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Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us into the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O King. But even if He doesn’t, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference, O King. We still wouldn’t serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up. Daniel 3:16-18 The Message

Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego were brought before King Nebuchadnezzar because they refused to serve his gods or worship his golden images. They were confident that God would rescue them, but even if He did not, they would remain faithful to Him and only Him. These guys had an Even if faith.

During the panicked times of the pandemic and even to this day, we have Christians and others asking for a cure, an eradication, an answer to this disease which struck us quickly and mercilessly. I heard many people say, “I don’t understand why God doesn’t do something!” Just because we don’t get an answer right away doesn’t give us the freedom to doubt His love and faithfulness toward us. We should be saying, Even if we don’t believe God is acting as quickly as we would like, we will still believe He is acting.

Sometimes God seems to be guiding us to travel the back roads instead of taking the highway, and we can begin to feel like we’re out of gas, there are no gas stations around, and He’s forgotten us. Even if we feel that way today, God is still here. Just like a message in a bottle that we think is lost but is found, nothing is ever lost to God.

In this world there will be pain and suffering, of that we are assured, but even if He causes suffering, He will show compassion according to the abundance of His faithful love. (Lamentations 3:32) Our job is to keep the faith and never cease to ask for the things we need.

There are many times when God closes one door only to open another. As we seek the process of reinventing ourselves to accommodate the changes necessary in our lives, it would be easy to ask, “Why me? Why Now? What have I done to deserve this?” There is little peace as we deal with the change. We have to realize that God uses these closed doors to get us to turn away from where we think we should be and move instead to the place where He can best use us. We must be even if people as we move to follow His plan for our lives.

God is waiting for Christians to ask Him for what we need in this world. We live in times where Christians need not only to ask, but also we need to do some extravagant asking of God. The world needs us to ask for the impossible and the unimaginable. We know that God is capable of doing these things, but He needs to see us willing to serve Him whether He answers these “askings” in our time and on our schedule or not. Even if, He does not, we are faithful.

We need to be the people who say, Even if, others have given up on things, we will stand strong. Even if, others have never dared dream, we will dream. Even if, others think it is impossible, all things are possible with God. Even if, others think the task is too monumental, we are more than conquerors. Even if, others think prayers are seemingly inconsequential, God answers prayer. Our Even if’s are God’s opportunities.

Our motto should forever be, We will be bold, creative, compelling, and express a deep love for Christ Even if others will not.

May we be the generation who continues to praise Him, thank Him, worship Him, give Him the glory and honor, and ask Him for that for which we yearn, hope, dream and need. copied

I looked for someone to stand up for me against all this, to repair the defenses of the city, to take a stand for me and stand in the gap to protect this land. I couldn’t find anyone. Not one. Ezekiel 22:30 from The Message

This past week as early release for conference week was happening in the schools around our area, my mind went back to all the years we teachers held conferences with parents on these days. Most of the time we were all on the same page when we discussed their student, but sometimes the things we teachers saw at school were not what the parents saw at home and vice versa. It was always an enlightening time, and it was always uplifting for us to see how parents rise to the occasion to stand in the gap for their children.

When we stand in the gap for someone, we literally stand in the middle and offer protection and defense for that person or thing. Just like Abraham stood in the gap for Sodom when God was going to destroy the city because it had turned against him, we have opportunities to do that same thing.

Abraham became the intercessor. God asked him to find fifty righteous people, then ten, but Abraham could find only one, his nephew, Lot. God spared Lot, because of Abraham, but He destroyed the city.

In the ancient world of the Bible, cities had walls surrounding them to protect them from enemies. When the wall was breached, the city was vulnerable to destruction and the only way to secure it was for people to risk their lives by literally standing in the gap in the wall and fighting the enemy.

There are many times when we stand in the gap for others or they stand in the gap for us. In the nineties, our church began a women’s spiritual retreat every year where we would gather for the weekend to study and praise God. One year we were fortunate to have Mrs. Jeannette Cathy as our guest speaker and Babbie Mason as our worship leader. What a dynamic duo!

Mrs. Cathy began her time with us by telling us that she was very nervous, and she needed our help. Every time she faltered or stopped, she asked if we would encourage her by saying, “You can do it!” The group there only had to encourage her a couple of times, but each time, there was a sense of standing in the gap for her. She did a fabulous job of bringing us together!

