February 17, 2022

 

A Hard Journey

 

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. – Revelation 21:4

 

A sweet friend watches as her mother’s life slowly fades. She sees the signs and fights for answers, miracles, another way. She knows God is in control and her mother’s life is in His hands. But it’s still hard to let go and trust His infinite wisdom when the result will break her heart.

 

 We don’t know the day or time that death will arrive; only that it will. I want to ease my friend’s pain and insist that she’s wrong. I can’t. I’ve walked the path that she’s now on and, honestly, it’s devastating. There’s nothing and no one who can prepare you for the finality of death.

 

I know someone reading this wants to remind me that because of Jesus, death really isn’t final for those who believe. I know that. So does she. It’s something to cling to when death has come and dealt its blow. But, still, there is pain. Always, there is pain.

 

Perhaps it’s better not to know the day and the hour. Perhaps it’s easier to pretend death will never come. But how can we do that when death is all around us? How can we ignore what is right in front of us?

 

Death comes in a myriad of ways. Car accidents, heart attacks, cancer, age and disease. The list never ends. We predict and we prepare only to learn that we never really understood how unpredictable our days really are.

 

We always think we’ve got more time. We truly believe tomorrow will come for us and those we love. Until one day it doesn’t. Do you know Jesus? Is He Lord of your life or are you merely going through the motions of faith? One day it will be too late to decide.

 

There’s something special about watching someone you love take their final breath on this earth and knowing they have opened their eyes in Heaven. As hard as it is, there’s also a peace and realization of what’s truly important.

December 3, 2018

Jesus Welcomed Everyone

When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” – Mark 2:16

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

– Revelation 3:20

There’s a parable in Luke 14 about the man who prepared a great banquet for many people. When all was ready, he sent his servants to tell them to come and enjoy the feast. The invited guests responded with excuses as to why they couldn’t come.

The man then sent his servants to the streets and alleys of the town to invite the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame. Then the servants went out to the roads and country lanes and invited more so that the man’s house would be full.

I love this parable because it’s a reminder than Jesus invites everyone to His table. He doesn’t exclude someone because they aren’t wealthy enough. He doesn’t exclude someone because they aren’t part of the “in” crowd. He doesn’t look at weight or dress or skin color. Everyone is invited.

Yesterday I heard a young woman talk about the support she’d received through a church-sponsored program that helps people gain the skills they need to succeed. She talked about being accepted and supported and how that makes all the difference when you’re struggling to succeed.

We tend to assume that everyone has a support system made up of family and friends. We just “know” that everyone knows how to craft a resume or dress for a job interview or balance a checkbook. But the reality is that so many people don’t have that support or those skills. This program is all about giving people both.

We are all about our little cliques. We don’t always see it that way. We’ve got our group of folks we sit with, eat with, socialize with. Certainly, there’s nothing wrong with that. But how often do we exclude someone who longs for a place to belong?

It’s probably not intentional, though adult Christians can certainly be mean and unwelcoming to those who look and dress differently than they do. It’s just that we get so caught up in our own lives and our own habits that we don’t see those lingering on the fringes on our world. We don’t want to see. We don’t want to spend the time to get to know someone else. We don’t want them to become our “problem.”

I’m so very thankful that Jesus never looked at anyone that way. I’m grateful that He invited me to His table. Because, honestly, I know what it’s like to sit alone. I know what it’s like to be excluded from the photographs, from the outing, from the conversation. Have you been there? Have you felt that stab of pain?

Because it hurts. We tell ourselves it doesn’t matter. We put up a strong façade. We hide behind the smile, the right words, the necessity of checking our phone right then. But Jesus sees the silent tears. He knows the pain of rejection.

This Christmas season we remember the birth of our Savior, the One who came to save us all. No exclusions. Everyone is invited to partake of His free gift of salvation.

What gift can we give to Jesus for all He has done and continues to do for each of us? Perhaps we can love those He has placed in our paths. Maybe we can notice the outcast, those on the fringes of our worlds. Surely we can invite them to our table, to sit beside us, to learn their names and their stories.

