which springs “the peace that passes all understanding” that is promised to every Christian.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.       (Psalm 147:4-5)

When was the last time you mediated on the greatness of God? Of all the means of grace that God has provided to assist us in the process of growing and maturing in our faith, such as Bible study, prayer, and church attendance, there is something supernaturally special about marinating in God’s greatness. Make no mistake, the Almighty is greater than all “mighties.”

Pharaoh in Egypt thought he was mightier than the Almighty; he stubbornly refused to free the children of Israel from bondage. After ten devastating plagues crushed the Egyptian nation under their weight, Pharaoh finally realized the Almighty is greater than all mighties.

King Nebuchadnezzar thought he was mightier than the Almighty; he arrogantly declared, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” Yet even as this mighty king was uttering these words of praise to himself, God spoke, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven away from his kingdom and “ate grass like the ox, his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.” Nebuchadnezzar finally realized that the Almighty “does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth” (Daniel 4:30-35); the Almighty is greater than all mighties.

Satan thought he was mightier than the Almighty; he used his sinful servants—self-centered Judas, the self-righteous Jewish religious leaders, and the sin-filled Roman guard—to falsely accuse Jesus of crimes He did not commit, to crucify Him on a cross, and to bury Him in a tomb. But three days later, Jesus walked out of His tomb, and Satan and all of his sinful servants finally realized that the Almighty was greater than all mighties.

The question I need to ask you is this: “Do you know this truth?” Regardless of where this message finds you today, whatever has come up against you has come up against your God . . . and the Almighty is greater than all mighties. No weapon formed against you will prevail. Greater is the power that is at work within you than any power that is arrayed against you.

The apostle Paul prayed for you and me that, as children of the Most High God, “the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead . . .” (Ephesians 1:18-20).

You trusted the mighty power of God when He raised you from death to life. Why not trust that same power today, no matter what you are facing? Meditate on the glorious truth that the Almighty is greater than all mighties, and you will be prepared to share His love with everyone you meet this day.

Let me close with these words from Hillsong Worship, “The Greatness of our God” —

No sky contains,

No doubt restrains,

All You are,

The greatness of our God.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Then [the angel] showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”

Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”

Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you.” (Zechariah 3:1-4)

Do you see yourself in this vision of Joshua the high priest that was given to Zechariah? Read on, and may the Spirit of our loving Lord fill you with strength and encouragement today!

I don’t know how often you spend time in the book of Zechariah, but it would be easy to skim past this passage and miss the rich application that is there for every child of God. After all, what does this interaction between the Sovereign Lord, the accuser of the brethren, and one who served as a high priest before the Lord have to do with our daily lives? Answer: Everything!

We are all dressed in the filthy clothes of our own self-salvation projects. And when the day comes when we stand before the Lord God Almighty—for we all must appear before the judgment seat of God (Romans 14:10)—and the Lord asks us why we should be allowed into His perfect heaven, if we plead that we’ve been “a good person,” we stand condemned before the Lord, for “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). As Isaiah said so powerfully, “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” I won’t go too far into the literal meaning of the Hebrew that Isaiah used, but the “filthy rags” Isaiah refers to are garments that are totally soiled and utterly unfit for any future use.

No matter what we do, no matter how hard we try, our so-called “good deeds” fall miserably short of God’s perfect, righteous standards of holiness. And Satan is always at our side, reminding us with that horrible hiss, “Look at you! You’re not good enough. Look at the holiness of the Lord; compared to Him, you’re a worm, a slug. You’re only fit for the hog pen!”

And do you know what? Apart from Christ, in this instance the father of lies is telling the truth! We are vile and corrupt, and we drink in sin like a dog laps up water (Job 15:16). The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and we are dead men walking, doomed to become branches tossed into the fire of God’s righteous judgment against our sin.

