Moving Toward Life

A Better Question...

The other day I was driving in traffic and was waiting at a stoplight behind a car with an interesting bumper sticker.  The bumper sticker asked a simple question: "Got Jesus?"  I realized that this was a clever adaptation from the "Got Milk?" advertising campaign of the Dairy Association.   The bumper sticker is an attempt to get people to think about their spiritual journey and consider if Jesus is an important part of that journey.  I think it is good to try and get people to think about Jesus, especially while driving in busy traffic.

But, I would like to suggest a better question for a bumper sticker and for our lives in general.  It's not, "Got Jesus?" but rather, "Has Jesus got you?"   It is sometimes tempting for Christians to adopt an "I've got Jesus" mentality, as if Jesus becomes a commodity we possess (I've got milk in my refrigerator and Jesus in my heart).  When "I've got Jesus," there is a danger that I will expect Jesus to give me what I want and bless my life with comfort, ease and material prosperity.  When "I've got Jesus," I've got my ticket to heaven and I'm good to go, preferably after my 95th birthday.  When "I've got Jesus," it is tempting to think like a consumer where Jesus becomes a means to get what I want.

But when "Jesus has me," I have a different perspective on life. I see my life as an opportunity to do His will rather than to get Him to do my will.  I experience contentment with what I have and joy in serving others.  Yes, I have the confidence of knowing I am going to heaven when I die, but I also remember I have a life to live here and now, and this life is supposed to be characterized by gratitude, generosity and love.  When "Jesus has me," I think like a servant rather than a consumer and I focus on what I can give rather than what I can get.  The Apostle Paul puts it this way, "You no longer belong to yourself, you belong to Christ.  For you were bought with a price" (1 Cor 6:19-20).

It reminds me of another bumper sticker I used to see all the time.  It read, "Jesus is my co-pilot."  I never cared much for that one. It just didn't sound right to me.   One day, I finally figured out why when I came across another bumper sticker that read, "If Jesus is your co-pilot, switch seats."   The most basic question we have to answer in our lives is this: "Am I going to live life on my own terms and ask Jesus to help me if I ever need Him, or am I going to surrender my life to Jesus and live the way He asks me to live?"  The first approach declares, "Jesus is my co-pilot."  The second approach requires that we switch seats. The first approach asks, "Got Jesus?"  The second approach says, "Jesus has me."   

GK Chesterton once quipped that most of us want Jesus to be our Savior, but not our Lord. We are attracted to the Savior who died on the cross for our sins and offers us eternal life.  We aren't necessarily attracted to the Lord who calls us to take up our cross and follow Him. And yet, authentic Christianity requires that we seek to allow Jesus to be both our Savior and Lord.  Every Sunday we gather for worship at Ebenezer Church.  We try our best to give thanks to the Savior Jesus, while seeking to more deeply commit our lives to the Lord Jesus. It's not easy, but it is so worth it. Worship says more than just "I've got Jesus in my heart."  Worship says, "Jesus has my heart."

When we give our heart to Jesus, we realize that we don't have Him; He has us.  He's not the co-pilot who helps us out when we need Him, He is the pilot who sets the course and calls the shots. That probably won't make its way onto a bumper sticker, but it will make our lives an amazing adventure.  I hope to see you this weekend in worship, as we continue the adventure together.   

 

Would Jesus Burn the Koran?

Many people in America and around the world have been following the story about the Christian Pentecostal Pastor, Rev. Terry Jones, who is planning to burn hundreds of copies of the Koran (or Quran) on September 11 from 6:00-9:00 PM at the church's 20-acre campus in Florida.

Condemnation of this "Burn the Koran Day" has come from many religious leaders as well as government officials. It would not surprise the members of Ebenezer Church (where I serve as Pastor) to know I would join the chorus of voices that urge this misguided Pastor to reconsider his plans.

I don't know of any Christian who is a fan of radical Islam, but how is burning the book that all Muslims consider holy going to accomplish anything worthwhile or constructive? In fact, this act of disrespectful confrontation seems to simply illustrate the unfortunate reality that radicals exist on the "lunatic fringe" of every major religion. 

It would seem that one of the fundamental teachings of Jesus would apply here. The teaching that we are to "do unto others as we would have them do unto you" (Matthew 7:12, also known as "The Golden Rule") should cause all Christians to ponder how we might feel if someone was planning a "Burn the Bible Day."

