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The Citizen, 1987-07-29, Page 17From the Minister's Study THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 1987. PAGE 17. Jesus isn't squeamish about saving sinners BY JAMES H. CARNE, PASTOR HURON CHAPEL MISSIONARY CHURCH, AUBURN The situation was embarrassing in the extreme. In a back room of a Dearborn, Mich, restaurant, attir­ ed in our best “Sunday-go- meetin’ ’’ clothes, we were directed to four large green garbage bags, into one of which I had reason to believe that I had inadvertently swept my glasses in the process of clearing our dinner trav. Brussels women attend UCW conference More than 716UnitedChurch Women met July 18 - 21st at the University of Waterloo to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their organization - UCW. Betty Graber. Brussels and Jean Mathers and Nancy Corrigan of Bluevale enjoyed the time, except for a 40-minute elevator stall between floors. United Church Moderator Ann Squire and Lois Wilson. Past Moderator, were theme speakers for the gathering. Many subjects, concerns and dreams were dealt with in United Church manner. For one who is sufficiently paranoid about coming intocontact with garbage, to the point that I generally wear gloves to carry it to the curb, the prospect of combing through those four bags of sodden serviettesand second hand cold cuts was absolutely appalling. Once more I “patted myself down,’’ like a seasoned detective, ensuring that there was no possi­ bility of a reassuring bulge in any of my pockets. 1 mentally retraced my steps: perhaps 1 had left them behind in the motel room; imposs­ ible; I had driven from there with too much ease of vision, and the speakers on the distant platform had been in comfortable perspec­ tive all morning. I considered the cost of simply purchasing another pair when I returned home, but my licence says that I need them in order to drive, and all the remaining events of the General Conference would have to be viewed through an astygmatic blur. So, we sorted through the sodden mess, my wife, with the casualness that comes with half a lifetime of cleaning up after babies and banquets; I, with a mental nose-holding, arms-length detachment. Our frustration at not finding the glasses was tempered, somewhat, by the fact that my wife did find two books of coupons which enabled us to eat at reduced rates for the rest of the week! Upon returning to our places in the nextConferencesitting, the president announced that there wasonhisdeska pair of glasses that someone had seen a man drop on his way to lunch ... At the next break in the proceedings I slunk up to the desk and retrieved my errant eye-piece. Lostness is a label that we try to avoid at all costs. It used to embarrass me to have to hunt through the city streets for our philandering pooch; after all, responsible people never lose their dogs. And what a reflection it is on the family if some teen should flee deliberately the parental home in order to lose himself in some counter-culture. The alcoholic re­ cognizes himself only with great difficulty; and if the “down-and- outer’’ has trouble reconciling himself to his lostness, what a near impossibility it is for the “up-and- outer’’ to leave the supposed shelter of his self-righteousness and to believe the Word that asserts that ‘ ‘there is none righte­ ous, no, not one.” (Rom. 3:10) Jesus was not squeamish about saving sinners and helping the hopelessly lost. He did not simply kneel down by the pit of our degradation and extend to us His hand. Rather, He slipped down into our moral morass and, cupp­ ing Hishands, invited us to step up, even while we pushed Him deeper into the depths of our lostness. The Bible says that “He became sin for us, Whoknewno sin that we might become the righte­ ousness of God in Him.’’ (2 Cor. 5:21) Only sinners can be saved! Only the lost can be found! Jesus said that He came, not to call the Blyth Christian Reformed Church HIGHWAY 4, BLYTH Rev. Roger Gelwicks Worship Services 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. SundaySchool 11:00a.m. The Church of the “Back to God Hour” and “Faith 20’’ Back to God Hour 10:30a.m. CKNX, Sunday Faith20 5:00a.m. weekdays, GlobalT.V. ALL VISITORS WELCOME righteous, butsinnerstorepen- ~ tenace; He came to seek and to save that which was lost. It is embarr­ assing to be lost, to be “out of control’’ of one’s life. But, for one who is sufficiently aware of his need, and desperate enough to swallow his pride and confess that need, there is “mercy with the Lord. ’ ’ He can leave behind the garbage of his life and, though his sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, and, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isa. 1:18) No wonder the angels rejoice when the lost is found and the prodigal comes home! 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