Jesus welcomed everyone. Shouldn’t we do the same?

August 23, 2018

Make Your Wishes Known

“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

– Revelation 21:4

No more death. No more tears. No more shattered hearts. Oh, I am so looking forward to that day!

Some phone calls you just don’t want to receive. “ICU.” “In really bad shape.” “Not sure if she’ll make it.” “I knew you’d want to know.” “It doesn’t look good.”

A spouse and children shattered by what’s to come. How could someone seemingly so healthy suddenly be near death? How do you pray? You want healing on this earth but at what cost? Is it better to pray for peace and comfort? I’m so thankful God makes those decisions. His will. Always. His will.

There is a comfort that goodbye won’t be forever. How do those without that assurance deal with the separation? How do they let go? How can we?

Death seems to be a constant companion in this season of life. The generation of my parents is going on to a better place, leaving us here to mourn. We talk about God’s will. But what about the grief that comes when His will breaks our hearts?

Decisions aren’t easy to make when your heart is shattered. We put off death. We put off the conversations that tell our loved ones what we’d want them to do. It’s as though we believe if we don’t talk about death, it won’t come. But it will. Death is as much a part of life as birth.

So, what would your loved ones want if they couldn’t speak for themselves? Would they want you to try everything to keep them alive? Would they choose to let go of this life, without heroic measures, ventilators, and such? Would they ask you to consider quality of life? Would they want to live if living meant a life tethered to machines, unable to breath or walk or function alone?

Tough questions. Necessary questions. It’s not a matter of age. Anyone who has lived a life knows that death can come at any age and at any moment. We are not guaranteed another minute. Yet we sometimes act as though we have all the time in the world. We don’t.

Take time today to learn of your loved ones’ wishes. And tell them yours. Write it all down. Don’t wait for a better time or another day. You don’t want to be in a time and place where, with your heart breaking, you’re having to make life and death decisions. It’s an awful place to be.

One day those of us who believe in Jesus Christ as our Risen Savior will live forever in heaven. There will be no more tears or pain. Death won’t ever come again. Jesus made sure of that. But for now let’s do all we can to help each other navigate this indescribable pain. Let your wishes be known before your loved ones need to know.

May 7, 2018

What Will People Remember?

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

– Revelation 21:4

Sometimes life hurts. It doesn’t make sense. It leaves you with a gaping hole in your heart that you just know will never heal.

Our community lost one of its own in a horrific car wreck in Georgia. She fought it. She did. But she died anyway and nothing will ever be the same.

Some people touch lives. It’s that simple and that complicated. She was an emergency room physician noted for being kind and compassionate. The prayers and comments came from everywhere. She helped a mama tell her baby girl that she had a brain tumor. She told the survivor of a bad wreck that the other person had died. She was on the hard line between life and death so many times. Was she a good doctor? Absolutely! But what people talk about is her heart.

She left behind a husband and young children. They all attended our church. There will be questions. How could there not be? Mamas are supposed to come home to us, not leave for heaven before they have a chance to raise their babies and cuddle their grandbabies.

It’s a reminder for all of us. There’s no guarantee that we will have tomorrow. There’s no guarantee we’ll have the next hour. What really matters? Salvation, obviously. We need to know Jesus, to understand what He did for us, to accept His sacrifice. We need to live with the assurance that death can’t snatch us from Jesus. Death has no claim on us.

But what about those we leave behind? How will they remember us?  What kind of legacy are we leaving behind?

Rarely do we stop and consider that. We’re too focused on ourselves, our families, our immediate needs of the day to think about what people will remember if we’re suddenly gone.

Consider the people who have gone to heaven. When I think of Aunt Murl my mind sees her sitting quietly in a chair as she prayed. She was feisty and outspoken and she loved Jesus with a passion that can only come from deep, deep faith. I think of my cousin Peggy, so soft spoken and kind. She was smart and so very proud of her grandson, the preacher. She never stopped studying the Bible, never stopped learning and asking questions. I loved to spend time with her talking about Jesus. I miss that.