In some ways I understand this Florida Pastor's frustration. America is no longer the "Godly Christian Nation" that she used to be just a couple of generations ago. People don't flock to church every Sunday, attitudes about morality have changed dramatically, and the Bible is mocked by some and ignored by others. There is a prevailing philosophy today that seems to say, "All religions are basically the same, and most of them are full of superstitions, myths, and ancient traditions that are no longer relevant for modern life." Those of us who consider ourselves to be committed Christians are bound to be frustrated by all of this. But proclaiming, "Islam is of the Devil" and burning books is not going to make anything better, and will undoubtedly make matters worse.

I had a conversation the other day with a young lady in her early 20's who has visited our Church a couple of times. She is not a Christian, but considers herself to be a "spiritual seeker." She referred to Pastor Jones and his plan to burn copies of the Koran, and she exclaimed, "This is why I tend to stay away from organized religion. It seems to attract ignorant and hateful people who have closed minds and self-righteous attitudes." I tried to explain to her that it would be a mistake to condemn all religious groups based on the actions of a small few, but I don't think I made much of an impact. 

As I get older, I realize there is much I don't know. But there are some things I do know. I know that in spite of our faults and flaws, God still loves us and wants us to love others. I know America is not the Christian nation she once was, but when the Church chooses love over hate, we can have a positive impact on our skeptical culture. I know we can find a way to stand up against radical Islam without insulting and offending moderate Muslims. And I know this Sunday, there will be good people coming to worship God at Ebenezer Church, and I look forward to worshiping God with them. I hope to see you there.

When You Can't Get Out of It, Get Into It

Outward Bound is an outdoor, educational organization that strives to foster personal growth through challenging expeditions in the outdoors. The fundamental belief of Outward Bound is that when people are confronted with difficult challenges in the wilderness, they will rise to face those challenges and discover a level of strength and greatness that was lying dormant within them.

John Ortberg tells about a time when he was participating in an Outward Bound experience that involved climbing down a high mountain cliff. John was hooked safely into his harness, he was holding firmly to the rope, and yet, he was totally terrified. Even though the instructors assured him that he could make it down the mountain safely, John began to have doubts. He was about halfway down the mountain when his fear and uncertainty caused him to stop. He was frozen with fear. He was unable to move. It was as if his mind told his body to quit. But no one was coming to John's rescue. The instructor told him that he had to figure out a way to keep going. He had to face his fear and still take positive action.

John explained that he didn't want to move. He didn't want to take action. He was stuck. And that's when his instructor told him to remember the slogan of Outward Bound: "When you can't get out of it, get into it." When you are stuck in a difficult situation and you can't get out of it, embrace it, get excited, and get enthusiastic about it. Get into it.

I love that slogan. I say it to myself sometimes. When I'm encountering a problem I would rather ignore, I remind myself, "If you can't get out of it, get into it." When I have a day full of chores and activities I'm not thrilled to do, I say to myself, "I can't get out of it, so I might as well get into it." When I'm facing a difficult conversation with someone I would rather avoid, I say, "It wouldn't be right to try and get out of it, so I might as well get into it."

One of the things I love about the Christian Faith is that it calls us to face our challenges, deal with our problems, and fulfill our responsibilities with the courage and confidence that comes from our trust in God. That doesn't mean there won't be difficult mountains in our lives, but it does mean we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength (Philippians 4:13). Far from being a protective bubble that shields us from the painful realities of life on a fallen planet, our Christian Faith provides us with an inner strength that allows us to confront those painful realities and grow from them. 

I am wondering if there might be some folks from Ebenezer Church who are facing some difficult mountains these days? Perhaps a struggle at work, perhaps a strained or broken relationship, perhaps physical illness, perhaps pressure at school, perhaps financial concerns. When we consider those issues, we are tempted to become frozen with fear or stuck in discouragement. But that is the time to remember the inner strength our Lord has given us. Our harness will hold us secure. Our rope will not break. We can keep moving because the God who loves us will also empower us. The next time you find yourself stuck on the side of a mountain, frozen in fear, remember the words of Outward Bound, "If you can't get out of it, get into it." And remember the promise of our Faith: "I can do all things, through Christ who gives me strength."

I hope to see you at worship this weekend. Pastor Chris and I will be having a dialogue about how Faith gets expressed in our workplaces. Holy Communion will be served. Worship is a gift we give to God, so I hope you will get into it!!

