Knowing

For years I wore a fragrance from the Este Lauder line called "Knowing." I appreciated the strength of the fragrance and its aroma, but I had an even deeper appreciation for the name it had been given, "Knowing." As humans, we find great comfort in simply knowing some things. For some like me, even if the contents of the knowledge are negative, we would still rather "know." Science teaches us that the extent to which knowledge can be observed and measured will determine its value.

God asks us to "walk by faith and not by sight." Abraham was abundantly blessed because he saw the invisible as though it were visible. Revelation 2:7 admonishes those of us with ears to, "...let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches...." David wrote in Psalm 34:8, "O taste and see that the Lord is good." Jesus told Thomas concerning His resurrection, "...blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed," (John 20:29). God is not subject to the observational protocol of science.

When it comes to God, our faith is all the evidence required. Accoding to Hebrews 11:1, faith, itself, is evidence-evidence of things not seen. The mercy of God does not leave us vulnerable and weakly clinging to the evidence of "faith." God gives power to our faith for the cynical observer. The Bible is full of examples of God's demonstrations of the power contained in faith: at the Red Sea (Exodus 14), at Mount Carmel (I Kings 18), and at an empty tomb (Matthew 28).

God knows that there are some things in our faith journey, we just need to know. For example, we don't just need to know by faith that we are loved by those we love. Our humaness demands a demonstration for evidence. Observable demonstrations of love and appreciation are crucial as one passes from this life, via death, and onward to eternal life. Mark 14 records the importance of the timing of this display of love. The woman broke the box and poured its contents (as if it were her love) on the feet of Jesus (verse 3).

This photo is from the Haliburtons' 2006 Celebration. Our family and friends gathered that evening to honor Bruce for completing his doctorate, as well as to celebrate Rita and Nita's 50th birthday, and to celebrate Rita and Wesley's 25th wedding Anniversary. Bruce had a lifetime of demonstrations of love towards him, but none like his final days in this life. We each flew to D.C., unaware that we were saying our goodbyes: first, Francene followed by Cheryl, Rita, Daddy, Judy, Nita, and Mama. We each broke our box of love and shared it against his impending burial.

I received a Sympathy card from Rita today, "On the loss of Your Brother." Her closing statement in her handwritten note reads, "How we will miss him, but besides the consolation of knowing he is in Heaven is the truth that he was loved and knew it." There is comfort in knowing. Joy!

The First of Firsts

In I Corinthians 15:19, Paul writes, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable."

Today is Thanksgiving. I am thankful most of all for the love of God. It was His love for me that caused Him to send Jesus to redeem me from the penalty of death. It was also His love for me that allowed a demonstration of His resurrection power, so my faith could carry me past my sorrows caused by the deaths of loved ones and past the fears caused by thoughts of my own pending death. I am thankful that we have hope that reaches beyond the grave.

It is fitting that the first holiday since Bruce's death be "Thanksgiving." My family has a year of firsts to face: first Christmas, first New Year's, first Valentine's for Brenda, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, 4th of July, Wedding Anniversary, and family birthdays and celebrations. "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable."

Because Jesus lives, I can face tomorrow and all of the firsts between now and Thanksgiving 2011 with "joy."

Unpack Your Tool Kit

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:..." 2 Timothy 4:7

Paul testified in his last days by evaluating his work, his God-given purpose. He wanted to leave behind instructions that would keep the Church moving forward no matter what transpired once it was no longer possible for him to minister in his body. He knew that even the circumstances surrounding his "cause of death," would be enough to derail some if they did not have guidance from him about what to expect next or what next should be done. He comforted them by making sure they understood that his work was finished and that he had finished strong. He said,..."I have kept the faith." He let them know that they too, must fight a good fight, and that to finish strong, they must finish with "the faith." We shall all finish, but our finish will not count if we do not "keep the faith," no matter the circumstances of our finish. If the player crosses the goal line without the football or the relay-runner crosses the finish line without the baton, he does not get "the prize." Paul wanted us to know that we must finish with "the faith."

