LAST LESSONS #142 — LAST THINGS — LAST SONG

“The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation: this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”  Exodus 15:2

When my husband Bob died suddenly from a stroke, we were members of Saint Andrews Chapel in Sanford, Florida, and the pastor was R.C. Sproul. R.C. conducted the funeral service in the church and my grandchildren provided the music. The church is beautiful and the service was God-honoring. But after I recovered from the shock of Bob’s death, I began to think about my own funeral. How could I be sure that it would honor God, and not just have people say nice things (I hope!) about me.

My children know my favorite hymns, and the family contains a number of musicians. But I thought I should write some things down to make it easier for my children when they put together my funeral because it will be my last song on earth and I want it to glorify God.

Therefore, I have written down some of my favorite hymns. I have also asked the present pastor of Saint Andrews to conduct the funeral because I know he will talk about God (not me), and he will present the gospel in case there are unbelievers in the audience.

I have also asked my grandson (an ordained pastor) to conduct the graveside service. He knows his grandmama well, but he will talk about God – not me.

To help our children, Bob and I had paid the funeral home and bought our caskets some years ago. Since both of us were in the military, Bob was buried and I will be buried in the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, FL.

And, of course, we had both written our wills.

As far as I am concerned, I have prepared practically as well as I can for my death. What I need to make sure of is that I am prepared spiritually – that I have done all God wanted me to do with my life.

Why am I telling you all of this? Two reasons. One is that I want to make it as easy as possible for my children when I die. I want them to know that although they may be sad for a little while, that I am not sad. I am with Jesus and Bob and all my Christian family and friends. What could be better than that?

Secondly, I don’t know when the Lord will take me home and neither do you! I want to make sure that my last words (and songs) bring glory to God. So I have written some of my favorite hymns and scripture passages for my children to use in my funeral.

Have you done that too?

LAST LESSONS #141 – LAST THINGS – THE RACE – 4

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2

If you are going to run the race of living a life of faith to the very end, you must keep your eyes on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of your faith. Who is the one who gave you faith? Jesus. Who is the one who can perfect your faith? Jesus.

How do we “look to Jesus” as we run the race of a life of faith? In this mini-series of the race, we have learned that we must first be saved, then we must give our lives unreservedly to Christ, and then we run the race of living our lives for Christ for as many years as he gives us by looking to Jesus.

I have learned that the best way to look to Jesus is to read the Bible. It’s in the Bible that I learn about Jesus. It’s in the Bible where I learn to know Jesus and how to live with him eternally (John 17:3).

There are many ways to read the Bible. You can read it straight through. You can read it chronologically, and you can read it topically. I have found that it is best to read the Bible taking the time to study it as I go using all these methods. And the more I read the Bible the more I want to read it!

No doubt we all begin our day by studying the Bible alone. Some call this “my quiet time” and we start the day with Bible study and prayer. Personally, I read a passage (sometimes using a devotional—my current one is Come to the Waters by James Montgomery Boice. This one goes through the entire Bible in one year.).

After prayer, I read a chapter in one of the commentaries that we suggest reading along with the Rafiki Bible Study. If I have time, I listen to Renewing your Mind by R.C. Sproul or The Bible Study Hour by James Montgomery Boice on my computer.

You will have your own method of personal study.

For group Bible study, besides going to a good church where the Bible is read and taught, I suggest that you lead or go to a Rafiki Bible Study (RBS) group. It is the best group Bible study available. You knew I would say that, didn’t you? But I can say it is the best Bible study because I did not write it! But I know the 18 theologians who did—all 66 books! Check it out on Rafiki’s website (www.rafikifoundation.org).

In order to run the race “looking to Jesus” you will need to “see” him in the Bible. He will perfect your faith. Paul promised the saints in Philippi that he was sure “that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

You can be sure that when you run the race looking unto Jesus, you will complete your race triumphantly.

LAST LESSONS #140 – LAST THINGS – THE RACE – 3

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2

The thing to remember as we start running the race that God has designed for us, is that there are those who are watching us. That is a sobering thought! I don’t want others to see the sins I commit. For Jesus to see them is one thing, because he forgives them, but for others to see them is a different matter. Our sins weigh us down, so it is wise to confess our sins to God and to those we have sinned against quickly. A clear conscience is necessary to endure our race. Not having a clear conscience slows us down. We can become depressed.

I have found that when I am depressed, it is usually because I have guilt. The only time I remember being depressed without guilt was in the hospital when I needed a transfusion of blood. As soon as I received a pint of blood, I was immediately relieved of my depression. The point is that there are some medical reasons for depression. Not all depression is from guilt, but surely most of it is. Read Psalm 51:1-12.

The witnesses see also my times of love and service to others. Do you think they clap in heaven when they see us loving and serving others? I’m not sure about that but I do know that those times are not forgotten. Take a look at Hebrews 6:10. “For God is not so unjust as to overlook your work and the love you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do.”

There are the hard times and the easy time for each of us. And we must endure the hard times. Remember what Paul says in Romans 5:3-5? “More than that, we rejoice in our suffering, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

Think for a moment how your enduring suffering has produced character in you. I think I will write down what I learned from a few difficult periods in my life so I can thank God for them and look forward to the hope of God’s love being poured into my heart.

The great need that I have today is God’s love in my heart for him and for others. You probably need the same. I’ll pray for your need and I would appreciate your praying for my great need.

LAST LESSONS #139 – LAST THINGS – THE RACE – 2

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” 1 Corinthians 9:24

Going on from last week—

It is obvious that we must enter a race in order to run it. Therefore, although we are chosen by Christ to be his, and we are predestined to become conformed to his image (Romans 8:29), we can’t enter the wonderful race that Christ has for us until we give our lives unreservedly to him. The 12 Apostles understood this. God had foreordained that they would be his, but they had to give their lives (warts and all!) to him and follow him until they died. So it is with us.

I remember well the day I knew that I was saved, but I also remember the day (or the night actually) when I gave my whole life to Christ to use as he wished. I was 17 and it was the night that I was also called to be a missionary to Africa.

Interesting how God puts things together to work out his will. I had just graduated from high school and was attending a youth rally for Presbyterian teenagers in Jacksonville, Florida.

A missionary from Africa was the speaker that night and challenged us to step into a circle if we would give our lives as missionaries. I found myself stepping into the circle. It was as if an invisible hand drew me in. I don’t remember whether others stepped into the circle, I just knew that was what I had to do.

I had no idea how I could be a missionary, but I had entered the race! I have never regretted it. I’ve been on the road for a long time now and I have found plenty of bumps and made plenty of stupid mistakes, but Jesus has kept me from completely falling into the ditch. I’m convinced that’s because he is the one who put things together for me to enter the race and he is faithful.

Have you entered the race? If not, maybe you are not paying attention to what’s going on in your life right now. Sometimes the call is simple and easy like Jesus’ call to Peter and Andrew or James and John. I wonder why Jesus did not call the father of James and John. Maybe it is because the Lord usually calls young people. I am so thankful that God called me while I was still young. I went to Africa at age 28.

But we don’t know how old Saul (Paul) was when God used a lightning strike to get his attention.

What did it take, or what will it take, for you to enter the race? Are you listening and paying attention to how God is speaking to you?

I can assure you, that when you answer God’s call and give your life unreservedly to him you will enter the race and it will be more exciting than you can imagine.