September 27, 2020

The Shepherd's Corner

THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER

The other day when I was rummaging through my stored-away belongings, I stumbled upon a picture of somebody, taken several decades ago.  He looked handsome in his suit with a smile on his face.  He was, at the time, climbing up to the top of his career.  He seemed to have a Midas touch; everything he touched—or did—became a success.  His future was certain—his would be a good life.

Unfortunately that is not the case today; instead of at the top, he is at the bottom.  The bright future, which he had seemingly secured in his hands, has slipped away.  Instead of success, he has reaped—and caused—havoc.  In the words of Isaiah (14:12), “How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of dawn!  You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low to the nations!”

Perhaps you also knew people, who, like morning stars, had soared to the sky to be cast down to the earth.  We grieve when we see these once stellar lives crash to the rock bottom. Perhaps we are afraid that the same fate will befall us.  We should rightly be afraid.

But we should be afraid for the right reason.  You see, our down-fall is our own doing. It is not fate; it is not as a result of outside forces’ pressing against us beyond our control; and it is surely not God’s arbitrary action against us, His helpless and powerless creatures.   In fact it is not because of what others did to us; more often than not it is because of the many poor and reckless choices we have made.

This leads me to conclude that the three most expensive words are, “I am sorry.”  Fulton Sheen in his book Life of Christ sums it well, “The good repent on knowing their sin; the evil becomes angry when discovered.”  When God discovers, just say, “I am sorry.”

Pastor Paul

More Shepherd's Corner Articles

The Shepherd's Corner - August 20, 2017
THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER Today we will begin our new series, “This Is How It All Began” which is based on the Book of Acts....
Read More
The Shepherd's Corner - February 20, 2022
In one of his books, John C. Maxwell, quotes the good advice given by his friend, Zig Ziglar, “You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”  O how true! When we help others, we are helping ourselves. When we bless others, God will [&hell...
Read More
The Shepherd's Corner - December 11, 2016
THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER One of the most honest persons I have met was Oom Tek Bien. He did not mince his words; he told it as it was. Nowadays that kind of honesty is a rarity; we are more accustomed to saying things we don’t mean and expressing feelings we don’t even feel, just to […]...
Read More