A Mountaintop Experience

Yesterday, I had the great fortune of celebrating my 45th Birthday! It was a laid-back, low-key day, where I was able to sleep a little later than normal while enjoying some precious quality time with my family. Later in the day, I was blessed to share the company of a few friends over good food and good music all while reflecting on good times in days gone by. No 45th birthday would be complete, however, without some reminders of one's own mortality. The results from a recent physical came in within a week of my birthday with some important reminders that as I face the 2nd half of my life, I need to pay strict attention to some medical "warning lights" on my life's dashboard to maximize my opportunities to minister and serve for as long as possible. The day went back on the upswing, however, as I received numerous greetings from all kinds of friends who have been a part of my life from around the country and the world. As sweet as the day on the whole was for me, my satisfying celebration is not likely what I will most remember about entering my 45th year of existence on this planet as a citizen of the United States of America. I will certainly remember that on my 45th birthday, the person elected to be the 44th President of the United States was a man named Barak Hussein Obama - for the first time in US history a man has been elected President who is an African American!

Mr. Obama's election serves as one of the most important milestones in Unites States history. It affirms in fact what our founding documents have claimed for over 2 centuries in principle - "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." It sends a message to the rest of the world that American pronouncements of liberty and justice for all are more than words, they are true American values that the people of the United States hold in the highest regard and are willing to live up to when it counts, all the way to the polling booth! It is watershed moment that signals a new day in US politics and signals in plain view that the ultimate American symbol of power is now attainable for those for whom it has been unreachable for the longest stretch of US history.

In light of this historical moment, many Americans old enough to remember Dr. Martin Luther King and the beginning of the US Civil Rights movement could not help but reflect on his last public speech on the eve of his death - the "Mountain Top" Speech. In this speech, Dr. King seems to have sensed that he was facing the untimely end of his life and declared that he had been to the Mountaintop and peered over into the "Promised Land." He further proclaimed that African Americans as a people would indeed get to the "Promised Land". The question that remains for us is this: Is this moment in history the definitive national ascent to the mountaintop that Dr. King spoke of as he looked forward to the "Promised Land" experience to come? I would answer, to an extent, but more climbing remains to be done. Mr. Obama alluded to Dr. Kings words in his victory speech and seems to answer this question himself by viewing his individual achievement in light of the collective needs and challenges facing the United States today. President-elect Obama said this:

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep… This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change

As I ponder Mr. Obama's words and the whole issue of "Mountaintop experiences", it occurs to me that most mountains are not isolated peaks that stand alone, but they are peaks connected to other mountains that form a whole mountain range. Certainly,the summit of racism and racial tension is among the most prominent and long-standing peaks of challenges in the mountain range of US history. The election of the nation's first African American president has positioned us to confront new challenges, problems and difficulties with a new perspective - a perspective from the top of one mountain that has the potential to enable us to scale other mountains with greater vigor and integrity. While it is true that everyone may not have reached the top of even this particular mountain, it is also true that a path has been cleared that opens new opportunities and hopes for others even as the nation's leaders are called to blaze new trails on other mountains that remain to be scaled.

This particular "mountaintop" - the election of an African American president - shows that America's greatest ideals are realistically available on the widest scale in US history. Even the majority population is better off for this, because the American Dream cannot be a total reality to anyone, until its sweetest fruits are available to everyone. Our climb is a collective one. Our journey must be a united one. Mr. Obama said it wonderfully last night:

…It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice. So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.

My hope is that in the midst of critical global and national issues, our nation will unite in support and a desire for success for the new president. It is understood that when conviction and principle lead us to disagree on particular issues, we should disagree with boldness, conviction and with all the resources that are available in our imperfect, but amazing system of government. Nevertheless, as a Christian, the Bible calls me to pray for my leaders and to do all within my ability to use my gifts, talents and abilities to make my community, country and the world more reflective of the goodness and holiness of God.

So, wherever we may find ourselves on the political scale, let us not lose the momentum created by the fact that we have witnessed one of the most important mountaintop experiences in America History! Now that we've reached one peak, let's take advantage of this new outlook, roll up our sleeves and get to the work of doing all the good we can, for as long as we can, to the greatest amount of people we can so that we can attain the "must scale" mountaintops of goodness, righteousness and holiness in every area of life. If we can achieve these goals to a significant degree, then perhaps we'll be able to secure the blessings of liberty for at least a few more generations and reach a few more mountaintops in the process. Until next time...


