Our one precious life

In between two appointments at the Clinic, I paused for a while and watched passersby, imagining the concerns they were facing. I thought of the hundreds of people passing through the doors every day, with hopes for relief and resolution, for the capacity to enjoy life and share time with loved ones.

In essence, we are acknowledging the precious value of each life. We can take heart, recognizing God’s intimate knowledge of all of our days. David writes in Psalm 139: 16-17 NLT-

You saw me before I was born./Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out/before a single day had passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God./They cannot be numbered!

     

Yet time pushes relentlessly forward, the sand in the hourglass keeps flowing and there’s nothing we can do to stop it. In Psalm 39: 4-5, David asked God to remind him of how fleeting life can be:

 

“Show me, Lord, my life’s end/and the number of my days; Let me know how fleeting my life is.
You have made my days a mere handbreadth/the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath/even those who seem secure.   

Even as God cares greatly about the concerns we have in this temporal life, He also has the long view, that which extends past this life into eternity. It’s a plan that has been unfolding since the beginning of time.

It’s the Story of Jesus the Messiah, THE One Precious Life, a Gift beyond measure, who paid the price to make the way for us to achieve the ultimate victory over sin, sickness, sorrow and death.

In the last few pages of the Bible, we are left with a promise that exceeds our imagination. There WILL come a time when… He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. Revelation 21: 4 NLT

As the days of your One Precious Life pass by, entrust yourself to the One who gave Himself as that One Precious Gift for you. Receive His gifts of forgiveness for every failure, comfort in life’s trials, and certain hope for the endless joy ahead.

 

Here within a manger lies
The One who made the starry skies
This baby born for sacrifice
Christ, the Messiah
Into our hopes, into our fears
The Savior of the world appears
The promise of eternal years
Christ, the Messiah

He Shall Reign Forevermore, Chris Tomlin

 

Walking on the precipice 

Imagine the commotion, several people in scrubs surrounding my bed, starting IV’s, drawing arterial and venous blood, and watching the heart monitor. I could see that my pulse fluctuating between 38 and 40. I figured that couldn’t be good, but didn’t realize just how serious it was. 

I later learned how close I had come to falling off the precipice of this life into the next. It was a “complete heart block” (an absence of electrical conduction between the upper and lower chambers of the heart). It can be fatal. It’s a story for another time, of how the circumstances came together to ensure I received prompt treatment at one of the best cardiac units in the region. I’m forever grateful.

During one long restless night in Cardiac ICU I was listening to audio scripture when the reader recited this passage from Psalm 90:12 “Teach us to number our days (or “realize the brevity of life”), that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” I’ll admit that initially I felt resistance. I feel like I have a lot of life left in me, so much to live for, and the brevity of life is not pleasant to dwell on. But resisting the teachings of wisdom just leads to regret and pain, so I’ve been giving it more thought.

I have confidence that my pacemaker will likely preserve a healthy heartbeat for 10+ years before it needs replacement. But even with the pacemaker technology, my healthy lifestyle and my longevity genes, there are NO guarantees.  

My fresh perspective on life is turning my thoughts more towards family, friends and acquaintances. I’m so grateful for each one of you and the many ways you have added blessing, meaning and value to my life. I wish for each one of you to experience an enriched and blessed and long life.

I hope we can all learn the wisdom in numbering our days (ideally without going through a medical crisis!) I hope we will give careful consideration to our highest priorities and what adjustments we may need to make, for both time and eternity.

For the most part, I’ve had a good life. A close family, a strong community of faith, many opportunities to learn and grow, a meaningful and fulfilling career, a supportive network of friends, and many opportunities to capture nature and humanity and wonderful memories with my camera.

I possess many writings of my faith-filled ancestry and aspire to honor their legacy. They are like the crowd in the stadium, cheering on the marathon runners as they enter the final laps of the race. The author of Hebrews writes, “Therefore…since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith…let us lay aside everything  that slows us down…let us run the race with endurance… fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith.” (Hebrews 12: 1-2)

We ALL walk on the precipice of eternity, every day, but we don’t have to walk in fear.

Our journey starts there at the lowly stable, where Hope came down. He meets us where we are, in our broken state, inviting us into a loving and grace-filled relationship with the One who endured great suffering, so we could be with Him into eternity.

May we give careful thought to the paths of our feet. May we learn the  wisdom of numbering our days. May we entrust our one precious life to the One who promises to lead us along the path of everlasting life.      (Psalm 139:24)

Best wishes to you and yours for 2025!

Happy Endings

Of all the fiction books I’ve read, they all have had happy endings. Of course! No one wants to read unhappy endings. At the points in the story when certain characters are in trouble or difficulty, we can reassure ourselves that somehow this is all going to work out, because all good fiction stories do. We simply wait to see how the plot unfolds.

