In the minds of Greek philosophers, God "became" uninvolved, unapproachable, and unmovable. He was noted for, and even defined by... being omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. He was seen as God who didn't need our help and who wouldn't listen to our pleas (unless they agreed with what he planned on doing anyway). This unknowable, unchangeable, and (in many ways) unlikeable God still enjoys a huge following today... BUT THIS NOT THE GOD OF SCRIPTURE! Indeed, the God of the Bible is a God who gets involved in human affairs, who listens and responds to the cries of his people, who threatens and cajoles, who plays favorites... and who is utterly and entirely immersed in our lives... to the point of carrying his cross up Calvary's Hill.
The God of the Bible seeks to walk with Adam in the cool of the day, and he cares enough to make clothing for Adam and Eve, even as they are thrown out of paradise. (Gen. 3) When Moses told God that it would be "un-Godlike" to destroy his people in a ball of fire, (Ex. 32:9ff) the Bible says, "God repented," and when Abraham challenged God to be more graceful than he had planned to be,(Gen. 18:16ff) God bargained with the old man and agreed to spare the city if there was just ten righteous people. When Gideon, (Judges 6:36ff) asked God to prove himself not once, but twice... God obliged... and when God saw how sinful his people had become, in Noah's day, he "regretted making humankind."(Gen. 6:6) When God laid down his law, he told his people that, if they didn't take care of the widows and orphans in their midst, he would certainly hear their cries.
I could go on and on, but the point it clear- the Bible is filled with stories of God who in involved in our lives and who listens to our prayers. The Bible is all about a God who cares enough to be jealous, to get angry, to cry... and to also forgive! The Bible is about a God who chose NOT to be above the fray and who chose to manifest His Holiness, not in being unknowable, but in walking among us, full of beauty and truth. The God of Scripture is a living God who calls us to give our all for him because He gave his all for us. God's ways are not our ways- it is true- but according to Scripture, the biggest difference between us... is that God's love knows no end!
God cares so much for us- He loves us so deeply- that He will NEVER give up on us. This is the great truth. It is the great promise, and it brings me to another of the Bible's great questions... which comes from Hosea 11:1--9. When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. But the more they were called, the more they went away from me. They sacrificed to Baals and they burned incense to images. It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by my arms, but they did not realize that it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like the one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them.... How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel?... My heart is changed within me, all my compassion is aroused, I will not carry out my fierce anger... for I am God, and not a man- the Holy One among you. How can I give you up, Ephraim... even though you have sinned and walked away from me? You are my child. I taught you how to walk, and when you were hungry, I bent over and fed you. How can I hand you over, Israel... although I you haven't even tried to honor me?
If I were a man- if I were human- I would punish you. I would have my way with you. I would teach you a lesson... but I am not a man. I am God and I have given you my heart. If I were human, I would get justice, but I am God... and I choose GRACE instead! I will walk with you forever, my children... and in the end, I will hang on a tree for you! Friends, we have a God who cried out, "How can I give you up?"... and it doesn't get any more loving than that! Amen.
PK IN SWEDEN
Friday, January 29, 2016
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
SON OF MAN, CAN THESE DRY BONES LIVE?
Ezekiel 37:1-10 is a great message of hope. It is a great affirmation that all things are possible for God. It is a great Easter message... and it says this according to the NIV:
The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, "Son of man, can these dry bones live?" I said, "Sovereign Lord, you alone know." Then he said to me, "Prophecy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.' This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you, and you will come alive. Then you will know that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but these was no breath in them. Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophecy, son of man, and say to it: "This is what the Sovereign Lord say, 'Come, breath, come from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood on their feet- a vast army.
O my, what a vision! For a man who was living in exile, what a vision! For a people who had lost their loved ones, their homes, and their freedom, what a promise! For any of us who have walked in a valley full of dry bones, what a hope!
In the midst of his exile in Babylon, when the world he knew was crumbling around him, the "Spirit of God" sat Ezekiel down in a valley of dry bones. It was a valley, not a mountain, and the only view he had was a view of dead bones. He was knee-deep in dry bones, and God asked him the question every person struggles with when he and/or she comes face to face with death- CAN THESE DRY BONES LIVE? When we held my brother's funeral service in Anniston, Alabama, there was some concern that Randy did not look like himself. The funeral directors, it seemed, had not done a particularly good job... but the bigger and unspoken question was this: CAN THESE DRY BONES LIVE? In God's Sovereign hands, can Randy Lee Shedenhelm live? That was the question. That is always the question. When we walk through the graveyards that dot our lives; when someone abandons us, or divorces us; when we get "downsized," or "fired,; when we see our friends die in combat; when we're told that we will never walk again, or work again, or that we have just a few months to live... we hear God whisper or shout, "Son of man... CAN THESE DRY BONES LIVE?"
