A Last Visit With Jeff

If you've been reading this blog for a while or if you're a member of my dog discussion group on Ecunet, you probably remember Jeff. Jeff is a Labrador retriever I met during my first weeks in Jackson, Alabama, in November, 2003. He was my first and one of my best friends in Jackson. The first day we moved into the manse there, he saw me and came running across the boxes still in the front yard to let me pet him. In those first months, I saw him often. He had the run of the neighborhood. It was not at all uncommon for him to come running on to my front porch when he saw me sitting out there. The leash laws and the animal control officers finally caught up with him, though. A neighbor or two had complained about garbage being turned over or other real or imagined transgressions, and Jeff's owners had to keep him limited in their back yard. His roaming days were seldom. Actually, it turned out that most of the spilled garbage and other transgressions were not Jeff's doing at all. Another dog was the culprit--a much smaller and less friendly dog. But some people were not kindly disposed to my canine friend, largely because of his size. Lydia and I liked Jeff's humans, though we never got to know them very well. As the days and months went on, I saw Jeff less and less. I was always excited whenever Lydia told me that Jeff was out. I'd try to get to the front porch or the back deck in hopes that he would come and let me pet him. I would even call him by name. If he was out with his family, I'd sometimes go over to their yard. Lydia and I would talk to the people; but they loved Jeff, too. They knew that he was our real friend. It may seem silly to some that during that last week of our residence in Jackson, I wanted to have one last visit with Jeff. I hadn't seen him for several weeks. It had been a very distressing spring for Lydia and me--one with a lot of concerns and not much enjoyment. But one night during that last week, as we were contemplating our future and anticipating the packing and loading and chaos that would follow, Lydia and I made our way to the Walkers' home and asked about Jeff. Jeff was always glad to see me, even though we hadn't been together as much in these last months. I petted that big, furry back and patted his head. This dog, still in the prime of life, was a reminder that even amid the darkest of times, there can always be at least one memory that brings joy and hope. He was unusually frisky on this night, running back and forth from me to his family, and finally running off down the street, taking one of his rare opportunities for freedom. The wife seemed alarmed. "He'll be fine," Ken said confidently of the big, faithful dog. Personally, after I got my chance to spend quite a bit of time greeting Jeff and telling him what a great dog he was, I kind of liked the fact that he was getting a chance to roam a bit. He deserved his freedom, even if that freedom were short-lived. And as a matter of fact, we also had one of the best visits with the Walkers that we had during our entire stay in the neighborhood. They are fine Christian people and have two wonderful sons. It was a very enjoyable evening. We saw Jeff later that night, back in his own yard. I like to think of Jeff and dogs like him--and families like the Walkers. He provided a continuing bit of playfulness and welcome while we were living through a somewhat difficult period of our ministry--and he gave us some of the happiest memories of our days on West Pearl Street in Jackson, Alabama! Good night, old boy!

Looking Forward to a Trip

Some day, I'm going on a trip. It's going to be a wonderful trip. I'm going to see lots of new things and meet some special people I've always wanted to know. I'm anticipating this trip with genuine enthusiasm and joy; but I hope I'm as excited about it when the actual day approaches. You se, this is that final and ultimate trip the world calls death! I was thinking about this just a day or two ago. How excited we get when we start packing for a long-awaited vacation, a special cruise, a visit to see family or friends we haven't seen in many years! We look forward to going to places we've never before been! This is the way we are when it comes to trips on this earth--vacations and travel plans that will come and go in no time at all! Yet, when it comes to the most glorious trip of all for us who are Christian, we are reluctant even to think about it--let alone plan for it or anticipate it with joyful longing! Yes, I know, the instinct for self-preservation is strong; and we fear the pain or the discomfort of those final days or weeks leading up to the glorious day of embarkation on the ship that leads us to our eternal home! We think of those who will be left behind, and we will be sorry to leave them. But is there possibly even another element at work? Do we have doubts lingering about the glory that awaits us? Are we afraid that maybe what we've believed about the glorious eternal life in heaven with Christ and His saints may not be quite true? I don't look forward to the suffering; but the Bible reminds us that the suffering we encounter in this life is as nothing compared to the glory and the joy and the beauty that awaits us in eternity! As a pastor for these last 32 years, I have spent many hours with grieving families. I have witnessed the death of my own mother and other friends and family members. I am not at all making light of death. I also remember however that the apostle Paul said in Philippians that to live is Christ, and to die is gain. I hope that when it comes my time to take this glorious trip to my eternal home, I can be genuinely excited and joyous about it. I pray that when it comes time to take that glorious journey, I'll be ready to pack my suitcase as it were, to feed on the presence and the Word of God--that I'll be prepared to rejoice with all the saints who have preceded me! I hope I'll be excited! As good as life is on our best days here on earth, it'll never compare with the glory that awaits us. The time of our departure is in God's hands. I'll patiently wait on the call from my heavenly Father; but by His grace, I'll be happy to be homeward bound, looking forward to a trip!

Watching CNN While Remembering God's Sovereignty

Some people say that they just can't watch the news, that it's too depressing. I must confess that it's hard for me to relate to this attitude or understand this reaction. Personally, I want to know what's going on in the world. I know that some of the news can be distressing, but some of it is also very good. I find the news interesting and often fascinating. Yes, many of the things we read and hear are disgusting, outrageous, and heartbreaking. Some of the news reports make us mad. We are shocked by developments at home and abroad; and our hearts go out to the victims of natural disasters, wars, and tragic accidents. We're amazed by the incompetence, poor judgment, or dishonesty we see every day. Still, I can't say that keeping up with the news depresses me. It's all part of life, the human condition, but only a part. If I refuse to watch the news, I'm simply turning away from reality. I'm living in my own self-centered world, pretending that the events around me do not concern me or have any effect on me. I'm assuming that there's nothing I can do about them, anyway, so I just won't get involved. God has given me some responsibilities, though, as a participant in His world. I can pray about the events going on around me. I can perhaps reach out in support of those in need or a divine principle under attack. I can at least act responsibly as a Christian. But whatever the news is that we see on CNN, it's only a part of the story! I watch and listen to the news from the perspective of my belief about the sovereignty of God. Evil is nothing new. Catastrophes and terrorism have been around almost from the very beginning of time. If we properly understand our Christian faith and the God we serve, however, we need not be overwhelmed or thrown into despair by watching the news. I'm going to be entering the pulpit in a few minutes to proclaim that whatever the news on TV says, we worship a God who is bigger than man's inhumanity to man! We serve a risen Saviour who has conquered sin and death forever! We who are Christian can rejoice with genuine optimism, even in the face of human misery because we know that misery is not the final outcome. We recognize human sin for what it is; but we are not thereby made disconsolate. We know that the natural inclination of man is toward sin and self. In the words of one wag, "I am not disillusioned, because I never had any illusions in the first place." Our faith is not in man, but in God. Ultimately, God's will for His creation cannot be defeated. I'll continue to watch the news and read the newspapers. I'll always know what the news is; but some day, as Paul Harvey would say, I'll know "the rest of the story." I'll understand how the sovereignty of God will be displayed in glorious triumph! And oh, what a day that will be!