One Last Lesson From Tony Horton

   Over the past couple of weeks, I've been getting lots of positive feedback from the blog.  I've been reflecting on the "motivational expressions" of my favorite fitness trainer, Tony Horton, creator of the popular P90X fitness program.  I have been surprised at how much Tony's words of encouragement related to physical fitness also apply to our spiritual fitness.  First we looked at, "Do your best and forget the rest," and then last week we talked about what it means to, "Bring it."  This week I offer one last expression from Tony, and it has to do with perseverance.  Tony says, "Too many people, when they are exercising, quit way too soon."

     Tony is quick to draw the distinction between the pain that leads to growth and the pain that results from injury.  In order to improve our level of fitness, we have to be willing to endure the pain that leads to growth.  According to Tony, the problem with many who exercise, is that when they start to feel the pain that leads to growth, they quit.  Tony says, "Some people just have something inside them that says, 'That hurts. I quit.'"  Tony points out that when it comes to getting in the best shape of your life, "It's supposed to hurt!"   The kind of pain Tony endorses is the pain that comes from pushing ourselves beyond our comfort zones.   The temptation is to quit when we experience that pain, but if we quit, we don't really improve our level of fitness.  Tony says the key is to "keep showing up" and to keep pushing ourselves.

     I think the same thing is true of our spiritual fitness.  Some people start to follow Jesus, but they discover it isn't usually convenient or easy.  When they start to get challenged, some people say, "That hurts. I quit."  

     It hurts to discipline our schedule so that we have time to worship and serve.  It hurts to attend Bible Study or Small Group when we are already tired from a full day.  It hurts to manage our finances so that we can give money to support God's work in the world.  It hurts to battle temptation and live a different kind of lifestyle in order to honor God.  It hurts to face our personal brokenness and get honest with God about our motives and our attitudes.  It hurts to discipline ourselves to forgive people we would rather hate. It hurts to say "Yes" to the nudging of the Holy Spirit when we would rather say, "No."   And yet, this is the kind of hurt that leads to growth and allows us to become the people God created us to be.  Sometimes we feel like quitting, but if we will persevere, the rewards will be worth it both in this life and the next.

    The Bible tells us that we should not grow weary in doing what is good, but to remember that we will reap an abundant harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).   If you have something inside you that says, "It hurts. I quit," remind yourself that perseverance is one of the ways we prove that our faith is genuine.  It is the only way to become spiritually fit.  It is the only way to become the people God intends for us to be.  I hope you will keep showing up for worship each weekend.  And I hope that you will push yourself beyond your comfort zone.  Do not grow weary doing what is good! An abundant harvest awaits us, if we do not give up.  Yes, it hurts, but yes, it's worth it.  Keep showing up.

Tony Horton Has Helped Me Grow In My Faith

  His name is Tony Horton; and he is not a Pastor, he is not an author, he is not a Theologian. I don't even know if he is a Christian. But he has really helped me grow in my faith. Tony Horton is a fitness instructor.  Tony is the originator of a highly successful home-based fitness program known as "P90X"  (the "P" stands for "Power," the "90" represents "90 days," and the "X" stands for "Extreme").   The program itself is contained on a series of DVD's where Tony instructs and encourages you through a series of workouts designed to get you into the best shape of your life in a period of 90 days.

  I got hold of the P90X program a couple of years ago and gave it a try.  Even though I have always tried to stay in pretty good shape, I must admit that this fitness program was more rigorous (and more rewarding) than any other exercise or fitness routine I've tried.  It has been a couple of years since I did the entire program, but every now and then, when I am too busy or too lazy to get to the gym, I will still pop in a P90X DVD and "workout with Tony" for about an hour.     

  So how has Tony helped me grow in my Christian Faith?  Not through the exercises, but through his words.   Tony Horton has a series of sayings, or expressions, that he uses quite often to encourage and motivate people as they exercise.  He applies these "wise sayings" to exercise and fitness, but they can just as easily be applied to living out the Christian Faith.      

  One of Tony's expressions is: "Do your best and forget the rest."  Tony realizes that not everyone is at the same fitness level.  For one person, doing 10 pushups is a major accomplishment.  For another, doing 30, 40 or 50 is a realistic objective.  The point is to really do your best, not just go through the motions and quit as soon as the work gets difficult.  When you truly do your best, you can forget what you weren't able to do and just celebrate what you were able to do.  Sometimes, Tony puts it this way, "Don't let what you can't do get in the way of what you can do."      

  That is sage advice for those of us who are seeking to be spiritually fit as well.  Our goal should be to honor God with our best efforts in whatever we do: as spouses, parents, bosses, employees, neighbors, friends, and followers of Christ.  When we do our best, we don't beat ourselves up for the failures and shortcomings, we celebrate the ways God has begun to make a difference in our lives.      