Can they...well...can they? And Ezekiel was wise enough to say, "Only you know, Lord." I don't know. I can't see how they can possibly live because they're very dry. They are really dead. Dead dead. They aren't wounded, dying, or sort of dead... but dead... and I wouldn't give anything for their chances... but you know, Lord. You know. And so, he obeyed... and in his obeying God worked his miracle. Ezekiel obeyed, and he was blessed in his obedience... which is an important truth because, while God is indeed Sovereign, he invites us into partnership! The 1st step is believing and the 2nd step is living as if we believe (obeying). Believing isn't enough alone; we need to claim it for ourselves, for God, and for the dry bones in our world! But there is one final truth that bears mentioning and it goes all the way back to Genesis- without the breath (the Spirit) of God, we are not truly alive! It is the Spirit of God that gives us life, and it is the Spirit of God that gives us the strength to stand on our feet and sing his praises.
Like many of you, I am well acquainted with death. I've attended funeral services for both my parents and both my brothers, and I've conducted well more than a hundred funeral services as a pastor. I've also had my share of life's ups and downs- life's "little deaths"- and- like you- I know dry bones when I see them. I've heard the sobs, I've seen the vacant looks, I've experienced them myself. There's nothing attractive about dry bones and there's no profit in denying that they are everywhere around us. God is not suggesting that we "whistle past our graveyards"or ignore our pain... but he is asking us Ezekiel's question: CAN THESE DRY BONES LIVE? And as Christians... we can boldly answer YES. In His dying our Lord atoned for our sins, and in his rising, He conquered death... and because He Lives, we will live. You will hear a rattling, and we will rise to our feet...even though we die! Amen.
The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, "Son of man, can these dry bones live?" I said, "Sovereign Lord, you alone know." Then he said to me, "Prophecy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.' This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you, and you will come alive. Then you will know that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but these was no breath in them. Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophecy, son of man, and say to it: "This is what the Sovereign Lord say, 'Come, breath, come from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood on their feet- a vast army.
O my, what a vision! For a man who was living in exile, what a vision! For a people who had lost their loved ones, their homes, and their freedom, what a promise! For any of us who have walked in a valley full of dry bones, what a hope!
In the midst of his exile in Babylon, when the world he knew was crumbling around him, the "Spirit of God" sat Ezekiel down in a valley of dry bones. It was a valley, not a mountain, and the only view he had was a view of dead bones. He was knee-deep in dry bones, and God asked him the question every person struggles with when he and/or she comes face to face with death- CAN THESE DRY BONES LIVE? When we held my brother's funeral service in Anniston, Alabama, there was some concern that Randy did not look like himself. The funeral directors, it seemed, had not done a particularly good job... but the bigger and unspoken question was this: CAN THESE DRY BONES LIVE? In God's Sovereign hands, can Randy Lee Shedenhelm live? That was the question. That is always the question. When we walk through the graveyards that dot our lives; when someone abandons us, or divorces us; when we get "downsized," or "fired,; when we see our friends die in combat; when we're told that we will never walk again, or work again, or that we have just a few months to live... we hear God whisper or shout, "Son of man... CAN THESE DRY BONES LIVE?"
Can they...well...can they? And Ezekiel was wise enough to say, "Only you know, Lord." I don't know. I can't see how they can possibly live because they're very dry. They are really dead. Dead dead. They aren't wounded, dying, or sort of dead... but dead... and I wouldn't give anything for their chances... but you know, Lord. You know. And so, he obeyed... and in his obeying God worked his miracle. Ezekiel obeyed, and he was blessed in his obedience... which is an important truth because, while God is indeed Sovereign, he invites us into partnership! The 1st step is believing and the 2nd step is living as if we believe (obeying). Believing isn't enough alone; we need to claim it for ourselves, for God, and for the dry bones in our world! But there is one final truth that bears mentioning and it goes all the way back to Genesis- without the breath (the Spirit) of God, we are not truly alive! It is the Spirit of God that gives us life, and it is the Spirit of God that gives us the strength to stand on our feet and sing his praises.
Like many of you, I am well acquainted with death. I've attended funeral services for both my parents and both my brothers, and I've conducted well more than a hundred funeral services as a pastor. I've also had my share of life's ups and downs- life's "little deaths"- and- like you- I know dry bones when I see them. I've heard the sobs, I've seen the vacant looks, I've experienced them myself. There's nothing attractive about dry bones and there's no profit in denying that they are everywhere around us. God is not suggesting that we "whistle past our graveyards"or ignore our pain... but he is asking us Ezekiel's question: CAN THESE DRY BONES LIVE? And as Christians... we can boldly answer YES. In His dying our Lord atoned for our sins, and in his rising, He conquered death... and because He Lives, we will live. You will hear a rattling, and we will rise to our feet...even though we die! Amen.