Of course, not all memories are wonderful. Some are filled with people who didn’t live a faith they proclaimed. Other memories are of people forever lost because they refused to believe. There are people who showed up on Sunday because it was expected. They never let a little church slow down their abundant lifestyle. What do we remember about them? How much alcohol they drank? How many times their spouse looked the other way at some “indiscretion?” How much money they made or where they lived? Things of the world pass away. They are not what leave lasting memories and change hearts for the better.

What do you want people to say about you when you are gone? Think about it. Then live your life accordingly.

May 27, 2016

Liars Lose

9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

“Now have come the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.
11 They triumphed over him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much
as to shrink from death.

-- Revelation 12:9-11

Some people lie. They just do. They don’t even need a reason. They just lie because they can. Have you ever known someone like that?

Years ago I stopped dating someone for that very reason. I just got tired of the lies. He would lie about the stupidest things. I never could understand why. I probably never will.

I think it’s a character issue. What about you? When someone doesn’t see honesty as something important, what does that say about them as a person? Lies cover so many issues. How can you trust such a person about anything?

Liars also like to pit people against each other. It’s like a game to them. It reminds me of the serpent in Genesis who enticed Eve. Did God really say that? Twisting words and making things appear to be true when they aren’t.

They don’t even care about the people they hurt. The damage remains long after they are gone. It’s like some kind of sick trophy to know that they have shattered lives.

Someone I know was recently described as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Have you ever heard that phrase? I thought about it and realized it is true in this case. It’s a really good way to describe someone who tells you one thing to your face, then goes behind your back and tells lies and tries to harm you.

Revelation tells us that Jesus triumphs against the lies Satan throws at us. Satan can accuse all he wants but the blood of the Lamb covers us with truth. I am so thankful for my Mighty Savior!

April 2, 2016

Heartache and Illness Abound

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

-- John 16:33

What a day! Rain. Rain. Rain. Flooding. Street closures. Thunder and lightning. And people who drive like crazy folks out on a sunny day.

None of it matters. Really. It doesn’t. Yesterday a sweet friend said goodbye to her son as brain cancer sent him home earlier than they had planned. Her heart is beyond broken and she is standing only because Jesus is holding her up. She’ll see him again one day but oh how she hurts in this moment.

Another friend learned a couple of weeks ago that her cancer is back. She almost made it to five years in remission. She’s at peace this time, confident that God has this and that He’ll give her whatever strength she needs to face the days ahead. She’s even thankful. That last journey, as tough as it was, strengthened her faith beyond anything she could have imagined.

Her sister, also a friend, learned days ago that she may have cancer too. She’ll have a biopsy soon. We’re praying it’s not that dreaded disease. We’re trusting Jesus no matter what the results.

My neighbor is facing a medical crisis as well. She is in her 40s but just a child in manner and personality. Her Dad buried her mom a few years ago and this is just so hard. She doesn’t understand how serious this really could be. That is a blessing. When she realized her sister was worried, she told her just to pray. It’s what they taught her to do before her mom died. It seems so unfair but, then, life is unfair.

As I write this, a storm rages outside. More rain we do not need on a saturated ground. Sometimes it seems that same way with cancer and heartache. We’ve had enough.

‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

-- Revelation 21:4

Come, Lord Jesus, come!

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Go!

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” -- Matthew 28:19

Today is the first Sunday of Lent. Did you decide to give up anything as part of your journey toward Easter? Maybe you decided to do something instead? Have you grown reflective? Or do you even care?

This morning we heard a wonderful talk from Dr. Mike Hoppe, an associate pastor at Covenant United Methodist Church in Dothan. It was on missions, fittingly I might add, since that is what he does throughout the year.

I don’t suppose anyone could talk of missions and outreach without referring to the last words of Jesus before He ascended to Heaven. We’ve come to know it as the Great Commission. It was Jesus’ instructions to the Apostles and to all of us. We’d prefer not to remember that last part because it is a call to action. It’s so much easier to let others do the action while we sit on our comfortable pews and cheer them on.