But God (surely these are the two most glorious words in all of sacred Scripture!) purposed before the creation of the world to offer us salvation, a redemption we can never earn or deserve. When we, by God’s gift of grace, place our trust in Jesus Christ, God snatches us from the impending fire of judgment, takes off the filthy clothes of our sin, and clothes us in the sinless, spotless robes of righteousness reserved for those who belong to Christ. When we are in Christ, God the Father no longer sees the filthy rags of our sin . . . only the rich garments of the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

There is a remarkable scene in the 2003 movie Luther, in which Joseph Fiennes, portraying the man who launched the Protestant Reformation, tells a group of Christians –

So when the devil throws your sins in your face and declares that you deserve death and hell, tell him this: “I admit that I deserve death and hell. What of it? For I know One who suffered and made satisfaction on my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, Son of God. Where He is, there I shall be also.”

Christian, Jesus Christ has made atonement on your behalf. All your sins—past, present, and future—are paid for in full. You are clothed in the righteousness of God the Son . . . and He will look upon you with love for all eternity.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles . . . (Galatians 1:15-16 NASB)

Were you startled when you read the title to today’s message? Perhaps you thought, “Set apart to preach?! I thought only a few are called by God to stand in the pulpit.” That’s true; only a few have been called to preach from a pulpit . . . but every believer has been set apart to preach. Allow me to explain, and I hope you will be encouraged to fulfill the holy calling God has placed on your life.

SET APART . . .

More than any New Testament writer, the apostle Paul set forth the doctrine of sovereign election—the understanding that we did not choose God, but He chose us according to His pleasure and will. Perhaps Paul’s most familiar exposition of election is laid out in Ephesians 2:8-10, which clearly reveals that God chose us and set us apart for His own purposes:

It is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Perhaps you have experienced one of those dark nights of the soul when you told yourself, “I don’t matter.” Perish the thought, Christian! You mattered enough to God that He chose you in Christ before the creation of the world to be His.

TO PREACH

You may look at today’s passage and think that I am trying to make today’s verse “do tricks”—that Paul was speaking of God’s call on his own life, not on yours. Perhaps you’re telling yourself that God called you to be a butcher, a baker, or a candlestick maker . . . not a preacher.

I’m perfectly willing to grant that today’s verse is specific to Paul. He clearly said that God was pleased to make Jesus known through him, “so that I might preach him among the Gentiles.” But if you’ve been reading “Grace for the Race” for any length of time, you are familiar with Jesus’ instructions in Matthew 28:19-20, which we call “The Great Commission.”

Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Galatians 1:16 may be specific to Paul alone, but the Great Commission most certainly is not! Jesus’ words were addressed to us all. It’s true that God may not have called you to stand in a pulpit; but He most definitely has called you to preach the Good News of salvation to all people—to your family, your neighbors, your classmates at school, your coworkers, members of your community, even complete strangers.

Martin Luther spoke of the priesthood of the believers—the idea that every Christian is called to speak forth the Word of God. As Peter wrote, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).

Men who stand in the pulpit often pray that God would use them to “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” Christian, I hope today’s message has had that effect on you. Be comforted that God called you through His grace to be His; he has loved you with an everlasting love! But I pray that you will feel a sense of affliction if you are ignoring the holy calling God has placed on your life, because He has set you apart to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” (John 13:25)

John’s gospel recounts the Last Supper in great detail, including observations not offered in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke.) One of these unique elements is a brief exchange that took place between Peter and John. After Jesus told the disciples that one of them would be betray Him, the disciples were dismayed and confused, and they wondered which of them could possibly do such a terrible thing.

Only John tells us that “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (that disciple undoubtedly being John himself) was reclining next to Jesus at the table. (Reclining at a supper table, rather than sitting at the table as we do today, was the common posture in that culture at that time.) Peter motioned to John and suggested, “Ask him which one He means.”

At that point, we read that John leaned back against Jesus and asked, “Who is it?” Several respected translations of the original Greek render John 13:25 as saying that John actually laid his head on Jesus’ chest, just like a child snuggling with his daddy.

Think about that for a moment; it’s almost inconceivable! The God whom no one can look at and live (Exodus 33:20) . . . the God who would later manifest Himself to John with a sharp, double-edged sword coming out of His mouth (Revelation 1:16) . . . the God who commanded Moses to take off his shoes, because the very ground surrounding Him was holy ground (Exodus 3:5) . . . that same God, He who dwells in unapproachable light (1 Timothy 6:16), allowed John to cuddle with Him!

