From Denmark to the Desert Part Two

 Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 4 beginning in verse 13, “…we do not want you to be uninformed about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.  For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died.  For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died.  For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever.  Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

We have gathered here today, with heavy hearts to both mourn the death of Augusta Turnbough and to celebrate a life well-lived.  As much as we celebrate the life that Augusta lived, more than anything, we are here to honor and celebrate Christ’s work of redemption in the life of Augusta.  And though we grieve and mourn, we do not do it as others do who have no hope.  Because we are certain that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, so, will all of God’s faithful be raised to eternal life on the day that Jesus returns.  Just as Christ rose from the dead – so one day, Gussie Turnbough will be resurrected, and at this moment – she is resting in the loving embrace of her savior, Jesus.

Mourning, crying, pain, and death are very much a part of this life and this creation.  But our hope is set on Jesus and he will bring about a renewed creation and he will give us our lives back again in the age to come.  The apostle Paul reflected on this in Romans chapter 8, beginning in verse 18. Paul writes, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.  For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.  For in hope we were saved.  Now hope that is seen is not hope.  For who hopes for what is seen?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

Paul tells us that one day, God will renew and restore the entirety of this creation.  And at that moment, God, through his Spirit will bring back all the dead through resurrection to enjoy the renewed creation with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – for all eternity.  This is our hope – this is Gigi’s hope and we know that in Christ, this hope is secure, even though in this life, we must wait for it patiently. 

On March 24, 1919, Augusta Marie Jensen was born on the island of Fyn in Denmark.  Like people, names evolve through time.  Probably none of us here know her as Augusta.  To many here, she is Gussie.  To others, she is mother.  And to many, including myself, she will always be Gigi.  So, from here on out, you’ll have to forgive me, but I will refer to this fine woman as Gigi.

To fully understand Gigi, you had to have known Papa.  There was no one who had as big an impact on Gigi’s life than her husband of nearly 56 years, Richard Vanoy Turnbough (Rip).  Papa was Gigi’s husband, her best friend and companion – the father of her 6 children, and her spiritual example and mentor.  His faithfulness transformed Gigi’s life, and together, they passed on their faith to their 6 kids, 20 grandkids, and I don’t even know the number of great grandkids, not to mention countless others, including my own father, Gigi’s son-in-law.  Papa & Gigi provided a sound foundation built on faith and love and together, they made their house a home.  Their house wasn’t one that would feature on HGTV, but it was a place that all were welcome and made to feel a part of the family.  Whether it was people from church on a Sunday afternoon, or stranded travelers, Gigi was always hospitable.  

I mentioned that like people, names evolve.  Through the rich Christian faith of Papa, Gigi embraced the gospel and received new names.  In addition to Augusta and Gussie, she took on the names of “child of God”, “daughter of the King” and “sister in Christ”.  Hers was a genuine faith, but it was of a gracious and non-preachy variety.  And one of the ways she lived out her faith, was through the deep and genuine respect she showed Papa.  Over the past couple of decades, it was rare to have a conversation with Gigi without the name of Rip being brought up.  She would say things like, “Rip, he was such a great guy.  He was the best man I ever knew.”  She missed her life partner so much and even after his death, his godly example continued to make a difference in her life.

Gigi took life seriously, but she didn’t take herself too seriously.  She had a wicked sense of humor and she knew how to have a good time!  Several decades ago, Papa heard a coyote getting into the hen house and so he ran outside in the dark with a gun.  Following close behind him was Gigi with a flashlight.  A few cars drove by and they probably had no idea what was happening, but they must of have thought Gigi was one tough lady since her husband was running away from her, carrying a gun, while she only had a flashlight!

Gigi was always the life of the party, especially in her younger years.  Old film footage we’ve seen, showed her dancing and carrying on with her children and other adults at family gatherings.  She was fun to be around and was always good for a laugh or two, whether by mistaking windmills for cow-fans, or mispronouncing the abbreviation for condominium (the reader will have to figure this one out for themselves!).   

