This week we will be going to the funeral of Joyce Delp. Joyce is the wife of our District Executive Secretary, David Delp. Joyce died suddenly from a blockage caused by a cyst in her brain. Her unexpected death has been hard for David and his two daughters, Kelly and Ashley. Kelly has been appointed as a foreign missionary to France. She was recently at our church to sing and minister while Susan and I were on vacation back in August. David Delp has also been with us to minister both to our leadership and the congregation during District Council in 2011. David is scheduled to be with us again to dedicate the Prayer Tower in January during the National Week of Prayer.
I, and the District, covet your prayers for the Delp family as God guides and comforts them through this time. Many of you already know how mighty and loving our Heavenly Father can be at times like these. At Calvary we have had more than our share of death and tragedy. I've greatly appreciated how each of you has reached out to one another during those times with the compassion of the Lord. Although many of you won't be able to directly comfort the Delp family, your prayers are essential to them. Thanks for praying.
Temporary Thanks
Life brings many storms our way. There is always an apprehension about how much damage an approaching storm will cause. There is also always a rebuilding process after a storm is passed. We must learn in the midst of the storms of life to remember to have a thankful heart. Like David Delp's family, there is the opportunity to focus on the loss, or they can focus on the many good years they had together. Life, even at its best, is a temporary thing, slowly giving way to eternity.
In my preaching, I recently drew upon this principle of remaining thankful from Hebrews 12:28, 29 which says, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”” This verse exemplifies what it means to be a Christian. We recognize that when this life is over, we have an eternal reward with the Lord. The coming kingdom cannot be shaken, it cannot be defeated, and it will never end. It is for this kingdom and this hope we live. Everything else is but a fleeting vapor. The Apostle Paul said, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” (1 Corinthians 15:19)
So many of the things that Christ has caused us to hope for are not in this life. Our greatest hope lies beyond the grave. Everything in this life ends with the grave, but everything in the new live begins with the grave. Knowing this, we labor to make Christ known to others so that they too can experience a hope beyond the grave. Funerals bring this message home. No matter how great a person is in this life, no matter how much they are loved, their destiny is the grave. Therefore all true thankfulness is for that which reaches beyond the grave.
“13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren,
concerning them which are asleep,
that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord,
that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord
shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,
with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God:
and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds,
to meet the Lord in the air:
and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Temporary Hope
Even though we are thankful daily for the mercies of God in this life, our greatest rejoicing comes from the fact that it IS temporary. Yes, we are to keep our eyes focused on the good things of life and we encourage others with our small kindnesses, but the only lasting victory afforded us is the resurrection. Joyce has experienced this in its fulness. We are awaiting the same in hope. The Scriptures encourage us to set our desire on heavenly things.
“1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above,
where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear,
then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”
Colossians 3:1-4
The appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ is an eternal hope. Although it will happen in a moment, the results will last forever. Jesus brings with him things that will last, hopes that are fulfilled, and peace that will satisfy us forever. When we seek to truly comfort one another, when we try to find things to be thankful for, and when we look for something to hope in, 1 Thessalonians 4:18 reminds us to look for that day when Jesus returns to usher in an eternal kingdom where we will die no more and he will wipe every tear from our eyes.
As we look towards Thanksgiving Day this week, let us remember, the things we express thanks for during this holiday are temporary, even family. We have to understand, that to be truly thankful we must look past the temporary and embrace the eternal blessings given us through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. His sacrifice paid my sin debt and gave me eternal life. This is my constant comfort through the storms of life. This is my hope beyond the grave. This is my ultimate victory, even while I live in this temporary world.
Temporary Prayer
In December I will be teaching on prayer in preparation for a Season of Prayer I believe the Lord is leading us into in 2013. One of the things I noticed in the Lord's Prayer is the understanding that nothing we ask for really lasts. We are instructed to ask for daily bread. Bread for this day. Tomorrow we are to do the same. Even in the Lord's model for prayer, he teaches the temporary nature of this life.
I pray that while we thank the Lord for our blessings this Thanksgiving, we will recognize the temporary nature of our food, our homes, and even our lives. This should not sadden us, but cause us to look forward with the hope that one day the temporary will be replaced with that which is eternal.