And you and I are invited to do the same . . . at any time of the day or night.

We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

(Hebrews 4:15-16)

Is there a question that is troubling you? Are you overwhelmed by your sin? Are you confronted by a personal or professional crisis? Lean against Jesus and ask Him to meet you at your point of need. You can approach Him with confidence, knowing that He will embrace you with His love and grace.

Far too many people—both Christians and unbelievers alike—feel that they dare not approach God until they have “cleaned up their act.” They believe that God is righteous, holy, and pure (which is perfectly true), that they are unrighteous, unholy, and impure (also true), and thus God wants nothing to do with them until they have completely forsaken their sinful ways—and that notion is wildly untrue!

I could fill a book with the passages of Scripture that encourage sinners to come to Christ, to lean against Him, and ask for help. Let’s return to Hebrews for just one of these encouraging assurances:

[Jesus] had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

(Hebrews 2:17-18)

I long ago lost count of how many times guilt-ridden people have said to me, “If you only knew what I think and say and do! How could God possibly want anything to do with me?”

I’ll reply that it’s true, I don’t know what you’ve done, but God does, and He wants everything to do with you for all eternity! He wants it so badly that He sent His only begotten Son to die for your sins. Whether you’ve been a Christian for decades or you have never placed your trust in Christ for eternal life, He holds out His nail-scarred hands to you and invites you to lean against Him—He invites you to snuggle with Him! He says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)

On Monday we looked at the “Believer’s Betrothal” and God’s eternal commitment to each one of His children. Today, I want to pause and look at the “Boland Betrothal” and God’s commitment to Kim and me in the holy covenant of marriage.

What started out as “I do” and has continued with “I still do” is simply a testimony to the unmerited, unwavering, and unending grace God has poured out upon us in these past 26 years of marriage. I think back to the marriage counseling we received from Dr. Evans at the Church-By-The-Sea when we knew Jesus only by name, and I can see God’s loving and patient hand upon us. When I recall those sessions and when we watch our wedding video, it never ceases to amaze me how Gospel-centered and Christ-saturated were the words that Dr. Evans used in both preparing us for marriage and in performing our ceremony, and I am reminded of the words of Steve Brown: “God knew you and took care of you before you knew Him.”

Two-and-a-half years after saying “I do,” God gave us the gifts of repentance and faith, which enable us both to utter the two most important words any person can say: “I believe!” I am convinced that without those two words of life, the first two words would have been exchanged for “I don’t!” But God had a perfect plan for our imperfect lives, and He continued pouring out His grace and mercy upon our marriage—not only daily, but moment by moment as we worked together in the field of health and fitness.

Then, in December of 1996, God gave us the gift of parenting our first son, Brock. In September of 1998 He gave us the second gift of our first daughter, Jenna. During the next four years, God moved us out of the field of health and fitness into Christian teaching, and then He gave us our third gift in October 2002: our second daughter, Katie. And in March of 2004, God filled our quiver with the gift of the Tank. It is truly hard to believe that Brock will be graduating college in May, at which point Jenna will be at the half-way point, and Katie and Tank getting close to entering college! Soon Kim and I will be empty nesters.

I think back to March 2012 when God called us to be church planters. I’m sure some people thought we were crazy at my age, but after much prayer, preparation, and the commitment to do this as a family, we launched and our Lord has continued overwhelming us with His unmerited, unwavering, and unending grace these past seven years.

Kim, I really do not have the words to say what I truly feel in my heart for you. All I know is that I could not have pastored our church these past seven years without you by my side. You have sacrificed in every way to fulfill God’s heavenly purpose in marriage, both as a wife to me and a mother to our children. And you’ve done it for the glory of God. You surrendered to His will and submitted yourself for the good of your husband and your beloved children, and today I want to thank you in the best way I know how: with the word of God –

Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.

(Proverbs 31:28)

Happy 26^th Anniversary to a Proverbs 31 woman . . . to my best friend and my true love.

I love you and I’m praying for you.

Tommy