As Times Get Harder, Jesus Gets Sweeter--In Honor of My Granddaddy

This was originally posted four years ago, shortly after my Granddaddy's death. Today is the 4th anniversary and I miss him, but I still adore the goodness of God even in the midst of the sorrow.

April 11, 2008

Sarah Edwards was the wife of the great pastor/theologian Jonathan Edwards. Jonathan Edwards died from a smallpox vaccination. Sarah wrote these words to their daughter shortly after the death of their husband/father:

“My very dear child! What shall I say? A holy and good God has covered us with a dark cloud. O that we may kiss the rod, and lay our hands on our mouths! The Lord has done it. He has made me adore His goodness, that we had him so long. But my God lives; and He has my heart. O what a legacy my husband, and your father, has left us! We are all given to God; and there I am, and love to be. Your affectionate mother, Sarah Edwards.”

I adore the goodness of God in all the years that he gave my granddaddy to me and my family. I do hurt at his death. I hurt in a way I have never hurt before. It's a hurt that seems to cut both ways. In a sense, you want it to go away or ease up. But, in another way--just as fervent--you don't want it to leave because the depth of the hurt is an indication of the depth of the love and I never want that love to be minimized or forgotten.

However, even through the hurt I do, by God's grace adore the goodness of God that we had my granddaddy for so long. I adore his goodness in using my granddaddy to bring me to faith in Christ and for setting such a marvelous example of a loving grandfather and faithful pastor. Granddaddy wrote in one of his sermons, "As times got harder for Paul, Jesus got sweeter." And it was so with my granddaddy as well. The harder things got, the sweeter Jesus was. He did not articulate it maybe the same way I do, but he treasured Christ in and through all things. He loved his family. I adore the goodness of God in giving me and our family our Granddaddy for so long.

I adore the goodness of God this past week as well in the prayers and kind words of church members and family and friends. I adore the goodness of God in being able to be a small part of my Granddaddy's memorial service, which was spectacular. I adore the goodness of God of being able to weep with my family and to do so as a family. I realized or was reminded this week of just how much I love my family and how much I want to show that more from now on.

One of the most cherished graces of God to me this past week came the day of the funeral. The family time for visitation was from 10-2pm. I was in the church with some other family members: my mom, two uncles, grandma, and other family. I had purposefully tried to not see my granddaddy at the visitation the night before or at the funeral home on Saturday. I just didn't want to remember him that way. But it was inevitable that I would see him sometime in the week. I did several times. I found myself looking at all the flowers that had been sent and I began to weep and tried to hold it in and just let it out quietly. My uncle Larry noticed me and came to my side. He came to my side and put his arm around me and hugged me and let me weep on his shoulder. It may not have been special to him, but it was a priceless gift from God for me.

Our family has wept and we will weep. I don't know if I realized just how much I loved my Granddaddy. I do now--now that I know he will never call me again on a Sunday night to ask me how my day went or he will never say again to me on the phone, "Can I do something?" which meant he was about to pray with me. I'll never again here him say, "You tell Holly and the girls that some crazy guy said hello and that he loves them." He'll never ask again, "How's the boss?" which meant, "How's Shadow doing?"

But in and through all of those "never agains" God is good and kind and right in all that he does. One day, because of the work of Christ in the life of my granddaddy and in my life, we will see each other again and I know that when we see each other, he will give me a great big ol' bearhug just like he gave me as a little boy and we will adore the goodness of God in the face of Jesus Christ forever and ever.

Thankful For God's Wonderful Surprise

The Silence of God

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It's enough to drive a man crazy; it'll break a man's faith

It's enough to make him wonder if he's ever been sane

When he's bleating for comfort from Thy staff and Thy rod

And the heaven's only answer is the silence of God

It'll shake a man's timbers when he loses his heart

When he has to remember what broke him apart

This yoke may be easy, but this burden is not

When the crying fields are frozen by the silence of God

And if a man has got to listen to the voices of the mob

Who are reeling in the throes of all the happiness they've got

When they tell you all their troubles have been nailed up to that cross

Then what about the times when even followers get lost?

'Cause we all get lost sometimes...

There's a statue of Jesus on a monastery knoll

In the hills of Kentucky, all quiet and cold

And He's kneeling in the garden, as silent as a Stone

All His friends are sleeping and He's weeping all alone

And the man of all sorrows, he never forgot

What sorrow is carried by the hearts that He bought

So when the questions dissolve into the silence of God

The aching may remain, but the breaking does not

The aching may remain, but the breaking does not

In the holy, lonesome echo of the silence of God

[HT: Kevin DeYoung]

Sunday's Comin'

This Never Gets Old

What Should Sunday School/Children's Church Look Like?

