Psalm 96:1 – Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Many years ago I worked for McDonnell Douglas Aircraft. While working there I became a Christian. I was fortunate to have many Brothers surrounding me who were zealous to help their newborn brother. However, the snake is in every garden. There was a man who enjoyed, when he found them, trying to rip apart the faith of the Christian neophyte. So, one day, he found me. Every day he would approach me to tell me that my faith was understandable, but that it was fake. One day he told me that I should heed his words as he was almost double my age. I asked him if he was indeed saying that, due solely to his age, I should heed his words. He said yes, that was what he was saying. He said that he had seen so much evil and had seen death to loved ones and so he has a perspective that I do not. He said that by the time I reached his age I would renounce my faith as a man-made fable. I asked him, “Do really believe that I should believe you merely because of your age.” He said yes. So I told him that I was happy to hear him say that because at my church there was an elderly couple, who mightily loved the Lord and they would like tell him to turn from his ways and follow Jesus. I said to him that if he was honest, and not a hypocrite, then he must accept Jesus as his Savior and Lord based on the advice from these elderly saints. Sadly, he just walked away.
Family and Friends, my faith is not gone. It is not diminished. It is alive and thriving. God has shown and taught me that He is good and that He loves us. No matter the circumstance and regardless of my limited ability to understand, I know those two facts and cling to them with all my might. God is good and He loves us. He is good and He loves me. My faith thrives and is strengthened daily by the Lord God Himself. Now I am twenty years beyond where this man was and have seen much evil and seen much death. My faith grows because as time passes He reveals Himself to me more and more, day by day.
Early this morning my Mom went to be with Jesus. Her spirit left her earthly body to go to the Lord and live in a celestial body that will never perish and that will always be in God’s presence. Perspective is eternal and of infinite value. I can look at her new life as being a loss, or I can think of it as God does, and rejoice that today, my Mom is better off than she has ever been. One day I will join her, along with those she loved (even some who will surprised by the changes coming to their lives.) I do not mourn my mother’s new life that God has given her. I celebrate it. She has not lost but gained. And not only her, but also all of us. All who loved her have not lost, but gained, knowing she has received her promise. I should say “Thank You” and “Praise You” to God for being so kind and loving as to bring her home. Her current and forever position electrifies me. She and my Dad are with Jesus! That is something to celebrate. I will. We will. Praise our God! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.