Taking Tests

“Stagger Desks!” Two words that can produce chills down the spine of anyone who has spent time in a classroom at the United States Military Academy at West Point! With that command, cadets begin to arrange their desks in preparation for rigorous intellectual testing that will expose their brilliance or ignorance regarding a particular area of academic focus. I remember the warm and welcoming feeling of confidence I felt in the humanities and language art classes that came rather easily for me, knowing that my testing would produce satisfying results and provide me with a maximum opportunity to excel! Unfortunately, I also remember the icy terror that gripped me in the torrential current of the Math and Science classes, as tests in those areas manifested my need for much improvement!

I am now grateful for all of those testing experiences, as they provided valuable life lessons for me in success and failure that continue to bear fruit in ways I could never have imagined during those cold, wintry days on the banks of the Hudson. Since that time, I have learned that every one faces tests all throughout life. We are all confronted with a lifetime series of trials, tribulations, dilemmas, difficulties and inconveniences that continually examine our character and indicate our level of faith, maturity and decency at various stages of our personal journeys. In my life as a minister, husband, father and adult son, I have faced and continue to face “real life” tests that have brought me to sometimes excruciating life junctions that either build up or tear down, depending on my reaction to the situation. Even as I share my thoughts this very moment, Luz and I are in the midst of a challenge involving the selling of our home that is testing the source of our confidence and the true foundation of our trust. This season of testing is reminding us in a new and wonderful way that our confidence and strength will never find adequacy within ourselves, but only in the Lord Who has made us and sustains us. The Early Church Leader James lays out the process and purpose of life testing and God’s desired response for us like this:

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).

I certainly would never have chosen most of the tests I have faced or the ones I now face for myself, but I am beginning to learn that I can positively choose my reaction to and negotiation of those tests as they come my way, knowing that I cannot mature and be all that God intends without them. Are you facing a critical test today? Remember testing is common to the human experience, and largely out of individual control. Your reaction to your test IS in your control. Remember that even the most withering trial can be an opportunity for the most glorious response if we choose to trust God’s working in our lives through it. With godly perspective in our times of trial, we can encourage, teach, model and lead through perseverance by faith in the Lord who is not only looking out for our interests as individuals, but desires for us as maturing individuals to minister to others who are hurting too! Be encouraged in your trial! Lift your eyes to the Lord in your time of testing! Let the Lord lead you through the School of Hard Knocks with honors! See the power of God at work in you and through you as you allow Him to use the tests in your life for your growth and the blessing and benefit of others. Until next time…

Sam.

Living With Peace and Hope in Dangerous and Uncertain Times

Can you remember the message of joy and peace that emanated from the Christmas Season less than a week ago? You're surely familiar with the message - "Peace on earth, good will to men"? It seems to have been doused almost overnight. On Christmas Day this year,over 8 years after the terror of 9-11, air safety dominated the news as a man attempted to blow up an aircraft landing in Detroit. As troubling as that event was, the man boasted that he is not alone and that a virtual army of men just like him await the right opportunities to rain fear and death on travellers around the world. On top of that, the H1N1 virus seems to be running rampant. My sister-in-law informed me that in parts of Vancouver, BC, Canada, people are wearing masks in fear of contracting the disease which is spreading among the population there at a troubling rate with no one being certain of how severe its damage will be. And, if that weren't enough to disturb one's sleep, if the Mayans, Nostradamus and the History Channel are correct, we only have a little less than 2 years to "enjoy" our time on this planet anyway, since according to "prophecies" the world is going to end on December 21, 2012! Happy New Year, right?

The world is certainly filled with trouble and problems that can dash the hopes of even the most optimistic souls. When one's optimism is based on circumstantial evidence, disappointment is bound to occur and hopes are destined to be destroyed. When I reflect on last year's hopes for a Happy New Year, I cannot help but remember the untimely passing of two friends and good men, Jeff White and Paul Sorce, whose deaths remind me that tomorrow is not promised and even the highest of hopes can be laid low by the crushing realities of life. Nevertheless, even in the face of such loss mixed together with the sober perils of a fallen and mixed up world, I do have great hope and inner peace. How is this possible? The Bible abounds with answers. In one of the great Christmas verses not often associated with Christmas, the Heralding Angel informs Mary that the Lord is with her in her coming trials and that "...nothing is impossible with God" (Luke 1:33). Jesus reminded the disciples that the world is full of tribulation but not to live timidly when facing life's dangers. He said, "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). He further encouraged them to understand and distinguish God's Peace from man's peace. In John 14:27 Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." With God, it possible to achieve the impossible - peace of mind and spirit though the storms of life rage about us!