At the conclusion, Babbie sang her song entitled Standing in the Gap. The words were so powerful and the perfect end to the evening! She ended the song with these words: Just remember someone somewhere is praying for you. Calling out your name. Praying for your strength. I’ll be standing in the gap for you. Written by Babbie

God sends people to stand in the gap for us in this life. He sends those who will pray on our behalf and intercede in difficult times. Sometimes we never know who is praying for us or standing in the gap for us, but God knows and hears. Oftentimes, we hear that someone is facing an illness, a hardship, or a tragedy, and instead of looking the other way, we pray that we can share the burden. If someone we love is hurting, we are hurting too, and we, as Christians, are willing to stand in the gap with them.

Standing in the gap is born from a faith which we acquire through our knowledge of God, which leads to our awareness of it, then becomes belief, and finally trust that He is there for us. Faith isn’t born at a negotiation table, but rather through our good works, good deeds, and times when we stand in the gap for others. This faith never goes out of style.

God comes in our times of greatest need and with Him comes a sudden calming presence. In Ephesians 2:8 we hear these words, For it is by grace that you have been saved and this is not of yourselves. It is the gift from God.

We are great sinners, but we have an even greater God who is ready and willing to stand in the gap for us.

In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Years ago, I learned that being decisive is sometimes one of the hardest things we will ever be asked to do. It’s much easier, especially for me, to be one of the “whatever everyone else wants to do” or “it doesn’t matter to me” group of people. The trouble with that is many times we end up doing something we don’t really want to do or lamenting the decision that was made. I envy the people who seem to have no problem making decisions and moving ahead with the plan.

Decisiveness is defined as settling an issue or producing a definitive result. Making decisions or knowing in which direction we should head on things is difficult. It is said that when Christopher Columbus set out on his voyage in 1492, he didn’t know where he was going. When he arrived, he didn’t know where he was, and when he returned home, he didn’t know where he had been!!

We all need help at times knowing in which direction we should go. As my neighbor likes to say, “There are many squirrels lying in the middle of the road because they couldn’t make a decision“.

We sometimes don’t make decisions because we are afraid we will make the wrong one. The scripture says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith with no doubting. The doubting man is double minded, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:8) In other words, ask God and then take His wisdom without doubting. Take the wisdom with confidence.

Good decisions should reflect our mission in life and highlight our potential. God has created each of us with our very own mission in life. It’s a concrete assignment that demands fulfillment. Our responsibility is to seek Him for guidance as we navigate the decision, and remember that nothing can take the place of knowing that will. If we don’t know it, we are likely to spend our lives doing the wrong things.

Finally, if we don’t make our own decisions, somebody else will make them for us. President Reagan liked to tell the story of how he learned to make firm decisions. It seems that when he was a boy, his aunt sent him to a cobbler to have a new pair of shoes made for him. When the shoemaker asked if he wanted a square toe or a round toe on the shoe, he couldn’t decide. The cobbler asked him to come back in a few days and tell him what he wanted. In a few days, Reagan admitted to the cobbler that he just couldn’t make up his mind. The cobbler replied, “Well then, your shoes will be ready tomorrow.” When Reagan came in to try on his new shoes, one had a round toe and one had a square toe! It pays to be decisive!

God would have us to be decisive about His kingdom and our faith. It’s amazing that most of us Southerners have no problem deciding on our favorite team. We display the flags, banners, shirts, and spirit wear proudly, but we have a problem letting people know where we stand on our faith. If we aren’t decisive about it, rest assured others will take that privilege away from us and make the decision for us! Standing in the middle on decisions never helps anyone.

In The Message by Eugene Peterson these words from Revelation 3:15 say it plainly. Jesus said, “I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot. It’s far better to be cold or hot. You’re stagnant.”

The worst case in decision making is that we get it wrong, and we learn what NOT to do next time. The best case is that we pray for wisdom, make a decision, and stand by it.

I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus; No turning back, No turning back. I Have Decided to Follow Jesus Anonymous

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is good and acceptable and the perfect will of God. Romans 12:2

One of my favorite Broadway musicals from years ago is Wicked, the story of the differences we find in people along our life’s path. The most meaningful piece of music for me is, For Good, a musical duet between Elphaba (the wicked witch of the West) and Glinda (the good witch of the South).

