Humility

In our class we are going through the book 'Mere Christianity' by C.S. Lewis. We were covering the chapter on Pride, and since Humility is the opposite of Pride I asked my class what they first thought of when they think of a 'humble' man. Some of the responses included 'meek', 'weak' and 'low self-esteem'. I must admit I think the same way. When I think of a humble man I think of a man with his head down, unwilling to accept praise or congratulations. It just goes to show what a distorted view of 'humility' we really have.

For us to understand what true Humility really is, we first have to understand Pride. Pride is all about self. I can do it, I'm better than you, I deserve it, I'm a good person. As C.S. Lewis says, it's the complete 'anti-God' state of mind. God absolutely hates and opposes Pride.

I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. - Proverbs 8:13

God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. - James 4:6

Why does He hate it so? Because as long as 'self' is on the throne of our lives we cannot know Him. It is the greatest barrier to a relationship with Him. So how do we overcome Pride and find Humility within ourselves? Well, first we have to realize our own bankruptcy. We have to truly understand that I can't do it, I'm not better than you, I don't deserve it and I'm not a good person. The scriptures call this a "broken and contrite heart". We have to see ourselves for who we really are, which then allows us to see God for who He truly is. We have to depose 'self' as the ruler of our hearts and replace it with God. Then and only then can we practice true Humility.

What will that humility look like?

Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call ‘humble’ nowadays. Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all.” - C.S. Lewis

Do we know what true humility really is - or do we only know how to "act" humble? A truly humble person will not be thinking about acting humble - he will not be thinking about himself or humility at all. He will only be thinking about his Savior, and his glory will be in Him.

But “he who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends. - 2Corinthians 10:17-18

Embracing the Trial

Two houses. They both look alike. They both are built from the same materials. Which one is well built and which one is not? Which one has a good foundation and which one does not? Which builder was wise and which one was not? By just looking at them from the outside, there is no way to tell. Months and years go by and they both persist. As far as anyone from the outside can tell they are both the same.

But eventually the test comes in the form of a storm, and the test reveals the truth.

Two men. They both look alike. They are both built from the same materials. Which one is well built and which one is not? Which one has a good foundation and which one does not. Which builder was wise and which one was not? By just looking at them from the outside, there is no way to tell. Months and years go by and they both persist. As far as anyone from the outside can tell they are both the same.

But eventually the test comes in the form of a storm - a trial. And the test reveals the truth.

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” - Matthew 7:24-27

How do we know our faith is real? Testing and trials prove our faith. Look at the following well known verse:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." - James 1:2-3

The word 'testing' used here is the Greek work 'dokimion', which means "a test by which anything is proven". This test James is talking about is specifically for the purpose of proving our faith is real and true.

So who does it prove it to? Not to God. He already knows whether our faith is true or not. It proves it to us - to ourselves. When we experience a test of our faith and come through to the other side with that faith intact, it is a proof to us that our faith is real. That is why James can say "consider it pure joy" - because pure joy can only come from 'knowing' that you are truly a child of God. In fact, the word 'knowing' used in that same verse is the Greek word 'ginosko', which carries the idea of having a full understanding of something beyond just having the facts, an understanding or knowledge which comes from experience.

It's in our nature to abhor suffering and trials. We want to be comfortable. If we have a headache, we take an aspirin. If we have a pain, we go to the doctor. If we experience a trial, we want to get out of it as quickly and as easily as we can. That's just who we are. But trials and tests also have another side. When we only look at testing from a worldly view, they are bad and to be avoided at all costs. But when we look at them from an eternal viewpoint, we can see them for what they are - a proof of true faith in Christ.

"That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ." - 1Peter 1:7

A Martyr's Life

Most of us are very familiar with the Bible, its teachings and its stories. We know the great work that men like Peter, James, John and Paul did in starting the Church. But what happened after they died? We may forget that there were men that came "after", men who were taught and schooled by the Apostles and were left to carry on after their deaths. These were great men, men who protected the truths that had been passed on to them by the Apostles and fought heresy at every turn.

I want to introduce you to one of those men. If you are not a student of church history, you may have never heard of a man named Polycarp. He lived from approximately 70 A.D. to 155 A.D. and was a direct pupil of the Apostle John. Polycarp became bishop over the church at Smyrna. He lived during a time of intense persecution of the Christians by the Roman state. To give you an idea of what went on during that time, here is an excerpt from an actual letter written by a Roman governor to the Emperor Trajan circa A.D. 112.