  But the key here is to really do our best.  Many times people say, "I'm trying my best" but they are just fooling themselves.  They aren't really trying that hard.  One of my goals as a Pastor is to encourage people to do their best without causing them to feel guilty for their shortcomings and failures.  The goal is to call out the best in myself and in others without piling on a bunch of guilt and shame for the times and ways we fall short.      

  The Bible tells us to forget what is behind us and the sin that so easily weighs us down, and to press on towards the goal of our life in Christ. (Philippians 3:12-14).   Jesus died on the cross to forgive us of our sins.  In gratitude for His great mercy and love, we receive forgiveness and we seek to "do our best" to honor Him with our lives.      

  I hope to see you with us in worship at Ebenezer Church this weekend.  You may not consider yourself to be a "super saint" yet, but don't let what you can't do get in the way of what you can do. What we can do is often more than we realize.  God is pleased when we worship Him and seek to grow in our faith.  That takes effort, but the effort is based on love and gratitude, not guilt and shame. So "do your best and forget the rest." 

What I would say to Anne Rice

   Anne Rice is the best-selling vampire novelist whose Vampire Chronicles series of books have netted her a great deal of fame and fortune.  Anne made quite a splash a few years ago when she left her "dark world" behind and claimed her newfound faith in Christianity.  Anne became a devout Roman Catholic.  She even started writing a new series of novels; her Christ the Lord series has received many positive reviews.
   But last week Anne Rice declared that she was renouncing Christianity.  She says that she still loves Jesus, but she doesn't love the Christian religion, which is, in her description, " anti-gay" and "anti-feminist"  (Anne's son, Christopher, is an openly gay activist).  Anne declares that she has had it with Christianity because Christians are "quarrelsome, hostile and disputatious."
   Many are applauding Anne's decision.  Many people today like to boldly proclaim how much they love Jesus but hate Christianity.  It is in vogue to characterize all Christians and all Churches as narrow-minded, hateful, and "disputatious."  But here is what I would say to Anne:
    In painting all of Christianity with such a broad brush of hateful adjectives, aren't you being as judgmental as the Christians you complain about?  How are you any different from someone who says, "all gay people are....."  or   "all Muslims are...."  or   "all women are..."?   Is it really fair or wise to take your narrow, limited experience of Christianity and the Christian Church and use it to publicly condemn all of Christianity?
     I would also invite Anne to consider that people of faith, primarily Christians, and mostly Christian Churches, started nearly every compassionate institution ever created in society.  The first hospitals, schools, orphanages, AIDS clinics, nursing homes, substance abuse treatment centers, homeless shelters, etc. were started by people of faith. Anyone who takes a little time to study the history of the Church will certainly note some unattractive and unfortunate episodes (The Crusades, Witch Trials).  These are regrettable, but the positive influence of the Christian Church in the world has been far more consistent.
   I would also invite Anne to describe for me any organization of more than two people where there are not disagreements, misunderstandings, and even sometimes poor behavior. Christians do not become perfect overnight.  And Churches, like families, are made up of flawed people who sometimes don't get along. Heck, just read the New Testament. About half of Paul's letters were written to Churches that were arguing over theological and social issues.
   I do not condemn Anne Rice. She is entitled to her religious beliefs or non-beliefs.  But I grow weary of modern, so called "free thinkers" and "intellectuals" who feel like it is sophisticated logic to declare that they love Jesus but hate His Church.   Jesus loves His Church, warts and all. He died for His Church.  He refers to His Church as "His Bride."  And if we truly love Jesus, we will learn to love those who are trying to join hearts and hands together to impact the world for good (even if we have a few disagreements along the way).   But spare me the sanctimonious declarations about loving Jesus without loving His Church, or declaring, "I am a Christian, but I hate the Church." Jesus did not give us that option, and he did not intend to. 
   I hope I will see you at Ebenezer Church this weekend.  Let's worship, grow and serve together, even if we aren't perfect.

