Vietnam note:
I met a very competent and friendly Vietnames receptionist/office manager at the Canadian embassy last week. She was very helpful as I applied for a new passport (my old one is full). As I was leaving I complemented her on her very good English and learned she had only spent 3 weeks in Canada, her only trip outside of Vietnam.
Today she called me because I had not given the complete information required on the passport. Over the phone she gave me her email address which I understood except for one letter. We had to try about five times before I got it. The letter "g" in Vietnamese is pronounced like a "z". So while her English was fine, when it came to that letter, I was hearing "z" while she was saying "g". When she gave me sample words that start with the "unidentified" letter they all sounded like they started with "z". Finally we had to start at "" and go through the alphabet until we to to "g" that still sounded like "z". Funny and a little embarrassing for us both.
Scripture note:
The higher our view of Christ, the more amazing is the position we are granted. Through faith in Christ we are granted the wonderful status as children of God. While this is huge and totally of grace, I somehow find it easier to understand/accept/believe than the collateral truth that through the work of Christ on our behalf, we become His "siblings".
Of course the terms "children" and "siblings" should not be understood to mean the same as what we mean in family terms here on earth. Yet since Scripture uses them, there must be a significant equivalence.
This is the passage I read this morning:
"Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived.Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” --- Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:31 - 35
Say it quietly, think about it humbly and with wonder: if you are doing the will of God, which starts with trusting in the One He sent, then you are "Christ's sister, his brother". Amazing, that we should become children of God; amazing that in spite of our sin and failure, Jesus Christ, Lord of the universe, is not ashamed to call us his siblings! (See more on this in Romans 8 and Hebrews 2)
I met a very competent and friendly Vietnames receptionist/office manager at the Canadian embassy last week. She was very helpful as I applied for a new passport (my old one is full). As I was leaving I complemented her on her very good English and learned she had only spent 3 weeks in Canada, her only trip outside of Vietnam.
Today she called me because I had not given the complete information required on the passport. Over the phone she gave me her email address which I understood except for one letter. We had to try about five times before I got it. The letter "g" in Vietnamese is pronounced like a "z". So while her English was fine, when it came to that letter, I was hearing "z" while she was saying "g". When she gave me sample words that start with the "unidentified" letter they all sounded like they started with "z". Finally we had to start at "" and go through the alphabet until we to to "g" that still sounded like "z". Funny and a little embarrassing for us both.
Scripture note:
The higher our view of Christ, the more amazing is the position we are granted. Through faith in Christ we are granted the wonderful status as children of God. While this is huge and totally of grace, I somehow find it easier to understand/accept/believe than the collateral truth that through the work of Christ on our behalf, we become His "siblings".
Of course the terms "children" and "siblings" should not be understood to mean the same as what we mean in family terms here on earth. Yet since Scripture uses them, there must be a significant equivalence.
This is the passage I read this morning:
"Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived.Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” --- Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:31 - 35
Say it quietly, think about it humbly and with wonder: if you are doing the will of God, which starts with trusting in the One He sent, then you are "Christ's sister, his brother". Amazing, that we should become children of God; amazing that in spite of our sin and failure, Jesus Christ, Lord of the universe, is not ashamed to call us his siblings! (See more on this in Romans 8 and Hebrews 2)
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