Mayday is a word recognized internationally in two different ways. First, Mayday, or May Day, is a day of celebration; a spring festival and a labor holiday that is celebrated in many countries of the world. Second, Mayday is an internationally recognized distress signal used by ships and aircraft that are imminent danger or life threatening emergency. As such it is repeated three times; Mayday, Mayday, Mayday; giving the name and location of the craft in danger and a brief description of the emergency.
Mayday, when used as a distress signal, comes from the French word, m’aider, which means, come and help me. In French, “Venez m’aider,” means, “You come help me.” It is the word from which we get the English word, aid.
As Christians, we live somewhere in between May Day and Mayday, Mayday, Mayday. We are either celebrating our Christianity or using it as a call for help.
We celebrate our salvation in Christ. We celebrate in our daily walk with our risen, living Savior and we celebrate our hope of his coming kingdom. We find a joy in our salvation that the world does not understand. We have a peace within us that the world cannot give and we have a hope in us that the world does not have. For us, it is a cause for continual celebration in the midst of the troubles and confusion of the world.
“We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” (2Corinthians 4:7–10)
To the Christian, life is like a paradox. When conditions around us dictate that we should be sad, we find reasons to be joyous. When the world is at war, we have peace in our hearts. When all seems hopeless, we have hope.
Tragically, too many Christians choose to live at the Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, end of the spectrum of their Christianity. They don’t enjoy the full package of benefits that comes with their salvation. They allow themselves to become victims of their situation in life; be it marital problems, financial, career or health problems. Their prayer life consists of always calling for help.
God has made it possible, through Jesus Christ his Son, that we may live as close to him as we want to live. Just how many of the benefits of being a Christian we want to enjoy is entirely up to us. Let us use this May Day as a time to celebrate our Christianity. The world doesn’t give us much cause to celebrate; but Jesus gives us every reason.
Mayday, when used as a distress signal, comes from the French word, m’aider, which means, come and help me. In French, “Venez m’aider,” means, “You come help me.” It is the word from which we get the English word, aid.
As Christians, we live somewhere in between May Day and Mayday, Mayday, Mayday. We are either celebrating our Christianity or using it as a call for help.
We celebrate our salvation in Christ. We celebrate in our daily walk with our risen, living Savior and we celebrate our hope of his coming kingdom. We find a joy in our salvation that the world does not understand. We have a peace within us that the world cannot give and we have a hope in us that the world does not have. For us, it is a cause for continual celebration in the midst of the troubles and confusion of the world.
“We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” (2Corinthians 4:7–10)
To the Christian, life is like a paradox. When conditions around us dictate that we should be sad, we find reasons to be joyous. When the world is at war, we have peace in our hearts. When all seems hopeless, we have hope.
Tragically, too many Christians choose to live at the Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, end of the spectrum of their Christianity. They don’t enjoy the full package of benefits that comes with their salvation. They allow themselves to become victims of their situation in life; be it marital problems, financial, career or health problems. Their prayer life consists of always calling for help.
God has made it possible, through Jesus Christ his Son, that we may live as close to him as we want to live. Just how many of the benefits of being a Christian we want to enjoy is entirely up to us. Let us use this May Day as a time to celebrate our Christianity. The world doesn’t give us much cause to celebrate; but Jesus gives us every reason.
Good word my brother. jfs
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