Friday, January 22, 2016
WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE?
"Shall I come before the Lord with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgressions, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:6-8)
When Israel crossed into their promised land, they believed that they were God's chosen people. God had freed them from slavery and led them to a new land. And just as God had been with them in the wilderness, he continued to bless them in the land of milk and honey. He raised up one warrior after another to save them from their enemies, and when the people clamored for a king, God gave them David and Solomon Things were going well. God kept his part of the covenant, but the people had forsaken their part... which always rested on obedience. God acted first... but the people were called to be a "holy nation" and a "kingdom of priests," Out of grace alone, God saved them... but in return, they were expected to live as HIs people... which meant that they would be committed to justice (mishpat), righteousness (sedeqah), and worship. They were expected to attend high holy days and to faithfully bring their offerings to God.... but they were also required to treat their neighbors fairly... and to take care of those who were vulnerable in their midst (orphans, widows, and strangers).
Mishpat (justice) and sedeqah (righteousness) were always part of the deal, but the people ignored these mandates over time, deciding instead to live for themselves and to show up at the temple when they had to. Their worship became shallow and dishonest, and they lost God's blessings. Assyria decimated the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 721 BC and Babylon destroyed the Southern Kingdom of Judah (including Jerusalem) in 586 BC. Men, women, and children were slaughtered, leading citizens were murdered and/or taken into captivity, and the people of God became increasingly anxious. Where was their God? How could God's chosen people be taken into slavery again? How did the nation's greatness slip away- especially with God on their side? This is the question that the prophets tried to answer... and it is a question that we must answer today... if we believe that God has chosen us to be His people.
In the 6th chapter of Amos, we encounter three voices. God speaks first and his voice is filled with frustration and pain. How have I burdened you, he asks. Remember what I have done for you, he pleads. Then, a confused (or insincere) worshiper speaks up. What in the world to you want from us, God? How can you ever be pleased? Do you want burnt offerings and calves a year-old? If so-you should be pleased because we've been offering grain and meat since the days of Abel. O God, it is impossible for us to give you enough. You are never satisfied. Do you want thousands of rams and rivers of olive oil? What will it take to make you happy, God? Lord, we've always thought that you hated child sacrifice, but the way things are going, we are beginning to wonder. Do you want our firstborn sons? What will it take to please you, God. And then we hear the definite answer. He has shown you, people, what is good, and this is what the God requires of you: to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Many years ago, Soren Kierkegaard, said that we are "artful dodgers" who pretend that we don't understand God's word. We buy commentaries and go to seminaries. We learn Hebrew and Greek and pretend to ponder what it all means, when in fact, it has been clear all along. Our disobedience is not a matter of ignorance, but a lack of will. We simply don't want to do what God is asking us to do... which is to 1) act justly (get your hand off of the scale, always speak the truth in love, and stand up for what is right), 2) love mercy (where love is an action word. Bring the homeless into your home, give the naked one of your suits, and go out of your way to visit the sick, and 3) walk humbly with your God (who is carrying a cross up Calvary's Hill). Do these things and keep worshiping... and God will be pleased! He doesn't want a thousand rams... and you can keep the extra olive oil for yourself. Amen.
When Israel crossed into their promised land, they believed that they were God's chosen people. God had freed them from slavery and led them to a new land. And just as God had been with them in the wilderness, he continued to bless them in the land of milk and honey. He raised up one warrior after another to save them from their enemies, and when the people clamored for a king, God gave them David and Solomon Things were going well. God kept his part of the covenant, but the people had forsaken their part... which always rested on obedience. God acted first... but the people were called to be a "holy nation" and a "kingdom of priests," Out of grace alone, God saved them... but in return, they were expected to live as HIs people... which meant that they would be committed to justice (mishpat), righteousness (sedeqah), and worship. They were expected to attend high holy days and to faithfully bring their offerings to God.... but they were also required to treat their neighbors fairly... and to take care of those who were vulnerable in their midst (orphans, widows, and strangers).
Mishpat (justice) and sedeqah (righteousness) were always part of the deal, but the people ignored these mandates over time, deciding instead to live for themselves and to show up at the temple when they had to. Their worship became shallow and dishonest, and they lost God's blessings. Assyria decimated the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 721 BC and Babylon destroyed the Southern Kingdom of Judah (including Jerusalem) in 586 BC. Men, women, and children were slaughtered, leading citizens were murdered and/or taken into captivity, and the people of God became increasingly anxious. Where was their God? How could God's chosen people be taken into slavery again? How did the nation's greatness slip away- especially with God on their side? This is the question that the prophets tried to answer... and it is a question that we must answer today... if we believe that God has chosen us to be His people.