In the real world, it often seems that happy endings are so far out of reach, for our own lives, those around us, or the world at large. Our hearts can become so very weary in waiting for the “peace on earth” that was promised that first Christmas. But there is hope in the waiting…

Long ago, Jesus busted onto this weary world with something called hope in His bosom. And then He grew up to carry hope in his outstretched arms. Imagine Him standing before you now, eyes wide and warm and tuned-in to you and your un-okay circumstances. I can promise you this: He knows things we don't, and He is the Maker of happy endings that are better than any you’d find in a Hallmark Christmas movie. – Jennifer Dukes Lee – Facebook post, December 15, 2023.

If we find ourselves in a difficult place in our own stories, we may wonder why God doesn’t bring resolution. Walk long enough in the faith life and we learn that God’s ways are much higher than ours and we begin to see that the Author of our stories can be fully trusted to work things out in the best way possible for the best happy ending.

And God’s happy ending is not fiction or fairy tale, but is certain and true, and is already written, right there in the last pages of the God’s story: I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” Revelation 21:3-4 NLT.

In the meantime, God didn’t leave us to fend for ourselves. Centuries before the first Christmas, the prophet Isaiah proclaimed, “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). Isaiah 7:14 NKJV.  It can be hard to imagine God wanting to be with us, but all we have to do is look at the cross, and see what price he paid so that we can be with him forever.

If we haven’t yet bridged the gap between the cradle, the cross and the empty tomb, it’s not too late.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come! / Let earth receive her King; / Let every heart prepare Him room, /And heav’n and nature sing… -Issac Watts, 1719

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Hope for Everyone

 In the final days leading up to Christmas, I start taking things off my list, to simplify life and find some room to breathe. I know most of us would appreciate some good quality down time, so this is an invitation to hit “pause.” Let’s try to imagine ourselves at the manger, taking in the wonder of a newborn baby, and consider the mystery of God coming to us in this way. This is the One who holds the Promise of Hope for each of us, no matter our lot.

You who are weary and worn. May you find rest seeping into your bones as you cradle him in your arms.

You who are weighed down with shame and guilt…May you feel the grace of this moment as you gaze into his eyes.

You who are hardened up against pain and loss. Take a moment to look again, stroke his soft hair, watch as he opens his eyes to you, and let the hardness begin to melt away.

You who are forgotten and lonely.  There’s a place for you here too. Let him grasp your finger with his tiny little fist and feel your profound connection in this grand scheme of humanity.

You who are wise and learned… Consider all that is yet unknown about the millions of synapses occurring in that little brain, all that complexity and intricacy formed from the joining of two cells.

You who are strong and powerful, that have fought hard battles… in wars, on the streets, in the public square, may the way he lived out his life be your guide and inspiration.

You whose life is dominated by chronic pain or illness… may a seed of hope be planted deep within and generate even a little place of healing in your memories, your cells.  Then let it grow. May you find redemption of suffering and genuine hope for a day when all sorrow and pain will be gone.

You the skeptic, full of doubt…  You the disillusioned, with all your unanswered questions.  Just consider for a moment, what it it’s all true?  What if that little babe in Bethlehem really was God made man? What if He really did choose to leave his throne, to become so vulnerable, not only in the manger but on the cross?  What if He really is orchestrating a grand plan that conquers everything that has kept us weighed down-- in defeat and despair, in loss and suffering, in fear of dying?

Yes, it really is true!  Sometimes it’s hard to see it amidst all our pain and uncertainty, our broken hearts and broken dreams.  This Christmas may we crack open the door, even just a bit and let the “wonders of His Love,” His tender mercies, bring us lasting peace and joy, not in circumstances or things, but in His Presence. And may you find His Hope to be an anchor for the days to come…

Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness.

Opened my eyes let me see.

Beauty that made this heart adore you, hope of a life spent with you…

Lyrics from Here I Am to Worship, written by Tim Hughes and Darlene Zschech.

 

 

A peace that never ends

Most of us these days can hardly remember a time that has been wrought with so much uncertainty, heartache, and deep cultural and political division. Add to that the daily feed of disturbing news and the routine stressors of everyday life, many of us have been stretched to our limits. My first thought is to extend my heartfelt prayers and wishes for wisdom, endurance, and grace to effectively navigate through whatever challenges have come your way. And may you find meaningful ways to sustain close relationships, even from a distance.

One thing that has helped me is to step back to a broader, historical perspective. Not to diminish the seriousness of what we are dealing with now, but many of our ancestors endured far worse, through the hardships of the early settlers, the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, disease epidemics with lack of good medical care, the Great Depression, and the devastation of all the wars since.

At the time of Christ’s birth, the political and economic climate was beyond anything we can now imagine. Jesus was born under the dictatorship of the brutal King Herod whose paranoia drove him to murder anyone perceived as a threat to his rule. Joseph and Mary were poor peasants who were forced to make the 100-mile journey to Bethlehem on foot for the purpose of taxation. Some scholars estimate that the emperor Caesar Augustus levied taxes as high as 50-60% of what people grew and owned.

Those closest to Jesus had high hopes that he would bring deliverance from the oppressive rule. But God’s plan was far grander, encompassing all the peoples of the world, and to the end of time, into eternity.

