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It shouldn’t be that hard to remember, I experience it every time I go out to my garden and every time I get bit by a mosquito; the whole created order is groaning, along with humanity, and waiting for the final redemption. I forget this sometimes. While the humans are the ones that Christ died for, the whole created order matters to God and is awaiting the final redemption. Romans 8:22 reminds us, “the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” That’s intense groaning! That final redemption has not happened yet, but we wait in hope for the Day.

Recently I read, “We live in a Jesus-haunted but Biblically illiterate culture.” The author went on to describe how this combination creates an environment for believing the lies of the enemy. People have interest in Jesus but because they don’t know the Bible, they will believe anything they hear about Him. If we are going to worship Jesus “in truth,” we’ll need to know how He has described Himself in the Word. The One we read about in the Gospels is the same One we read about in Revelation.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve had several phases to your career. Early in my career I was the lead engineer at a company who designed and built custom manufacturing equipment. I would design machines on a CAD system, then go out to the toolroom and fabricated all the components and put the machine together. I became known as a person who was really good at designing and building machines, but then I got a new job at a new company managing groups of people and directing projects. The people who knew me as the machine builder had a hard time thinking of me as anything but a machine builder. Fast forward in my career and I made another change. I left the company where I was known as the guy who leads large teams of people working on strategic business projects and started my own business selling wood and building custom furniture. I had a team of one (me).

A country singer has noted in one of his many songs that he has “friends in low places.” As believers in Jesus Christ, it’s worth noting that we have a Friend in high places. This coming weekend is Ascension Sunday. 40 days after He left the tomb, Jesus Christ ascended to the right hand of the Throne of God and He is seated there. He reigns over all.

Sometimes vulnerability is a positive trait. When someone is honest, open to criticism and transparent they are described as “vulnerable.” However, there is a downside to vulnerability. Vulnerable can also mean susceptible to or capable of being hurt, harmed or damaged. For example, periodically, through no fault of their own, children are found in vulnerable circumstances. We should do our best to help reduce their vulnerability.