Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it

  • Phineas Steven Justus Lund • Born yesterday at 1:03PM in Nairobi, Kenya • 8lbs 2oz (3.7 kilos) and nearly 21” long (53cm) • For over ten years I have dreamed of naming my first boy Phineas after the Israelite who had the zeal of the Lord in Numbers chapter twenty five. 'Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stayed. And that was counted to him as righteousness from generation to generation forever.'--Psalm‬ ‭106:30-31‬ ‭ESV‬‬ When we found out Farrah was a girl, I was surprised because I had always thought I’d have a boy first. But God’s timing is perfect because, in fact, 2020 is the year of a plague. I feel his birth signifies the end of the the virus and a confirmation of God’s call on his life. Phineas, may you have the zeal for the Lord that proclaims His salvation by Christ’s blood which stays God’s wrath on mankind. Thank you Lord for this Hope we have now in Jesus in 2020 and forever and ever. Welcome, little one! #PhineasStevenJustus #inlundswith...

I was holding my fragile glass heart tonight. "Will you please care for this?"  I asked around. The world's response was to knock it out of my hands, and at the feet of Jesus though I wasn't aiming for Him.  The aroma from the heart, which was apparently a jar of perfume, was reaching His nose.  He found it pleasing to Him. Though my hope was to keep the heart and never let it get broken, the fact that I didn't offer it to God in the first place suddenly came to mind. "I should have handed it to the Father first...oh no, is He mad?" I thought. Foolishly trying to fix the situation and bending down to gather the pieces and the oil, I felt a hand stop what I was doing. "I desire mercy, not sacrifice,"  I was raised to my feet.  I was in His arms.  It seemed that was what He was after all along. The sacrifice (though not entirely willful) made me all the more acutely aware of the fact that I do not love Christ as I should.  Only He ...