A recent encouraging article in which Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington D.C. was featured contained this quote:

As morning light filters into a fourth-floor room on a Sunday, students huddle on tiered seats, listening to a lecture on substitutionary atonement. The teacher poses a tough question, but a hand shoots into the air, eager to answer with a recitation of the week's memory verse from I Peter 3:18: "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God."

Scholars and seminarians call this systematic theology. Kindergartners at CHBC just call it Sunday school.

This is what Sunday School/Children's Church should be. Lord, may it be so.

When Will We Stop Making Excuses?

In light of 1.3 billion people on the planet who have no access to the Gospel whatsoever, when will we stop making local excuses to justify our disobedience to the global need of the Gospel?

Jerry Rankin, president of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, addresses this in his recent post. Here's a sampling:

It is being pointed out that America has the fourth largest population of lost people of all the nations of the world. Many are sincerely saying we should not neglect the lost around us in order to divert resources to other nations. We even claim Jesus tells us to first of all be responsible for reaching those at home. While acknowledging our global responsibility, many rationalize to say we will never reach the world if we don’t give priority to our churches at home—after all, we have to build the foundation for calling out and sending missionaries...

...Often after I preach for a mission emphasis in a church the pastor will say, “Dr. Rankin, we appreciate your missions challenge. We are trying to build up our programs, reach our community, pay off our building indebtedness…then we are going to get involved in missions.” But it never happens. Churches that are focusing on their own programs and community seldom fulfill the criteria for moving on to a compelling missions involvement...

...However, we could document the churches that are adopting unreached people groups, providing opportunities for volunteer mission trips, nurturing a climate for calling out missionaries and giving generously and sacrificially to missions. Invariably they are effective in local outreach and growth...

...A church or individual doesn’t try to grow with the intention of eventually being obedient to God’s mission. When we as a denomination, and as local churches, are committed to the Great Commission, God will bless us in what we need to do locally. The reason there is such spiritual lethargy, negligible growth and dying churches is because we are neglecting the reason God has called us as His people.

This Is How You Promote Your Church

Wonder what the status of the Church in America would be today if for the last thirty years our focus had been more of what we see in this video as opposed to fancy foyers, awesome auditoriums, and me-centered messages?

Grace Community Church of San Antonio, Texas from I'll Be Honest on Vimeo.

It's not too late to start over.

Healthcare Is Nothing We Should Fear

Needless to say I was not pleased with the Healthcare Bill passed yesterday and still pray that it might be derailed somehow. My disappointment lies more in what it means for the life of unborn as opposed to a concern over healthcare itself.

With that said, as followers of Christ we need not be engulfed with fear and anxiety. Russell Moore reminds us of that today with this great post.

Here are two especially encouraging/convicting quotes:

Is it a problem that some of us who are tranquil as still water about biblical doctrine and ecclesial mission are red-faced about Nancy Pelosi and the talking heads on MSNBC? Is it a problem that some who haven’t shared the gospel with their neighbors in months or years are motivated to vent to strangers on the street about how scary national health care will be?

If we were half as outraged by our own sin and self-deception as we are by the follies of our political opponents, what would be the result? If we rejoiced as much that our names are written in heaven as we do about such trivialities as basketball brackets, what would be the result?

So if what you’re afraid of is a politician or a policy or a culture or the future of Western civilization, don’t give up the conviction but give up the fear. Work for justice. Oppose evil. But do it so that your opponents will see not fear but trust, optimism, and affection.

What Not To Say to Those Who Are Suffering

Ed Welch makes a great point on what not to say to those who are suffering. How many times have we said to those who are suffering or had said to us in the midst of our suffering, "If you need anything, please call me--anytime."

He gives the following reasons why this statement is not helpful:

• If “comforters” knew anything about real hardship, they would know that sufferers usually don’t know what they want or need.
• If comforters knew anything about the sufferer, they would know what the sufferer wants or needs.
• If comforters really knew the sufferer, they would know that he or she would never make the call. Never.

The comment is the equivalent of “ta ta, see you later,” “luv ya, call me sometime,” or some other mindless goodbye. The speaker is not giving any real thought to the comforter’s needs and circumstances, and the suffering person knows it.

