The Citizen, 1987-09-30, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1987.
From the Minister's Study
r
BYDONVAIR
WESTFIELD FELLOWSHIP
HOUR
How often have you and I been
guilty of trying to excuse our
inexcusable behaviour by uttering
the words “If I had only known.’’
How careless and inconsiderate
we can often be.
How we hurt others and even
those we love most. We leave a trail
of destruction behind us that all of
our tears and wishful thinking
cannot heal, and then we have the
nerve to say “ If I had only known, ’ ’
in hopes that somehow it might
make up for our unkind, unloving
behaviour.
I’m sure it has happened many
times that a husband or wife,
before leaving the house, has
offered a kiss of reconciliation after
a misunderstanding in the home,
while the spouse turns a cold
shoulder and refuses the kiss. The
tragic news comes that the one
whose kiss had been rejected is
now dead, as a result of a fatal car
accident or heart attack.
“If I had only known” cries the
bereaved one. “How different I
would have been. Oh, iflcould only
turn back the clock and live those
moments over again.”
Don't say 'If only I had known
The truth, aswe all know it, is
that we cannot turn back the clock,
and the memory of our actions
whether good or bad, kind or
careless, will be with us until our
dying breath.
Let us learn from the mistakes
we have made and take the time to
evaluatecarefully our thoughts
and feelings, before they become
wordsoractions. Somanyofour
responses toothers, yes even to
those we dearly love, are based
upon what appears to be true,
which may in fact be far removed
from the truth.
As a parent, all too often I have
reacted impulsively toward my
child on the basis of what seemed
clearly to be the facts, but in the
end, I had to apologize profusely
because I was so sadly mistaken “If
I had only known.”
How shall we apply our thoughts
thus far to the Gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ? How often have we
heard the Gospel message deliver
ed on the radio and television? We
have read it in magazines and
newspapers such as The Citizen,
and we can even go and hear it
first-hand in a local church.
Canada has been saturated with
the good news that Jesus Christ
was made flesh for the purpose of
dying for sinners, like you and me.
We have read in the Bible how His
blood was shed on Calvary’s cross
to pay the full price for the world’s
sin, so that those who repent from
their sin, receive Jesus Christ as
their Saviour and Lord, can go to
Heaven upon their death. We have
heard also that this Messiah Christ
Jesus was buried, but rose from the
dead.
What have we done with such
awesome truth? The tragedy is that
Bly th Christian
Reformed Church
HIGHWAY 4, BLYTH
We are ceiebratingour 25th anniversary as
Blyth Christian Reformed Church
Speakers at 10 a. m.
Rev. Rs J. Sikkemaof Mount Hamilton, Ont. and
Rev. R. L. Gelwicksof FortWayneflnd.]
and2:30p.m. Rev. R. J. Sikkema
Sunday School 11:00a.m.
The Church of the “Back to God Hour” and “Faith 20”
Back to God Hour 10:30a.m. CKNX, Sunday
Faith 20 5:00a.m. weekdays, GlobalT.V.
ALL VISITORS WELCOME
most will notbelieve the Gospel
and since there is only one plan of
salvation, they must bear the awfu 1
consequence.
Will you awake some day in
eternity to find that there is a Hell
as Jesus and His disciples taught,
will you truthfully be able to say ‘ ‘ If
I had only known”?
Listen my friend to the words of
the Holy scripture, to a verse most
beloved. John3:16 “For God so
loved the world that He gave His
only begotten Son,, that whoso
ever believeth in Him should not
perish, but have everlasting Life.”
John 3: 36 says, “He that
believeth on the Son hath everlast
ing Life and he that believeth not
the Son shall not see Life, but the
wrath of God abideth on Him.”
My friend, we do know the truth.
Letus then obey the Gosepl and
know thejoy of eternal Life with
Christ in a real place called
Heaven.