Hers was a rich life and that richness was shared with others both young and old.  Over 30 years ago, when I was about 10, I remember Gigi driving me from Balmorhea back to my home in Marble Falls.  It was just she and I for the 6-hour road trip.  I don’t remember all our conversations on that journey, but I do remember having a serious spiritual conversation with her.  Nearly 35 years later, I can still remember some of the specifics of what we talked about.  You know, Deuteronomy 6 exhorts God’s people to talk about the Lord, when they lie down, when they rise up, and as they go about their daily routines.  This was one of those moments where Gigi put this command into practice and it’s a good reminder to all of us, that those important faith discussions we share with our children and grandchildren make a lasting impact.   

Gigi not only spoke of her faith, she also put it into action.  At the age of 40, she earned her water safety instructor’s license.  She did this because she was concerned that many children around Balmorhea were exposed to drowning risks at the State Park pool, the lake, and the number of irrigation ditches crisscrossing the area.  She taught these swim lessons without charge.  It was just a simple way for her to serve.

God blessed Gigi with a vibrant faith, but she was given many other gifts by her creator.  She was an immensely talented artist.  From paintings of epic landscapes to creatively colored crafts and woodworks, her God-given gift of design delighted dozens and added warmth and beauty to many a home.  She also loved to crochet and in her later years, she served the little babies of the NICU at the Health Sciences Center in Lubbock by crocheting tiny little blankets for them.  It’s estimated that she made over 4,000 blankets.  Her love of the Lord led her to serve when and where she could. 

And she wasn’t just a creative artist, she also had an adventurous spirit that she shared with her family.  Some of the blankets she made for the little babies where created while she accompanied her oldest granddaughter, Tammy Camp at medical conferences.  These conferences were not all business - the two ladies were rumored to have stayed out much too late in such cosmopolitan places as Chicago, San Francisco, and San Diego.  Gigi delighted in making the most of life and travel was one of Gigi’s delights.  Over the decades, she and Papa went on dozens of trips with their loved ones.  From daytrips in the Davis Mountains to longer treks in the Canadian Rockies.  From California to New York and even overseas, to England and Denmark.  At least three times, Gigi made pilgrimages to her family’s farm in the Old World. 

The most recent trip happened a little over 9 years ago.  19 of us visited Bury St. Edmond’s where Papa was stationed in WWII.  And then we had the opportunity to travel to Gigi’s home country and stay just a few miles from the Jensen family farm near Honnerup.  Gigi made that journey at the age of 92 and she was as active and involved in this trip as the rest of us!  Gigi’s granddaughter, my sister, Misty Boyles, put together a book of pictures from this homecoming trip and just a few days ago, my daughter Ashlyn and I were able to look through the contents of this collection with Gigi.  She was able to see so many of her family members in the pictures and we talked about the good times we experienced on the trip.  It took her full circle through her journey – from Denmark to the desert.  It was the last time I had a coherent conversation with her and it put a fitting bow on the gift that was her life.    

The next evening, Ashlyn, and I took my uncle Larry’s 4-wheeler out for a spin and as we rode, off in the distance we noticed a cloud formation hovering over “Sleeping Beauty” mountain, creating the appearance of rays of light shining down on the resting dame.  Ashlyn and I were captivated by the natural phenomenon.  That same evening, my sister Tammy and her husband Philip, noticed the same thing as they went for a stroll.  Tammy commented that it was as if God was shining his light on our own sleeping beauty, Gigi, as she peacefully slumbered, awaiting her entrance into eternal rest.      

Gigi’s was not a perfect life.  Like all of us, she had her foibles, her stumbles, and her falls.  Hers was not a perfect life, but it was a redeemed life.  And these little stories, these tiny anecdotes, these micro-memories – they don’t really do justice to the fullness of who Gigi was.  But these small stories fit into a larger story – the narrative of God’s great big drama.  God takes our small stories and makes more of them than we can dream or imagine.  He makes much out of our tiny little lives.  And then we discover that this life is merely a prequel to eternal life in the age to come.        

