By Sandy Jones
As many of our regular readers are aware, I’ve been rather tied up with personal matters the past 2+ years. God has been so good to our ministry as I had my hands full taking care of my hubby, and honestly just maintaining in so many areas in our lives. I’m finding my stride, and life is feeling more and more normal each day.
As my routine has opened up, I’ve started attending some meetings and functions again. Back to church, and able to put in more hours on my continuing education materials for both our ministry as well as for the chaplaincy school I attend.
In some ways it reminds me of the early days as we started out in this ministry, when I did a study on the Prayer of Jabez, where in 1 Chronicles 4:10 NIV it says: Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me…” And God granted his request.
Once again I feel God leading me, and showing me where and how He wants me to grow.
On March 27, a gentleman by the name of Dean Braxton was speaking at the Biblical Studies Center down by Boise State University. In 2006 Dean had no heartbeat, nor did he breathe for one hour and 45 minutes, after he developed sepsis following a kidney stone procedure. During that time Dean says he went to heaven. When people question this he is quick to say: “It’s not about if I died, the doctors proved that. It’s about where I went when I died.”
I’ll be honest, having just lost my Steve in January I was curious about any insight Dean might have that would make me feel closer to knowing my Steve made it (before you think I’ve lost my faith, please understand there is another story here for another time – my faith is rock solid).
I honestly had no clue what to expect as my sister and I drove into downtown Boise that evening; I just knew we were both eagerly anticipating whatever it was Dean was going to say.
I won’t reiterate everything Dean said that evening; you can see or hear many of his presentations by searching his name, Dean Braxton, on YouTube, but one thing he said struck me with such force I’m still hearing it loud and clear as I’m writing this in mid-June. So much so that I actually went back to the video from that evening so that I could quote it directly.
He was talking about the number of his own family members he saw in heaven and stated that he’s often asked if he saw any family members there he’d wondered about, and as he answered that question he ended it with this:
“It’s awful hard for someone you’re praying for to go to hell. God wants them more than you do. He will do everything He can to get them there.”
What an epiphany moment that was for me!!! We all have friends, family members, and loved ones we worry, stew about, and pray for, and then question God because we think our prayers aren’t being answered.
“God wants them more than you do. He will do EVERYTHING He can to get them there.”
There it is – “God wants them more than you do.”
And then I heard one of my own favorite lines playing in the back of my head: “In God’s perfect time.”
Just like sharing the gospel – sometimes you sow; sometimes you reap; sometimes you harvest – it’s ALL up to God.
So often I make it harder than it has to be, because I count on me doing something instead of relying on God.
This reminds me of a conversation I had with our pastor last winter where we were talking about ministry, and the many facets of being genuine and faithful to what God has called us to do. He recommended that I read the book, “Finding the Right Hills to Die On: The Case for Theological Triage” by Gavin Ortlund.
I did order the book, but I also downloaded the audio book. I like to listen to the audio book and follow up with the written words. In the very first chapter Ortlund is talking about the unity of the church. Especially intriguing to me because from the very beginning of Christian Living Magazine I’ve known that part of our calling is to “unite the Body of Christ across denominational lines.”
Quickly Ortlund got my attention with these two quotes:
“If we have peace with God, we have peace with each other. Our unity is so important that Jesus gave His blood for it.”
And later in that same chapter stating:
“Pursuing the unity of the church does not mean that we should stop caring about theology. But it does mean that our love of theology should never exceed our love of real people, and therefore we must learn to love people amid our theological disagreements.”
One might take issue with the first quote – Christ gave His blood so that none should perish; however, we need to remember Christ also gave us two new commandments:
Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40).
So perhaps in fulfilling His second command, Christ actually did give His blood, in part, for our unity.
The second quote, though, I really had to think about in today’s polarized atmosphere; all too often it’s not just theology that we let divide us, but politics, and other emotionally charged topics. Sometimes what comes out of my own mouth surprises and disappoints me. As a mother, grandmother, sister and friend, I know how my own heart feels when I see or hear division happening. I can’t even begin to imagine how God’s heart must break when His children are so divided. I keep trying to remind myself that I am commanded by Jesus to “love my neighbor,” ALL of my neighbors, as myself, not just the ones I like and agree with.
As we celebrate the United States of America’s 250th birthday this summer, I hope and pray that we will soon once again be a united nation under God.
Until next time…
God Bless!
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