"In the meantime, the method I have observed towards those who have been denounced toward me as Christians is this: I interrogated them whether they were in fact Christians; if they confessed it, I repeated the question twice, adding the threat of capital punishment; if they still persevered, I ordered them to be executed. Those who denied they were, or ever had been, Christians, and who repeated after me an invocation to the gods, and offered formal worship with libation and frankincense before your statue, which I had ordered to be brought into Court for that purpose, and who finally cursed Christ - none of which acts, it is said, those who are really Christians can be forced into performing - these I thought it proper to discharge." - Pliny Secundus, A.D. 112

As you can see from the letter, Christians were given a chance to go free if they would worship the Roman Emperor and curse Christ. Note that during this time 'atheists' were those who did not believe in the Roman gods and in particular the deity of the current Roman emperor, so the Christians were considered 'atheists'. Untold multitudes refused to do this and were executed in the most heinous ways imaginable. Which brings us back to the story of Polycarp. We know his story because the church at Smyrna wrote a letter to the church at Philomelium detailing the circumstances of his death. We have this letter in its entirety and you can read it here.

http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0102.htm

He was captured by the authorities and led into the stadium. The crowds were said to be in great tumult, hearing that is was "the atheist" Polycarp. Then, the proconsul urged him and said, "Swear by Caesar, and I will set you at liberty, reproach Christ."

Polycarp responded, "Eighty-six years have I been His servant, and He has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?"

After further threats, Polycarp responded, "You threaten that fire which burns for a season and after a while is quenched: for you are ignorant of the fire of the future judgement and eternal punishment, which is reserved for the ungodly. But why do you delay? Come, do what you will." At that point Polycarp was burned at the stake and thrust through with the sword."

Our only surviving work of Polycarp is a letter. At one point in the letter he states:

"Let us therefore without ceasing hold fast by our hope and by the earnestness of our righteousness., which is Jesus Christ who took up our sins in His own body upon the tree, who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth, but for our sakes He endured all things, that we might live in Him. Let us therefore become imitators of His endurance; and if we should suffer for His name's sake, let us glorify Him. For He gave this example to us in His own person, and we believed this." - Polycarp, Letter to the Philippians, A.D. 110.

When I read about men like Polycarp who gave their lives for the cause of Christ, I must admit that I have mixed feelings. One side of me is glad that we don't live in an age where we must suffer the persecutions and the threats of death that the early church had to deal with. On the other hand there is a feeling that I can't quite explain. I wonder within myself "what would I do?" if I were to be confronted with that choice. Would I suffer and die for my Lord and Savior with the same bravery shown by Polycarp?

Fortunately or unfortunately, I doubt that any of us will ever have to endure that situation. We'll never be asked to deny Christ - or be torn apart by wild beasts. To deny Christ - or be burned at the stake. To deny Christ - or be crucified. I may not be asked in this life to die a physical death, but I've been commanded by Christ to surrender to another type of death. We must daily to die to self.

Jesus said it this way, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." - Luke 9:23

Paul expounded on that in his letter to the Galatians by stating, "Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." - Galatians 5:24

When I think about Polycarp, what I realized is that he had experienced death thousands of times over his eighty-six years. He had already killed the part of him that would seek his own comfort and his own gain. What was left in him was Christ. To die that physical death wasn't a great thing to him - just the final step - the final death. He had lived a martyr's life, so he was able to die a martyr's death.

For those of us that wonder "What would I do if I had face martyrdom?", let me ask this:

Are you dying daily now? Are you crucifying the flesh? Are you living a martyr's life?

If you are, then don't worry. I have the utmost confidence that if you or I were faced with that choice, we would gladly die for the Him that died for us. But if you are not dying daily, if you are not experiencing death now - how in the world could you die then?

A Blind Skier

My family and I went skiing this past weekend in North Carolina. It's a trip we take every year with our family and friends (I think this year we had about 24 people in 3 houses). Anyway, Friday night we were on the slopes and some of the kids said they had seen a blind skier on the slopes. Of course we all discussed the situation and how she was able to ski with no sight, but after awhile the subject turned to other matters and the blind skier was forgotten.

The next evening as I walked outside, I noticed 4 of the teenagers in our group were talking to this blind skier. Well, I should say the blind skier was talking to them. I wasn't sure what she was saying, but looking at those kids faces I could tell that they were listening intently to whatever it was she had to say. Afterward, I found one of the kids and asked them what they were talking about. I just assumed that she was explaining how she was able to ski even without sight - but that wasn't it at all.

She told them that she had lost her sight when her car was hit by a drunk driver. She then went on to explain how she had gotten angry with God, but over time God had changed her heart. She was now involved in full-time Christian ministry to other people with rehabilitation issues. God had taken a bad thing in her life and made it good.

