Pure Randomness

So, I've got about an hour left of June 21st. Four years ago today, I married my wonderful wife Whitney in New Castle, KY. I'll never forget that night as Dontrelle Willis threw a 5 inning, rain-shortened, complete game shutout for my keeper league fantasy baseball team. Well, that's not the biggest reason, but I'm definitely glad to be married to such a great girl. You would think that being married for four years would make a young man start feeling old...normally that would be the case, but wait until you hear what I did Tuesday night.

You know those crazy old guys who give out Bibles for graduation and such, the Gideons? Well, I joined the Gideons Tuesday night, a group of Bible-believing business men who have a passion for lost people. I hope that would describe me for rest of my life. Wow, did I feel young again! Besides my friend Daniel, who talked me into going to the banquet, there probably wasn't another guy in the place below the age of 40...and many were in their 50s and 60s. Did you know there were Gideons in over 180 countries? And that the Gideons, by the grace of God, place two Bibles somewhere every second! It's incredible, and I'm honored to be a small part of a group who loves the Word of God as much as I do. Now, if I could only remember to carry my 'testament' with me and go the weekly and monthly functions.

My final bit of randomness comes from some thoughts I was having on Monday and Tuesday. This passage was in my mind, 1 Timothy 1:12-17 -- "I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."

I had begun thinking over the past several years of my life when it really hit me hard -- man, perhaps I have passed Paul and am now the chief of sinners! It was sobering to think about all the grace I've been given, all the mercy I've received, the vast knowledge of God I've been made aware of, and all the deep spiritual truths I've been exposed to. And to think, after all of that, I still sin all the time! Woe is me, what a wretch am I! And finally it all made a lot of sense to me -- no wonder Paul talks so much about grace and mercy when he speaks of himself as the chief of sinners. The usual way I go about humbling myself is to focus on the holiness of God and the love of Christ (though they are both holy and loving). But this time I turned my attention to what a mess I've made of the blessings I've received. And of course the line from my favorite hymns rings true -- "what poor returns I make to thee, for all the mercy shown to me."
But...this following hymn came to mind even more:

Depth of Mercy - Red Mountain Music, written by Charles Wesley

  Depth of mercy! Can there be 
 mercy still reserved for me? 
 Can my God his wrath forbear, 
 me, the chief of sinners, spare? 

 I have long withstood his grace, 
 long provoked him to his face, 
 would not hearken to his calls, 
 grieved him by a thousand falls. 

 I my Master have denied, 
 I afresh have crucified, 
 oft profaned his hallowed name, 
 put him to an open shame. 

 There for me the Savior stands, 
 shows his wounds and spreads his hands. 
 God is love! I know, I feel; 
 Jesus weeps and loves me still. 

 Now incline me to repent, 
 let me now my sins lament, 
 now my foul revolt deplore, 
 weep, believe, and sin no more.

Which of course made me think of this song:

Only Hope - Caedmon's Call, written by Randall Goodgame

Depth of mercy, can there be
Mercy still reserved for me,
Can my God, your wrath forbear,
Me, the chief of sinners, spare

Chorus
It's my only hope,
You're my only hope,
It's my only hope of Heaven,
At the cross forgiven

I have long withstood your grace,
King, provoked you to your face,
Would not harken to your calls,
Grieved you by a thousand falls,

Chorus

There for me the Savior stands,
Shows his wounds and spreads His hands,
Face to face before the Son
And like Isaiah I'm undone

Depth of mercy, vast and free,
So much deeper than the sea,
God of love, you heard my cry,
Now into your open arms I fly

Chorus