Sam.

Candle Lighters

"Better to light one candle, than to curse the darkness." This old adage came to my mind as my family and I attended the St. John Hospital's semi-annual Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Graduate celebration. During this festival, children who began their life journeys with medical problems of every kind, gather together with the medical staff who treated them to celebrate life and all the victories of defying the odds as survivors of premature births.

There would be nothing to celebrate were it not for the hard work and dedication of the St. John NICU staff. Each member of the NICU Team contributes a critical part of the total care package that ensures that NICU babies get the absolute best medical care possible and that parents get the emotional and spiritual support they need during an extremely difficult period. In the deepest valley of a particularly discouraging stage of Victoria's NICU experience, the entire St. John NICU Team (doctors, administrators, nurses, tech personnel and support personnel) guided our family through an almost unbearable situation with compassion, wisdom, and excellence. We knew that the St. John NICU Team was not only treating Victoria, they were also rooting for her and they were encouraging us in a most uncertain and fearful time.

I often asked myself during that period, what kind of people devote themselves to take on the monumental challenge of treating babies born so early with a greatly reduced possibility of survival and a greatly increased possibility of loss and heart break? The answer is really pretty simple - people who care! This care is exemplified to the highest degree in the person of Dr. Ali Rabbani. Dr. Rabbani established the St. John NICU in 1970 when the survival possibilities for premature babies were extremely remote. It was evident from observing him as he interacted with the children who graduated from St. John's NICU and their families that he delights in seeing each and every child and the remarkable progress that has been made in their lives after their NICU experiences. I was deeply touched personally as I considered that every family at the celebration was able to experience the joy of victory over death because of the determined efforts of this man. Dr. Rabbani and his associates, were not content to be satisfied with the status quo of assuming that babies born prematurely were a lost cause, but chose rather to study, investigate, prepare and apply their efforts so that they could beat back the odds and give children a chance who otherwise might have become just another preterm statistic.

The love the NICU team has for what they do and for the ones they treat is the greatest testament to the difference a few dedicated people can make when they choose to light candles rather than curse darkness. Their examples serve a challenge to all of us. Are we willing to apply the very best we have to offer intellectually, emotionally, physically and spiritually in extremely difficult situations? Are we dedicated to strive to be overcomers or good rather than passive bystanders who allow evil to take root when the battle is long and arduous? Are we willing to struggle with the possibility that we may lose in a particular effort to do good on a specific day, but that if we persist at doing what is good and right, all will not be lost in the long run? The St. John NICU staff has lit a fire within my soul to renew my commitment to apply myself without wavering to be committed to do good. It may cost me something in the process, but it will cost others much more if I squander my talents, sit and do nothing. I challenge each of you to commit yourselves to do the same.

Until Next Time...

Sam.
(Photo 1 : Victoria and NICU Administrative Supervisor Sandy)
(Photo 2 : Victoria and her very first NICU nurse, LaRae)
(Photo 3 : Dr. Casabar - Victoria's first NICU doctor, Dr. Rabbani, and Sam)
(Photo 4 : Dr, Casabar, Luz, Sam and Victoria in the front)

Healing Roots

This past week, my paternal grandmother, Mrs. Lucille Noble, passed away at the amazing age of 91. She was the last of her generation of our family which included her older brothers and 3 inseparable sisters who were the epitome of what close sisters should be. As is the case with the passing of any pillar of a family, my grandmother's home going brought family members together who had not been in the same place for many years. I was privileged with the honor of officiating her funeral service and was struck by the presence of so many loved ones who had grown up, were raising families and who possessed countless family traits and quirks that served as subtle reminders of a shared heritage and a rich family history. As I interwove my own recollection of how our family history had affected me and my family, I had no idea of how my understanding of my family history was to be deepened and reshaped in a single afternoon.

After the service, we gathered at my cousin Claudine's home for some down home hospitality and serious Southern soul food. As we all talked and laughed and ate, my cousin Frankie began sharing about "a little family genealogy project" he had been working on. As it turns out, his "little" was serious major historical work which he has been pursuing since about 1977 and which had been published. Armed with hundreds of family photos and obituaries dating back years, Frankie began a quest that led him to trace our family lineage to ancestors born into slavery in the mid-1800's, a link extending all the way back to Africa and even to a slave owning ancestor born in the late 1700's! That's right! We have our own Jefferson/Hemmings saga right in out own back yard! We no longer had to guess about where that red-hair originated! It turns out that there was not only a name, but a portrait with a face that displayed features that were clearly definable as ours! Even more incredible was the fact that because this slave owner had no other children, he worked tirelessly after the civil war ended to pass on a part of his wealth to his descendants birthed by slaves he had previously owned! As Frankie shared this spellbinding history, I couldn't help but think of the words of Martin Luther King who in the most famous speech of his lifetime shared the following hope:

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood.