In the 6th chapter of Amos, we encounter three voices. God speaks first and his voice is filled with frustration and pain. How have I burdened you, he asks. Remember what I have done for you, he pleads. Then, a confused (or insincere) worshiper speaks up. What in the world to you want from us, God? How can you ever be pleased? Do you want burnt offerings and calves a year-old? If so-you should be pleased because we've been offering grain and meat since the days of Abel. O God, it is impossible for us to give you enough. You are never satisfied. Do you want thousands of rams and rivers of olive oil? What will it take to make you happy, God? Lord, we've always thought that you hated child sacrifice, but the way things are going, we are beginning to wonder. Do you want our firstborn sons? What will it take to please you, God. And then we hear the definite answer. He has shown you, people, what is good, and this is what the God requires of you: to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Many years ago, Soren Kierkegaard, said that we are "artful dodgers" who pretend that we don't understand God's word. We buy commentaries and go to seminaries. We learn Hebrew and Greek and pretend to ponder what it all means, when in fact, it has been clear all along. Our disobedience is not a matter of ignorance, but a lack of will. We simply don't want to do what God is asking us to do... which is to 1) act justly (get your hand off of the scale, always speak the truth in love, and stand up for what is right), 2) love mercy (where love is an action word. Bring the homeless into your home, give the naked one of your suits, and go out of your way to visit the sick, and 3) walk humbly with your God (who is carrying a cross up Calvary's Hill). Do these things and keep worshiping... and God will be pleased! He doesn't want a thousand rams... and you can keep the extra olive oil for yourself. Amen.
Monday, January 18, 2016
AT WAR WITH OURSELVES AND WITH OUR GOD
Do you know the lyrics to Hank Williams Jr's song, If Heaven Ain't A Lot Like Dixie (I don't want to go)? It's a really good song... about the clash of cultures that has created a breach in our country. In Hank's view, there are two Americas, just like Sen. John Edwards used to say... but he is not talking about a black-white or a rich-poor divide. He is referring to a cultural divide- one that undergirds the political paralysis that we've seen for many years. Referring to heaven, Hank sings, If they don't have a Grand Ole Opry, like they do in Tennessee/ just send me to Hell or New York City/ it would be all the same to me. If "Heaven ain't a lot like Dixie," there are many, many people who would rather go to Hell... because they can't accept values that are not based on God, family, hard work... and guns. They believe that America was founded by God-fearing, self-made men... who forged a life for themselves (and their families)... with no government interference. They go to church on Sunday, pay their taxes, keep their property up, and they believe that marriage is a God-given covenant between a man and a woman. They also believe that they're entitled to keep what they earn... unless they are "moved" to share some of it themselves. Thus, they are at odds... with "Big City" values that seek to redefine "marriage" and "family" in our time... and they are at odds with the cacophony of voices that are demanding change. They want to "conserve" the values they know, and they believe their values are under attack from people who seek a society in which God is marginalized and guns are outlawed. Thus, America is engaged in a civil war between those who want to "hold on" and those who want a "bigger part of the pie."
It's an important war, but I would rather focus on the War of Values that we are waging against God. From the beginning, we've been prone to worship ourselves and the things we own. We are an idolatrous people- just as much as the people who once worshiped golden calves and carved statues. Our idols are more expensive to be sure. We don't have much interest in statues and figurines, and we prefer instead to bow before altars of wealth, materialism, pleasure, and power. But it is idolatry just the same, and it will be the death of us. I saw today that the Pope said, "Man is not in charge today- money is in charge, money rules." He is right, of course, and Jesus warned us that we cannot serve both God and money! We cannot worship ourselves and our stuff... and even pretend to be worshiping the One who calls us to let go and give. We cannot insist of choosing whom or what we will worship... and even pretend to understand "surrender!"
I'm reminded of a cartoon depicts a well-dressed couple kneeling in front of a giant Dollar Sign. They seem to be distressed, and finally the husband turned to his wife and said, "I think we were happier when we were Presbyterians!" Indeed, we would all be happier if we worshiped God instead of money... but we are caught in a world that tells us that: 1) it doesn't matter what we believe (even though our beliefs should govern our lives); 2) perception is everything (when it may be deceiving or nothing at all); 3) we are number 1; 4) the word "sin" is outdated (because we can't help who we are); 5) God helps those who help themselves (which is not Biblical); and 6) our importance is reflected in the titles we have and the money we make. We are told that we are foolish to love without conditions, and is if...we are Doubting Thomas, we are told that we cannot trust what we do not see. We are told that we're just one toothpaste, one hair style, one sports car, or one lottery ticket... away from the life we've dreamed of... but God rejects ALL of this... and invites us to follow Him on the narrow way. Few accept his invitation because the narrow way is difficult. Few take it... because it's sacrificial.
