Dana's Christian Journey

musings of a thankful cancer survivor

Author: Dana

  • schools

    —

    Dana

    image001Once again I was invited to lead a discussion at the Georgia Independent School Association annual meeting. What made this year’s session more fun was that I did not go alone. Taylor Davis, the athletic director at Hebron Christian Academy, joined me as co-presenter.

    I’ve already gotten used to being ‘lesser known’ as I’ve joined Taylor in other school settings. Though I can’t help turning around when someone shouts, “Coach Davis!,” the cries are not for me. As we walked around King’s Ridge Christian School, it was fun to see some of the acquaintances Taylor has made in education circles over the years.

    We chose as our topic: ‘Jesus and Schools in Today’s World.’ With a full classroom, I asked educators to propose what Jesus might say to us today. For an hour, men and women of different job descriptions and various levels of experience shared suggestions. Below is the incomplete list of statements we thought Jesus might offer:

    • ‘Look to Me in times of hopelessness’
    • ‘Do not grow weary in well doing’
    • ‘Extend grace’
    • ‘Help all find their identity in Me’
    • ‘Community is vital’
    • ‘Hold students accountable’
    • ‘Hold to your faith’
    • ‘Submit to My words and My ways’
    • ‘Be slow to speak, swift to listen, and slow to anger’
    • ‘Be honest’
    • ‘Pray… remembering that with God, all things are possible’
    • ‘Keep first things first’
    • ‘Be still and know that I am God’
    • ‘Let the little children come to Me… for such is the kingdom of heaven’
    • ‘Love others the way I have loved you’

    No matter what the occupation, our Master’s wisdom, power, and love is needed. Jesus longs to heal our world and bring hope to all just as He did when He came to earth many years ago. May we find our life in Him.

    “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” Isaiah 61:1-3

  • greatest

    —

    Dana

    Don’t we have just as much trouble accepting Jesus’ instruction about ‘greatness’ as the apostles did? Become like a child… Be the least… Become the servant of all… Sell all your possessions… Be willing to be last… What kind of teaching is this?

    Jesus might answer: ‘You must accept My Father’s way; He does not think like man does. Faith is His requirement… and one cannot really trust God when he is full of self. To gain, one must give up. To be strong, one must become weak. To be victorious, one must surrender. Did I not follow My Father’s path? I am Lord, yet I came to earth as a child. I am King, yet I became a servant. I am omnipotent, yet I laid down My life for all mankind. Now My Father has given Me the Name above names and I am inviting you to follow Me.’

    Even a person who seems to be last when chosen must be changed. The fishermen had no wealth or prominence when they were called, but their desire to be ‘the greatest’ was often evident. Though they saw the glory of the Lord, witnessed His miracles, and walked with the Master, competition often raised its ugly head. At His last Passover meal, Jesus revealed the deep meaning of the Bread and the Wine… “Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them.” (Luke 22:24)

    Saul of Tarsus had a different background. He was a Pharisee of Pharisees… brilliant, zealous, and confident. But he had no hope without Jesus. The King revealed Himself, blinded his eyes, and filled a penitent man with the Holy Spirit. (see Acts 9) Then, as the ‘new creation,’ Paul began his decline into true greatness. “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things…” (Philippians 3:8)

    Who boasts like Paul today? Who cries: ‘Come! Follow Jesus and lose everything! Become of no reputation; be despised and rejected by others; be misunderstood; be the least…’? But Paul saw the Way: “I consider all these things garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ — the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” (Philippians 3:9)

    None of us have hope without Jesus. Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Paul trusted Him and came to understand God’s greatness. Our Lord and Savior is the Way!

    “The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Matthew 23:11-12

    “He called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’” Matthew 18:2-4

    I won’t write next week as we celebrate a holiday… Happy Thanksgiving!

  • least

    —

    Dana

    The ‘least of these My brethren’ must be a subset of the ‘little ones’ Jesus loves so much. He once told the story of a beggar named Lazarus who was one of the these ‘least.’ After he died, the Father sent His angels to take Lazarus to the side of Abraham.

    Jesus knows that the existence of suffering on earth does not prove His Father to be nonexistent or heartless, as some declare today. Jesus also understands the reality of eternity and the foolishness of hoarding wealth and selfish living. He once asked, “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Matthew 16:26)

    In his misery on earth, Lazarus lay outside a wealthy man’s gate “longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table.” When this man who “dressed in purple and fine linen” also died, he found himself in torment… where one’s wardrobe has no bearing. “Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.”

    “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received good things while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.” (see Luke 16:19-27)

    In a parable about Judgment Day, Jesus shared more about ‘the least of these.’ “Come, you who are blessed by My Father, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you came to visit Me.” (Matthew 25:34-36)

    If only the rich man had recognized that Lazarus was really God in disguise…

    Here are a few takeaways:

    • Years, or even decades of suffering on earth will pale in comparison with the billions of years God’s children will spend in eternity.
    • The Father intends for His children who have food, shelter, clothing, and comfort to be diligent in helping those who do not.
    • The Father blesses those who love and serve ‘the least of these’ as if they love and serve His only begotten Son.
    • Those who despise, ignore, and fail to help ‘the least of these’ despise, ignore, and fail to help Jesus.
    • The time to change the way we live, think, and use our money is while we are still alive.

    “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me.” Matthew 25:40

  • angels

    —

    Dana

    “At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child to Him, and placed the child among them. And He said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in My name welcomes Me. If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!… See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven.’” (Matthew 18:1-10)

    img_4269I don’t completely understand… but I love it: Six-year-old Wilkes, five-year-old Owen, four-year-old Macy, three-year-old Keightley, and one-month-old Corrie Mae have angels in heaven. I’m not sure whether each is assigned one specific angel, or whether several are given responsibility… but these angels constantly see the face of God.

    ‘So you want to be great? Change; humble yourself; be like this child. Blessed are those who welcome the children… and woe to those who cause them to stumble. When you come to Me and trust Me like this child, you, too, become My little one.’

    Jesus defines the ‘little ones’ as ‘those who believe in Me,’ so it is not just children who are assigned angels. God is constantly watching over His ‘little ones.’ With one word or nod or raising of an eyebrow, the Creator can dispatch His powerful servants to assist His children. The angels are at His beck and call… and they know how much the Father loves us.

    Here are a few takeaways:

    • Don’t despise God’s ‘little ones.’
    • Welcome the children in Jesus’ name.
    • Never, ever, ever cause a ‘little one’ to stumble.
    • Humble yourself, believe in Jesus, and be a ‘little one.’
    • Thank God for angels.

    “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” Hebrews 1:14

  • triumph

    —

    Dana

    “I think this might be the definition of pure joy,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said in a postgame interview after the Atlanta Braves defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the National League pennant. Thousands celebrated the victory well into the early morning hours as the Braves return to the World Series for the first time since 1999.

    meemawpeepawThe celebration of a new baby seems to be at a different level. Kinsey said the joy after Corrie Mae was born is ‘indescribable.’ Seeing pictures of my parents holding their newest great-grandchild brings joy to my heart.

    keightleyCorrie Mae’s big sister Keightley also experienced joy this week.  She celebrated her third birthday.

    But there’s a much greater joy coming: “Listen, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed — in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’” (I Corinthians 15:51-54)

    This is the triumph of Jesus: “Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For He must reign until He puts all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (I Corinthians 15:24-26)

    This triumph is closer than ever… and all who trust in Jesus will experience pure joy: “Therefore, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (I Corinthians 15:58)

    “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

    “Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” I Thessalonians 4:13 -5:11

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