I now had historically indisputable facts, not just anecdotes, with dates and names provided, that confirmed that I was both the son of a former slave AND the son of a former slave owner! It also occurred to me that this hidden heritage might somewhat explain the burning desire deep within me to see people of all sorts of backgrounds come together in love, fellowship and harmony - it is literally a part of who I am! Within the blood that runs through my veins there exists both the genes of one who cracked the whip and of the genes of one who endured the scourging! I was reminded of Acts 17:26 which states that "He [God] has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth." If we dig deep enough, we will find common roots. This commonality can serve to remind us that those we struggle most to understand and live with are part of a larger human family that shares the same beginnings and are literally more like us than we often choose to believe.

For me personally, the new discoveries of family origin place me in a position to be less likely to assign blame - knowing I have ancestors who helped cause and perpetuate problems blocking understanding and healing - and less likely to claim vitimhood. What a motivation to know that I have ancestors who in full knowledge of where they came from, overcame tremendous odds to produce loving families and wonderful individuals like my grandmother, who raised 3 amazing children - one of them being my father - who in turn overcame his own challenges to go on to raise me. What examples for me to pass on to my children!

Through the serendipitous discovery of personal roots, the Lord has blessed me with a new perspective that has helped to understand more about the complexity of history and its effects on the human spirit and made me more desirous to be a conduit of healing for others. It has shown me furthermore that the love of God can overcome even the most tangled roots! Isaiah 61 reminds us that the Lord desires:

To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness,The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

I knew the weekend would be a return to my roots. I just didn't have any idea it would also be a call to produce better fruit and more glory for the Gardener! So let me challenge you not to be afraid to dig into your past. It will show you just how far God has brought you and challenge you to allow Him to take you even further than you thought you'd be able to go! Until next time...

Sam.

Seeking the Kingdom First

Some love stories can't wait until Valentine's day! I especially love to share love stories about missionaries - Wonderful people who as a vocation, give selflessly of themselves for years on end, with little or no regard for acclaim, fame, recognition or even personal benefit. The Scripture says that he who finds a wife, finds a good thing and pleases the Lord. Over the last week, I had the pleasure of getting to know some new friends who reminded me of the true beauty of finding a good thing that literally is a blessing for the Kingdom of God and the work He calls His people to do.

Some missionaries choose to remain unmarried because of the difficulties of their assignments or the demands of their work. Others simply find themselves single after years of service due to an intense focus on the mission itself which often seems to preclude forming the type of relationships that might lead one to get married. Whatever the cause or motivation, and whether singleness is chosen or simply their appointed plight, there a numerous missionaries who fore go the benefits of marriage for the sake of the furtherance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I have found most of these confirmed "bachelors and bachelorettes 'til the Rapture" full of joy and peace in their singleness not thinking themselves in a particularly difficult place or situation of service as single missionaries. It therefore generally comes as a great surprise to them when these dedicated people who have confirmed themselves in singleness, find themselves "head over heels" in love with another dedicated servant of the Lord who reciprocates their affection and reflects their dedication to a lifetime of service for the Kingdom of God.

My new friends Rob and Dee had both spent years of missionary service in their initial assignments - well over 20 years of service each - confident of the fact that they possessed the gift of singleness, and the Lord could use them better without the blessing of a spouse. Because of their singleness, they were able to throw themselves tirelessly into the work, pouring their lives into the lives of others and gaining a deep satisfaction that whatever difficulties or loneliness they might have experienced there could be no comparison to the benefits they were able to gain in the freedom of their singleness. They met each other after being led to change from their original places of service to an even more challenging missionary assignment. For a few years - yes years - they served together with no thought of anything beyond being coworkers for the Lord, putting their all into seeing people come to faith in Christ and helping new Christians to grow in faith and service. it wasn't until an intense time of ministry together, then some time apart, that they realized the flames of enthusiasm that burned deep within their hearts were not only a shared passion for the Gospel, but a deep and pure love for each other. By the time this revelation had arrived, Rob was approaching 50 and though Dee was a bit younger than Rob she was also a little older than she had been when she began her journey of missionary service. I won't get into the details of their romance, but let me just say, their story is one for the ages, involving an unique and tear-jerking proposal, lots of helpful and excited friends and most of all a confirmation that those who wait on the Lord experience joy and satisfaction that simply eludes those who refuse to wait and try to follow their appetites rather than God's will!

