"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes in Him Who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life....Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming, in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice, and come forth...." (John 5, from today's Gospel Reading)
With all that we have had to do to take care of Sarah's sister's property, I have been made even more aware of life's "cycle." There are people in Florida who have property which has been neglected, to use a term of a park manager there. I know for a fact that people die in Florida (and many other places) who have no family. There the property sits; no one to claim nor take responsibility for it. Too many people die alone, with no one, nothing. It breaks your heart.
Depressing? Why? Why is it that so many who call themselves "born again" cannot deal with the realities of life? They send money to people and organizations who promise them, in essence, everything. "Sow a seed and you will get a hundred times as much." Or, "Send for this holy water from Israel and you will be healed of anything." It is a "everything-is-better-if-you-listen-to-me religion. Yet, no matter how we may not like it, most Followers of Jesus are not millionaires, and Followers of Jesus die. In spite of this, the Church has the message of hope and comfort as none other. There is no one better equipped, better able to face the reality of one's own death than the person whose absolute trust is Jesus Christ, a person who believes, accepts, and is utterly dependent upon the very Words of Jesus.
I have shared before that one time in pastoral work I went to see a woman who was designated "terminally ill." When I walked into the room, there was the family, about 5 or 6 people. I know they were waiting for me to pray a "prayer of faith," or some such thing. To this day, I can still hear the "Word" which Jesus spoke to my heart, "Prepare her to die." I confess, I was a little surprised. But, I did just that. I asked, as politely as I could, would the family give me some time with her alone; they complied. I don't remember what I said, what Scripture I read, but I do remember the look on her face, one of peace, contentment, and her words, "I feel so much better." Who else in this life can do that for someone other than our Lord Jesus Christ?!?
Yes, Jesus Himself speaks of death, and even once, in what seems to be a sort of "reality check," He said to his disciples, "Lazarus is dead." But He did not leave it there, for it was not His final word on death. To all of us, to anyone who has, "ears to hear," I give the Words of Jesus again, "....The hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live." Notice, "....and now is...." This is Resurrection-Eternal Life. Eternal Life is, "has...life." Of what the hopeless call death, our Lord Jesus calls sleep, "The girl is not dead, but sleeping....Our friend, "Lazarus, sleeps." Stephen, "sleeps," my Grandparents and Parents, "sleep[]." And make no mistake about this, "....The hour is coming in which [they]...will hear His voice and come forth--- to the resurrection of life...."
Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to be a faithful servant to you and humanity by always sharing You and the Truth which only You Are. Amen.
***********************
Berlin/Wittenberg Mission: October 28-November 15, 2017
With all that we have had to do to take care of Sarah's sister's property, I have been made even more aware of life's "cycle." There are people in Florida who have property which has been neglected, to use a term of a park manager there. I know for a fact that people die in Florida (and many other places) who have no family. There the property sits; no one to claim nor take responsibility for it. Too many people die alone, with no one, nothing. It breaks your heart.
Depressing? Why? Why is it that so many who call themselves "born again" cannot deal with the realities of life? They send money to people and organizations who promise them, in essence, everything. "Sow a seed and you will get a hundred times as much." Or, "Send for this holy water from Israel and you will be healed of anything." It is a "everything-is-better-if-you-listen-to-me religion. Yet, no matter how we may not like it, most Followers of Jesus are not millionaires, and Followers of Jesus die. In spite of this, the Church has the message of hope and comfort as none other. There is no one better equipped, better able to face the reality of one's own death than the person whose absolute trust is Jesus Christ, a person who believes, accepts, and is utterly dependent upon the very Words of Jesus.
I have shared before that one time in pastoral work I went to see a woman who was designated "terminally ill." When I walked into the room, there was the family, about 5 or 6 people. I know they were waiting for me to pray a "prayer of faith," or some such thing. To this day, I can still hear the "Word" which Jesus spoke to my heart, "Prepare her to die." I confess, I was a little surprised. But, I did just that. I asked, as politely as I could, would the family give me some time with her alone; they complied. I don't remember what I said, what Scripture I read, but I do remember the look on her face, one of peace, contentment, and her words, "I feel so much better." Who else in this life can do that for someone other than our Lord Jesus Christ?!?
Yes, Jesus Himself speaks of death, and even once, in what seems to be a sort of "reality check," He said to his disciples, "Lazarus is dead." But He did not leave it there, for it was not His final word on death. To all of us, to anyone who has, "ears to hear," I give the Words of Jesus again, "....The hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live." Notice, "....and now is...." This is Resurrection-Eternal Life. Eternal Life is, "has...life." Of what the hopeless call death, our Lord Jesus calls sleep, "The girl is not dead, but sleeping....Our friend, "Lazarus, sleeps." Stephen, "sleeps," my Grandparents and Parents, "sleep[]." And make no mistake about this, "....The hour is coming in which [they]...will hear His voice and come forth--- to the resurrection of life...."
Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to be a faithful servant to you and humanity by always sharing You and the Truth which only You Are. Amen.
***********************
Berlin/Wittenberg Mission: October 28-November 15, 2017
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