The song’s lyrics address how both Elphaba and Glinda have been changed by their friendship, or the pleasure of knowing each other. Glinda begins by saying that while she doesn’t know if people come into one another’s lives for a reason, “I know I am who I am today because I knew you”. Similarly, Elphaba tells Glinda that “whatever way our stories may end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend”. They both agree that because they knew each other, they have been changed for good.

What does it mean to be changed for good? This phrase is defined as an improvement in a situation or state of affairs. Rather than thinking of a change for good in a situation, it’s more important to me to think of it in terms of people who make a difference.

When we begin to think of all the people who have come into our lives, and because our paths have crossed we are changed for the better, the memories and the thanks can begin to add up. There are of course, the obvious people such as our spouses, our children and grandchildren, our parents, our siblings, our grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc., but there are so many others.

This past weekend, our family had the opportunity to attend the Swim Across America event at Lake Lanier to support our favorite swimmers, Vicki and Caroline Bunke. We were mistaken to think that we were supporting these two and all the other swimmers there because these folks ended up teaching us the meaning of love and hope which has no finish line!

The crowd of people were there with so many different stories of why they swim, but so many were there to celebrate and honor a young lady who was Godly, Real, Amazing, Courageous and Exemplary. GRACE.

As we looked around and marveled at the things that bind these folks, the words of the song came back again, “people bring something we must learn, and we are led to those who help us most to grow”. That is certainly true for the Grace Bunke family. All of us have been changed for good because we knew her.

Randy and I were called to the ministry for his career, and because of that calling, we served six different United Methodist congregations. It is said that every church family has its own personality, gifts, graces, and faults alike. Although none of the churches were perfect, and we certainly were not, each group taught us something. Each congregation added to our lives, and we were changed for the better because we knew them.

We find that in every time of need or in every crisis we have faced over the years, people from these places are still there for us. After all these years, we know we are who we are today because we knew them.

There are so many teachers, professors, counselors, and countless others who have touched each of our lives. “Like a handprint on our heart or a seed dropped by a bird in a distant wood”, they changed us for good!

Along life’s way there are small groups of friends, small bible study groups, volunteer organizations, ministries, outreach organizations, and so many others who have changed our lives. It’s in the giving of ourselves that we receive.

Yesterday, our daughter in law, Susie, ran and finished a marathon in honor and memory of one of our dear friends, Paul King, who suffered with Parkinson’s. Others ran for other causes and organizations, but this one was special to our family and friends. Paul and his family were one of the first people who welcomed us in 1988 to Mt. Bethel. To his family, we would say, “so much of us is made up by what we learned from him.” We were changed for good because of his friendship and all of you.

There’s hardly a day that passes that there aren’t people who cross our path from whom we can learn and be changed for good. My prayer is that we would all take the time to appreciate those who come into our lives and change us for good!

Come to me all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (time out). Matthew 11:28

During this time of year, we tend to hear the words, time out a lot! Coaches with good game plans know the strategic times during a game to take time out so that they can assess the situation and strategize their next play! When a team calls for a time out, the clock stops and the game is paused. No playing happens during a time out.

Time outs come in life as well. Many of us have lived through illnesses of ourselves or those we love, diagnoses of diseases, Covid, job losses, money problems, relocation, retirement, and other stressful situations in life. It’s at this point we wish we could call time out and reassess our situation because we feel that things are spinning out of our control.

Five years ago this week, the lives of our family had a time out when we received a call early one morning that our Mama had died suddenly but painlessly. The clock stopped for all of us as we were forced to put aside our daily lives and deal with the grief that comes with losing a loved one.

Sometimes we have to be reminded that just because we are experiencing a time out, it doesn’t mean that the world stops. In fact, many times we see others going on with their lives as if nothing has happened. In all honesty, nothing has happened to them – it’s our time out.

As our family headed to the cemetery later that week with the cars in the processional, we came to the road where we would turn left across the busy highway. The patrolman leading our procession crossed over first, and as people realized it was a funeral, they began to stop and pull over to let us pass. At that moment, it struck me that it’s awfully special when we take the time in this life to stop, think about others, show respect, pray for them, and take a time out.

Jesus always stopped in his teaching and his ministry when people needed help. He took time out everywhere he went to show God’s love to others. Sometimes we are so busy saving the world in other ways that we ignore the times when a time out is needed for ourselves. Just like the Good Samaritan, we should be ready to stop for someone who’s hurting.

Last week a young man who was on the opposing team of our grandson’s team was hit and lay motionless on the football field. A time out is always called during an injury, but there are times when one knows that this not an ordinary instance. What do we do when a time out is not enough? When we need to do more? Surprisingly enough in this day and time, the teams huddled together and prayed. What a lesson for all of us! There are times when the only thing to which we can turn is prayer while we are in our time out.

The rests in a piece of music can be equated to time outs in life. There is no music during a rest or time out, but the rest is part of the making of the music. If we think of our lives as a melody, the music is separated here and there by rests, but the song has not ended. God brings a sudden pause or time out in the hymn of our lives, and we are wrong to complain when we have to be still and silent for a time.

God doesn’t write the music of our lives without a plan. The part we play is to learn the tune and not be discouraged when we have a rest or time out. Just as a musician counts the rests in a song and plays the next note with confidence, so we must remember the rest is part of the music just as time outs are part of life.

Don’t waste the time outs in life, rather learn from them.

For the spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you! Luke 10:19

During storms, we sometimes lose the luxury of electricity, and we quickly realize the importance of power in our lives. Without power, we lose the convenience of using our ovens and stoves, watching television, keeping food in our refrigerator cold and especially the power to see in the darkness because our “lights are out.”

This theme of power runs throughout the Gospel of Luke. It begins in Chapter 9 when Jesus gives the 12 Disciples the power and authority over all demons and the power to cure diseases. The power continues as the Disciples feed the 5000 with five loaves of bread and two fish.

The word, power, is defined as the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events. In the Gospel of Luke, the disciples were granted power from on high to go about doing good.

Power can be good in the hands of some, but it can be detrimental in the hands of others. Take for instance our grandson, Reese. Reese was given the distinct honor of serving on safety patrol for a time in his elementary school. The safety patrol’s job is to monitor the students as they arrive and depart from school every day making sure they are walking in the halls, not loitering, and generally following the rules.

Some students may think of this as just a job, but Reese loved the power of “telling everybody what to do.” After a week of this power, at the end of the day when he finally got in the car after a hard day’s work, his words were, “Well, just another day of the same old, same old.”

Sometimes life can do that to us. It can cause us to take the power that God has given us as Christians and children of God for granted and begin to think of it as the same old, same old.

That’s not the way God would want us to view the power He bestows on us. God hasn’t give us a spirit of fear and timidity, but He has given us a spirit of power, love and self discipline. Jesus has the power to help us use our power to discard warped philosophies, tear down barriers that can be erected against the truth of God fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5

Jesus gives us the power to use ordinary, every day things for His purposes. We have the means to take something we have and use it to let people know that they matter to God and they matter to others. That’s the power of caring.

Jesus also gives us the power to change a bad situation. When we are up against a tough situation, the first essential is to stand up to it. Face it and hit back hard with the knowledge that there is enough power given to you by God to overcome the situation. Jesus has the power to redeem things and give us the chance to get through it. The past can be forgotten with a new time, a new start, and a new beginning. Charles Martin in his book Long Way Gone says “No gone is too far gone” because Jesus can redeem our bad situation.

Jesus has given us the power to change our attitude about the past, the present and the future. Faith is believing that God is telling the truth about this power. In order to get the results God’s word promises for a change of attitude, we must place our absolute trust and confidence in His power, His wisdom, and His goodness. No life or attitude is beyond the power of Jesus.

Jesus also gives us the power of forgiveness for ourselves and for others. The Lord’s prayer reminds us to “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” The Christians way involves a cross where Jesus paid for our sins and offers forgiveness for those who will confess our sin and follow Him. If He can forgive us, shouldn’t we forgive others?

Jesus died for us all. All we need to do is use the power of caring, change and forgiveness He gives us to come to the Father and let Him redeem the things in life that keep us from acknowledging all our power. There is no power without God.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen

For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. James 1:3

The word test is defined as a procedure intended to establish the quality, performance or reliability of something. We are in a time when the word test is used more often than ever. People are taking Covid tests, antibody tests, and even saliva tests, with hopes of getting negative results from the virus that seems to be changing our society and our lives. People are being tested.

Life itself affords us many opportunities to be tested. We are constantly tested on things such as our morals, our beliefs, our integrity, our honesty, our faith, and even our God.

Last week in total frustration with the news media and their presentation, or lack thereof, of the news, I found myself tuning into an old Leave It To Beaver episode. In this particular one, Beaver is perplexed because he used his Dad’s library card to check out a book without his permission, and he lost the book. He hid all the overdue notices which came in the mail, and didn’t tell his Dad in hopes that he would find the book. Of course, dishonesty never works, and he was found out. Beaver was tested on honesty, and his Dad made a good point when he said, “When you tell one lie you always have to tell another to cover up the first.” Beaver had his honesty tested.

What difference does it make to be honest? The Christian should answer this question with something like, “it makes all the difference to God” or “speak the truth to one another”. Zechariah 8:18 When we are honest, we build strength of character that will allow us to be of greater service to God and to others.

God tests us just as He tested Abraham with his son, Isaac. He wants to see if there is anything we love more than Him. God tests us for basically two reasons. First, to prove Himself faithful to us, and second, to give us an opportunity to prove our faithfulness to Him.

When God tests us, that’s the best time to test Him by putting His promises to the test and then claiming from Him exactly what your trials have made necessary. There are two ways of getting out of a trial. One is simply to try and get out of the trial, and then to be thankful when it’s over. The other way is to recognize that the trial is a challenge from God to claim a larger blessing than we have ever before experienced and to accept it with delight as an opportunity of receiving a greater measure of God’s divine grace.

During these tests, even the Adversary becomes a help to us, and all things that seem to be against us turn out to assist us along our way. This is what is meant by in all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37

Tests let us know that there are expectations, things required of us. When we are tested, we have a tendency to look around at things that can’t be done. We are drawn to things that we can’t do. That’s when Jesus comes to the aid of those of us who are tempted to despair and give us strength we don’t know we have.

First, we gain the strength to look to Him for what’s lacking in us. Some of us do well in studying before the test, but feel totally inadequate to take the tests when they are provided. Norman Vincent Peale reminds us that, “the tests of life are not to break you, but to make you”.

Then, we learn to have hope. People are still feeling isolated for many different reasons, because of this, we need to embrace the mind of Christ and take the test He offers of reaching out to others and giving hope. Don’t give up – give Hope.

God is going to test each of us to make sure our faith, our identity, and our security are found in Him alone. We can’t let the gifts we enjoy become more important than the Giver because that undermines His purpose for our lives.

God tested Abraham for a very long time by delaying the fulfillment of His promise, Satan tested him through temptation, and people tested him through their jealousy, distrust, and opposition. We sometimes experience the same thing in our lives. Remember, Abraham was tested but he patiently waited, ultimately received what was promised and was satisfied. If we imitate his example, we will share the same blessing.

When we pass the test, we are blessed with peace of mind and self respect so that we can better serve God. Passing the test is a reflection of our character and a way to show our faith. Take the test and remember, after the testing comes the blessing!

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord you God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

The football season is upon us, and in true form, it has already given us some exciting moments – great wins and tough losses. The first weekend of games were some of the best in years!

Although the Bulldogs had a great win, the game that was most exciting was the FSU-Notre Dame contest. My brother in law is a staunch fan of the Seminoles, and some of our dear friends are now living in Irish country, so our interest in the game was peaked.

The game did not disappoint, but the story was not the final score, but rather a young man by the name of McKenzie Milton, a backup quarterback for the Seminoles. The scenario played like this. The starting quarterback for FSU received a blow to the head and had to leave the game. Milton came off the bench to lead Florida State back from a ten point deficit and force overtime against the ranked Notre Dame team. The team lost, but Milton got a resounding win!

This scenario occurs in football all the time, but Milton had not played a game since November 24, 2018 when he sustained artery and nerve damage to his right leg along with a dislocated knee and torn ligaments. This injury was catastrophic and almost caused the amputation of his right leg.

Through the efforts or many surgeons, trainers, physical therapists, family, friends, and others, Milton did what others thought impossible. Dr. Levy (his orthopedic surgeon) is quoted as saying on the first day he met Milton after the injury, “Even if you miraculously get back and do what no one else has every done before, you have to ask yourself, do you want to?” Milton never hesitated and said, “Doc, I know I’m playing football again. I just know it.”

The courage. bravery, and fortitude of this young man brings to mind other situations where these qualities have been a factor in life’s situations. General Robert E. Lee used these sentiments in his Farewell Address to the Army of Northern Virginian at Appomattox, Lou Gehrig’s Farewell to Baseball address used them, and Winston Churchill’s We Shall Fight on the Beaches addresses these characteristics.

Fortitude is defined as mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty, adversity, danger or temptation courageously. Personally, I think physical strength could be added.

