Friday, February 23, 2007

Heavenly Father, please reveal to me today the glorious and wonderful
life you intend for your creation – everyone and everything.

Scripture for Today: Romans 3:23-24

Questions: Why do you think it is hard for us to believe that ‘all have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God’? What image comes to mind
when you reflect on ‘falling short’? How has God’s grace brought you
into God’s glory?

His rocket motorcycle streaked across the sky towards his goal; fame,
fortune, and the far side of the Snake River canyon. As you probably
know, on that late summer day in 1974, Evel Knievel did not make it to
the other side. Though he parachuted safely to the canyon floor, he fell
short of the daredevil glory he had sought most of his life and was
willing to risk his life to gain.
Paul tells us that in this wonderful and daring life God has given us,
we, like Evel Knievel, have fallen short. All of us sin – literally, we
miss the mark – and fall short of the glory of God - the glorious life
God intends for His creation. It may not seem this way, but I think
almost everyone agrees with this truth. If you turn on the television,
read a newspaper, or surf the internet you will find that most people
feel strongly that many things in the world are not the way they are
supposed to be. In other words, the world is missing the mark.
And yet, even though people agree the world is falling short, our lives
change when we embrace the reality, ‘I fall short of the glory of GOD.’
No matter how hard I try, I keep missing the mark. This means I cannot
be just a critic of the problem; I must recognize that I am part of the
problem. And I cannot solve it!
But by His grace God has solved our problem and the world’s in Christ.
Jesus has made a way for all of us to the other side. His cross is the
bridge over the canyon between us and the glory of God. Jesus alone can
connect us and the world to the glorious life God created for us.

Abba Father, thank you for your grace in Jesus Christ that brings me
into the glorious life you intend. Holy Spirit, please fill me with your
presence so that I might share this good news with others through loving
and powerful words and deeds. AMEN.

Mike McCoy, The Hills Vineyard Christian Fellowship