Few- even few Christians- actually follow Jesus... but following Jesus is the essence of THE PROMISE. Those who give up their lives for me, He said, will never die! And those who die believing in me... will live! Those who worship money, he noted, will never be satisfied... because money cannot satisfy! And those who store up the treasures on earth will always be disappointed... because earthly treasures inevitably fade away. Someone once told me that, if you want to find someone's god...you need to see whom they confide in...spend time with...spend money on... and trust in. It may be their spouse, their children, themselves, a bottle, a brothel; or a roulette wheel. It may even be the Cubs... but our God (with or without a capital 'g')... is the one who gives us hope, love, peace, and salvation. God is the One who will make our lives on this planet full... and give us life forever. None of the lesser gods of the world can provide these things. None of them, So, I will close with another one of the Bible's great questions: why do you spend your money on that which does not satisfy? Why? And for how long?
Thursday, January 14, 2016
THE 21st FLOOR- FOR CANCER PATIENTS ONLY!
Sherry and I went to Chicago Monday, as we've done every two or three months for 13 years... because she has "Multiple Myeloma." When she was first diagnosed, Myeloma (as I am prone to call it) was a little known and under-funded cancer. This has changed in recent years, but at the time, Sherry's predicted life expectancy was 3-7 years, with an emphasis on the 3. Due to excellent medical care, the "non-aggressive" nature of her cancer, and the healing presence of our God, Sherry has beaten the odds... and we've driven to Northwestern Hospital for 13 years now.
Initially, we were frightened... and frozen in place. We couldn't think of anything but her cancer... but over time, we began to digest the fact that our life together would be a "one-day-at-a-time" affair. We were no longer "frozen" in place, but our journey amounted to little more than putting one foot in front of the other, as we made our trips to NW Memorial. In time, Sherry underwent tandem transplants, which drove her cancer into near remission, The transplants were tough for Sherry (she barely made it through the 2nd one), but our Lord saw her through... and her cancer was hardly noticeable for years. We began to live with cancer, and we almost forgot about it... as Sherry underwent surgeries and treatments for Glaucoma. Our panic faded and we discovered that we could have a rich life together. Our visits to her oncologist became almost routine... but they were never really routine... because cancer is a sober, constant, and threatening companion. The things that we did when we arrived at the hospital ( the lines, the waiting, the blood tests, having lunch together) became routine, even tedious-but the reason for being there never was! Eventually (and predictably), Sherry's cancer count began to rise and now, as this is written, they are rising steadily. Chemo-therapy is around the corner. and that will be an ominous thing. But we are not alone!
No. We are not alone.We have a caring family, a number of faithful friends, and a big cadre of prayer warriors. We have our faith and we have an amazing God who will never forsake us. God gives us many signs that He is with us, and I know that He will comfort Sherry each step of the way, wherever those steps may lead. I also know that our God is Lord and that Sherry is in His hands. This is what I believe. It is what Sherry believes...and we walk unafraid at this stage of our journey. Sherry is never alone. In addition to God, faith, family, and friends...she is surrounded by angels...and a host of kindred spirits... who congregate with her on the 21st Floor, which is the top floor at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. It offers a wonderful view of Chicago's skyline and the Great Lake, and I'm glad that it does because the patients on the 21st floor deserve a "perk." The cancer unit wasn't always on the 21st floor, but it has been for years now... and when the elevator empties of all other riders (who get off at the 14th, 17th, 18th, or 20th floors), those who remain look at each other knowingly because they share a journey.
Sometimes, one of them may say, "I see that you're going to the 21st floor too," but even if they don't speak, they smile and make eye contact. And so it was last Wednesday. We got off the elevator on the 21st floor and entered into a sea of humanity (I can't remember when the waiting room was busier). There were old people and young people there. Men and women both. Black and white and Hispanic too. Some of them wore masks; some of them could barely sit up; some of them were "old hands" at the cancer game; some had just begun their journey. Sherry and I weren't able to find two seats together- so I sat alone and watched people as she waited for her blood to be tested. There was an older man who was making a business deal on his phone. Either he or the person he was talking to must have had a hearing defect... because he talked very loudly. The middle-aged woman to my right... had a bald head and a sweet face... and by her own admission, she was very, very tired. Then there was the man who could barely walk. A nurse offered to get him a wheelchair and he eschewed. But she insisted, which was a good thing because I don't think he would have made it on his own. Finally, Sherry and I made it to the inner waiting room, where we struck up a conversation with a man who had been cured of leukemia.We were happy for him, but Sherry began to share her own story. The good news, she noted, was that she had been free of treatments for years, but the bad news remained... that Multiple Myeloma is not curable. As Sherry and her new acquaintance were talking, a young woman and a young man were listening intently. They couldn't have been 30 years old- and when Sherry said that she had been without any chemo for 10 years, the young woman smiled at the young man. Evidently, she had done research on the internet too ... and when Sherry said that Myeloma was incurable, the young man said that he had just been diagnosed with it. Then, they were called to see their Dr., and as they walked away, I said a silent prayer for healing because I felt at one with them!
