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"Come, Lord Jesus!"
There is a treatment update at the end of this message. www.caringbidge.org/visit/carlstam ===================================== What does it mean to seriously and biblically long for Christ's next Advent, His glorious return, as promised in the Scriptures and remembered in the church's creedal affirmations (. . . from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead)? Are we so content in the present routine of our creature comforts, personal affirmations, accomplishments, and hopes for a better tomorrow that we forget to join with the Apostle John's prayer, "Come, Lord Jesus." Today's WORSHIP QUOTE is from the final chapters of Marva Dawn’s compelling study of The Revelation, JOY IN OUR WEAKNESS: A GIFT OF HOPE FROM THE BOOK OF REVELATION. "COME, LORD JESUS!" The Revelation ends with a statement of longing. For the third time Jesus promises that He is coming soon, and the hearts of His people cry out, "Yes, it is true—Amen. Come, Lord Jesus." In the context of the first-century Church, those phrases no doubt were a request for Him soon to exert His Lordship over the entire world and to rescue His people from the sufferings they were presently undergoing. That is why the plea is followed by the assurance that in the meantime grace is sufficient to sustain us in the struggles. Truly it is so: the sufficiency of the grace of Jesus as He exerts His Lordship in this time will enable us to wait until He comes. Only when we are weak and do not rely on our own strength are we able to keep this paradox in the best balance. Consumed with longing for the coming of Jesus, we can yet know that in the meanwhile grace will be sufficient to sustain us. We develop this balance only if we submit our whole lives in utter dependence upon the One who is coming. . . . While we are waiting, these are the invitations: Come. Trust. Be graced. Long for the coming of Jesus and His ultimate triumph over evil. And, in the meanwhile, know His Lordship in your weakness. — Marva Dawn, from JOY IN OUR WEAKNESS: A GIFT OF HOPE FROM THE BOOK OF REVELATION, Revised Edition. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002, pp. 212-13. ISBN 0-8028-6069-9. Highly recommended. Chip Stam Director, Institute for Christian Worship School of Church Ministries The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Louisville, Kentucky www.wqotw.org www.sbts.edu/icw ============================== TOPICAL INDEX FOR FORTY-THREE GETTY/TOWNEND HYMNS http://www.gettymusic.com/topicalindex.pdf ============================== ============================== HEALTH UPDATE & PRAYER REQUEST FOR CHIP STAM, CANCER PATIENT www.caringbridge.org/visit/carlstam ============================== January 6 Treatment Update Dear friends and family (and some strangers), Thanks for praying for us. Keep it up, please! My cancer journey continues. PET SCAN RESULTS—DECEMBER 29 If you missed Doris's note from last week, please go to http://wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2010-12-28 OR www.caringbridge.org/visit/carlstam/journal A NEW CHAPTER IN THE TREATMENT JOURNEY The strategy now is to remove all of the immune-suppression drugs, allowing my new blood system (Thank you, Billy Stam!) to have full reign in my body to fight the lymphoma. Please pray that my blood will be STRONG to kill the cancer in my body. This morning (January 6) I am getting CANCIDAS, a unit of blood, and a new weekly infusion of RITUXAN. With the steroids reduced and RAPAMUNE (SIROLIMUS) discontinued, the GvsH rash has increased and the itching is intense. The clinic professionals are testing my blood daily and watching the numbers carefully. I am still incredibly weak and wobbly and have started using my walker in the house. No regrets there. My appetite is good (We have lots of really interesting and healthy things to eat. Doris is famous for healthy, yummy cuisine). I am sleeping well. The physical therapist comes once a week to the clinic to work with me, mostly on issues related to my peripheral neuropathy and the nerve damage in my left leg. She shocks me with little torture-chamber thingies, and it is not at all pleasant. I try to cooperate with a forced smile on my face. I am still at the clinic every single morning (Yes, even Christmas Day) by 7:45am or 8am. Today I was in Room 3 for over six hours. We come and go joyfully. God's timing is the best timing. JAMES 5:13-18—PRAYER OF FAITH Last night (Wednesday) the elders of our church carved out 30 or 45 minutes of their meeting to pray for us. It was a precious time—lots of tears, lots of Kleenex, and lots of hope in Christ for us all. Thank you, LORD. Resting in Him! Clinging to the Rock that is higher than I (Psalm 61:1-2)! Come, Lord Jesus! Chip Stam carlstam@aol.com www.caringbridge.org/visit/carlstam www.wqotw.org www.carlstam.org |