The Substitution Principle

    There is a popular, best-selling diet book in bookstores these days. It is called, Eat This, Not That. Actually, there are a whole series of these books. The concept of these books is simple: if you want to lose weight and still enjoy food, learn to substitute lower calorie items for higher calorie items. For example, substitute low-fat vanilla yogurt for dessert instead of vanilla ice cream. Substitute baked potato chips for deep-fat fried potato chips (that's a tough one for me).
    The Eat This, Not That diet is based on a principle known as "The Substitution Principle." Life is full of choices, and we can enhance and improve our lives by choosing to substitute or replace one choice for another.
    The Bible is full of suggestions on how to use The Substitution Principle to improve our lives. The Bible tells us to replace worry with prayer (Philippians 4:6), to replace worldly thinking with holy thinking (Romans 12:2), to replace foolishness with wisdom (Proverbs 3:35), to replace bitterness with forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32), to replace spiritual apathy with passion for God (Romans 12:11). When we practice The Substitution Principle, we are using the power of personal choice to make our lives better.
    For example, what would happen if someone made the daily decision to take a 30-minute walk instead of watching a 30-minute television show? Over time, that decision would be life-enhancing. What if someone got out of bed 15 minutes earlier in the morning and invested those 15 minutes in quiet time with the Lord? That would make a significant difference for the rest of the day. What if someone decided to substitute thankfulness for complaining? What if someone decided to substitute kindness for grumpiness? An encouraging word instead of a curse word? Patience instead of anger?
    I am taking some time today to reflect upon my own life, to evaluate how my choices have affected the quality and condition of my life. I am going to consider where I might need to put The Substitution Principle to work in my own life so that I might honor God more fully. I encourage you to do the same. As Socrates once said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." The Bible also tells us to examine our ways, to make sure we are truly living to honor the Lord (2 Corinthians 13:5).
    God gives us the gift of choice, but with that gift comes great responsibility. First, we make our choices, then our choices make us. In what areas do you need to put The Substitution Principle to work in your life?
    I hope you will take some time to worship God at Ebenezer Church this weekend. Pastor Chris will be getting us started in a new teaching series on The Kingdom of God. I am still on vacation, and will be attending worship at another church; but I will be back in the office on Monday. If you've been neglecting worship services, I hope you make the decision to make weekly worship at Ebenezer a regular part of your life. After all, we all make our choices, then our choices make us.

Is Pat Robertson Trying to Answer the Wrong Question?

Once again, Christian evangelist and former presidential candidate, Pat Robertson, finds himself in a firestorm after his comments on the earthquake in Haiti.  On his “700 Club” television show,  the Rev. Robertson connected the devastating earthquake with a “curse” that has been placed upon the island nation of Haiti going back to the time of Napoleon, when apparently some of the Hatian leaders made a “pact with the Devil” and embraced “voodoo” as the primary religion.

The responses to Pat Robertson’s comments have been swift and loud.  He has been condemned as a “racist,” a “bigot,” and a “religious nut” among other more colorful comments.  We are also reminded of similar comments Pat Robertson has made in the past, such as when Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a stroke in 2006, and Robertson claimed it was God’s judgment on the Prime Minister for compromising with the Palestinians.  When Hurricane Katrina struck, Pat Robertson declared it was God’s judgment on America for a variety of sins.  In the wake of the terrorist attack on September 11, again the Rev. Robertson claimed that it was God’s judgment on America for the “liberal political agenda” being pushed primarily by the ACLU.

As a United Methodist Pastor, I cringe when I hear Christian leaders like Pat Robertson make such statements.  As I study the Bible, there are some areas of agreement that I have with the Rev. Robertson.  I agree that God does judge sin at some point, both in our individual lives and in our collective lives as a society.  Practicing “Voodoo” is clearly a sin.  But I find it difficult to believe that the natural disasters or cataclysmic events we experience are a part of God’s wrath or punishment.  My advice to Pat Robertson and to every Christian on the planet is to be humble enough to acknowledge that we don’t have all the answers when bad stuff happens.  Perhaps we can learn from tragedy, perhaps we can find ways to prevent some future tragedies, but let’s not assume that every earthquake, volcano, terrorist attack or cancer diagnosis is some kind of “message from God” that we are being punished for a particular sin.  In offering his opinion about the ultimate cause of the earthquake in Haiti, Pat Robertson is trying to answer the wrong question.  The important question is not “why does suffering and tragedy happen?”  but rather, “how should I respond to suffering and tragedy?”

When people ask me, “why do bad things happen?”  My simple answer is this:  “because this is earth, not heaven.” Tragedy and suffering are a part of life on earth.  If you want a pain-free, problem-free, tragedy-free existence, you’re gonna have to wait for heaven.  Until then, we’ve got life here on earth, which is not perfect and will not be perfect. When bad things happen, we tend to want to focus on the question, “why did God allow this to happen?”  But the more important question is, “how does God want me to respond to this situation?”    The real issue is not God’s motive (which is a mystery beyond our comprehension) the real issue is our response to suffering, tragedy and injustice.  We can sit around and play guessing games that condemn other people (or even sometimes blame God), or we can roll up our sleeves and be part of a compassionate and helpful response.