In Christ Jesus her Lord – Gigi lived a life of faith, hope, and love, and it’s that hope found in Jesus that gives all of us the strength we need to face death because we are looking forward to a better future.

John writes the following in Revelation 21, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.  And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘See, the home of God is among humans.  He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them, he will wipe away every tear from their eyes.  Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.’  And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’  Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.’  Then he said to me, ‘It is done!  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.  To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.  Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children.’”

The apostle Paul says this at the end of Romans 8, “What then are we to say about these things?  If God is for us, who is against us?  He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else?  Who will bring any charge against God’s elect?  It is God who justifies.  Who is it to condemn?  It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.  Who will separate us from the love of Christ?  Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of Christ Jesus our Lord." 

From the gospel of John, chapter 11, “I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord.  Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.”

In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to almighty God our sister in Christ, Augusta Marie Jensen Turnbough, and in a few moments,  we will commit her body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, says the Spirit.  They rest from their labors, and their works follow them.

The Lord bless you and keep you.  The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift his countenance upon you and give you peace.

May the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, make us all complete in everything good thing so that we would do God’s will, working that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever!  Amen. - Shay 

From Denmark to the Desert

 On August 10, 2020, at the age of 101, my grandmother, Gussie Turnbough began the transition from this age unto the age to come.  As she journeys toward resurrection, I've reflected on her earthly journey from Denmark to the desert.  I'll share her obituary momentarily, but before that I'd like to explore her life through poetry.

From Denmark to the Desert  - Words: Shay Smith

From Denmark to the desert.

From the fertile fields of Fyn, to the frozen frontier of Manitoba.

A journey embarked upon, not so much to flee the past, but to embrace the hope and promise of the future.

From the Midwest of Canada to the Midwest of the Promised Land, five in a family found prosperity in the roaring twenties of Chicago town.

The third decade of the twentieth century, between two wars and before a depressed state of mind and times, the Jensens sought solace and did their part in building the windy city - from the ground up.

There's were the hands that built America.

In a time of crisis, as her country called - she answered.

He answered too and when war was over, the two became one.

What God brought together, none could separate.

From the windy city to the wind swept foothills of the Davis Mountains, they raised their crops and they raised their family.

In the middle of a dry land, theirs was an oasis - not merely a house, but a home.

Only miles from the San Solomon Springs, hospitality and generosity bubbled up and overflowed, spilling into nooks and crannies of hard, parched hearts - bringing healing.

Fifty-six years wed, one hundred and one years lived, maybe not all bliss, but all blessing.

From the fertile fields of Fyn, to sun-soaked soil, Augusta journeyed from Denmark to the desert.

Augusta "Gussie" Marie Jensen Turnbough, known to her grand and great-grandchildren as GiGi, was born on March 24, 1919 in the small village of Honnerup, Denmark to Anders and Martha Jensen.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard "Rip" Turnbough, her parents; her brother and sister-in-law Willie and Agnes Jensen; sister and brother-in-law Val and Harry Olsen; and by one grandson, Brett Winters.  Gussie is survived by her six children, Dennis Turnbough and Linda of San Antonio, Karen Smith and Dub of Lubbock, Cynthia Winters and Will Ed of Spicewood, Larry Turnbough and Melanie of Balmorhea, Debbie Vickers and Lonnie of Brady, Melanie Reed and Kenneth of Rocksprings, and a brother-in-law, David and wife Vi of Lubbock.  GiGi is also survived by 19 grandchildren and 37 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Gussie emigrated from Denmark to Canada in 1924.  Her family later moved to Chicago, Illinois where Gussie lived until the home front effort to support WWII took her to Lincoln, Nebraska.  Gussie was a supervisor for Western Electric, helping produce electronic equipment for the United States Military.  Gussie met a young B-17 pilot-in-training, Rip Turnbough, in Lincoln.  Following the war, the couple married in Lubbock, Texas on December 15, 1945.  They moved to Balmorhea where Rip farmed cotton for 55 years and, together, they raised six children.  