We saw our Dr. briefly (he doesn't have as much time as he did 13 years ago) and we left his office. He didn't say much, but he did talk about treatment options more specifically than he has before... and I thought I saw a note of concern on his face from time to time. He showed us a graph of Sherry's cancer counts over time, and he pointed out that she had a wonderful ride for several years. In fact, there aren't many MM patients who have been alive for 13 years. We know this ... and we praise God every day for his steadfast love. We walked back into what had become a less crowded waiting room... and as we walked by, the lady with the bald head and the sweet face... looked up and smiled. And I smiled back... knowing that she was one of us! May God bless the cancer patients who congregate on the 21st Floor... and may He also bless the dear saints who sit by their side! Amen,
Initially, we were frightened... and frozen in place. We couldn't think of anything but her cancer... but over time, we began to digest the fact that our life together would be a "one-day-at-a-time" affair. We were no longer "frozen" in place, but our journey amounted to little more than putting one foot in front of the other, as we made our trips to NW Memorial. In time, Sherry underwent tandem transplants, which drove her cancer into near remission, The transplants were tough for Sherry (she barely made it through the 2nd one), but our Lord saw her through... and her cancer was hardly noticeable for years. We began to live with cancer, and we almost forgot about it... as Sherry underwent surgeries and treatments for Glaucoma. Our panic faded and we discovered that we could have a rich life together. Our visits to her oncologist became almost routine... but they were never really routine... because cancer is a sober, constant, and threatening companion. The things that we did when we arrived at the hospital ( the lines, the waiting, the blood tests, having lunch together) became routine, even tedious-but the reason for being there never was! Eventually (and predictably), Sherry's cancer count began to rise and now, as this is written, they are rising steadily. Chemo-therapy is around the corner. and that will be an ominous thing. But we are not alone!
No. We are not alone.We have a caring family, a number of faithful friends, and a big cadre of prayer warriors. We have our faith and we have an amazing God who will never forsake us. God gives us many signs that He is with us, and I know that He will comfort Sherry each step of the way, wherever those steps may lead. I also know that our God is Lord and that Sherry is in His hands. This is what I believe. It is what Sherry believes...and we walk unafraid at this stage of our journey. Sherry is never alone. In addition to God, faith, family, and friends...she is surrounded by angels...and a host of kindred spirits... who congregate with her on the 21st Floor, which is the top floor at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. It offers a wonderful view of Chicago's skyline and the Great Lake, and I'm glad that it does because the patients on the 21st floor deserve a "perk." The cancer unit wasn't always on the 21st floor, but it has been for years now... and when the elevator empties of all other riders (who get off at the 14th, 17th, 18th, or 20th floors), those who remain look at each other knowingly because they share a journey.
Sometimes, one of them may say, "I see that you're going to the 21st floor too," but even if they don't speak, they smile and make eye contact. And so it was last Wednesday. We got off the elevator on the 21st floor and entered into a sea of humanity (I can't remember when the waiting room was busier). There were old people and young people there. Men and women both. Black and white and Hispanic too. Some of them wore masks; some of them could barely sit up; some of them were "old hands" at the cancer game; some had just begun their journey. Sherry and I weren't able to find two seats together- so I sat alone and watched people as she waited for her blood to be tested. There was an older man who was making a business deal on his phone. Either he or the person he was talking to must have had a hearing defect... because he talked very loudly. The middle-aged woman to my right... had a bald head and a sweet face... and by her own admission, she was very, very tired. Then there was the man who could barely walk. A nurse offered to get him a wheelchair and he eschewed. But she insisted, which was a good thing because I don't think he would have made it on his own. Finally, Sherry and I made it to the inner waiting room, where we struck up a conversation with a man who had been cured of leukemia.We were happy for him, but Sherry began to share her own story. The good news, she noted, was that she had been free of treatments for years, but the bad news remained... that Multiple Myeloma is not curable. As Sherry and her new acquaintance were talking, a young woman and a young man were listening intently. They couldn't have been 30 years old- and when Sherry said that she had been without any chemo for 10 years, the young woman smiled at the young man. Evidently, she had done research on the internet too ... and when Sherry said that Myeloma was incurable, the young man said that he had just been diagnosed with it. Then, they were called to see their Dr., and as they walked away, I said a silent prayer for healing because I felt at one with them!