Finished means complete; nothing is left out. For Paul, all that was his responsibility to say, he had said. All that was his to do, he had done. All that was his to write, he had written. Paul declared his God-given purpose finished, like Jesus declared His work complete in John 19:30 with the words, "It is finished." We have a tool kit, full of the promises of God in order for us to fulfill our divine purpose. Whatever we need to survive in this life is in our tool kit. God has provided all that we need to finish our course. The men and women of God in the ministry are responsible for teaching us to use the tools left in the tool box.

My nephew, Troy has spent his entire life observing and obeying his father. He knew that his father could teach him to be "a good and godly man." Troy knew that he could count on the instructions from his father to contain the best his father had to offer. He knew that his father would withhold no "good thing," from him. Troy lived his life, confident that his father would always give the best advice and guidance that he had come to trust and count on. His father, Bruce, had guided him through his toddler years, teenaged years, and early manhood years. Troy had no fear of the challenges his middle-aged years would bring because he was convinced that his wise father would be there to navigate his course through those unchartered waters as well.

The enemy would like Troy to believe that now that his father is present with the Lord, his father will no longer be the guide Troy has trusted since he had a memory. This is not so. Bruce finished his course. Part of finishing his course included his responsibility as a father to Troy and to Tiffany. He packed a tool kit for Tiffany. He packed a tool kit for Troy. Bruce said all that was his to say. He wrote all that was his to write. He did all that was his to do. Then he placed the tools in their tool kits.

With joy and confidence, I encourage everyone who has ever received godly guidance from someone who has finished his/her course and has gone to be present with the Lord...I encourage you to go now and unpack your tool kit. There you will find all that you need. For if it is godly counsel you yet desire, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Bruce, and Francene awaits you. Unpack your tool kit. Joy!

The Empty Cup

While growing up, I did not particularly like eating the caramel-coated popcorn inside a box of Cracker-Jacks. I did, however, enjoy the peanuts. More importantly, what I was really purchasing whenever I bought a box of Cracker-Jacks was the surprise prize inside. The words to the advertisement jingle went, "Carmel-coated popcorn, peanuts, and a prize, that's what you get in Cracker-Jacks." For me, eating the box's contents was simply a means to get to "the prize." Digging around in the box and going straight to the prize always felt like cheating. For me, there was only one way to get to "the prize." That way was to eat my way to it.
I've seen romantic scenes in movies where a handsome, young man would propose to a beautiful woman by secretly dropping an engagement ring into a glass of chapagne. The goal, of course, was for her to see the ring in the bottom of the glass once she had finished the drink. To retrieve "the prize," she had to drink all of the glass's contents.
Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to His purpose." The prize for living my God-given purpose can be retrieved once my cup is empty. Everyday, I drink a little from my cup.
Bruce and I would enjoy coffee and prayer everyday when he was with me. Whoever poured the last cup from the pot would warn the other, and a decision would be made to either share the last of the coffee or to turn off the empty pot or to make another pot of coffee. A decision would be made, and we would each be satisfied. Sometimes he finished first. Other times, I finished first.
Bruce and I will not be drinking coffee together anymore. On Wednesday, November 3 (the day after my birthday) Bruce left this life and joined the Great Cloud of Witnesses listed in Hebrews 11. He drank all from his cup of God-given purpose. I was devastated when I saw Bruce's empty cup. I knew that the help I needed could only come from one source, so I went and told Jesus (July 28, 2010 - Blog). God's goodness and mercy ministered to me day and night until I had regained my spiritual hearing.
Finally, on Saturday, November 6th, I could hear my Lord saying to me, ever so sweetly, "Look at your cup." When I looked with my spiritual eyes, I could see that...my cup was running over. Every day, I drink. Bruce's last message reminded me that, "the prize" is in the bottom of "the cup." The empty cup counts. "Joy!"
I can only struggle to imagine a smile from Bruce full of more joy than the one seen here in this photo. Once my cup is empty, I'll be able to see that too .

Drink Ye All Of It

As recommended for all 50 year olds, I had my first colonoscopy. I had heard from others, the stories about the distasteful mixture one must drink in order to prepare for the procedure. They did not exaggerate. Drinking the solution was necessary for the preparation. The instructions tell you that you must drink all of it. (It must have been a frequently asked question. I know it crossed my mind). It was unpleasant, but it did not kill me. In all honesty, I was in no danger.