Gussie loved life and she loved her family.  Gussie enjoyed swimming and in 1959 became a Red Cross water safety instructor, teaching hundreds of children in Reeves County to swim at the Balmorhea State Park, San Solomon Springs.  Gussie was an accomplished artist, and she avidly enjoyed reading, knitting and crocheting, blessing countless family members, friends, and a few hospitals with the gifts of her innumerable labors of love.

GiGi was a follower of Jesus and was a member of the Balmorhea Church of Christ.  Her faith in a loving God and salvation through Jesus Christ was unyielding, up to the very moment her Father called her home.  

I was asked to share a few words about my grandmother at her funeral on August 14.  I'll share them in a blog post next week. - Shay 

 

Compromise

There's a fine line between being willing to compromise and being a sell-out.  But it's often the fine lines in life that need to be walked, rather than running to the extremes on any end of a spectrum.  Recently, the University of Texas made several concessions to a number of student athletes of color who had petitioned the school regarding the institution's racist history.  I wrote in a recent blog post (Whitewashed History ) that there's a real danger in failing to understand history in its historical and cultural context.  Imposing present cultural and even moral norms on people of history is unfair and ultimately leads to misunderstanding the past, rather than being able to properly evaluate it, learn from it, and grow from it.  We don't have to agree with everything that people of bygone eras did, said, or thought, but to dismiss their humanity and their genuine search for life's meaning, not to mention their laudable accomplishments, is disingenuous at best and short-sighted hypocrisy at worst.

Like individuals, institutions are a mixed bag.  There are things in any institution's past that are commendable and other things that are lamentable.  Rather than destroying every imperfect institution, a more measured and positive approach is to be willing to change the things that need to be changed and to celebrate and maintain the things that have served the organization well.  I believe that's what the University of Texas has done and the leaders of this fine institution should be applauded for their willingness to listen to the student athlete's concerns and to address those concerns in a way that honors the university's past and present, and paves the way for a better future.  There was certainly some level of compromise that had to be reached, but this compromise will allow for continuing civil discussion on how best to proceed in the days to come.  If you are interested in the specifics of the changes made, you can find them here. The Longhorns Respond

We live in a complicated world and we live in confusing times.  What will serve us best as we face the present and plan for the future, is not to destroy all our shared histories, but rather to honestly and fairly evaluate the past so that we might chart a better course for the years to come.  And hopefully, future generations will be fair and kind to us when they evaluate our world. - Shay

Whitewashed History

When I was studying history in college, one of my professors made the point that as students of the past, it is imperative that we don't force the moral standards of the present onto those in history.  This doesn't mean that we can't make moral judgments regarding the actions taken by those who have come before, but we must seek to understand them and their actions in the historical and cultural context in which they lived.  Again, this doesn't mean that we must endorse all that our forefathers believed, said, wrote, and did, but that we gain a truer understanding of history, and the people of history,  when we at least seek to show some level of empathy with those who have blazed the trails that we stroll along.

One of the fascinating things about Biblical history is that the actors within the Biblical narrative are not portrayed through rose tinted glasses, but are instead put on full display, warts and all.  We often learn what not to do, rather than what to emulate when we study these real life characters.  The Bible doesn't tell us the story of what might have been or what should have been, but what was and what is.  It deals with reality, realistically.  Abraham was at times a cowardly liar who slept with his wife's servant.  At other times, he was a brave, loyal, warrior who rescued his nephew's entire city from foreign oppression.  Jacob was a slimy, scheming, duplicitous Cretan who screwed over his brother more than once.  And yet, he was also one who strived with God, was given a new name, and became a new man later in life.  King David was a hot headed, vengeful, violent, murdering, adulterer in some moments of his life.  But he was also a man after God's own heart and he was the king that all the other kings of Judah were compared to.  He was the king that the Messiah was meant to emulate.  Do we overlook the flaws of these figures and do we seek to justify their bad behavior?  Absolutely not!  But, do we fail to admire these men for the good that they did and the importance they played in God's story of redemption?  Only at our peril.  Like these forefathers of the faith, we are all flawed in more ways than we'd like to acknowledge.

