(Note: This will be my last devotion of the school year. Last evening I learned of the passing of my father-in-law in South Africa and will be traveling there today and won't return until after the semester ends. The devotion below I wrote just over a year ago after the death of a dear friend. The words seem appropriate for today as well. Jim)
“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” (I Thessalonians 4:13-14 NIV)
Death has been on our minds a lot over the past week as the images from Tucson have dominated the media. Death, public death especially, always shakes us. As a late colleague once put it, death is an intruder. It is an unwelcome reminder of our own mortality. Sure, we know we’re going to die, someday; just don’t remind us. Yet, we were reminded last week and we will be reminded again, sooner or later, for death is a reality of life in a fallen world.
Four the past four years, I have been reminded of this every week as I sat down for breakfast with my friend, Alan. He had been battling an insidious form of cancer for over a decade when I first met him. He averaged at least two surgical procedures a year and countless MRI’s. He had one eye completely removed and poor vision in the other. We used to laugh about his threats to his wife to get behind the wheel again.
Alan had been facing his own mortality for years and spending all those hours over eggs and coffee helped me become even more comfortable with my own. Last summer, after yet another surgical procedure, Alan knew his time was running out. The cancer was now in a place where it could not be removed and his tolerance for aggressive and painful treatment was at an end. The next months were still spent laughing and talking about everyday stuff, but now the conversation was sprinkled with talk of his impending death. He was tired of the suffering; he was ready to go home to be with Jesus. There was a tinge of sadness of leaving his wife and four sons behind, but he was ready and he was filled with much hope.
I saw Alan in the hospital the day before I left for our mission trip to South Africa last month. I knew it would be the last time on this side. He died three weeks later. Death had intruded on my life. There was sadness, but mostly there was hope. Alan was now free from his suffering and with Jesus.
In the years I knew Alan, I never saw fear. He always lived with hope regardless of the pain or the specter of death hanging over him. He reminded me that in Jesus there is no sting in death (I Corinthians 15:55), only hope.
Today, I have once again reminded you of your own mortality. You may consider it to be an unwelcome intrusion, but it need not be. For those who know Jesus, death is a mere passage into real life—life as it was originally created to be. Life filled with joy and without pain or suffering. A life my friend Alan is now enjoying, and one that we who know Jesus will one day experience as well.
© Jim Musser 2011
“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:3-7 NIV)
Charles Colson had reached the pinnacle of power, Counsel to the President, when Richard Nixon became president in 1968. He was known as Nixon’s “hatchet man,” someone who could do the dirty work for the infamous president. He was once quoted as saying he would run over his grandmother to get Nixon re-elected. But when the Watergate scandal began to unfold, Colson was caught in the political and legal backlash. He found himself under arrest and facing years in prison.
In the midst of his fall from grace, Colson began to contemplate what had become of his once promising life. He was in despair when he called an old friend, who just happened to have had recently become a follower of Jesus. The friend told him his story and encouraged him to read “Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis. It wasn’t long before Colson turned his life over to Jesus and decided to plead guilty to the charges he faced. He spent seven months in prison and then, for the next 30 plus years, went back time after time to minister to those behind the razor wire topped walls. The founder of Prison Fellowship experienced the kindness and love of the Savior while serving his sentence and wanted other prisoners to experience the same.
Charles Colson died of a brain hemorrhage over the weekend at the age of 80. He leaves a legacy of the power of God’s love and kindness to transform lives, often seemingly broken beyond repair. There are many who doubt that power. They believe people never really can change and are mystified or skeptical when they do. Perhaps you are one of them.
If so, then take a closer look at Colson’s life, or that of the Apostle Paul, or John Newton (author of the hymn “Amazing Grace”), or C.S. Lewis, or those of so many others, including my own, whose lives have been transformed by encountering the love of the Savior. It is an amazing sight to see the power of God at work!
© Jim Musser 2012
“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:11-12 NIV)
This passage really spoke to me this morning because it intersects with what is happening in my life right now, a not so uncommon occurrence as I daily read the Scriptures.
Yesterday, I took my wife to the airport so she could fly to South Africa to be with her father, who appears to be living out his final days on earth. He has suffered much in the past three years, beginning with a near fatal beating by a robber, which precipitated a slow but steady decline in his health. While it is a sad time in many ways to think of losing him, we are filled with joy because his time of suffering is nearing its end and a new life will soon begin.
As I was driving back home, thinking of these things, my nephew called to tell me that he and his wife had decided to follow Jesus and were baptized by my brother. I remember, nearly 20 years ago, sitting in a restaurant with a then 16-year-old boy sharing with him my story of coming to faith, concerned about the direction his life was heading. I can still recall his awkward smile as he told me he had some “wild oats” he still wanted to sow. I have been praying for him to have a heart change ever since, and yesterday I finally saw those prayers answered.
These stories find their connection in the words Paul uses to exhort us in living the Christian life—joy, hope, patience, and faithfulness. Overriding everything that happens in our lives is the joy that comes from the hope we have in Jesus. No matter what we face or how sad or discouraged we feel, that hope can carry us through it. And that hope makes room for patience because we know we do not walk this road alone and we know better times are ahead. And it creates an incentive to continue to pray because we know God listens to our prayers, though the answers may be slow in coming.
In the midst of some difficult times, I am finding much joy because my hope lies in a God who is faithful in His love for us. Today, I hope you can find the same.
© Jim Musser 2012
“On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, ‘Get up and stand in front of everyone.’ So he got up and stood there.
Then Jesus said to them, ‘I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?’