“Go” is one of those words we associate with the color green at traffic lights. We don’t think of it as a call to action but it is. Jesus didn’t say to sit. He didn’t say to pray about it. He didn’t even say to send someone else. He said to “go” and He meant you and me.

Naturally, not everyone can travel overseas. But we can all do something in the sphere of life. It might be a worker in the nursing home. It could be our neighbor or co-worker. Maybe it’s the bank teller or store clerk. We can all reach out to those we encounter in our daily lives and tell them the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Does this mean we have a ready excuse to not go on or support missions outside our sphere? Not a chance. Look back at the Scripture. Jesus said “all nations.” That doesn’t mean all nations in the Northern Hemisphere. It doesn’t mean only people who look like us. It means everyone.

Hoppe gave some interesting statistics. We now have 7 billion people living on our planet. Of those, 2.3 billion say they are Christians. That leaves 4.7 billion who aren’t Christians. Only .7 billion of those have access to or have heard of Jesus and just aren’t interested. That leaves 2 billion people in the world who have no access to the Gospel. They not only don’t know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior, they don’t even know His name. That is just so sad.

The book of Revelation tells us that one day we will all stand before the Lamb, a crowd “from every nation and tribe and people and language.” (Revelation 7:9) Not just people like us. Because God willed that all people would have the opportunity to know Him and live forever with Him.

So take a moment today to reach out to someone who is lost, someone who may not have heard, someone who needs a Savior and a King. Jesus called us all to go and make disciples. What are you waiting for?

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Death Leaves Shattered Dreams

“He will remove all their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever.” -- Revelation 21:4

He went to lunch. The same thing he did every day he worked. Only this day he didn’t come back. His co-workers began to notice his absence. They got worried. They tried his cell phone but got no answer. Finally a supervisor called the hospital and found him.

His young wife sat there alone. He was dead. Just that fast. All their hopes and dreams shattered in a split second. His life on earth ended at age 23. She is now a 20-year-old widow. We know it can happen. We just never expect it to happen to someone we know.

I first met this young man several years ago when he began his job. He started at the bottom but he was never at the bottom of his supervisor’s radar. He was smart and he had a particular aptitude for engines and mechanics. He got promoted rather quickly. His supervisor started sending him to special schools. Yeah. He had a bright future working for people who valued his abilities.

He was a favorite among his co-workers. He had a quick laugh. His eyes would twinkle and he’d shake his head, a grin spread from ear to ear. He’d snag a soda or donut, look around to see if anyone noticed, then laugh about it as he leisurely strolled back to the shop.

He told me once that his mother was determined that all her children would attend college. He was just as determined that he would not. He was smart enough. He just wasn’t interested and considered college a waste of money for someone who would never use a degree.

He loved all things mechanical. He had a knack for engines -- cars, trucks, motorcycles. He loved to tinker with them and always had. That’s what he told me. He knew what he wanted to do and was determined to make his dream come true.

If he’d just left that motorcycle alone. He’d only had it a week. He usually drove a deep red Mercury that he’d spiffed up in his customary style. But not that day. Not that lunch. Not in that moment when it mattered.

So now family and friends will gather around his wife and his mother. They’ll mourn and rejoice, all at the same time. Because he’s gone home and doing just fine but they’re still here and face endless days and nights without him by their side.

Monday, September 19, 2011

One Day Sorrow Will End

For the godly who die will rest in peace.

-- Isaiah 57:2

One of the hardest things we will ever do is face the impending death of someone we love. We see it coming. We may even know that death will ease our loved one’s pain. But, oh my, how it hurts.

We are fortunate if we know that our loved one is a Christian. We know that goodbye will only be temporary. Jesus Christ defeated death. Death will bring our loved one peace and freedom from pain and suffering.

