(Stay with me—the best wine is reserved for last.)
Our children and grandchildren came today to celebrate the birthday of our youngest child, our daughter, Lee. For more than forty years we have witnessed what God, our heavenly Father, has been doing in this one life—“beforehand ordained” to be born of the earth, and of heaven.
How grateful I am that she has a new mother, for I was not able to give her eternal life. As a child she exhibited traits of someone else’s child. (At times I thought she was perfect; she was not at all like me.)  She attested to her new birth at the age of fifteen when she was baptized and formerly became a member of Christ’s church.

Though we drifted apart over the years we have since been drawn together in a new way through the difficult times—“everything working together” to conform  both of us to the image of Christ.

I lived part of my life through her, for she had a life I did not have.  God enabled me to see what He can do, beyond what any earthly parent can do.  Perhaps this was part of His plan for me to see beyond myself to Him.

This week as I have been preparing for this celebration the thought came that revealed the blessing that God put in my life all these years.  If I could have lived the life of another woman here on this earth I would have wished for the life He gave my daughter.
That is how much I love the daughter that He gave me.

Celebration of  THE LIFE

Now that we have celebrated the life of our daughter today we are continuing our plans for tomorrow.  Every day and every week is the time for preparation for the Lord’s Day—the day we celebrate the Life from which all life comes.

“For by Him (Jesus Christ) were all things created that are in heaven and in the earth…and by Him all things consist.  For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness (life) dwell.” Colossians 1:16-19
“And of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.” John 1:16

Christ exhibited this Life in human form and then sacrificed that physical life that we might receive eternal life through Him.
Those who can testify of their new birth—new life in Christ—will celebrate the eternal life of Jesus Christ on the Lord’s Day.  It is the inheritance we have in Him as children of the living God, our heavenly Father.
We meet together with his other sons and daughters to worship and adore the one who gave His life that we might live with Him, forever.

At Christ Reformed Church we are invited every Lord’s Day to His table to feast on this life—His body broken for us; His blood shed for us—all for us, that we might be all for Him.

My heavenly Father blessed me with a precious daughter and son here on this earth, both originating with His Son.  Through new life in Him, supernaturally by His own Spirit, He continues to bless me and promises this for eternity.
Even in the years of my estrangement from Him Christ compensated for me and in His timing brought me to know His love for me.  Now the only life I desire is the life of Christ; His life in me, and my living in Him.   This is how much I love the Son given to me.

“He who has the Son has Life.”
1 John 5:12

Father, open our eyes to see ourselves as we are without you.  Reveal Christ to us as our only hope of life for this world and for eternity.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen