Dr. Richard Selzer

It Still Works

Dr. Richard Selzer wrote about a report that he gave after a surgery he
performed on a young lady had left a lasting blemish:

I stand by the bed where a young woman lies, her face postoperative, her
mouth twisted in palsy, clownish. A tiny twig of the facial nerve, the one
to the muscles of her mouth, has been severed. She will be thus from now
on. The surgeon had followed with religious fervor the curve of her flesh;
I promise you that. Nevertheless, to remove the tumor in her cheek, I had
to cut the little nerve. Her young husband is in the room. He stands on
the opposite side of the bed and together they seem to dwell in the evening
lamplight, isolated from me, private. Who are they, I ask myself, he and
this wry mouth I have made, who gaze at and touch each other so generously,
greedily?

The young woman speaks. "Will my mouth always be like this?" she asks.

"Yes," I say, "it will. It is because the nerve was cut."

She nods and is silent. But the young man smiles. "I like it," he says,
"It is kind of cute." All at once I know who he is. I understand and I
lower my gaze. One is not bold in an encounter with greatness. Unmindful,
he bends to kiss her crooked mouth and I am so close I can see how he twists
his own lips to accommodate to hers, to show her that their kiss still
works. *

Our sins have marred the image of our souls. We have "missed the mark" in
many ways (Romans 3:23) leaving scars that glaringly reveal our mistakes.

But when Jesus looks at us, His gaze is one of love. He loves us anyway,
scars and all. He came to us and died on the cross for our sins so that we
may be made whole in His sight (1 Peter 2:24). Despite the mistakes of our
past and our future, His grace still works. He has never stopped loving us,
and He never will.

Accept His offer of love, grace, and life. Place your faith and trust in
Him (Acts 16:30-31), turn from your sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31),
confess His sweet and glorious name (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized
(immersed) into Christ and He will cleanse your soul (Acts 2:38; 22:16).
Then continue to follow Him faithfully, and He will continue to cleanse you
from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:7-9).

Marred by sin, we come face to face with Jesus. Though it cost Him His life
to pay for our sins, He looks at us with love and mercy, longing for us to
accept His offer of salvation and eternal life.

"Bring Christ your broken life, So marred by sin; He will create anew, Make
whole again.
Your empty, wasted years, He will restore, And your iniquities Remember no
more."
-- T.O. Chisholm

And when we accept His offer, we realize that we have encountered God - a
loving, gracious God.

-- David A. Sargent

* Richard Selzer, M.D., Mortal Lessons: Notes on the Art of Surgery, 1978,
pp. 45-6 as quoted in www.sermonillustrations.com.

The historian Xenophon

Observe Him

 

The historian Xenophon states, that when Cyrus had taken captives including a young prince of Armenia with his young and beautiful wife, they were brought before the tribunal of Cyrus to receive their sentence.  The warrior inquired of the prince what he would give to be reinstated in his kingdom.  The prince replied that he valued his crown and his liberty at a very low rate, but that if the noble conqueror would restore his beloved wife to her former dignity and possessions, he would willingly pay his life for the purchase.  The prisoners were dismissed, to enjoy their freedom and former honors; and each was lavish in praises of the conqueror.

 

“And you,” said the prince, addressing his wife, “what did you think of Cyrus?”

 

“I did not observe him,” she replied.

 

“Not observe him!” exclaimed her husband, “upon whom, then, was your attention fixed?”

 

“Upon that dear and generous man,” she replied, “who declared his readiness to purchase my liberty at the expense of his life.” *

 

May I direct your attention to the One who gave His life for you so that you can be saved from your sins and look forward to eternal life in heaven?

 

His name is Jesus.  He is the Son of God.  He is the One that died on the cross for your sins and for mine.  He died for us so that we might live.  He took upon Himself the punishment for our sins so that we can be saved.  Peter reminded some “suffering saints” of what Christ has done for them:  “He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24).

 

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

 

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” – Hebrews 12:2-3 NIV

 

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace”

-- Helen H. Lemmel

 

Won’t YOU turn your eyes upon Jesus, accept His offer of salvation, and follow Him all the way to heaven?

 

-- David A. Sargent

 

* Source: Practical Bible Illustrations From Yesterday And Today, Richard A. Steele, Jr. and Evelyn Stoner as quoted in www.ministry127.com.  Verified in “History of Iran: Cyropaedia of Xenophon; The Life of Cyrus the Great.  Book 3, Section 1, as quoted in www.iranchamber.com.

 

David A. Sargent, Minister

 

Shonda Lemon United States Postal Service

A Caring Carrier

Shonda Lemon has worked as a mail carrier for the United States Postal
Service for eight years in the city of Chicago. While delivering mail to
individuals, she has built a relationship with many of the recipients,
especially some senior citizens who live alone. 89-year-old Helen Iwanski
is one of those senior citizens that Lemon has befriended. In the last four
years, the two have exchanged short, friendly conversations. Lemon has
tried to make it easier for Iwanski to handle her bundle of mail more easily
by wrapping a rubber band around it.

But for three days in a row last month, Iwanski had not picked up her mail.
Lemon was very concerned.

Lemon told Fox Television Stations' Stephanie Weaver that she knew Iwanski
lived alone, didn't have children, and hadn't traveled anywhere in years, so
she called the police to do a wellness check on January 14.

Police found Iwanski on the floor in her home. She had fallen and had been
lying there for several days.

When a police officer told Lemon that Iwanski had fallen but was alive, she
broke into tears. "I began to cry, because it was a rejoicing moment for
me, knowing that I had assisted her in [saving] her life," Lemon explained.
"And, ya know, it was just the pain and thought of what she may have been
going through for those three days on the floor."

Iwanski was admitted to a local hospital and is currently regaining her
strength at a rehab facility. She is incredibly thankful for her caring
mail carrier.

"My Aunt [Helen Iwanski] sends her love and appreciation to Shonda for being
there for her. She said she will be forever grateful for Shonda caring
enough to call the police," said Mary Mason, Iwanski's niece.

Each of us has "fallen" because of our sins. We are helpless and cannot
save ourselves.

But God loves us so much that He sent His one and only Son to rescue us
(John 3:16). Jesus had to give His life for us to pay the price for our
redemption from sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). He "gave Himself for our sins to
rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and
Father, to Whom be glory forever and ever. Amen" (Galatians 1:4-5 NIV).
Jesus cared enough to carry the burden of our sins upon Himself (1 Peter
2:24), to save us.

If we will only accept His offer of salvation, He will cleanse us from sin
and give us eternal life (Ephesians 1:7).

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust
in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts
17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized
(immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). He will
continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His
Word (1 John 1:7-9).

You have fallen, but Somebody has noticed and Somebody cares. The God who
created you wants to save you from sin. He sent His Son to rescue you.

Won't YOU accept His offer by trusting and obeying Him today?

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned from "Chicago USPS mail carrier helped rescue
89-year-old woman who fell and couldn't get up" by Lucas Manfredi,
www.foxnews.com.