He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He did so, and his hand was completely restored. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.” (Luke 6:6-11 NIV)
My wife and I were recently discussing her former job when she said something I found interesting. She said the only people she ever had difficulties with, who didn’t like her very much, were the churchgoers. I remember her talking about one woman who took her to task over not believing the King James Bible is the only inspired version of the Bible. Of course, my wife’s native language is Afrikaans. Another tried to draw her into criticizing the music some of the workers listened to, and was not too happy when she wouldn’t join in.
Religious people tend to be big on rules and judgment and rather lacking in love and mercy. Those of us on campus routinely see this when the “preachers” come and proclaim God’s judgment upon the university. When those of us who minister to students seek to give them a different perspective on what the Lord is doing on campus, we, too, are summarily judged. It is ironic that our God, who is “slow to anger and abounding in love,” (Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 86:15; Psalm 103:8; Psalm 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Nahum 1:3 Note that these are all from the Old Testament!) is portrayed as always angry and is represented by people who seem to be always angry.
Jesus ran into the same thing from the religious people of His day. They wanted judgment, not compassion and mercy. They wanted Him to commend their own self-righteousness and He refused to comply. And they hated Him for it.
Jesus was never casual about sin, but He always genuinely loved the sinner. And He would never allow a rule to get in the way of showing love and compassion. (Zacchaeus, Luke 19; the woman at the well, John 4; the woman caught in adultery, John 8)
Today, remember that being a follower of Jesus is to follow His lead in being slow to anger and abounding in love, to genuinely love sinners and show them compassion and mercy. There are already enough angry religious people out there; true followers need to demonstrate the way of the Lord takes a different path.
© Jim Musser 2012
“But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.” (John 2:24-25 NIV)
I have been thinking about this passage for a while as I think about people who make assumptions about me that I know are not true. They base it on what they perceive, not on what they know.
In our world of sound bites and video bites, we are all too quick to make judgments about people, whether they are politicians, professors, or neighbors, based upon very little information. I remember, while attending seminary, several of us students complaining about a professor’s irritability when another faculty member informed us that this professor suffered from constant migraines. Often it is helpful to know more about the person before we make any judgments.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could be like Jesus and know what is in a person, to know her heart, his experience, her pain? We could draw conclusions about a person based on facts, not on mere perception or assumption.
Of course, none of us can be Jesus, but we can be more careful in drawing conclusions about people. We can refuse to make quick appraisals of people. We can commit to withholding judgment about who a person is until we know her a lot better. We can practice grace with their shortcomings while at the same time getting to know their real character.
Today, there may be people about whom you have made unfair and inaccurate conclusions. Perhaps it would be good to take a second look at them, this time with the intent of getting underneath the surface, beginning to understand where they have come from. And if you can’t do that, just to have the grace to let the Lord handle it and accept them as imperfect people like you who are created and loved by God.
© Jim Musser 2012
“Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings” (Psalm 61:1-4 NIV).
For a person swept away by the current of raging river, a large rock sticking out above the water can be a lifesaving refuge. Sometimes life feels like a raging river and we are caught in its fury. In desperation, we grab for anything we think might save us. But like the person in the river will find, not everything we grab hold of is strong enough, solid enough, or high enough to provide us refuge.
In the river we call life, there are many calm places where things seem just about perfect. There are others that are a bit rough, but manageable. Then there are the places that seem impossible to pass. They are scary and if we had a choice, we would avoid them. We would head back upstream to calmer waters. But the current carries us into them and it becomes a quest of survival.
In the midst of the roaring, churning waters, there is a huge, sturdy Rock sticking up out of the water. And the current carries us right past it. All we have to do is grab hold of it. Once we do, it is an easy climb to dry ground.
It sounds easy, but it is not. Many people drown in rivers because they panic. They are so scared they miss the opportunity to be saved. In life we can be so overwhelmed by our circumstances, so panicked, that we miss the help God can provide. We fail to grab hold of the Rock that is higher than us.
Today know that whatever circumstances you encounter in life, God is there like a huge, sturdy rock in the midst of the churning waters. Don’t panic. Grab hold of Him and you will be safe.
© Jim Musser 2012
“But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” (I Corinthians 12:18-27 NIV)
During the past month, I have experienced much of what Paul is talking about. We tend not to take much notice of our perfectly functioning body parts until they get injured. We go about our day not thinking much about how the muscles in our legs are working or how the tendons in our fingers are working. But if we injure something, our attention will immediately be drawn to them.
For example, I never gave much thought to the little finger on my right hand until this past weekend when I smashed it while loading firewood. Since then, that little digit has commanded much of my attention. At first by it’s throbbing and still now when I type or seek to tie my shoes, it reminds me of its presence and importance.
I have also been noticing my right elbow of late. Since Spring Break, where I spent several days cutting wood with a chainsaw, that joint has been complaining when I take the milk from the fridge, attempt to remove my left shoe, or lift a cup of coffee to take a sip. Never before have I noticed my elbow so much.
The parts of our bodies are so interconnected that when they are not functioning properly or are suffering, we immediately notice, no matter how small or seemingly unimportant the part may be. This was Paul’s point to the Corinthian Church, which was full of spiritual pride and had been ignoring many of its members because they viewed them as spiritually inferior.
The tendency is to elevate certain people to a higher spiritual status because their gifts are known and seen, such as the pastor or the leader of the worship band. But Paul is saying the ones who rarely garner attention, like the people who maintain the church kitchen, or those that clean the building, or those that pray for the members of the church are just as important even if they are rarely noticed.
This reminder is still needed today. There are many who serve tirelessly in our churches and campus ministries, playing important roles in making them effective in the work of the Kingdom. Yet, their efforts can be easily overshadowed by those “up front.” Today, remember how important each member of the body is to the overall functioning of the church. And take the opportunity to thank them for the important work they do.
© Jim Musser 2012