In our present climate, it seems that an awful lot of people want to re-write our history.  It's recently been said that any person of antiquity who either owned slaves or who ever had a racist thought should no longer be honored for even the good that they accomplished for their nation.  People have even suggested that Mount Rushmore should be blown to bits.  Were George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln perfect?  Of course not - they were human after all.  Did they sometimes fail to live up to their lofty words?  Absolutely.  Would we have behaved better if we were products of their time and place?  Maybe, but I would hesitate to be so certain.  Like those who have come before us, our generation will be judged by the generations of the future and I can assure you, there are areas where we will all be found lacking.  And for all we know, the people of antiquity, if given all that we have received, might have done far more and far better than we ever will.

It also seems that some sins in the present are now unforgiveable.  That if a person falls from grace in certain areas, then they are branded for life with no hope of redemption.  But isn't the road of grace and redemption the most important part of the paths we tread in order to become the best possible versions of ourselves?  Who among us doesn't cringe at some of our previous words and actions?  Who among us isn't in need of restoration and transformation?  Let's look at our world critically, but let's seek to empathize with others and give grace where we can. 

I believe Jordan Peterson's advice to "set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world" is timely, as well as his admonition to "compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today" is worth considering.  Jesus said it like this, "Do not judge, so that you may not be judged.  For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.  Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your neighbor, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' while the log is in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye."  Words worth living by. - Shay 

He's In This With Us!

Several phrases have circulated globally over the past few weeks.  One is, "wash your hands for 20 seconds."  Another is, "practice social distancing."  We've heard this too, "if you're displaying Coronavirus symptoms, self-quarantine."  But one that has really stood out to me is, "we're all in this together."  From news presenters to doctors; from politicians to church leaders; many are saying, "we're all in this together."  In a nation and world that's been divided, through this pandemic, we are becoming somewhat united.

For those of us with a faith in God - or even those without any faith - in moments like these, it's natural to ask, "Is God in this with us?".  I believe the story of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, clearly demonstrates that God is in this with us - no matter what, no matter where, and no matter when "this" is.  In fact, one of the names given to Jesus in Matthew's gospel is Immanuel...God with us.

Though he is God, in his essence, Jesus Christ humbled himself - he emptied himself and became one of us.  The One who spoke everything into existence, who sustains everything by his powerful word, and the God who will bring all things to completion one day, allowed himself to become fully human.  He knows what it's like to live life, just as we live our lives.  He had to learn how to walk and talk.  He had to be disciplined by his parents.  He had to study the scriptures to discover who his Father was.  And as the writer of Hebrews reminds us, he was tempted in every way that we are tempted, yet without sin, so, he can sympathize with us when we are tempted.  When he fell down and scraped his knee, he bled, just as we bleed.  When others teased or mocked him, it hurt, just as it hurts when we face ridicule.  Jesus knew hunger, pain, thirst, loneliness, and sickness.  In fact, he's the only human to live a complete human life.  He lived his life to the full!

But Jesus didn't have to live the kind of life that he lived.  He could have chosen to live a self-absorbed life, seeking pleasure and wealth.  He could have tried to gain power through political manipulation or brute force.  He didn't have to live the life that he lived, but thank God he did!  Jesus chose to live a life full of grace.  He wasn't self-absorbed.  He loved God the Father with all his heart, soul, strength, and mind.  And he loved his neighbor as himself.  His was a life fully present to God and to others.  And his was a life full of compassion.

