Extensions
Z2740087. That tourist visa, back in 1979-1980, I think, that year in Okinawa for thyroid problems, required frequent trips to the immigration office for renewal. Residence Permission was extended and extended and extended. "Extended" is a word I was reminded of recently.
The responsive reading for yesterday's worship service was Ps. 136, with all those "for His mercy endures forever"s. I could look back on Mother and see how God extended and extended and extended His mercy. I won't go back 19 years, which is the number of years her son's been saved, and the number of years she's had direct contact with the Gospel. When we were first married, I heard my husband witnessing to his mother over the phone, so I KNOW she's heard the Gospel many times. Even the past 2-3 years: God dowsed me with an awareness of His longing for her to be saved and escape eternal damnation as well as a desire to know the fulness of His Love--this was in 2001, to such a degree, I couldn't help but share with her, over and over, from the Word, the plan of salvation, even left a larger-print Bible at her home so we could refer to it when we talked (mine is fine-print). I thought we had real good talks plus had a better relationship! Then in 2002, she put a stop to those talks saying she didn't want to talk religion anymore and even returned the Bible/tracts I'd given her, saying she wouldn't be needing them. But it didn't matter to God that she'd rejected Him; He kept extending His mercy. She had that stroke at the end of 2004, but God said "Not yet" and preserved her life. She got better, it seemed, and that second stroke came the following year. But God said "Not yet" and preserved her life again, extending her chance to accept Him! He keeps extending and extending, Oh that one day she would turn her heart and ACCEPT His Love! But we know that man's heart is so sinful and dead, only God's working in it can implant a desire for God much less any understanding of what He says...oh how we pray that He would be merciful to her to continue to work in her heart too!
I know this letter is getting long, but can I share just one more blessing? Church yesterday. God had all sorts of goodies in it for me. Just one. At the end of the yearly business meeting, when a review was being made of the salvation decisions made last year, I realized three of them were PARENTS OF CHURCH MEMBERS, TWO OF THEM HOSPITALIZED AND UNABLE TO SPEAK, LIKE MY MOTHER-IN-LAW! God seemed to be sending me extra hope and encouragement--He is so Kind!
"Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?" (Rom. 2:4, NKJV)
note:
I just found this. Mother finally DID accept Christ. She was saved in June of 2006, and the Lord called her Home a few months later.
The responsive reading for yesterday's worship service was Ps. 136, with all those "for His mercy endures forever"s. I could look back on Mother and see how God extended and extended and extended His mercy. I won't go back 19 years, which is the number of years her son's been saved, and the number of years she's had direct contact with the Gospel. When we were first married, I heard my husband witnessing to his mother over the phone, so I KNOW she's heard the Gospel many times. Even the past 2-3 years: God dowsed me with an awareness of His longing for her to be saved and escape eternal damnation as well as a desire to know the fulness of His Love--this was in 2001, to such a degree, I couldn't help but share with her, over and over, from the Word, the plan of salvation, even left a larger-print Bible at her home so we could refer to it when we talked (mine is fine-print). I thought we had real good talks plus had a better relationship! Then in 2002, she put a stop to those talks saying she didn't want to talk religion anymore and even returned the Bible/tracts I'd given her, saying she wouldn't be needing them. But it didn't matter to God that she'd rejected Him; He kept extending His mercy. She had that stroke at the end of 2004, but God said "Not yet" and preserved her life. She got better, it seemed, and that second stroke came the following year. But God said "Not yet" and preserved her life again, extending her chance to accept Him! He keeps extending and extending, Oh that one day she would turn her heart and ACCEPT His Love! But we know that man's heart is so sinful and dead, only God's working in it can implant a desire for God much less any understanding of what He says...oh how we pray that He would be merciful to her to continue to work in her heart too!
I know this letter is getting long, but can I share just one more blessing? Church yesterday. God had all sorts of goodies in it for me. Just one. At the end of the yearly business meeting, when a review was being made of the salvation decisions made last year, I realized three of them were PARENTS OF CHURCH MEMBERS, TWO OF THEM HOSPITALIZED AND UNABLE TO SPEAK, LIKE MY MOTHER-IN-LAW! God seemed to be sending me extra hope and encouragement--He is so Kind!
"Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?" (Rom. 2:4, NKJV)
note:
I just found this. Mother finally DID accept Christ. She was saved in June of 2006, and the Lord called her Home a few months later.
Labels: ...just thinking...
posted by Life in Koriyama @ 2:33 PM
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