The apostle Paul offered a tremendous reminder of where our peace lies and what our attitude should be as we are beset with life's troubles:

2 Corinthians 4:7ff
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves;we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed...Therefore, we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,
18. while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

As a Christian, I am called to spend myself to make this fallen world a better place, to champion peace, to spread hope and to defend the helpless in every way that I can as long as I have breath. Nevertheless, the reality is that evil exists, death doesn't sleep, and tragic setbacks riddle our everyday lives with pain and suffering. But, I won't give up or cease to try to do good and neither should you. Why not? Because, as the apostle Paul said, this is not all there is. We are more than visible flesh and life is more than tangible experience. There is an eternal and loving God Who cares for us, even as we have rebelled in our freedom against Him, and Who continues to reach out to us as the folly of our ways and the inadequacies of our wisdom play themselves out time and time again as history marches on. There is an eternity that will be inherited and for which each of us must be prepared. The great news is that God through His Son has made The Way for us, so that no matter what we experience today or might experience tomorrow - good or bad - We can have peace and hope knowing that His Power can be shown in our suffering and His love can be realized through our refusal to be ruled by our circumstances.


With the future totally unpredictable, but with God firmly established on His throne and completely reliable, I wish you His peace, His love and His joy knowing that with Him all things are possible and through my faith in Jesus, I can truly extend to you real hope for a truly "Happy New Year!" Keeping the faith and keeping true hope alive, until next time...

Sam.

Why?

Bob Priest, a professor at the Seminary from which I graduated, served as a missionary in an extremely remote part of the Peruvian Jungle among a tribal people group known as the Aguarunas. As Bob spent time learning the ways of the Aguarunas and built a foundation of friendship and understanding upon which he hoped to share the Good News about Jesus Christ, he would often find himself immersed in deep philosophical and theological conversations that would keep pace with any university setting on the planet. When he asked for the ultimate question the Aguarunas had about the nature of life, truth and beauty, the response he received struck him in its universality among all people. Those with whom he was speaking answered his philosophical probe with this question:

"Why do the wicked flourish as the Green Bay Tree and the good die young?"

It was a question for which there is no quick answer and one that led to hours and hours of discussion and that eventually opened the door for Bob to share the Message of hope about Jesus.

I heard this account almost 20 years ago, yet this week, after the sudden and incomprehensible deaths of two friends and the nationally reported murder of someone who shares my profession during a Sunday morning worship service, I find myself asking a similar question, "why do the wicked seem to flourish unscathed, while the good suffer and die?"

About 2 weeks ago LTC Jeff White, a West Point classmate of mine and about as robust, fit and energetic specimen of a man as one could ever find, had been stateside for about a month just having returned from an 18 month tour of duty in Iraq. While singing in the choir during a Sunday service at his home church, Jeff collapsed and died of a massive heart attack. A good man, dedicated to his God, family and country and dedicated to selfless service that consistently put him in harm's way, died in the prime of life of a cause one generally attributes to someone much less fit and much much older. He was only 46.

Just this week, Paul Sorce, a very dear friend since my arrival in Detroit, and a top-notch Special Agent serving with the Federal Bureau of Investigation was on duty and traveling on a local road about half a mile from where we live, when he was struck by another vehicle and inflicted with injuries that led to his death a few hours later. Paul was an extraordinarily devoted family man, a tireless community volunteer, and a dedicated brother in the Lord. Yet, with all of the attributes we would like to think guarantee a long life and personal prosperity, Paul was cut down at the height of his powers all too soon at the age of 44.

And then there's the murder of Pastor Fred Winters, who in the middle of his sermon, was interrupted by a man who stood up during the message and for what by all accounts appears to be no particular reason, shot Pastor Winters on the spot, killing him. After 20 years of faithful service to the Lord, his family, his church and his community, Fred Winters was silenced abruptly at the age of 45.

