Grains of Sand

Pixabay “ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light .” (Matthew 11:29, 30) This, and the verse prior to it, are the gentlest of Gospel invitations in Scripture. We, as believers, are often accused of beating unbelievers over the head with hell and damnation and demonstrating a lack of compassion and understanding. That is sometimes true, even though a dose of hell and damnation is what some people need to recognize their need of Someone to rescue them from both of the above. But here in Matthew we have the message for those who have reached that point known as “the end of the rope.” They just can’t do “it” anymore, whatever “it” represents that they once thought would meet the heart cry of their souls. They have discovered that nothing, and no one, can satisfy and they are tired of the chase that leaves them aching and empty. And Jesus says: “ Come to me, all you wh...

The latest pronouncement of the Venezuelan government boggles the mind. It will no longer be granting access to dollars for importers of deodorant. The logic behind this? Smelling bad for a nation of extremely clean people would be humiliating—and humiliation is just another means of subjugation. My only consolation comes from my mother's experience. As she grew older, she stopped sweating. There was no longer any need for deodorant. I hit the big 60 this year. Do I dare hope that by the time I can't buy deodorant here, I will no longer have any need for it? To every experience there seems to be a Biblical truth. My prayer is that no matter what the body exudes, my life will give off the sweet aroma of Christ. Paul writes: "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To th...