Let's consider the meaning of the word compassion.  Merriam-Webster tells us that it is a "sympathetic consciousness of other's distress with a desire to alleviate it."  The word comes from the Latin, com-patti, to suffer or to bear.  So, compassion isn't just sympathy, but rather having the desire to alleviate the suffering of another.  Compassion compels one to act on their feelings.  What is often translated as compassion in our English Bibles comes from the Greek word splancha which can be translated as, "to feel it from your gut!"  From the beginning to the end of the Biblical story, God is clearly seen to be compassionate.  He not only feels for us from his gut, he acted on those feelings by coming to share and suffer with us through his Son, in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.  Even amid this Coronavirus pandemic, God is in this with us!

Let's reflect on a couple of stories from the gospel of Luke which highlight God's compassion and remind us that he's in this with us.  In Luke 7 we read about a woman who had already lost her husband and now has lost her one and only son.   As the funeral procession marches past Jesus, his heart goes out to this weeping woman.  But Jesus' initial words are not words one is supposed to say to a grieving mother.  Do not weep.  Do not weep?  How cruel!  How unthoughtful!  How insensitive!  Not only is it completely normal for this widow to weep, it's healthy and necessary.  But Jesus' words were uttered out of a deep compassion for this widow.  And the words he spoke next made those initial words come true.  "Young man, I say to you, rise!"  What a shock - what a joyous shock!  The young man, on the way to be buried, is raised from the dead.

For any who have lost loved ones, this story resonates in a powerful way.  Like this widow, we've grieved, we've wept, and we've hurt.  But we have faith that one day, Jesus will speak these same words to our loved ones - "I say to you, rise!".  One day he'll say to all of us who live for him, "Young man, young woman, old man, old woman, I say to you, rise!".  And it's all because our God is the God who raises the dead.  It's all because our God is a compassionate God.  He is in this with us!

Resurrection is our hope, but Jesus' parable in Luke 10 reminds us that we have work to do in the meantime.  Here, Jesus tells the story of the Samaritan - a story many of us have heard a thousand times.  But I would like to consider the story, not from the perspectives the priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan, but from the perspective of the injured man.  Jesus tells this parable to a lawyer who was seeking to justify himself by limiting those who could legitimately consider him a neighbor.  Considering this story through the eyes of the injured man helps Jesus' point become clear.

In this famous parable, a man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho and was beaten to within an inch of his life by some robbers.  What if we were him?  We're lying there, beaten and dying.  But those who are like us, those who come from the same background, those we would expect to stop and help us, don't.  Maybe they're too busy?  Maybe they're too ritually pure to contaminate themselves with us (the priest and Levite would become ritually impure by touching a dead body and we look at least "half dead").

The one who stops to help is nothing like us.  He's not a Jew, he's a hated Samaritan.  If a Christian was lying there half dead, it might be like an atheist or agnostic coming to the rescue.  For an American, it might be an Iranian stopping to help.  For a modern Jew, it might be like a Palestinian providing aid.  Though this individual is from a different culture and practices a different religion, they act like a neighbor and therefore they become our neighbor.  Shouldn't this change the way we view them?  Wouldn't this remind us that their people are people made in the image of God?  The unexpected one was the neighbor in the story and Jesus says to go and do likewise.

 Not only during this pandemic, maybe especially during this pandemic, but not only during this pandemic, we have the opportunity to show love and compassion to every single person that God places in our path.  Our God is a compassionate God and we are to be like him.  Like Jesus, we are to offer words of grace, not condemnation.  And as we see in the Samaritan story, we are to offer compassion to all those God places in our path.  Because like the young man from Nain, our hope and our future is resurrection!  And so we go and do likewise.  We go and do likewise because our God is a compassionate God.  We're all in this together, because our God is in this with us! - Shay

Sabbath Rest

The world is in the middle of a "new normal" as it comes to grips with the Covid-19 pandemic.  This virus has had a serious impact globally.  Thousands of people have already died and there will be more.  We mourn and pray for their loved ones.  Though many of us are younger, in good health,  and don't have much to fear, there are those who are vulnerable.  Namely, the sick and the elderly.  We should not forget the impact this virus could have on them.  All of us have friends and relatives who may be vulnerable to this epidemic and we should not lose sight of that.

Less important, but significant, there are serious economic impacts that are already being felt and will continue to be felt for some time.  In the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado where my family lives, the local economy is driven by tourism, which is presently at a standstill.  And depending on how the overall economy reacts over the next few months, construction, which is another major industry in this valley, may be affected.  Plus, with so many businesses of any variety shut down, quite a few people are trying to make ends meet on a reduced salary or missing wages.

Almost everywhere in the world, day to day routines have been altered.  Many, though not all of us, have more time on our hands than we did a few weeks ago.  The things that seemed important just a few days ago, no longer seem so urgent.  And so, we have time to pause for a moment and reevaluate what's most important in life.  We should not let this moment pass in vain.  To quote "Dead Poet's Society, we should "Carpe Diem", or "Seize the Day"!

We are so busy in the modern world, as T.S. Eliot wrote in his poem "Burnt Norton", we are "...distracted from distraction by distraction...".  We can become so frantic, so busy, so distracted, that we don't have the time to stop and smell the flowers, let alone contemplate the beauty of the flowers.  We're so busy living life that we sometimes forget what life is all about.  We need moments to slow down...to think...to have meaningful conversations with others.  Whether we know it or not, our bodies require rest.  And we need both time and space to be fully present to God, fully present to others, and fully present to God's creation.

Even thousands of years ago, this was true.  It's why God gave his people, Israel, the gift of Sabbath.  The gift of Sabbath was the gift of being able to cease, stop, and pause.  It was the gift of rest.  But sadly, in our quest for self-sufficiency and in our endless pursuit of the modern notion of the good life, many of us have neglected this life-giving and life-enhancing gift from God.

God's gift of Sabbath goes all the way back to the beginning.  It's woven into the very fabric of creation.  The way Genesis 1 tells the story of creation is through poetry.  There's a rhythm - a cadence - to God speaking all things into existence.  Day one...day two...day three.  It was evening and it was morning, the sixth day.  And then, on day seven, the destination of creation is realized as God ceases from work and rests.  He bless the seventh day and makes it holy.  Work is important, but even more important is the rest that work affords.

As the Biblical story progresses, the Lord delivers his people from Egyptian bondage and then gives them the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai.  The fourth command and the one with the longest explanation says this.  "Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work.  But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work - you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns.  For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and consecrated it." (Exodus 20:8-11).  Did you notice that the gift of Sabbath rest extended to the children of the Israelites?  And not just their kids, but also to their slaves and their livestock, and even to the alien, the foreigner living among them.  They're told to remember the Sabbath!  So often, we in the modern world forget God's gift of rest.

In Deuteronomy 5, the Ten Commandments are repeated, including the Sabbath command.  But, in this recounting, the explanation given isn't tied back to creation, but rather to God's redemption of his people in the Exodus story.  He reminds them that they were slaves in Egypt - that they had no rest there.  But now, they've been set free, and so they are to live as free people.  And this freedom of rest is again extended to their children, slaves, animals, and resident aliens.  In Deuteronomy 5, we see that God has always been concerned for the wellbeing of his entire creation.

We see this concern, even for the land in Leviticus 25.  Every seventh year, the Israelites were to allow the land to rest.  They were to plant no crops in that year and they were to trust God to provide for their needs from the previous year's abundance.  And after forty-nine years, the fiftieth year was to be a year of Jubilee!  Debts were to be forgiven.  Indentured servants were to be set free.  And family land and inheritances were to revert to their original owners.  

What an amazing way to organize a society!  If the Israelites had trusted God to take care of them, they would have flourished.  But throughout their time in the Promised Land, they often put their faith in themselves and in the gods and the ways of the nations around them.  None of the other Middle Eastern nations had a Sabbath day or Sabbath year.  Like we sometimes do, the people of the Ancient Near East looked to their own hard work and ingenuity to provide for their needs.  And Israel and Judah often followed their lead.  In fact, one of the reasons given for the exile is that the Promised Land was to be given several decades of rest for all the Sabbath years that Judah had failed to keep.