Practically everyone knows of tragedies like these, severe in their degree and shocking in their impact that cause us to ask much like the Aguaruna of Peru, "Why indeed do the wicked flourish and the good die young?" The answer I have is not profound, but it is simple: "I don't know." Yet, there are some things I do know and about which I am very certain. While I cannot tell you why these wonderful men died "before their time" or why it seems bad things happen to very good people, I address a much more important issue for you, which is why these men lived.

Two passages of Scripture come to my mind at times like these. The first passage is from the Apostle Paul's letter to the Philippians and says this:

"For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21).

These Brothers all lived for Christ and lived for others by putting themselves at risk time and time again and by throwing themselves vigorously into opportunities to serve others whether in a neighborhood sporting ministry, in ministries that strengthened of families or in being available to answer a cry for help in the wee hours of the morning. These men all realized that their lives were not truly their own, and that they were stewards of gifts, talents, abilities and moments that were God-given and for which they felt duty-bound to direct toward the benefit of others. These wonderful people never lived life as if it was all about them. They lived in the full knowledge that they had been given so much because their gifts desperately needed to be shared with others. Their lives were lived for Jesus Christ in obedience to Him, for His glory, and for the benefit and blessing of others.

Yet they died. It is in their deaths, however, though painful, devastating and untimely for those who love them and are left behind, that they have gained an amazing reward. It is this reward that reminds me of the strains of a glorious hymn of old based on more words from the Apostle Paul. The verse of that hymn that comes to mind and the refrain which comes from the Scriptures are as follows:

I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.

But I know Whom I have believèd,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.

None of us knows what tomorrow may bring, whether good or bad, triumph or tragedy. The particulars of the future are simply unknowable. It is unknowable for us the living and it was unknowable for the loved ones who have passed into eternity ahead of us. Nevertheless, the three men whose memories we honor after their passing, provide strong and straightforward examples of what we can know and what we all must do in light of the unclear veil that obstructs our view of tomorrow.

We must make sure that our lives count by serving others with all of our gifts and talents. We don't all have the same gifts, passions or calling, but we each have something that is useful to contribute to society. Don't waste your time or your gifts, saving them for a tomorrow that may not be your to use. While it is today, do good to those around you and do good for those who will carry on after you. Tomorrow or even this afternoon may by a mystery, but we each have a "right now" that is within our grasp and with which we can do tremendous good.

In addition, for those of us who know Christ and believe in the salvation He has made available through His death for our sins - not just ours but for the sins of the world - and the victory and hope that are ours to share through the power of His Resurrection , we can be confident in uncertain days that God will keep His Word and that there is a reward for those who hope and trust in Him. Jeff, Paul and Fred believed this and their lives produced an abundant crop of fruit even in their brevity. They are now experiencing the reality of their reward as humble servants who responded to God's wonderful grace with thanksgiving made manifest in a life of selfless service. I want to leave the last verse of the aforementioned hymn with you as we contemplate the unknown future and seek to diligently follow the clearly revealed call of God for all believers to all the good we can, as often as we can for as long as we can:

I know not when my Lord may come,
At night or noonday fair,
Nor if I walk the vale with Him,
Or meet Him in the air.

But I know Whom I have believèd,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.

Until next time,

Sam

The Thin Line Between Victory and Loss

I had never heard of Lolo Jones before the final of the women's 100m hurdles in Beijing. The short bio-feature that highlighted her accomplishments in track and life and recounted the amazing real life hurdles she had negotiated to make it to the Beijing Olympics was stirring and her performance up to the final made her imminent victory a foregone conclusion. When the starting gun sounded, it was evident that Lolo's reputation was well-founded. She blazed through the hurdles with lighting speed, well ahead of the entire field and all was on course for a gold medal performance and the adoration, fame and perks that are part and parcel to such an attainment when the unthinkable happened. Two hurdles away from "eternal" Olympic Glory, Lolo hit a hurdle! She didn't just clip it, she hit it with enough force to break her stride, her rhythm and her hopes of obtaining any medal at all, let alone the gold. Showing courage befitting a champion, Lolo granted an interview after the race, handling the loss with dignity and class. The pain, nevertheless, was plain for all to see and even more evident when, after the interview, she went to herself and could be seen weeping bitter tears.

Illustrious WWII General George Patton had a strong opinion about losing and those who lost. He believed that any endeavor worth pursuing was worth winning and said that he personally, "wouldn't give a hoot...for a man who lost and laughed." I understand the general's disdain for losing and laughing. Sometimes in our pursuit of good sportsmanship, we are inclined to act as if losing in the fierce pursuit of a victory is something that should be smiled about and shrugged off in a gesture to "put on a happy face" and to "grin and bear it" in our humiliation or disappointment. I am a stickler for good sportsmanship in athletic contests and in life and I certainly admire the brave faces and congratulatory graces shown by those who lose in the pursuit of excellence. Nevertheless, I empathize with the tears of someone who has given their all to a quest that in the end, in spite of intense preparation and realistic expectation, falls short.

How can an athlete who has in all probability spent the majority of their adolescent and adult life pursuing a fete that will likely define them and set up a future of amazing opportunity laugh when that pursuit falls flat and they are left with nothing but an obliterated dream and might have beens? To quote Jesse Owens, it means having one's "entire existence justified in just 10 seconds!" Losing is serious business, especially when one expects to win. When the loss is a surprise, introspection is always a part of the process. Invariably, the unexpected loser will ask,"Why did I lose?" "How could this happen?" and "What now?" The answers are usually complex - a convergence of the improbable, the unfortunate, or the unbelievable that result in a "perfect storm" of dream destruction that send one's expectations "to the bottom" with no hope of restoration.

Perspective is also part of the process. Sometimes, the pain of loss is all on the loser and cannot be shared or understood by others. One competitor is just happy to get to the Olympics and takes pride in the fact that only a literal handful of humans can move faster, soar higher, or be stronger than they, while another is disappointed that their victories were merely silver or bronze and not gold. Consider this. Would Michael Phelps have been a "loser" if he had "only" won say, 7Golds at Beijing and "simply" tied Mark Spitz's 1972 Olympic record? It would have amounted to more cumulative golds than anyone in the history of the games, but many would have seen such an effort as a "failure" (Remember, Phelps "only" won six golds in Athens and "merely" qualified for the 2000 Barcelona Olympics - at the age of 15)! Nevertheless, when the bar is set high - so high that even one's failure outshines the "successes" of others - it is still viewed as a failure - one from which many never emotionally recover.

Most people eventually have to deal with personal setbacks which can eclipse even the greatest accomplishments and victories. For Lolo Jones, getting to the Olympics doesn't seem like enough. The Gold was lost and the memory of Beijing will possibly forver be a disappointment. "Real life" is even less forgiving. "Lucky" Charles Lindbergh became a legend and captured the world's imagination with his first solo flight across the Atlantic, but had to endure the agony of having his son kidnapped and never seeing him returned. How did he view his "luck" in light of his devastating loss, created by the very success that made him a household name? The trials of real life that visit everyone from the high and mighty to the weak and lowly and can distort the meaning of success and failure, winning and losing.

How can we cope when we lose something so precious that everything else in our life seems to be defined by it? The Bible offers encouragement and hope for even the deepest losses. The Scriptures warn against placing our intrinsic value in things that are unpredictable, uncertain and transient. This would include titles, wealth, accomplishments and the glory of fame. Jesus said,

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

When we pursue the truly precious treasure of the Kingdom of God and the riches that come from that pursuit - riches of character, peace of mind, inner strength and deep and abiding faith - Jesus promises that we will not be disappointed. The great news is, though we are told to run this race to win, our winning is based not on the performance of others, or even our perfection but rather our winning is based on our faithfulness to the "course" upon which we have been placed. The book of Hebrews puts it like this,

let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

I hope that Lolo Jones has this hope and that she will view her heartbreaking loss in light of an epic race of much more importance than the amazing glory of an Olympic Race - the race of life where the course has lanes we all must negotiate, complete with obstacles, traps and challenges. God promises help even during the most difficult parts of the race. The prophet Isaiah has powerful encouragement for us, even when we hit the hurdles of our course.

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary they will walk and not be faint.

This a race that we can definitely win if we focus on Jesus. It is also a race for which we will be rewarded - not with the perishing beauty of a gold medal performance that may not even be remembered after a generation or two, but with truly eternal significance that blesses others and earns the highest prize of recognition - The "Well Done" of our Heavenly Father! This is a race worth running, and a race that we can truly not afford to lose. Don't give up, keep your eyes on the prize! Until next time...

Sam.