"I wonder how often my own proclamation of the good news reaches the afflicted, brings release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind? Does the gospel I affirm set free those who are downtrodden, and present the year of the Lord’s favor to those who live under clouds of disdain? I understand that the good news is needed on the beach and among friends. But thankfully Jesus ventures far beyond that bucolic shoreline, far beyond those who would “speak well of him,” venturing out where eyes are adjusted to darkness and good news is but a fading rumor. Yet it is precisely in this world, far beyond a close circle of friends, where the good news truly is good news and the dawning of the light of Christ must shine." Margaret Manning Shull, Slice of Infinity
A SACRIFICE
"If we are to know Him, we must know Him as He is: our perfect, all-knowing God who sacrificed Himself for us when we were helpless. He gave up, not just His glory to become a man, but His own life--the just for the unjust, the deserving for the undeserving. His initiative broke the barrier. Ours not only could not, it would not . . . God placed on Jesus the sin of the world: our rejection of God . . . He absorbed our full rejection, sacrificing His life to it. When the anger was absorbed, it lost its power. Then we could begin anew, forgiven by Him." Tim Stafford, Men's Devotional Bible
QUESTIONS
"Surely, there is a time to put away endless questions and rest. There is a time to pause and simply to be grateful for the human journey of discovery. But when questions arise and they are not easily answered or dismissed, there is a space for them as well. Like the student who questions in order to better understand a subject, our questions can lead us closer to the one who created us to ask in the first place." Margaret Manning Shull, Slice of Infinity
TEACHING
"So, what is teaching that is informed by the revealed Word of God? It is a teaching that trusts that God will do what He promises to do. It trusts that the Word will deliver faith to those who hear it. Dear Christian, know that this Word is not only for those you teach but for you too. So teach the Scriptures. Len them. Commit them to memory. Go receive God's gifts that are for you! Continue doing these things, trusting that God's Word will do what it says it will do: 'So shall My word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, & shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it' (Is. 55:11)" Joe Willman, The Lutheran Witness, Feb. 2020
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