The Church I serve is not asking, “why did God send an earthquake to Haiti?”  We are not asking, “why does God allow this kind of suffering and tragedy?”  Those are questions without clear answers, and when we try to answer them, we usually end up looking like fools.  The question we are asking is this: “how does God want us to respond to the earthquake in Haiti?”  And our congregation is praying, gathering financial resources, and collecting supplies to help alleviate the suffering.

I have no big issues with Pat Robertson most of the time.  In many ways I respect the good work he has done in many parts of the world.  And I am sure that his relief organization “Operation Blessing” will provide lots of supplies and support to the suffering people in Haiti.

But I do think that Pat Robertson, and all of us who love God, need to be careful in trying to assume we know the answer to the “why” question in situations like this.  To try and answer the “why” question makes us look like judgmental idiots.  Let us instead focus on a more important and more practical question:  “how does God want us to respond?”  Then we will be on the right track.  After all the old hymn we like to sing is not, “They’ll know we are Christians by our answers.”  It is,  “They’ll know we are Christians by our love.”

The Greatest Dog Ever

About one month ago, I had to endure the very painful and unfortunate experience of euthanizing my dog.   Jake was a Golden Retriever, unusually large for his breed (over 110 pounds).   My wife Lynn picked him out from a litter of pups back in March of 2001.  Over the past 9 years, Jake has been a faithful companion, a playful friend, and a joyful presence in my life.   He loved our entire family, and our entire family loved him, but there was no doubt that Jake was my dog, and I was his master.

 

I always knew that the day would come when Jake would die.  The vet told me years ago that a Golden Retriever rarely lives past 11 or 12 years, but a very large Retriever like Jake would be lucky to make it to 10 years.  Jake missed his tenth birthday by just a couple of months.

 

Even though I knew the day would eventually come, I was not prepared for the deep sense of loss that I felt, and still continue to feel.  For some people, and I guess I must be one of them, a dog is not just a pet, a dog is a vital and important part of the family.  The devotion and unconditional love that a dog offers is an amazing taste of grace in a world where sometimes grace is hard to find.

 

People have asked me if I will get another dog.  Someday, I probably will.  But I am in no rush.  The truth is, I don’t want another dog, I really want Jake back.  But I know that isn’t going to happen, and I so I want to take my time before getting another dog.

 

People have also asked me if I believe that dogs go to heaven.  I don’t know if all dogs go to heaven, but I believe Jake will be there.  Frankly, I am not sure it would really be heaven for me if he weren’t there to greet me someday.

 

I am also very aware that the death of a dog cannot and should not compare with the death of a spouse or a child.  As a Pastor, and as someone who has experienced the death of a parent, I understand the grief and loss that such experiences bring.

 

But here is my point: death comes to all of us eventually.  We might grieve the loss of pets and the loss of loved ones, but there will also come a day when someone will grieve the loss of us.   As a Pastor, I deal with death all the time.  But I also deal with the hope and promise of eternal life that my faith in Christ offers to me and to all those who will trust and believe.   I am not an “end of the world” fanatic, but I am a “death is inevitable” realist.  Over the course of 9 ½ years, I watched Jake frolic as a puppy, settle down into middle age, slow down in old age, and struggle to breathe as cancer invaded his lungs.  I also held him in my arms and said a tearful goodbye as he peacefully drifted away.  My final words to my dog were these: “I love you big boy, and I’ll see you on the other side.”   Those words were not just the emotional babblings of a grieving dog-lover, those words were the ultimate bedrock of faith upon which my entire life is built.

 

As I write these words, it is the day before Thanksgiving.  I am preparing to drive up to Arlington Cemetery to conduct a funeral for a woman who lived into her 80’s.  I will speak the promise of resurrection to the family and friends gathered around the grave.  I will say, “we are not in the land of the living moving towards death, we are actually in the land of the dying moving towards life.”    And as I say these words, I will think of those I have known and loved, who have already experienced the inevitable reality of death.  I will also acknowledge that someday I will die.  But most of all, I will be grateful for the new life that awaits me on the other side of death, and the dog who will be there to greet me.  He will no doubt want me to take him for a walk, and I will gladly take him.  But he won’t need a leash in heaven.  He will be truly free, and so will I.