HAPPY SABBATH + Dying To Live ... With The Lord!

I Listened To  A Sermon
Recently
That Made A Big Impression On Me!
It Was Of A Son Mother Apostle
Who Had Prior Long-Range Knowledge
Of The Coming Death
Of A Beloved's Body!

The Son
He The Savior
He The Sure Word
Knew Of His Own Death
Before He Even Created The World
And,  Yet
Despite This Fore-Knowledge
Despite His Being All-knowing Wise
He Still Created
The Instrument Of His Own Demise!

And, Indeed ...

At The Appointed Time
He Was Vilely Crucified!

The Creature Crucified Its Creator!
The Creator Stood Not In The Creature's Way!
The Created Was Consumed
With The Creator's Death
AND
Thereby Sealed Its Own Doom!

But ...

That Is Not My Point!

A Mother Gave Birth To Her Son
Her Own Soul's Savior
And Met In The Temple
A Prophet
On The Eighth Day
Who, Holding The Blessed Child
In The Mother's Hearing
Did Prophecy
How In The Distant Future
The Mother's Son Was Going To For The World Die 
Thrusting A Sword Through Her Heart 
And Making Her Cry
For She Would Know That Her Heaven-Sent Baby
Was Born To Die!

How Did She Have The Heart
To Nurse 
Comfort 
Raise 
Teach Her Boy Baby
Knowing He Was Born To Die 
But Knowing Not The Day Of His Death!

But ...

That Is Not My Point!

The Disciple
Turned Apostle
In An Epistle
Declared His Love For His Lord!
He Even Cut Off The Ear Of The High Priest's Servant
The Night They Came To Arrest 
His Master Savior 
Teacher Friend 
The Lord!

Just Before The Disciple Became An Apostle
Just Before The Master Returned To Realm 
Where He Is Our High Priest 
AND
Coming King
The Friend To The End
Told The Friend Born Of Mere Men
The Manner In Which He Would Reach His Life's End!

Lord Almighty!
The Weight Of The Burden!
To Know That You Are Going To Die
For The Cause Of Your Risen From Death
And Soon Departing Master
And Knowing It Will Be In Your Old Age
But Not Knowing The Year Day!
How Does One Proceed To Live
When Having Reached
The Prophesied Old Age?

That Bombastic
Lord Denying
Repentant
Renewed
Christ-commissioned Apostle
Knew Of A Surety
Death ... Is Coming
Any Day
His Way
AND
He Lived Out The Great Commission
Doing Exactly What His Master Had Told Him
On That Fateful Day!

Simon?!
Do You Love Me?

Lord, You Know I Love You!

Feed My Lambs!

Simon?!
Do You Love Me?

Lord,  You Know I Love You!

Feed My Sheep!

Simon?!
Do You Love Me?

Lord, You Know Everything!
You Know I Love You!

Feed My Sheep.

Commissioned
Provisioned
Prepared
Broken
Remade
Declared
Simon Called Peter
Walked Among The Human Herd
And, Of It
Culled
A Flock
Fit For His Master
Sustained
By The Love Of His Lord!

Simon Peter
Had His Lot In With His Lord Cast 
Knowing Full Well
Any Day
Today
Could Be His Very Last!

He Didn't Travel Around
Waiting
For A Talking Ass
To Tell Him
His End Was Coming Up Fast!
He Lived Each And Every Day
As If Each Was The Last

AND ...

One Day
Don't You Know
He Was... RIGHT!

The Love Of God

Sustains Us

When Mankind's Chains

Restrain Us!

No Complaints

Will Come Out Of Us

For

Our God Goes Before Us

And

Is Always Assuredly With Us!

*********

All Committed Christians 

Stick

To Their Appointed Task!