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May 2003
Dear Saints,
Praise God that May has arrived and some of our men and women are coming home from the Middle East! May God be praised for the speedy outcome over in Iraq. Did you happen to notice that during the war a new clothing style emerged? This new style has become quite popular overseas, especially in China where the new clothing style originated. It is the surgical mask worn over the nose and mouth. I have seen these masks in pink, blue, powder blue, but white seems to be the basic choice when it comes to surgical masks. I guess that’s because white goes with just about anything. Michael Jackson tried to start the stylish trend over here years ago, but it never caught on. Seriously though, the masks are being worn by thousands all over the world not because they are trying to be in vogue with the latest styles, but because of fear. Fear of getting the SARS virus. The disease has been in the news almost every day even during the war, many times it took center stage. Doctors are concerned because it is highly dangerous and contagious and they aren’t sure how it spreads. The world is increasing the security at borders hoping to contain the disease. Every body is doing what they can to insure they are not infected, thus the new look with the surgical mask.
Seeing people on the news wearing these masks to prevent getting a deadly virus made me think of an even more deadly disease. It is called Sin. Like SARS it is highly contagious and deadly. We are encouraged by the Apostle Paul to put off the old man, to let our minds be renewed every day. We are warned that it is the "little foxes" that destroy the vine. These attitudes of the world are so easily caught. We can become bitter and unforgiving to the point where we don’t even notice that sin has slipped into our lives unnoticed. All these, like the SARS virus, begin to take the very life and spirit from us. Like the people with the surgical masks, we should do everything in our power to prevent the virus from getting into our system. For SARS it’s a mask, for sin it is praying, reading the Bible and going to church. Our spiritual health rests on renewing our mind daily in the Holy Scriptures. Doctors are still trying to find the cure for SARS. We all ready have the cure for sin!! ! His name is Jesus. May we continue to take sin serious and fight against it in our lives as much as the world fights against deadly viruses like SARS! The Apostle Paul said it best, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
See ya at Church
Pastor Rick