We saw our Dr. briefly (he doesn't have as much time as he did 13 years ago) and we left his office. He didn't say much, but he did talk about treatment options more specifically than he has before... and I thought I saw a note of concern on his face from time to time. He showed us a graph of Sherry's cancer counts over time, and he pointed out that she had a wonderful ride for several years. In fact, there aren't many MM patients who have been alive for 13 years. We know this ... and we praise God every day for his steadfast love. We walked back into what had become a less crowded waiting room... and as we walked by, the lady with the bald head and the sweet face... looked up and smiled. And I smiled back... knowing that she was one of us! May God bless the cancer patients who congregate on the 21st Floor... and may He also bless the dear saints who sit by their side! Amen,
Saturday, January 9, 2016
IT'S JESUS, GRANDMA, IT'S JESUS!!
There are thousands of people who have a family member in Hospice right now... and Hospice provides really good end-of-life care. Hospice employees sat at my brother's bedside when he died of AIDS and they were with my mother when she died of heart failure last July. As a pastor, I've worked with Hospice professionally through the years... and I'm a big fan of their ministry. However, Hospice does not get involved unless the families are struggling with matters of life and death. By definition, they work with sad and frightened people who are on a death watch. They work with people who are willing to let go and they work with people who aren't willing. They work with people who praise God and they work with people who curse God. They are angels in the midst of turmoil... and so it was with a Joliet, Il. family this past week. An older member (grandpa) of this family had been very ill for more than two years and his children finally persuaded his wife (grandma) to place her husband in Hospice. However, this didn't mean that she accepted the fact that her husband was dying. She didn't accept it at all, and she continued to give her him medicine for other health-related conditions. Thus, the household was filled with grief, a sense of powerlessness, and unspoken conflict about grandpa's real condition.
To make matters worse, the people involved were NOT religious people. There were no prayers, no pastors visiting, no Bibles to read, and no articulated faith that Grandpa was going to a better place. There were no grand statements about forever and the kingdom to come- just family members waiting for one of their own to die- when a 3 year girl began to get excited. Standing between the dying man's bedroom and the living room, she began to shout, "Do you see it? Do you see it?" She had a big smile on her face and she was obviously joyful... and she kept pointing to the bedroom. "Look," she cried to those who would listen, and the little girl's grandmother asked, "Honey, what's going on?" "Grandma," she replied, "Don't you see him? It's Jesus!" IT'S JESUS, the little girl said. Jesus is with grandpa! She said, "Jesus is with grandpa," ... and when grandma heard these words, she quit trying to fix her husband... and began to say goodbye.
This is a true story. It's a first-hand account from an ordinary and non-religious family. Many people, or course, will dismiss the story because they aren't able to believe it. That's a sad thing in its own right, but it doesn't change the truth of it: on January 7, a little girl in Joliet, Illinois, saw our Lord giving end-of-life comfort to her grandpa... and on Friday, January 8... the Great Healer took him home. Can I get an amen?
To make matters worse, the people involved were NOT religious people. There were no prayers, no pastors visiting, no Bibles to read, and no articulated faith that Grandpa was going to a better place. There were no grand statements about forever and the kingdom to come- just family members waiting for one of their own to die- when a 3 year girl began to get excited. Standing between the dying man's bedroom and the living room, she began to shout, "Do you see it? Do you see it?" She had a big smile on her face and she was obviously joyful... and she kept pointing to the bedroom. "Look," she cried to those who would listen, and the little girl's grandmother asked, "Honey, what's going on?" "Grandma," she replied, "Don't you see him? It's Jesus!" IT'S JESUS, the little girl said. Jesus is with grandpa! She said, "Jesus is with grandpa," ... and when grandma heard these words, she quit trying to fix her husband... and began to say goodbye.
This is a true story. It's a first-hand account from an ordinary and non-religious family. Many people, or course, will dismiss the story because they aren't able to believe it. That's a sad thing in its own right, but it doesn't change the truth of it: on January 7, a little girl in Joliet, Illinois, saw our Lord giving end-of-life comfort to her grandpa... and on Friday, January 8... the Great Healer took him home. Can I get an amen?
Friday, January 1, 2016
DO YOU KNOW THE TRUTH?
Joseph Caiaphas was high priest from 18A.D. to 36A.D., and he was in charge of Jesus' first trial, which was a bad thing for Jesus because, according to John, Caiaphas had already determined that it was better for Jesus to die than to allow him to stir up trouble with the Romans. (John 11:50) Pontius Pilate was the prefect of Judea and he handled Jesus' second trial, which was also an ominous thing because he was know for his violent acts and corruption. Pilate wasn't particularly concerned with the charges the Jews levied against Jesus, but he was concerned with threats to the Pax Romana (the Roman Peace). Therefore, when they met, Pilate asked Jesus if he was a king, and Jesus told Pilate that he had been born to bear witness to "the truth." He added that all people who are "of the truth hear my voice." Then, just before he left to speak to the Jewish leaders, Pilate asked Jesus this question- WHAT IS TRUTH? What is truth? To Pilate and Caiaphas, power was truth and might was right! They believed that "truth" was in the hands of those who could define and enforce it.
