Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV
Rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks put the circumstances of our lives, both good and bad into God’s hands and help us see them through His eyes. Last night our beloved daughter-in-law Melinda slipped from this world into the presence of Jesus. And while we are overwhelmed with grief and shock, these words are promises to which we cling. Melinda has finished her race. Her battle with cancer is finished. And while that pernicious disease claimed her physical life, it could not touch her soul. That remained fully and exclusively in the hands of Jesus with whom she now lives. Nancy and I didn’t know how to process the news that came in three words. “She is gone.” Yet as sadness rolls over my heart I sense the message echo back from Heaven, ” She has arrived!”
“I am the Good Shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” John 10:11 ESV
“You are not enough!” Colonel Phillips shouts to Steve Rogers, in the first Captain America film. Colonel Phillips wanted an army of superheroes, but all he ended up with was Steve. Of course, later in the film we find out that Steve actually is good enough, but the colonel needed a lot of convincing. Maybe the reason I love that movie is because I can identify with not being good enough.
When I was a little boy, I didn’t think deeply on it, but I sensed that I was somehow not good enough, because all the other kids had a dad. Then, when I was five, mom remarried and my new “dad” showed up with his crew-cut, a dark mustache and lots of strict rules. He had rules about sitting at the table – “no talking at the table and eat all the brussels sprouts.” There were rules about shining my shoes on Sunday, making my bed like his drill sergeant had taught him and most of all rules, about playing the clarinet. He loved the clarinet, played in a chamber group, and listened to Benny Goodman and Pete Fountain. They all sounded fine, but in spite of daily practice, when I picked up that instrument more squeaks and squawks came out than the proper dulcet tones. I was not good enough. Saturday music lessons didn’t help much, and my afternoons, when my friends were out playing baseball, I sat in the basement room struggling with my instrument. My lower lip was often split by the reed and if I thought at all of heaven it was the place where no one had to play the clarinet ever again! Bringing that, “Not good enough!” struggle into my job, my family, and my church life, made me work tirelessly to do better, yet left me with the nagging feeling that no matter how hard I tried, I could never be good enough for God. Of course, I knew that I was saved by grace, but I figured God just sort of put up with me from there. I still squeaked and squawked at playing the notes of life and God had lots of rules that I couldn’t keep up with. But over the course of fifty plus years following Jesus, I have begun to learn the love of my Good Shepherd, who laid down His life for me. He doesn’t first ask me to play perfectly, sit silently at HIs table, and shine my shoes on Sunday. He first gave His life and then called me to follow Him. Sheep do not always follow perfectly. We are not fast, strong, or smart. We don’t even smell good! Yet despite all our many faults and failures, He loves us and by His wonderful merciful grace we belong to Him!
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. John 6:35 ESV
I grew up in a subdivision of homes built in the 1950’s. Since all our backyards connected and no one had fences, the area served as a great place for baseball (except for when I broke one of the neighbor’s windows with a ground-rules double!} Another feature of our homes was that everyone’s kitchen was in the back of the house. That way, when my mom baked bread, the aroma drifted out to us on our ballfield. Then, sure enough, as soon as mom opened the oven door and out took the bread to cool, we all lined up by the door, hoping for whatever she would give. After lecturing us for a minute on the perils of eating hot bread, mom generally surrendered to our pleading eyes and started slicing. Then, after one bite I was convinced that there was nothing on earth like her fresh baked bread.
Today, when I read that Jesus is the bread of life, I often think of mom’s bread. Just like mom’s bread, Jesus offers His life as a free gift, to be received just for the asking. Mom didn’t advertise or have a rule that we must come in for bread. We were drawn by the sweet aroma wafting through our neighborhood. If we are praying for revival, let’s ask ourselves, “Does the love of Jesus waft out our back door to friends, neighbors and maybe even the guy who shows up to fix our air conditioner?” Not everyone will respond, but when bread is baking, some hungry souls just may line up by our back door. Secondly, are we offering fresh loaves, right out of Heaven’s oven, or are we just handing out day-old bread? When Jesus preached, he couldn’t hide from the crowds. Some came with perfect motives, others showed up out of curiosity and some even came just for what they could get. Jesus didn’t turn any of them away, but because His teaching was so different from what they were used to, many chose to go home before they tasted even a single bite of the Bread of Life. I pray that whatever your situation is today, that you will be listening for His knock on your door. Jesus still comes, still offers His life to us and still waits to see if we will open our door to Him. Will you dare to go even further today and come knock on His door? Jesus is still the fresh baked bread of Heaven, and He is ready to freely give Himself to anyone who will come and truly believe.
Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. So Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them. Genesis 48:10 ESV
They barely remember our name and struggle to recall where they are. The hands, once strong and able that provided for us, protected us and even at times disciplined us now hang limply at their sides. What is the use of visiting, when they will not remember it an hour from now? Those are hard but very real questions we may struggle with if we have a parent in memory care.
Genesis 48:10 ESV Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. So Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them.
But God remembers them and like Jacob, they still hold the blessings for our children in their hands. Rather than simply pity them, or stay away in discouragement and sorrow, let us go remembering that God has designed this chapter in their lives to still have purpose. Remember that after Jesus was born, he was brought by Mary and Joseph to the temple. There Jesus received blessings from, Simeon and Anna, the two oldest members of the community.
Those who are least respected by a society weary of caring for its elderly, are highly honored by God. These weakened by infirmity and age have been entrusted with the blessing for our children. Why should we care about memory care? Because Jesus does and He remembers them and sees when each one falls.
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