You know, I wish I could tell you that bad things are not going to happen in your life and mine, but I can't. Life happens, and in that life sometimes we endure trials and suffer. Those trials may seem unfair, and in many cases by our own measuring standards they are. But God is always in control. If we'll just let him, he can take any situation - even a bad one - and turn it to His glory.When bad things happen to us, we can raise our fists to heaven and give Him a piece of our mind - or we can raise our hands to heaven and give him a piece of our heart, that same piece that's been hurt, abused and trampled on. When we do that, He can bind up the broken-hearted.

I wanted to find that lady and tell her how much I appreciated her sharing her testimony with those kids, but I was unable to find her the next day. Who knows what fruit one little testimony on a ski slope can bring forth.

Well Done

I went to a funeral the other day and as we gathered in the fellowship hall prior to the service a woman came up to me. "You probably don't remember me", she said, "but my mother was Mrs. Causey". To be honest I didn't really remember her, but her mother I could not forget.

When I was a kid, we were at church every time the doors were opened - or so it seemed to me. We attended a Baptist church, so that meant Sunday School on Sunday mornings and "Training Union" (whatever that is) on Sunday nights. And there was a little red-haired lady that taught kid's classes at that church - her name was Mrs. Causey.

My memory tends to be sketchy sometime about things that happened in my childhood, so I don't remember how long she taught the class or even how old I was at the time. I can tell you with pretty good certainty that I did not appreciate at the time what she was doing. I'm sure we came week after week, a bunch of brats who were just tolerating her and the class because our parents made us come.

Today? I'm a Sunday School teacher. I appreciate so much what she did. Week after week studying and preparing and never knowing if the time and effort that you are putting in will really pay off in the lives of those you teach. But it paid off in my life and I'm sure it did as well in the lives of others. Because I can tell you that when I left that church I knew the Bible. And those verses and the lessons I learned stayed with me through the years - even when I did not stay with Him.

If you are serving the Lord in any capacity, let me encourage you to remain steadfast in your work and in your efforts. Just like Mrs. Causey, your investment in other's lives will bring forth fruit. You may never see it or even know about it - but do it for the Glory of God. Whatever talent or service the Lord has given you, cherish and guard it and be faithful to it.

She died last year one month short of 88 years. Her daughter told me that she had taught an adult Sunday School class for 47 years - let me repeat that - 47 years.

Well done, Mrs. Causey. Well done.

“So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His Lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.’ " - Jesus Christ

Fight

A few weeks ago I was reading in 1 John and ran across this familiar scripture:

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. - 1 John 2:3-5

I can truly say at this point in my life that I really want to walk just as He walked - but that means keeping His commandments. So what are His commandments? If you are like me and someone asked me that question, I could probably name seven or eight things He wants me to do. But I realized I had never really looked at a comprehensive list. So the next thing I know I'm going through the book of Matthew with a sheet of notebook paper and writing down every command that I could find.

- Repent

- Let your light shine

- Be reconciled with your brother

- Agree with your adversary

- Do not lust

- Do not divorce

- Do not swear

- Do not resist an evil person

- Turn the other cheek

- Give extra

- Go the extra mile

- Give and do not turn away

- Love your enemies

- Bless those who curse you

- Do good to those who hate you

- Pray for those who use you

- Be perfect

- Do your charity in secret

- Pray in secret

- Do not pray with vain repetitions

- Forgive

- Lay up treasures in Heaven

- Do not worry

- Seek first the Kingdom of God

- Don't judge improperly

- Judge yourself

- Do unto others as you would have them do to you

- Do the will of God

- Keep His commandments

- Pray

- Confess Christ before men

- Love Jesus more than family

- Take up your cross

- Follow Him

- Take on His yoke

- Deny yourself

- Lose your life

- Humble yourself

- Serve

- Be ready for His coming

- Feed the hungry

- Take in the stranger

- Clothe the naked

- Visit the sick

- Visit the prisoners

- Make disciples

- Teach others

That is not even a comprehensive list - it's just from the Gospel of Matthew. That doesn't take into account commands given in the other Gospels as well as the rest of the New Testament. But still, you have to admit - that is a daunting list. When you look at it and think about trying to follow them, you realize how difficult the task really is.