In Mark 16:18, Jesus promised that if those baptized believers drank any deadly thing, it literally would not harm them. When the mother of James and John asked Jesus if her sons could each be Jesus's left-hand man and His right-hand man, Jesus asked the brothers if they were willing to drink from the same cup from which God purposed for Him to drink. They answered, "Yes." Jesus confirmed that indeed they would drink from it (Mark 10: 35 - 45).

In Matthew 26: 36 - 46, Jesus is served the cup containing His God-given purpose. He asked God's permission to let the cup pass without His having to drink its contents. Permission denied was His Father's response. I imagine expressions like, "Someone must drink it. If you pass it Jesus, to whom would you pass it? Do not pass it. Drink it. It may kill you, but it will not harm you." Hebrews 12: 2 says of Jesus, "who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross." He drank the contents of the cup.

So must each of us drink from the cup, the contents purposed for us. It may kill us, but our Savior has already promised and proven that it will not harm us. October 7, 2010 was Nattie's birthday (my stepmother). It was also the day Bruce told me that hours earlier, his doctor informed him that he had cancer. It goes without saying that we are petitioning and believing the Father for a miraculous recovery. Until then, His instructions to us are, "Drink ye all of it." Whatever happens, God must help Bruce and our family to drink from the cup set before us. I am asking Him to teach us to count this "Joy."

Preparing To Meet Jesus

If each of us were to live our lives according to the Creator's purpose, we would spend every day preparing to meet Jesus. When we firstly, discover the Creator's purpose for our lives and secondly, connect that purpose with the ultimate goal of meeting Jesus, we will understand that every experience in life that transpires between the two, is full of choices. We live our lives making choices that will prepare us to meet Jesus as Lord and Savior or to meet Jesus as Judge and Conqueror. God does not ask us to calculate the infinite number of choices we make between His purpose and meeting Jesus. He does, however, expect us to believe that those choices do count in the currency exchange of "The Abundant Life." Follow this simple equation. 1 (God's purpose for my existence) + 2 (The goal to meet Jesus) = 3 (Life more abundantly, including eternal life with God, the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost). I cannot specify a number for the choices I make, but I do believe that whatever that number is, it counts. In addition, I know that my Redeemer knows that number, not only for me, but He also knows it for everyone He has created. As I prepare to meet Jesus, I am 1) Learning to Love, 2) Learning to Forgive, 3) Learning to Use My Faith, and 4) Learning to Give the Same Hope to Others. They count. Joy!

My Table

When my family or my friends and I go out to eat, we prepare ourselves for the possibility of having to wait for a table. (The more popular the restaurant, the greater the possibility of a wait). Whether a short wait or a long one, we get a sense of satisfaction from finally being seated at "our table." I have experienced an even stronger satisfaction when I have been seated at a table designated for me because I am the guest of honor at an event. Whether I have been the lone honoree or among a group of honorees, the satisfaction of being seated at "my table" at an event is greater than being seated at "my table" in a restaurant. At a restaurant, the people at the other tables are tending to various agendas. On the contrary, at an event, all who are present have a similar agenda. If I am one of the event's honorees, I am a part of the agendas of all who are present. I do not have to hustle for a seat, nor do I have to wait for a seat. Someone will escort me to "my table."
Psalm 23:5 says, "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies." Have you ever suffered humiliation at the hands of an enemy? It is a painful experience, especially when it is coupled with a feeling of helplessness. The more vulnerable you are, the more unmerciful a vicious enemy can be. I am learning to count the persistent pursuit of a vicious enemy...joy. Oh, I remember praying and asking God to make that enemy leave me alone, but he/she stayed in pursuit and refused to let me escape in peace.
In the 14th Chapter of Exodus, verse 13, Moses told his people, "for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever." Verse 17 prophesied that the Egyptians would follow them (pursue them). The level of commitment from your enemies to follow after you to destroy you will determine the level of their destruction and discipline from God. Exodus 14:28 reports that not a one of the Egyptians survived that pursuit.
Now when I am in a vulnerable state and being pursued by a vicious enemy, I pray for him/her. It is unwise for them to "follow after me." Unlike them, I know where I am going. If they pursue me, they will wind up face to face with, "My Table." JOY!