I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. Psalm 130:5-6.

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that You care for him? Psalm 8:3-4.

Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of Your Presence, Lord. Psalm 89:15.

Our chapter, Titus 3, is the last chapter of this letter. Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned. When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way so that nothing is lacking for them. Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.

Last night I walked with our daughter and granddaughter. Our granddaughter, at 16, is rightly incensed at injustice in our world. I love her energy even as it saps my own! And then we came to a small memorial at a small tree where 2 young girls her age died in a senseless accident while sledding behind a truck. She was appalled that their life was now over before it truly began. But their life is not over. He saved us…not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior…so that being justified by His grace…we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life! This physical life is but the beginning. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed – in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:51-52. I love this: Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship…for they walk in the light of Your Presence, Lord! The joyful call to worship is the Holy Spirit within showing us how beautiful is the love of Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit. More and more I’m realizing that the kingdom of God is where He is. Jesus, the Son, showed those living then what the kingdom was like as they lived and interacted with Him. It didn’t end here with His death and resurrection back to the Father. I will not leave you as orphans…I will come to you…I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper; that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him…but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. John 14:18, 16-17. Jesus lives still here…In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. John 14:20. The disciples didn’t fully understand what Jesus was saying before His death and His leaving them. After He returned to be with them after His resurrection, they understood. Nothing is impossible with God. We can know God. We can know His love. We can know His peace. His peace will undo the fear permeating everything in this world as His Presence guides and sustains us. A whole different reality lived in the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. How? When the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared…He saved us. The gospel of the kingdom of our God. Instead of asking what is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that You care for him…can we ask – What is God that He so loves mankind? THAT is a journey worth taking to understand for all eternity as we walk in the light of His Presence!