It's all beautifully summarized in Rob's words to Dee, which I will paraphrase, " I have spent my life seeking to collect crowns of service to lay at the feet of Jesus. I am now asking you to allow me to join you and walk at your side to help you in collecting crowns of service for you to lay at Jesus feet." His words caused me to think of a few other special couples who have exemplified this kind of love for the Lord in their marriages as Missionaries: Ruddy and Cristina, Phil and Karen, Craig and Terry, Sid and Marilyn - all couples whose unions not only generated sparks of romance, but ignited great works of faith that have in turn brought countless lives from darkness to light to the glory of God. In seeking the Kingdom of God first, they have had so much added to themselves that it has spilled over to benefit others for the Kingdom of God.

The next time you come into contact with a missionary couple in particular, remember that you are not just seeing the result of a typical love story, but a mighty and holy union that can teach us all just how much we have to gain by waiting patiently for the Lord and putting His Kingdom and the needs of others before our own. Remember, it's never too late for God to surprise us with something special if we're willing to wait on Him! 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.

Fortunate Son

I am sure that some of you 60's music buffs recognize the title of this posting as the title of a rocking Credence Clearwater Revival Tune that laments the societal perks often afforded those born into privileged situations. All too frequently, these privileges are not accompanied by an appropriate sense of responsibility. The Biblical expectation of such privilege is clear - "To whom much is given, much is required."

The Mayor of Detroit's seemingly never-ending spectacle of misbehavior bring the Biblical admonition and the convicting message of the Credence Song to mind in an especially relevant way. It is relevant for me, because I feel as if I and many of those with whom I was raised are fortunate sons as well. This recognition causes me not to spend so much time looking at the mayor, though his misdeeds and the city's resultant suffering merit the most intense scrutiny and whatever consequences, moral and legal, are applicable, but it rather causes me to reflect on how my generation and I have used our gifts. Furthermore, it causes me to ponder how our action or inaction affects those a wee bit younger, such as the Mayor and those quickly ascending the ranks of responsibility and leadership for the years ahead. I don not have the luxury to view the Mayor's issues in isolation as if they said nothing about me.

Like the Mayor, I am African American. Unlike the Mayor, I am not a native Detroiter. I was born during the dying days of the segregated south to a career Army Paratrooper father and a devoted educator mother. I was fortunate to have my mother's heavy duty personal investments of time and effort in my education process, teaching me to read and write well before my preschool age and exposing me to the foundational message of the Scriptures at a time when such teaching was beginning to be viewed as "unsophisticated" or "old-fashioned." I was an only child. This designation is usually seen as a license of sorts, giving the child in question unlimited freedom to be self-centered, spoiled, and oblivious to the needs of others. My parents would have none of that! Among the nuggets of wisdom my mother passed on, and she was a virtual reservoir of wisdom, was this little axiom that she repeated as a determined mantra and drilled into reality in my brain for life: "You may be the only child, but that doesn't doom you to be only a fool!" I won't go into detail regarding how my parents guided me away form folly, but I will sum it up by saying I didn't get everything I wanted and they often told me "No".

As Americans, we haven't been told "No" often enough. Our lives of luxury and convenience have increased our feelings of entitlement and privilege. Many of our failings as a society are the result selfish pleasure seeking in the face of urgent community responsibilities. We are too eager for the ease which our standard of living affords us and not eager enough to exemplify the work and ethics that made that standard available to us in the first place. Those of us who are leaders are especially culpable. We are often too absorbed with the perks of power rather than focused on the opportunities that positions of leadership afford. We are too eager to "make our mark" for our fame's sake, rather than making a difference with hard work and less credit. Detroit's current Mayor is merely a reflection of societal trends on the whole. Too many of us look forward to a perpetual party and an early retirement, while not enough of us are anxious for dedication to a meaningful cause and a lifetime of work on the behalf of something greater than ourselves even at the possible cost of personal obscurity. Great people and great societies can only be produced by people who are committed to lifting up others, even at the cost of their own enjoyment or opportunity for self-promotion. Martin Luther King's ascent to the pinnacle of the Civil Rights Movement would have never happened had it not been for the consortium of Elder Statesmen Pastors in his city who were not looking for a platform to lift themselves up to greatness, but who were selflessly committed to laying the foundation for a true transforming movement in the fog of anonymity.

