Thursday, December 17, 2009
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Narnia was a mythical land, created by C. S. Lewis, where the animals talk and where four children experience this series of incredible adventures. The seven-part series, "The Chronicles of Narnia," have long fascinated children and adults alike. And then came Disney's movie version of the first Narnia story, "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," and it was a blockbuster. In the story, the wardrobe is the closet through which the children discover Narnia. The witch is the evil ruler of the land. She's creating an endless winter where it is "always winter but never Christmas." And the lion is Aslan, the great son of the Emperor from across the sea. He is, in C. S. Lewis' imagery, the Christ-figure of Narnia. As the children begin to experience the icy and dangerous world that Narnia has become under an evil ruler, one of the animals announces that there is hope on the horizon. Hope turns out to be five words: "Aslan is on the move." Indeed, he was, and Narnia would soon be set free.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Hope in Five Words."
Five words may explain the strange stirring that you've been feeling in your heart lately. Five words may mean hope for you. Those five words? "Jesus is on the move." The One of whom the Bible says: "The Lion of the tribe of Judah...has triumphed" (Revelation 5:5). He may very well be on the move in your personal world and in your heart.
What He's moving to do is pictured in our word for today from the Word of God in Exodus 3, beginning with verse 7. God's speaking to Moses from an amazing burning bush in the wilderness. He says, "I have seen the misery of My people, I have heard them crying out, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them. So now, go. I am sending you."
When Jesus starts moving, He's on a rescue mission. In fact, the name God told Mary and Joseph to give Him that first Christmas, Jesus, literally means "Jehovah rescues." Every time we say "Jesus," we're saying why He came - to rescue. In Moses' day, God was coming down to rescue His people from slavery in Egypt. Today, God comes down to rescue people from the bleakness and the bondages of a life lived outside of His purposes; the kind of "my way" living that the Bible calls sin. Sin robs this life of its meaning and joy, and it condemns us to the death penalty of an awful eternity. Jesus came like the rescuers went into the fallen towers on that dark September 11. He risked His life to save us from a deadly situation from which we could never save ourselves. And He's on the move right now, and He's got rescue on His mind.
If you've given yourself to the Savior who died for you, He's asking you to join Him in His rescue mission. Your heart has been restless to make a greater difference, and that's why. He's moving to rescue people you know from a hopeless, "always winter" life and from an awful, Christless eternity. He's calling your name and saying, as He did to Moses, "So now, go. I am sending you." This is why He put you where you are - to rescue. Don't miss the destiny you were made for.
And if there's never been a time when you grabbed Jesus to be your spiritual Rescuer, He's coming close to you today so you can. Your hope of finding the purpose you were made for, your hope of experiencing God's awesome love, your hope of changing your eternal address to heaven is five words: "Jesus is on the move." That stirring - that tug in your heart you feel - that's Jesus. He's ready for you to come to Him. And you don't come when you're ready; you come when He's ready. When He's moving in your heart, there are, according to the Bible, two choices. Either you open your heart or you harden your heart.
Open your heart to Him. Just tell Him, "Lord Jesus, I know what You did on the cross is my only hope. I'm ready to turn the running of my life over to You as my Rescuer from my sin." Let me encourage you to go to our website where so many people have found a lot of help and encouragement in beginning their relationship with Jesus. The website is YoursForLife.net.
Jesus is on the move...in your heart.