Several hundred years before Jesus’ birth, the prophet Isaiah proclaimed, “^]The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine... For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders... for a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end.” (Isaiah 9: 2, 4, 6-7 NLT).

Since that time, we have seen many worldly kingdoms rise and fall. Even the best-intentioned leaders face insurmountable limitations and constraints. Regardless, we can be certain that God’s Kingdom reigns with peace, prudence, and justice, in the eternal realm. In His final hours before the cross, Jesus told Pilate, “My Kingdom is not of this world.”

The One who came as Prince of Peace 2,000 years ago, still stands ready to bring us real hope and peace, no matter what uncertainty or trouble we face in the days ahead. He is the One who dispels darkness. It is HIS love that reconciles us to Himself and one another. It is HE who now reigns supreme
over a peaceable, eternal Kingdom. Human minds cannot fully grasp how this can be, but as we  surrender to the wonder and mystery, peace will reign in our hearts.

Photo from Christmas Eve service, 2019.

What money cannot buy

 The staff person that tagged the hand-carved wooden nativity at Savers’ Thrift greatly underestimated its real value. With a coupon I paid about $5 for a 12-piece set that is selling online for upwards of $100.

Just like the thrift store nativity was under-pvalued, so also many people of Jesus’ day failed to grasp his worth. He was despised and rejected throughout his ministry. He was seen by many as “just” the carpenter’s son, from that town of low reputation, Nazareth. How could he possibly be who he claimed to be? He didn’t look like anything they thought the Messiah would look. Their preconceived notions prevented them from seeing his true value.

It’s easy to see how we also can lose sight of his value. We have heard the story so many times that we lose our sense of awe and wonder. Or maybe we have been through so many hard knocks in life that we become jaded or cynical.

I think it is also part of human nature to overlook or underestimate the value of what is right before us. We’ve all heard stories of discovered treasures of great value, items found in a forgotten corner of the attic, at yard sales or even in dumpsters. But the person with a trained eye recognizes its true value and rescues it from the trash heap.

Likewise, we can tend to underestimate the value of the people around us. I saw this first-hand in the many years I worked with the homeless and people having disabilities. But it also can apply to the every-day people in our lives that we have taken for granted. And let’s take it a step further. We often can be harder on ourselves than anyone else. Maybe we allow regret or disappointment to hang over our heads for wrong turns, broken relationships, missed opportunities. After a while, those thoughts can blot out the reality of our inherent worth.

The remarkable reality that Jesus stooped down from heaven and took on human form demonstrates his deep desire to connect deeply with devalued people, the poor and destitute, the lame, the prostitute, the “untouchable” lepers. Among the men he chose to be his disciples, he picked common fishermen, and a despised tax collector, being fully aware of their weaknesses and failures. He saw the inherent value and God-given potential of each one.

I for one have been grateful that He knows the worst about me but believes the best. He sees past my failures to the potential I have, as his grace transforms me from the inside out.

As we wind up the infamous year of 2020 with its devastating global pandemic and widespread political and social upheaval, now more than ever we need a renewed sense of hope for ourselves and our neighbors near and far.

The gift of knowing that you are deeply loved and greatly valued by the One who chose to walk among us and give His life for us…priceless!

 

Grief, Gratitude and Grace

When asked yesterday for a word or two to summarize my feelings of the past few weeks, I said, “Grief.”


Grief for the hardness of one man’s heart that made him deaf to George Floyd’s pleas for life.


Grief that it took such a horrific act to wake so many of us from complacency and ignorance.


Grief for the people I know and care about who have had to endure a lifetime of racism and injustice.


Grief for the long hard battle against slavery and oppression and the curse it has on succeeding generations. From William Wilberforce to Frederick Douglass, to workers in the underground railroad and those who fought in the Civil War with the conviction to free the captives…. It causes me to weep, to think of all those who have gone before in this fight and yet here we still are. 


Yes, there has been progress and yet at the same time our culture has turned even more divisive.


For me there is another more hopeful side of the story.


For nearly twenty years, I worked in the heart of the city, in one of the poorest neighborhoods in the nation. At the City Mission I worked mostly behind the scenes but was honored to meet and work alongside so many who had given years, even decades to bringing life and hope to so many. 


I think it would not be hard for me to find enough material to write a book to capture the stories of the people I worked with who continued to fight the good fight with perseverance, resilience, grace and steadfast faith.

Looking at this photo this morning, I wept again, but this time with gratitude and deep respect for the heart of service these three represented.  They were the featured volunteers highlighted in The City Mission’s centennial book, A Door of Hope 1910-2010. Together they served over 100 years. 

Especially in these times, I have a deeper appreciation for what a difference it can make to actually be in relationship with people who have had such different experiences from me. Side by side, hand in hand, working within our own roles and capacities, we carried the work forward and saw lives changed in significant ways. To God be the Glory.


My hope is that this would encourage us to find ways, even small ways, to be in relationship and partnership in standing FOR causes that bring reconciliation, restoration and redemption.