“Faces ...
and the Grace of God”

This morning, I see faces.

The faces of Russ and Esther Zinn who are somewhere over the Pacific Ocean right now,

...flying back to the U.S.

...looking back on so many memories, so much teamwork, so many  churches and believers in Christ

...trusting in the Lord’s grace through the national church

...thinking about what retirement will mean for them

...after decades of missionary service in Taiwan (They began serving in Taiwan in 1958.)

The faces of Bob and Debbie Adhikary and their kids - Sarita, 14 and Deepak Daniel, 11.

...They just arrived in the States, here in EFC-ER for several months of deputation

...adjusting to a different culture and traveling ministry

...carrying a continuing concern for young Christians in Nepal, even as they are separated by 10,000 miles

...excited about sharing with us what God is doing in Nepal

...confident that the Lord will complete the work He has begun in SE Asia

The faces of a retired couple last Sunday morning in one of our churches

...radiant as they told about how the Lord had physically healed the husband just a few days earlier

...faces wrinkled with laugh lines

      ...smiling with grace

          ...hoping in Christ

The face of a June, ‘05 high school graduate,

...uncertain about his future

...searching for a faith he can call his own

...wondering about how to live and love and choose and get his sound system to work

This morning, I see faces. And I hear the words of the songwriter, echoing the message of Hebrews 12: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face, and the things [the distracting, distorting things] of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.”

Paul writes this encouraging message about our faces - in light of how Christ can change us as we transfer our trust from ourselves to Him: “. . . Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.“ - 2 Cor. 3: 18, The Message

Dr. John P. Williams, Jr.
General Superintendent, EFC-ER