It’s not that way for us. A friend once explained that when someone we love dies, we don’t grieve for them. We grieve for ourselves. If our loved one is a Christian, we know where they are and that they’re okay. We’re the ones left behind facing a life without their presence. That’s what hurts so much. That’s what’s so hard.

A few years ago my great aunt lay dying. She was suffering so much. It hurt to watch. She felt abandoned by God. This woman who loved Jesus so much and had led so many to know Him, felt alone. It was up to us, those who loved her, to remind her that He was near.

It was also up to us to let her know it was okay to go home. Sometimes people hang on when it seems impossible because they don’t want to hurt us. Mercy says to let them go. Compassion says our love for them is stronger than our grief.

He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. -- Revelation 21:4a

God’s promise. Our hope. An anchor to cling to when grief threatens to sweep us away. One day we will all be together again, with no more sorrow and no more pain. Hallelujah! He is risen and death will be no more!

Monday, May 30, 2011

Hold On To The Promise

 

He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever. -- Revelation 21:4

Memorial Day is that day set aside to remember those who died in active military service. We remember their sacrifice. And that of their families and friends. Because every death broke a heart, shattered a dream, changed a tomorrow.

War is such an awful thing. Necessary sometimes but awful just the same. The training is rigorous and the work never seems to end. Especially in today’s world. It seems like some other country always needs our troops to help with peacekeeping. And that doesn’t even consider our own security or our own wars.

That security comes with a high price. Death, certainly. Permanent injuries -- both the physical and emotional kind -- forever change a person. Separations from family are difficult and leave scars on the soldier, spouse and children. Moves are sometimes good and sometimes bad. And on and on it goes.

These soldiers make a choice. And sometimes that choice leads them down a path they probably didn’t expect. Death. Does anybody really expect death? Perhaps those who are terminally ill have time to prepare. But a soldier who is in the prime of his/her life? I don’t think so. I don’t think any of us ever expect to wake up one day and not be around to see that day end hours later.

No more death. Just forever with those with love. The promise of a God who never breaks His promises. Something to hold on to on this day of memories.

Friday, December 17, 2010

One Day Sadness Will End

"For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." -- Revelation 7:17

It's funny how you remember everything that leads up to the moment your life changes forever. I was baking M&M cookies when I got the call that we needed to rush to the hospital. My Grandmother, who had been near death, was going home. That was 34 years ago today.

The day Jack died was just another day. Oh, he'd been sick and had surgery but he was doing fine. There was no reason to think we'd be doing anything but making that trip to Sedona shortly after Christmas. Then his brother-in-law called and in the instant life changed. A blood clot had taken Jack's life as he sat talking with his sister.

I wonder what the loved ones of those two young girls who died Wednesday will remember. Teens rushing out the door on their way to school, never thinking that it would be the last morning. Tears and grief are overwhelming and then the numbness sets in as one day follows another. Memories.

God promises us that one day He will wipe all our tears away and there will be no more sadness. We will be reunited with the loved ones who have gone home before us. There will be joy all around us as Jesus welcomes us.

But today there is sadness as families cling to the hope that Jesus gave us. There are memories and wishes and a longing that won't be realized on this side of heaven. God, please grant strength and peace to the families and friends of those who have gone home so much earlier than we ever expected.

Friday, May 7, 2010

I'm on Jesus' Team

"If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." -- Revelation 20:15

I was always one of the last to be picked in school. I wasn't coordinated enough for sports. I'm still not. And while I wasn't dumb, neither was I brilliant. I still remember the stress of waiting to be selected, wanting badly to make the list before the last name was called.

I cared so much at the time. I wanted to belong, to be part of a team, to matter to someone. I ached for it. And I fell short most of the time. Oh, I had friends. Most were like me, standing on the outskirts of popularity and looking in.

Reading this passage of Revelation, I'm relieved to know that I will finally be chosen for the most important team ever. My name will be in the book of life. I don't have to worry and wonder. I'm certain of it. I have grasped onto Jesus and the salvation that He offers. I'm holding on with all I've got. I plan to be there with Him when my days are done and eternity welcomes me home.