POSSESSION 

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14 (ESV)

This passage in Titus is one of my recent memorization projects.  I used to think I couldn't

memorize scripture.  Oh, I had memory verses and did some memorization but nothing consistently.  Then quite a few years back, I found a memorization program and tried again.  I found it worked well and even when I completed the program I continued choosing passages and writing them on 3x5 cards and memorizing them.  I review several of the passages daily so as not to forget them. 

One thing I really love about memorizing scripture is the way the passages come to my mind at various times.  Often as I am getting ready to fall asleep one or more will come to mind and if I wake up in the wee hours before it is time to get up.  This has been a true blessing to me.  

This morning the above scripture was what came to mind before it was time to get up for the day.  As I was pondering the scripture I settled on the idea of being a people for God's own possession.

We all have various possessions.  They are more or less valuable to us for different reasons.  Some we paid a lot of money for and some were just found items.  So we understand possessions.  When we moved here we paid a lot of money to buy a car so we would be able to get from place to place.  That car is valuable to us and we take the best possible care of it.  When it gets dirty, we are sure to get it washed.  If something breaks on it, we get it repaired.  

As I thought about what this scripture says about being God's possession, I thought of the price God paid for us.  It says the grace of God appeared and brought salvation.  The grace of God became man and was killed, buried and rose again.  That was a price beyond belief.  Way beyond what we might pay for a house or a car.

God cares for us as we care for our possessions.  He trains us.  He is polishing us up.  He is preparing something wonderful for us.  

We have a purpose.  Most of our possessions have a purpose, even if it is only sentimental.  This passage says that we are to be zealous for good works.  

We are like a finely crafted piece of furniture that has been made by a master craftsman.  He has sawn, nailed, sanded, stained, varnished, polished, waxed--everything to make us what he wants us to be.  We must be fulfilling our purpose, proclaiming the skill of the master.

Just some thoughts that went through my mind early this morning.  Maybe they will bless you.

 SCRIPTURE WRITING

Last year we had the privilege of visiting a wonderful congregation of God's people in Lusaka, Zambia.  It was such a blessing to see how active and vibrant the congregation is.  It was also great to see some of our former students active in the work there.

During the announcements it was mentioned that they had a retreat coming up at which they would be studying the book of Deuteronomy.  In connection with that a challenge had been

issued to the congregation.  Everyone that planned to participate in the retreat was asked to write out the entire book of Deuteronomy before the retreat, if possible!  Wow!  Some who had completed the task were mentioned.  

Later in the day, we were visiting in the home of one of the prominent women in the congregation.  She mentioned that this is something the congregation has done from time to time and she herself had copied out several books of the Bible.  I was impressed as I know that she is a truly godly woman and has a wonderful Christian family.  

But, I really didn't think a lot more about it.

For years, I have been copying short passages of scripture onto note cards so that I could work to memorize them.  I have found that a great blessing as it really makes you stop and think about those verses.

Then, just a few days ago, in a blog I read, an article titled "Scripture Writing" was mentioned.  I was intrigued and wondered what it was about.  As I read the article I realized it was talking about the blessing of writing out entire books of the Bible!  Apparently, that is more common than I realized.  

Some have even joined together in an online group that sends out the scripture to write for that day with a short devotional thought.  

Others find that just choosing a book and writing it out works best.  That can be done up as simply or a fancy as you like.  Some even write their thoughts on the scripture along with their daily writing.  

Some have charts to keep track of which books they have written, which can be simple or fancy as well.  

The process of handwriting causes you to slow down and take time over the scripture.  That is never a bad thing.

I have been thinking about starting my own scripture writing.  I have a notebook and pen. 

Now, I need to choose a book to start with.

What do you think?  Would you like to start your own scripture writing?  Please let me know how it goes for you.

 THE ROCK

I have always liked rocks.  As a child I had a rock collection and I still find myself picking up interesting looking rocks to keep and enjoy.  I always did a geology project in 4-H.  I remember my dad taking me to a quarry near our home to collect rocks to take home and test for my project.  

Rocks are the bones of the earth.  Some rocks are far from the surface and in other places the bones peek through.  

We live in a mountainous country.  Rocks are everywhere.  Naturally, the mountains have

names, but even many of the large rocks have names.  It is said that Sibebe Rock here in our country is the largest rock in Africa.  I don't know if that is true, but it is indeed a large rock.

Rocks have been important to mankind throughout history.  Archaeologists have found well used tools made from rocks.  The American Indians and other hunter/gatherers used rocks to make arrowheads or to fling with their slingshots to hunt game for food.  Rocks have even been used to record events.  Over 2000

years ago the San people (also known as Bushmen) lived in this area.  If you follow a nearly impassable road by car and then hike down the mountain with a guide you can still see the amazing paintings they left behind telling their stories.

Rocks are also the subject of proverbs.  We talk about being "rock solid." "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."  "Rocks need no protection from the rain," and many others.  

Scripture refers to rocks.  Remember when God told Moses to bring water from the rock so the people could drink?  When God wanted to show His back to Moses he used a rock to protect him:  "And the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.” Exodus 33:21-23 (ESV)  

God is referred to as our rock:  “The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation," 2 Samuel 22:47 (ESV)  

The church is founded on the rock, Jesus, the Son of God:  "Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.  And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matthew 16:16-18 (ESV)

And then there is the well-loved story of the wise and foolish builders.  “Everyone then who

hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.  And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."  Matthew 7:24-27 (ESV)

Here is the important point.  We must have the foundation of our faith on the rock.  We live in a fallen world.  We will have problems.  When those times come it can be like a torrential rainfall.  We can wonder through the wind, rain, lightning and thunder if our faith will stand.  But, if it is founded on the rock it will not fall.  Our rock holds us in place even through the most terrifying storms.  

We see so many who face difficulties and lose their faith.  When the rains come if our faith is not firmly on the rock the water will wash the sand out from under us.  The wonderful thing is that we can be redeemed.  Our rock is always ready to hold us up if we just stand on Him.  

Don't be discouraged if you are in the midst of a storm.  Keep firmly on the rock, He will get you through.