But what do you say? What is truth to you? Shakespeare noted that life is like a walking shadow- an illusion- a poor actor who struts and frets for his hour on stage and is never heard of again. Is that the truth for all of us? The Ecclesiastes preacher (1:1) cries, "Vanities of vanities. All is vanity. Generations come and go; the suns rises and sets; the rivers flow... but there is nothing new under the sun. Same o' same o'- is that the truth for you? In Greek mythology a man named Sisyphus is sentenced to a life in which he struggles to push a huge rock up a hill... only to watch it roll back down again. Is this the truth of it... or is the truth something that I've experienced, seen, or come to know? Is is absolute... or relative? Does it change with time... or remain forever true? Some people believe that- since we're all blind- the truth is like the proverbial elephant, who can only be known in part... because one of us comes in contact with the trunk, one with a leg, one with the tail... and so forth. In this view, truth is just an opinion... and opinions are a dime a dozen.
"What is Truth?" Pilate's question is the world's question and it is our question. Religious history has dealt harshly with Caiaphas, Pilate, and the poor fools who hollered, "Give us Barabbas," but the spotlight now falls on us. What do we say? Surely we won't ask Jesus if he's a king because we know that he is the King of kings. Right? And none of us would ever give in to mob rule and cry out, "Release Barabbas... and crucify this man called Jesus!" Would we? Surely, we are among those who are "of the truth" because we know that Jesus died on Calvary's cross for our sin. We know that Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, to Cephas, and to the twelve... as they hid behind closed doors. Jesus lives. We know this, and we know that he ascended to his Father's right hand, where he sits in glory to this hour. We know that he will come again and take us to himself, that where he is, we may also be. We know all of this, and knowing it... we would never trust in a lesser god.... or believe that the truth can be many different things. Would we?
Jesus plainly said, "I am the truth," and so... now it's on the table! We know what he said and what he did- so now it's just a matter of living as if He is the truth. Surely we would never be confused or caught off-guard by Pilate's question, and if he (or anyone else) asked us today-what is truth- we would respond right away- Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and The Truth!
The truth was as close to Pilate as the nose on his face and he didn't even see Him! Surely, that could never happen to us. Right?
But what do you say? What is truth to you? Shakespeare noted that life is like a walking shadow- an illusion- a poor actor who struts and frets for his hour on stage and is never heard of again. Is that the truth for all of us? The Ecclesiastes preacher (1:1) cries, "Vanities of vanities. All is vanity. Generations come and go; the suns rises and sets; the rivers flow... but there is nothing new under the sun. Same o' same o'- is that the truth for you? In Greek mythology a man named Sisyphus is sentenced to a life in which he struggles to push a huge rock up a hill... only to watch it roll back down again. Is this the truth of it... or is the truth something that I've experienced, seen, or come to know? Is is absolute... or relative? Does it change with time... or remain forever true? Some people believe that- since we're all blind- the truth is like the proverbial elephant, who can only be known in part... because one of us comes in contact with the trunk, one with a leg, one with the tail... and so forth. In this view, truth is just an opinion... and opinions are a dime a dozen.
"What is Truth?" Pilate's question is the world's question and it is our question. Religious history has dealt harshly with Caiaphas, Pilate, and the poor fools who hollered, "Give us Barabbas," but the spotlight now falls on us. What do we say? Surely we won't ask Jesus if he's a king because we know that he is the King of kings. Right? And none of us would ever give in to mob rule and cry out, "Release Barabbas... and crucify this man called Jesus!" Would we? Surely, we are among those who are "of the truth" because we know that Jesus died on Calvary's cross for our sin. We know that Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, to Cephas, and to the twelve... as they hid behind closed doors. Jesus lives. We know this, and we know that he ascended to his Father's right hand, where he sits in glory to this hour. We know that he will come again and take us to himself, that where he is, we may also be. We know all of this, and knowing it... we would never trust in a lesser god.... or believe that the truth can be many different things. Would we?
Jesus plainly said, "I am the truth," and so... now it's on the table! We know what he said and what he did- so now it's just a matter of living as if He is the truth. Surely we would never be confused or caught off-guard by Pilate's question, and if he (or anyone else) asked us today-what is truth- we would respond right away- Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and The Truth!
The truth was as close to Pilate as the nose on his face and he didn't even see Him! Surely, that could never happen to us. Right?
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