Death Sentence

04.01.13

2 Corinthians 1.9 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. (ESV)

I remember the sentence of death: our oldest child was born with severe complications and was given two hours to live. I remember the sentence of death: I once made a serious administrative mistake at work and was suspended for two weeks without pay. I remember the sentence of death: the economy tanked in 2008 and I quit the ministry and took a just better than minimum-wage job. I remember the sentence of death: our home foreclosed in 2011.

Now granted, all of these things weren’t the end, they were just the beginning. Our oldest child lived fourteen years; I got over the suspension and went back to work. I left vocational ministry and have taken up lay-ministry in its place. Our home foreclosed and we didn’t die and there wasn’t a parade that I had to walk in with a sign around my neck proclaiming, FOOL! All these things happened to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who gives us dignity and takes away the sting of death and the power of death.

Life happens and stuff happens…period. Sometimes it is a diagnosis that claims the life of a loved one. Sometimes it’s a car wreck, or a pink slip, or a foreclosure. Sometimes it’s a fire that wipes out everything. But God uses all of these things to help us rely on Him and not on ourselves.

Last week a friend of mine told me he was losing his long time position with a non-profit organization and he was scared about how to face the future in an economy that’s sluggish and with a resume that only says ______________. (I’m limited in the details I can share.) But I told him, dude, relax, you’re a gifted and creative guy and God is on your side. The only way to face the death sentence is with God.

Another friend of mine is suffering from ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). His attitude is: Damn the disease!! I’m living for the glory of God! Who’s with me!? These things happen so that we will quit relying on ourselves but on God who takes away the sentence of death. We might even die – but with God how bad can that be?

Relying on God is the only true, wise thing to do. After all, He’s the Only True Wise God. Relying on God builds weak faith and allows God to do what He does best: get us to settle down, trust Him, and focus on what is really important. So much of our identity is wrapped up in self-reliance and it tragically keeps us from seeing God at work in our everyday lives. And I don’t think God dishes up doses of dastardly dirt so we’ll get back in line…but He sure does use the hard stuff to crack our hard hearts.

Today, I am rejoicing that hard stuff has happened and it will happen again, but it will help me to remember to quit trying to rely on myself and my pathetic weakness; and rely on God who walks every step of the way with my through the hard times and wonderfully changes my perspective to what is right and good and important: my trusting Him! A – flippin – men!