Now around the same time I was studying on this we had a guest speaker at church. In his sermon, he brought up the following scripture

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. - Matthew 11:12

Now it may seem that I've veered off the subject of obedience and started discussing another scripture, but in my mind that day these two subjects really came together. I don't confess to understand that scripture fully, but what I do understand from it is this: You can't just back into the kingdom or ease into the kingdom by accident. It's a purposeful decision and purposeful walk. When I look at that list of commandments I realize how difficult a walk it is. Did you notice how many of those commands force me to put someone else (even my enemies and those I may not like) ahead of myself? My flesh doesn't like it and doesn't want to live that way. But yet I'm commanded to walk as He walked. When I understand this conflict between spirit and flesh, between new creation and old nature, I can understand better when Jesus says the following:

“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” - Jesus Christ

That word "strive" means "to struggle, to make a great effort, to fight", and I think we can all attest to the fact that trying to keep His commandments on a daily basis is a constant battle between flesh and spirit - between the new man and the old man. That's why it is so important to keep our eyes on the prize. So that we can say as the Apostle Paul did:

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."

What is Your Name?

We all remember the story of Jacob. After he had deceived his brother and father and stolen his brother's rightful blessing, he had to flee. After many years had passed, he returned with obvious fear, afraid of his brother who had become a powerful man. The night before he was to meet his brother, he sent his family across a brook to the other side and he remained alone - and that night he wrestled with God. When Jacob said "I will not let you go unless you bless me", God said the oddest thing; "What is your name?". Now there are a lot of things I'm not sure about, but I'm pretty sure that God knew what his name was. So why did He ask that? Because He wanted Jacob to confess who he really was - "My name is Deceiver".

Names don't mean as much today, but back then your name defined you. I'm sure it was not easy being tagged as "Deceiver" your whole life. Most people live up to what is expected of them, and that's probably what Jacob did. He lived up to that name and became a deceiver. But because Jacob was honest and confessed who he was, God not only blessed him but He also gave him a new name - Israel. God conferred upon him not just a new name, but a new identity. He was no longer a deceiver, but he was now Israel, a Prince with God.

What does God want from me, from us? Yes, He wants my love and my obedience, but he also wants me to be honest with myself and with Him. To confess who we really are. The psalmist put it like this:

Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, Psalms 51:6

If we'll do that, really be honest with ourselves and Him, then He is able to confer upon us a new identity. It's called repentance, and without it we cannot be forgiven.

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” - Jesus Christ

A Box of Chocolates

As the great philosopher Forrest Gump once said, "Life is like a box of chocolates". I think he meant that you never know what you are going to get. But the other thing about a box of chocolates is there are always going to be some that you like and others (the ones with the squishy stuff in the middle) that you don't like. So you eat the ones you like and leave the ones you don't like alone.

There have been times in my life where I've looked at Christianity the same way. I've read the commandments of Jesus and then treated them like a box of chocolates. I obeyed the easier ones, the ones I liked, the ones I agreed with. But there were always those that I didn't like. You know the ones I'm talking about. The commands that make us a little uncomfortable. The ones that just seem too hard to obey.

"When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." - Jesus Christ

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven."

"Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. - Jesus Christ

"Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord." - Apostle Paul

"If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to that person; then come and offer your gift."- Jesus Christ

Those commands I left alone. I didn't choose to disobey them, but at the same time I did not strive to obey them either. But I don't want to do that anymore. The commandments of Christ are not a box of chocolates or a buffet lunch. I don't have the option of choosing which ones to obey. I'm required to do my best to obey all of them.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote the blog "Run to Win". I don't want to run this race anymore just being content with finishing. I want to win - to obtain the prize. In order to do that I've got to change some things. One of those things I need to change is my obedience to His commands. It won't be easy, but anything worthwhile never is.

"If you love me, keep my commands." - Jesus Christ

"We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Those who say, 'I know him,' but do not do what he commands are liars, and the truth is not in them. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did." - Apostle John

Death is Dead

I got an Ipod for Christmas - 45 years old and I finally got on board. I wanted it so that I could download and listen to sermons and audio books and that's what I've been doing. Recently I downloaded a "Sermon Jam" by Ravi Zacharias. Now, if you don't know what a sermon jam is don't feel bad - I didn't either. But I really like Ravi Zacharias so I tried it. If you'd like to listen, you can download it free here (just right-click on the link below and select "Save Target As"). Trust me - you won't be disappointed.

http://www.relevantrevolution.com/mp3/ravi-lord.mp3

In it, he shares the following:

“Have you ever wondered what you would do to frighten Lazarus after he’d been raised from the dead? What would you do to threaten him? Lazarus, I’m gonna’ kill you? Caligula says, ‘I’m going to kill you.’ Lazarus says, ‘Ha, ha, ha.’ Caligula says ‘stop ha, ha, ha-ing. I’m going to kill you as I’m killing all the Christians.’ Lazarus doubles over in uncontrollable laughter, comes up for air and says, ‘Caligula haven’t you heard? Death is dead! Death is dead!!'