So what should you say to those who are suffering or what should you do to be helpful?

First, they listen and understand the suffering person. They pick up on to-do lists that are growing and impossible. They identify tasks that are especially important...Next, they do it. They get the dog groomed, do the dishes, drop off a meal, cut the grass, baby sit the kids, bring a meal over and eat it together, clean the house, give a ride to small group, drop off a note of encouragement and then another and another, arrange for a hair cut, and so on.

And in responding in this way, we imitate how God has responded to our suffering:

It is the time you give to creative strategizing that is the power behind these acts. That is unmistakable love that mimics the strategic planning of the triune God’s rescue mission. He planned and acted even before we knew our real needs.

There are many things that the Lord is teaching us through our time of trial and "suffering." But recently, one of them seems to be the Lord teaching us that when we see others suffering, don't wait for them to call you. Run to them and find our what needs to be done and do it. That's what Christ did for us. He didn't wait for us to call out to him and tell him our need. The truth of the matter is that we were so dead in our sins and trespasses that we did not even know we had a need. We were so blind that we did not even know we were blind. Instead, the Lord raced to us from heaven, seeing our great need of a Savior and did what needed to be done, atoning for our sin and giving us His righteousness.

The Local Church Needs More Pigs

J.D. Greear answers the question today on his blog, "On What Grounds Should You Move To Another Church?" He warns against the church falling into the common "highly consumerized, no commitment, what's in it for me" mindset of the culture.

He focuses on the need for people to be committed to their local church and the biblical mission/vision it has to reach a lost world for the glory of God. He points out that the local church doesn't just need people who will make contributions, but who are committed. What's the difference?

"It's like the difference in how the chicken and the pig contribute to your eggs and sausage breakfast. The chicken makes a contribution; the pig is committed. Summit needs more pigs."

I think most local churches need more pigs.

Now & Always Resting In His Blood & Righteousness

B.B. Warfield:

"There is nothing in us or done by us, at any stage of our earthly development, because of which we are acceptable to God. We must always be accepted for Christ's sake, or we cannot ever be accepted at all...This is not true of us only when we believe. It is just as true after we have believed. It will continue to be true as long as we live. Our need of Christ does not cease with our believing; nor does the nature of our relation to Him or to God through Him ever alter, no matter what our attainments in Christian graces or our achievements in behavior may be. It is always on His 'blood and righteousness' alone that we can rest."

'Happiness' Is Not The Goal In Raising Your Children

Great post from Missy on what our goal in parenting should be: not our children's happiness, but their holiness.

Here is a few excerpts. Be sure to read the entire post here.

My goal as your mom is not your happiness, sugars. In fact, I spend at least half my day making you unhappy. If I had a nickle for every tear that falls in this home on a daily basis, we wouldn't need to worry about college tuition at all.

Happiness is fleeting, sweet babies. That means it doesn't last. It's a quick feeling that comes from a funny movie or a heart shaped lollipop or a really good birthday present. It's great. I love to be happy. But happiness is a reaction that is based on our surroundings. And our surroundings are so very rarely under our control. Even when - especially when - we think they are. So no, I absolutely don't want you to spend your life chasing something that has so little to do with your own abilities. You'll just be constantly frustrated...

...I don't want you to be happy. I want you to be holy. That means, I want you to seek that God-power to make you content. I want you to want the Kingdom of God more than your own kingdom. And that's hard, babies, that is so hard. And that usually means passing up a lot of what the world considers happiness. But it means that you will achieve blessings directly from God that most of the world never dreams of because they are too occupied with the achieving the perfect birthday present!

...Darlings, we love you so much. You will never even grasp how much we love you until you have children of your own, and then you'll get it, and then you'll apologize for the ways you treated us ;) But our goal is not to please you. Our goal is to please our Heavenly Father. And nowhere in the bible does the Lord command that we save our money to send our kids to college.

But the Lord does command us to care for the orphan around fifty times. He does tell us to care for the poor around 300 times. He does tell us that when we care for the neediest, we are caring for Jesus Himself. And in chapter six of the book of Matthew, He tells us to seek His kingdom first, and let Him worry about the rest, like college tuition. Because it's all His anyway...

Good Theology From A Horrible Season of Tarheel Basketball

I am a die-hard Tarheel fan. I was raised a Tarheel from as long as a I can remember. I have enjoyed the thrill of victory in watching the Heels take down the Fab Five of Michigan, show that they were a better "team" than the Fighting Illini, and absolutely mop the floor with Michigan State led by Psycho-T.

