News

        One of the exciting times on a ship is called, "Mail Call."  I spent a few months at sea which was not my cup of tea, but nonetheless I ended up in the South Atlantic on what the Navy called a "cruise."  It was, however, quite different from a Disney Cruise.  When you are out at sea, you can't walk to the mail box everyday to get your mail.  It  has to be flown into your next port.  Sometimes the mail would be several weeks flying around until you got connected with it.  You may get several letters at the same time and then have to read them in order to make sense of some of the things said.  It was always good to get mail from home especially when you were isolated by water.  Proverbs 25:25 says, "As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country."  
       The writer of this proverb points out just how it feels to get news from your home or some distant land.  He made the comparison to a refreshing drink of cold water but in a spiritual sense.  One of the meanings of the word "gospel" is "good news."   The word "gospel" can be translated or at least defined as a "good message."  The Apostle Paul gives us his definition of the good news in First Corinthians 15:1-4.  Paul reminded the Corinthians that he had preached to them about this good news.  In verses 3 and 4, he sets forth the good news by defining it as the death of Christ, the burial of Christ and the resurrection of Christ.  You can't get much plainer than that definition.  We should be rejoicing in that good news everyday.  For many, the problem may be that it has become commonplace and doesn't excite us anymore.  We have become apathetic to this wonderful good news.  The news, or the gospel, is that which has come from God Himself to us.  That might be considered to be a "far country."  We should be reminded everyday about this "good news" and what it means to us.  It lays out the plan for our very lives which ends up in a place called "heaven."  So, when you go to the tap today to get a refreshing glass of cold water, may you remember the joy of the gospel.  Praise God today that He sent His Son to die for our sins that we might have access to heaven.