In these last few weeks, I have learned a lot about folks who are poster men and women for fortitude. On June 8, 1967, as I was entering my senior year in high school, the USS Liberty was cruising in International Waters in the Eastern Mediterranean when it was attacked without warning or justification by air and naval forces of Israel. They were 294 officers and crew on board. Of these 294, 34 were killed, 174 wounded, and the ship was so severely damaged that it never sailed again.

Fortitude is a word that should be used for the surviving crew members who kept the ship afloat, cared for the injured, tended to their friends who were killed, and had no aid for days. The atrocities of this “incident”(as the government called it) are unbelievable and unfathomable, and they have never been fully acknowledged by our military and government. Many of us are guilty of being totally unaware of sacrifices and fortitude such as this, and the suffering that occurred.

The average person will never be able to exhibit this kind of fortitude, but there are so many incidences in life where we see people going about their lives with this strength every day. I see it in my own life. First, there’s my friend and college roommate who has been caring for her husband with Alzheimer’s every day of her life for ten years. Although he is now in a facility for round the clock care, her devotion, love and care continues daily. Her fortitude is evident in her devotion.

Then there’s the mother who endured the pain of watching her daughter courageously fight cancer for years and lose the battle. This mother swims in honor of her daughter’s fight and to raise money to fight cancer so that one day, when a cure is found, other Mother’s might be spared the pain she suffered. She is putting her fortitude into action for a cure and a promise!

There’s the young doctor (who happens to be my nephew) who is on the front line in a hospital fighting to save the lives of his patients who are suffering from Covid while hearing cries of “Help me, please.” His fortitude is making a difference and saving lives.

There’s an amazing thirteen year old young lady who suffers from autism. She is now using her new found “voice” to help others understand the trials and triumphs so that they may find hope and courage. Her fortitude is inspirational and courageous.

There are men and women who still live with images of the horrors of war, those who suffer ramifications of 911, and those who live with PTSD. Their fortitude is courageous.

The stories of fortitude can be found among us every day. God speaks to fortitude when he directs us to be strong and courageous as we know He will go with us. God bless all who set the examples of fortitude for others every day.

It’s not life that counts but the fortitude you bring into it. John Galsworthy

To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

Most products that we purchase these days have an expiration date stamped somewhere on the item. It rarely says, “product expires by”, but rather uses terms such as “best if used by” or “don’t use after”. Producers have learned that people react more positively if the word “expires” isn’t used.

When I was growing up, we had tons of fresh vegetables that we either canned or froze to eat later. Our Mama was always insistent on writing or stamping the date the products were frozen or canned on the outside of the package or can. My Daddy, on the other hand, always said that these particular items had no expiration date because they were fresh grown, picked, and processed! My children and grands know that I agree with my Daddy – if they smell good and aren’t over a year out of date – they are fine!

We don’t use the word expire much in our world today because it frightens us to ponder the reality that each of our lives has an expiration date. A gentleman in my water aerobics class put a perfect spin on it last week. He was looking at the twenty plus people there and said, “Look at all these old people trying to stay young. Sometimes you wonder if they know that we all have an expiration date?”

Later than same morning, I happened to walk by his wife as she was sitting in a chair waiting for him to come out of the locker room. I remarked that it was quite a difference in our lives now as husbands had spent most of their lives waiting on us and now we have to wait on them. We laughed, and I left.

The next week as we were waiting to start class, I noticed that she was there, but he was not. When I asked about him, her answer was not what I expected. She said, “My husband has been fighting colon cancer for ten years, and some mornings he moves more slowly than others. He will be here when he can. I am just so grateful that he is a survivor! He can take as long as he wants, because I will wait on him as long as he needs.”

God shows up in unlikely ways and circumstances to help us discover our cause and our legacy in this life. As we approach the later years of our lives, we realize that it’s not what you do that matters, but what you do for others. This sweet wife is leaving the legacy of her tender care and love to her husband and their family.

When our life’s sole focus is self interest, we won’t be missed when we are gone or we won’t be missed for the right reason. We all need to find a cause greater than ourselves, one that will out live us, and pour ourselves into it.

We don’t get to choose the moment of our arrival or departure here on earth. We do, however, have a chance to choose what our legacy will be. For what would we like to be remembered?