How do you frighten somebody who has already been there and knows the one who’s going to let him out?

But just think, of stepping on shore and finding perfection - of touching a hand, and finding it God's hand - of breathing new air and finding it celestial - of waking up in Glory, and finding it home.

Ladies and gentlemen, your hope and mine in Christ, is that one day we will be with God - one day, we will be with Him."

I was listening to this on the airplane on the way home from the funeral last week. Obviously, death was on my mind - I was sorrowful and death seemed the enemy. But as I listened to this, my perspective changed. Death is not the end - it's just the beginning. In fact, it's the beginning of our real life - our eternal life. Our time here on earth is just a prelude to eternity. I love how C.S. Lewis put it in his children's book The Last Battle:

And as He spoke He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.

Death's hold on us is its fear, but as Christians that fear is gone. So just remember - our life here is just the cover and the title page. When we see Him, every chapter will be better than the one before.

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 1Corinthians 15:54

"Thanks for Loving Me"

I just returned today from a funeral. My uncle (Dave Edmondson - 69) and his grandson (Noah Pell - 9) were both drowned in a boating accident in McKinney, Texas this past Saturday. My uncle loved to fish and he also loved spending time with his grandkids. This past weekend he was doing the two things he loved the most when their canoe capsized on Lake Lavon. They found them both with their life vests still on. It was a quick trip out to Dallas to attend the funeral and spend time with the family, but during the last few days I have had so much running through my mind that I just wanted to get some things in writing.

• Please pray for the Edmondson and Pell families. They are Christians, but there is a hard road to walk ahead of them.

• Family is so important. Sometime we take them for granted, thinking that they will always be there. But each of us could be gone in an instant. So take time today to tell your family how much you love them. Spend as much time with them as you can. Love them with all your heart. And when you do fight, don't let the sun go down on your anger. Make up and move on. If a part of your family lives far away, make sure you see them when you can. Stay in touch as best you can via phone calls and emails. When they are gone, there won't be another chance.

• During times of grief and mourning, having your family there is irreplaceable. Friends are great, we need them and we love them. But there is something about family that you just can't replace. There is a bond there that is different than other relationships, and you really see it during a time like this. So be there for your family.
  
  
• They held a double funeral on Tuesday. As you can imagine, it was not easy for the families. But the pastor, I believe his name was Jim Lewis, just did a wonderful job. It was probably one of the best sermons I've ever heard. Noah was in the fourth grade, and his entire class came to the funeral. There was standing room only so they had the kids sit on the floor up front. The pastor took his podium, moved it over to where the kids were sitting and spoke directly to them. His message? There are mysteries in life, things we can't and don't understand. But in times like this we hang on to to what we do know - and what we know is that God is good and we can trust Him. That is a good message for all of us.
  
  
• Noah was only 9 and loved baseball. They buried him in his uniform, and some of his teammates wore their uniforms to the service. They signed a baseball and put it in the casket with him. They buried him with those and others of his favorite things. As you looked at that you couldn't help thinking how unfair it is for a life like that to get cut so short. But Pastor Lewis said something that I'll never forget - that God is sovereign, and Noah had fulfilled his purpose. I believe that. I don't understand it, but I believe it.
  
  
• The pastor preached the funeral using Uncle Dave's bible, which was worn out from use. I was going to add some more here - but what else needs to be said?
  
  
• In Uncle Dave's casket they placed several of his favorite things, including a fishing rod and some cartoon characters that he collected. As I stood there looking at the different items, I noticed a yellow post-it note that someone had scribbled on and placed in the casket. There was no name, and it only held a simple message - only 4 words. As I went back to the hotel room that night, I was watching the news. There was a man on there - a politician - who had already built himself a huge marble mausoleum with his name engraved in large letters. On the mausoleum he had engraved all of his political accomplishments - a lasting monument to himself. And as I watched that I had to laugh out loud at the absurdity of it, because that monument with it's list of accomplishments could not hold a candle to a simple yellow post-it note that summed up a life lived well:

" Thanks for Loving Me"

• One final thought. I'm so glad that we are Christians. I'm so thankful that Jesus rose from that grave. Because of that we know we will see Dave and Noah again. Even in a time like this, a time so full of sorrow and hurt - we don't have to sorrow as those who have no hope. As the pastor said at the graveside, there will be a resurrection one day on that very spot - and what a day that will be!

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17