The refrain of the Credence song mentioned at the onset has this refrain:

It ain't me,
it ain't me.
I ain't no senator's son.
It ain't me,
it ain't me.
I ain't no fortunate one.

I may not be a senator's son, but I am undeniably a fortunate one! No doubt more than a few of you have been fortunate too! The present mayoral crisis in Detroit and other signs of deficient leadership across the nation provide us with a crucial imperative for reflection and adjustment - in ourselves and in the ones to whom we will hand the batons of leadership. In Psalm 139, King David ends his beautiful tribute to God's Omniscience with a blistering critique of those who are hostile to the ways of God. Just as David reaches the apex of his observations, his focus takes a dramatic turn. He ends his thoughts with an humble appeal to the Lord to see if there are any defective ways in his own life! We would do well to emulate King David's self-inspection.

The warning bells are sounding even now as each new scandal is discovered. What do these sorry tales of failure in personal integrity and societal values say to us and the way you and I live our lives? If you are a favored and fortunate one, as I am, are you part of a possible solution or part of a growing problem that seems almost unsolvable? As the long departed writer John Donne's meditation demands, "Never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee..." Let's hope our diversions, entertainment and misguided priorities aren't drowning out the sound. Until next time.


Sam

Faith In The God of All Comfort

The past few days have been an intense barrage of emotions and ministry. In a seven day period I've been a part of the funeral proceedings for 3 families. The causes of death were varied, and one was especially unexpected. In the midst of these times of deep sorrow, I have been encouraged by the strong displays of faith on the part of the families involved. They have been able to utilize amazing reserves of strength all because of their understanding of the comfort available to them through faith in Jesus Christ.

The Bible contains many accounts of people in times of deep distress and makes a point to declare God's compassion and care for those who suffer. A verse that has always encouraged me during times of grief is found in 2 Corinthians chapter 1 and says this:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

This week I saw this verse in action before my very eyes. I have had a few times of sorrow in my own life and I know others who were present at the funerals have had their own seasons of pain as well - some of which I had witnessed personally. It was a reassuring and powerful sight to see first-hand how people were able to appropriate the comfort of the Lord they had experienced in their own lives in reaching out to steady others who were in the midst of a great loss. I know that for me, the losses and pain I have experienced have made me more compassionate and better able to understand some of the struggles and losses of others. I certainly looked back to my seasons of difficulty and God's provision of His love and comfort during those times in my life to reach out to my friends this week in their hurts.

Perhaps the most uplifting example I saw of God's provision of mutual comfort among His people happened as I visited a friend I have mentioned in Previous blog entries. My friend Nelda, who is in the midst of an intense battle with diabetes and other health issues, had to have all of the toes of her left foot removed. This is an especially hard thing in that her right leg has already been amputated up to the knee! What has consistently amazed me about Nelda is her ability to immediately acquire God's comfort for herself AND to pass it on to others. When I entered Nelda's hospital room, there was no trace of self-pity sorrow or depression. On the other hand, her expression of her trust and faith in the Lord was matter-of-fact. Their wasn't a trace of false sanctimony or pretentiousness about her as she shared her trust in Jesus in her situation. I couldn't help but smile as she said,

I got up this morning as was just so happy with how the Lord has been with me. I didn't realize I had an audience, so my spectator asked, 'Why are you raisin' your arms like that and waving them around?' I told 'em, 'I'm just praising the Lord and asking Him what He wants me to do today!'

Her husband Dave, a wonderful person full of good humor and inner strength as well, joined us as Nelda continued sharing about her experiences, describing the amputation - amazingly done with local anesthesia - with grit, humor and a consistent emphasis of her trust in the Lord every step of the way! When I left the hospital, I felt as if I had gotten at least as much encouragement as I had given myself and thought back to 2 Corinthians 1 - God comforts us in our trouble so that "we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

Reciprocal blessings dispensed by a loving God Who has provided us with all that we need, even in our most troubled times. As you go about your way this week, and you find yourself facing someone who needs an uplift, call on the God of all comfort who promises to provide enough comfort for you and the person you are helping as well as many more you will meet in the days,months and years ahead. Until next time...

Sam.