I have also suffered through the agony of defeat. I remember attending a UNC/State basketball game at Reynolds Coliseum as a freshman at NC State [I know that doesn't make sense, but this was before God converted me ;) ] and UNC came into the game as the number one team in the country behind the talent of Vince Carter and Antwan Jamison. And we lost that game and as the entire student section poured out onto the court, I remember myself and a friend that was standing beside me, in our Carolina attire, being the only ones left standing in the seats. And I remember the dismal tenure of Matt Dougherty and the first time I remember us not making the NCAA tournament and not winning 20 games in a season along with a host of other records halted.

But this season has been the most difficult as a Tarheel fan because the badness of the team is just unexplainable and no one seems to have an answer for it. We're not going to make the tournament and probably shouldn't even be an NIT team. This is the first time I have ever seen a UNC team with no senior leadership and that has progressively gotten worse as the season crawled along. I don't even change my plans to watch the games anymore, because I just don't want to watch it.

I enjoy reading Adam Lucas of Goheels.com. He is a great writer and offers great insight following both victories and defeats. He has a great article this morning following a pathetic loss to Florida State last night. Lucas recounts his fatherly advice to him as a young boy suffering through a Carolina loss, "You have to sit through the bad ones to enjoy the good ones."

Lucas writes,

The truth is, we don't sit through many bad ones as Carolina basketball fans. No one feels sorry for us. You know that, right? They love this. They are downright gleeful that for three months out of our lives, we're experiencing what it's like to be everyone else. We're even having to talk about...next year...If you're a Tar Heel, in most years sitting through the bad ones means that maybe six or seven times a season, you're miserable. This year is different. This year, now that I'm a father and don't want to risk raising my son to be the same weirdo/person that I am, I'm having to come up with different ways to answer the question, "Daddy, did the Tar Heels win last night?" at the breakfast table each morning after a game.

Lucas then reminds us of the bad that Raymond Felton and Jawad Williams went through before winning a national championship,

Both left Carolina as national champions, which means when they return to Chapel Hill they are kings. They played through the bad ones to get to the good ones, and both would tell you even today that the ending was a little bit sweeter because of the way it all began.

What does all of this have to do with good theology? I think a strong case can be made from Romans 9:22-24 that God's purpose in the bad/sin/suffering in the world is to make the good that much better and that much more glorious for His people, those who trust in Christ as Savior-- "...in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy..."

This would also seem to be logically the case as well from our experience in life. Good health is that much better because of the reality and experience of bad health. Abundance is that much better because of the reality/experience of poverty. And the glory of God's grace and goodness is all the better and much more enjoyed because of the reality/experience of evil and suffering and sadness.

Therefore, as a follower of Christ, whatever suffering you are going through, one of the purposes of God in it is to make you appreciate the deliverance better and ultimately, in eternity, to enjoy the glory of God's grace better. And so as our family continues to endure this time of trial for us, it is good to be reminded that you have to sit through the bad ones to enjoy the good ones and also to know that God is sovereign over both the bad ones and the good ones.

Let me sum things up from a great line from The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name by Sally Lloyd-Jones. Towards the end of the book, speaking of the end of the Book of Revelation and the coming of the New Heavens and New Earth, she writes,

One day, John knew, Heaven would come down and mend God's broken world and make it our true, perfect home once again. And he knew, in some mysterious way, that would be hard to explain, that everything was going to be far more wonderful for once having been so sad. And he knew then that the ending of The Story was going to be so great, it would make all the sadness and tears and everything seem like just a shadow that is chased away by the morning sun.

As a Tarheel fan and much more importantly, as a follower of Christ, we have to sit through the bad ones to enjoy the good ones. And so we endure, knowing that next season is coming, another place of service will open up, and one day there will be a New Heavens and a New Earth and we will enjoy our King forever!

The Choice Before Southern Baptists

Just listened to the progress report of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force. Strongly agreed with 99% of what I heard. This quote from the report sums up the choice before us as Southern Baptists:

"We need to lay before this convention a compelling vision and give a prophetic warning that we have two choices: die a painful death, or live a painful change...What our convention chooses to do will determine what God does with this denomination...Wilderness wanderings or Canaan conquests."

Here's the report. It's worth the time to watch it.

GCR Progress Report from GCR on Vimeo.