My mind and heart go to the American soldiers who lost their lives last week in Kabul defending those people and our country. Even though we don’t know their individual stories, we all know that they left quite a legacy for their families. Even though they lived each day with the possibility of the sacrifice they might have to make, I’m sure in the last few days of their lives in that dangerous situation, the possibility of their expiration date became very real. My prayer is that each of them would know how much this country values their service and their legacy.

Randy and I lost a dear friend and faithful servant of God on Tuesday. Dr. Med Roach, a Methodist minister and long time friend, died peacefully but much too soon. As we spoke with other minister friends, everyone lamented the same thing, “We all thought he would be here longer, and we would get a chance to see him again.” God’s expiration date is not based on our thoughts, hopes or timing. Fortunately, Med has left a legacy in each church he served and in every life of those he touched. God’s causes were always His priority. He certainly left a legacy of faithful service of God and love for God to his family and friends.

As the twentieth anniversary of 911 looms before us this week, and we remember all the men and women who died; some in service and others just going about their daily lives, the advice I would have for us all is, “don’t let your expiration date sneak up on you. Find a cause greater than yourself. Don’t just leave a will, leave a legacy that fulfills God’s will. ”

(Photo was copied, but look closely at the clouds.)

The Lord blessed the second part of Job’s life more than in the beginning. Job 42:12

Last year was a rough time for football fans! The stadiums were empty except for cardboard cut outs of fans, there were no marching bands, and people were relegated to at home football celebrations! It was like silence spread across the land of the football faithful.

This year when the red and black (substitute other colors here) run onto the field between the hedges, (substitute other places here) there will again be the roar of the crowd, the striking up of the band, and the traffic nightmare of fans racing to cheer their team on once more.

In the world of sports announcers, there has never been a more beloved voice of the Bulldogs than Larry Munson. During the years of Munson, even if we attended the game in person, we carried a radio in order to hear him call the game. Many times, his commentary was more exciting than the game itself!!

There are many calls of his which are legendary, but in honor of the upcoming Clemson game on Saturday, it’s fitting to remember his call of the 1984 game. The game was tied 23-23 with Georgia on the Clemson 44 yard line and 11 seconds left. When Georgia’s offense stalled, Kevin Butler came in to attempt a field goal. Larry’s call went like this: “This kick is a hundred thousand miles!” Then, as the kick cleared the goalpost, “Oh my God! Eleven seconds! I can’t believe what he did!” Munson always believed the second half was the most important, and he loved to give credit to the players and coaches. In his words, “Now there’s no sense in going away because you know it’s not going to end like this”.

This game and many others were won or lost in the second half. Basically, coaches have two speeches they can give in the locker room at halftime – one if their team is winning and the other if they are losing. If they are winning, coaches talk about forgetting the first half and pretending the score is 0-0 when they come out for the second half. Coaches are quick to remind their players that the game isn’t over until the last buzzer has sounded, the last play has been run, or the last tackle has been made. If the team is losing, the coaches have to analyze the game and decide why? Is it mental mistakes or are we just being outplayed?

I tell this story to show that no matter where we are in this game of life, we can win this in the second half! Many people feel that they have somehow outlived their usefulness later in life; however, if we are still here, the game of life isn’t over for us! We have a lot of life left to live and a lot left to do!

Richard Rohr says that the first half of our lives is focused on our ambitions, plans, competitiveness, and looking after ourselves and our families. The second half seems to be a lot about undoing what was accomplished in the first half in order to help us get a deeper understanding of what’s really important.

It’s almost like the first half of our lives we are building a vessel to hold all the things on which we need to focus in the second half. The first half of life doesn’t have to determine the outcome of the game.

Everyone can look back over their lives and see mistakes, disappointments, and failures. Life can be cruel and sometimes deal us a harsh blow here or there. The good news is that there is a second half for all of us. The final whistle hasn’t blown, and it’s never too late for God to pick us up and carry us straight to the plan He has for us. God always looks at our future not our past.

Just like a coach in the locker room at halftime, God encourages us with words like, “You can win, I am with you, I believe in you, and don’t give up!” According to Head Coach Kevin Wright, the key words in the second half are intensity, focus, finish, resiliency, and playing as a team. Those words can apply to our everyday lives as well.

Whether our first half has been dominated by the good, the bad, or the ugly, God wants us to learn from it, not live in it. The second half is the best time to use the rest and assessment which the first half has presented us!

Let’s live our second half so when the final buzzer sounds, we will have no regrets. copied