In his commentary on Genesis, the Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann says this regarding the Judeans in exile, "The celebration of a day of rest was, then, the announcement of trust in this God who is confident enough to rest.  It was then and now an assertion that life does not depend upon our feverish activity of self-securing, but that there can be a pause in which life is given to us simply as a gift."  As Brueggemann reminds us, life if given to us as a gift and God has also given us rest - a Sabbath - if we will trust him.

Some of the Jews of Jesus' day had missed the forest for the trees in their observance of the Sabbath.  Jesus had to remind them that the Sabbath was created for mankind, not mankind for the Sabbath.  Rest is a gift, not a burden.  If the Jews of Jesus' day were guilty of "over-keeping" the Sabbath, I wonder if we're guilty of "under-keeping" it?  

Though Christians are not called to sanctify Saturday, the principle of Sabbath should still inform the way we live our lives.  Have you ever noticed how getting sick forces you to slow down, to take it easy, and to rest?  The only time some people slow down is when they are sick.  And even then, some people try to push on, despite their illness.  As bad as Coronavirus is - and make no mistake, it is bad - one of the blessings that has come out of the global shut down is that nearly everyone has been forced to slow down.  (I acknowledge that many in the healthcare field and other industries maybe busier than ever).  Many people have found themselves with more time at home, more time with family, and more time to think about what's most important in life.  When a global pandemic strikes, when people are losing their lives, and when the economy tanks, we are reminded of why we live our lives in the first place.  God gave his people the Sabbath rest, in part, to give them the time and space to focus on him and on his provision for them.  

Despite the negative ramifications of this dreaded disease, let's make sure that we don't miss the opportunity that this tragedy affords us.  Let's take the time to reflect on God and our relationship with him.  Maybe pick up the phone or organize a Skype call or Facetime conversation with an old friend or loved one.  If you need to be reconciled with someone, don't waste another day!  And go outside.  Social distancing doesn't have to only happen indoors.  In fact, doctors say that getting some fresh air and sunlight helps boost your immune system and your mood, provided you maintain social distancing.  So, take a walk or a hike.  Go on a bike-ride.  For those in the Northern Hemisphere, notice the changing of the seasons from Winter to Spring.  See the differences of light and shadow as the sun moves higher on the horizon.  Take a look at the plants which are beginning to green.  Notice the budding of the trees.  Take the time to stop and smell the flowers.  Look for God's beauty and majesty in his creation.  

I realize there will be times when you're stuck inside.  When you're holed up at home with your family, certainly enjoy a movie or your favorite TV Show.  But don't limit your time to those activities.  Read a book.  Many people are too busy to read these days, but this is a great opportunity to get back into the habit or to develop the habit for the first time.  And there's a pretty good book I'd like to recommend.  It's called the Bible and it's full of exciting stories and meaningful concepts.  It's home to the greatest story ever told - the good news of Jesus Christ!  Habits take time to develop, so take this time to develop the habit of daily Bible reading.  And pray.  In Philippians 4, Paul tells us that we are to be anxious for nothing, but we are take everything to God in prayer.  

As we press on through the disruptions of our normal lives, make sure to do meaningful things with those closest to you.  Of course, have fun while you do it.  Remember, mankind wasn't made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath was given to us as a gift from God.  We should see this present Sabbath rest as a gift, not a burden.  And this crisis also provides us with other opportunities.  Let's be sure to be on the lookout for those in need.  Maybe it's a neighbor, a co-worker, or a complete stranger.  Let's be fully present to God and fully present to those he places in our path as we weather this storm.  And for those who are already a part of a church family, make sure you stay connected.  If you aren't a part of a church family, this might be a good time to seek one out.  It's times like these that church family is most important!  

Regardless of our background, Jesus gives this invitation to any who would heed it.  He says this in Matthew's gospel, "Come to me, all you that are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30). - Shay