WE LONG FOR OUR ETERNAL HOME!
Greetings from Brazil! I had to come here on an emergency trip (vacation time) due to some strong concerns related to my mother’s deteriorating health condition. She turned 83 this past Sunday, March 28. Despite the sad reason that brought me here, it has been wonderful to enjoy my mother’s and three brothers’ company. It has been nearly three years since the five of us were together. By God’s grace, we managed to make appointments with two specialists to see our mother. It was over 15 hours of consultations and tests. The results will be released sometime next week, hopefully. Please keep my mother in your prayers!
It was not easy to leave Canada to come to Brazil under these circumstances. While cruising over the Atlantic Ocean, I realized once again that it becomes a natural barrier that separates loved ones. Those of you who have your beloved ones living “overseas,” like my immediate family, can understand this reality better and the effect that it has in our lives. We like to enjoy our time with our immediate family but feel the separation from our beloved family members who are very dear to us.
However, as we homiletically consider the promise in I Cor. 2:9 that says: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (NKJV), it brings a new perspective for us to look forward to. It is soothing to start imagining what heaven and the renewed earth will be like. Whatever the struggles, loneliness, homesick experiences, and feelings that we might encounter on this side of God’s universe, we are comforted with the fact that all those things are mapped out by God. As beautiful as the environment around us can be and as successful as we can become in life, NOTHING compares to what God has prepared for those who truly love Him. This could only be achieved because of the great sacrifice Christ made for us. He took our place so that we could be redeemed to receive His free salvation (Isa. 53)!
One of my favourite promises in the Bible is “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lam. 3:22-23 NIV). How true and deep this is! I have experienced His compassions and forgiveness many times in my own life – I have a story with God and I am convinced that you have your own story, too. The beauty though is that God is not done with any of us, yet! His Word tells us about the way He deals with our past and sins: “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:18-19 NIV). God forgives and forgets! This is just like saying: He throws our sins into the deepest parts of the ocean and then places a big sign – No fishing! All of these because of what Jesus did for us.
As the “world” somehow comes to a halt for “Easter”, this occasion provides us with an opportunity to consider God’s amazing love for us in Christ. How appreciative we should be for Him!
My I suggest that our prayer during this weekend (and always) should be: Father, please help us to love you with all our hearts, fully depend on your guidance in our lives, and never separate ourselves from your presence. Thank you, Jesus, for your sacrifice for us!
Please find below the link to our Conference video for this month. It features a heart-breaking story (including a mature subject matter) presented by our own BC Conference missionary in Uganda, Pastor Charles Aguilar: “Finding Happiness in the Happiness of Helping Others.” He reminds us of how grateful we should be because of our privileged position to live in Canada. At the same time, he challenges us to consider the responsibility given to us by God to act on behalf of His children that are not so fortunate as we are.
Thank you for your faithful and committed service to God & His children!
Happy Sabbath!
In His Service,
Wesley Torres
President
