Cemetery Across from our field in North Lansing, NY

Carole and I did something over these past few weeks that we’ve been meaning to do for a long time—we redid our wills. Our daughter Sarah, concerned about our frequent travels, wanted us to have our affairs in order in case something happened to us. I had also seen first hand the importance of a “Power of Attorney” document when my Mom developed Alzheimer’s disease. We felt it would be wise stewardship to have all these things in place.

A couple of years ago I received a free copy of “Quicken Willmaker,” so I did our will on Willmaker and then made arrangements for all our documents to be reviewed, witnessed, and notarized by a local attorney. I’m writing this blog not to promote doing a will (although I think it is a wise and important thing to do) but because of the reaction we experienced at the attorney’s office.

First our attorney and then one of our witnesses expressed something akin to sympathy for us and certainly commiseration for the difficult thing we were doing in thinking about and talking about our deaths. Their reaction so surprised me that I did a poor job of expressing myself (not uncommon). I said something like, “If you know that you are going to heaven, death is not a fearful thing.” Thinking about and planning for our deaths had not been at all uncomfortable. Their reaction completely surprised us.

Afterwards, I thought about two Scripture passages. I thought of Philippians 1:21. For the believer, life or death is great. Of course, if Carole went to heaven before me, remaining behind would be unimaginably difficult. Yet, I can count on the sustaining grace of God in whatever trial may occur. I can rely upon God’s presence and the sure knowledge that He will do right by His child.

The other passage I thought of was Hebrews 2:14-15. It just seemed that for a brief moment in that attorney’s office the fear of death showed itself. Maybe I’m reading more into it than was there, but dealing with a will, a plan in case there was a death, pulled aside the curtain of illusion we use to hide the inevitable. We will all die. Some of us will die unexpectedly. I cannot confidently say that I will be on this earth next year. None of us can!  Even those who regularly deal with wills seemed uncomfortable by the underlying reality!

At Christmas, we celebrated once again the reminder that Jesus took on “flesh and blood” to become like us. He did so with the specific purpose of dying in our place and for us. Through Him, and Him alone, all my sin, past, present, and future, is forgiven.  By God’s grace He has granted me a place in heaven through the death and resurrection of His Son.  How good to know that there is One who has rendered powerless the one, Satan, who had the power of death! Jesus has delivered the believer from the fear of death. We have the unbelievable privilege of telling others how they too can escape the fear of death.

I’m thankful we had that experience in the attorney’s office at the beginning of the year. Having the right perspective on life and death is a good way to move through a year.

I just thought of another passage, 1 Corinthians 15:55-57.

I recently wrote about our visit to North Lansing (see picture above). If you would like to read more about North Lansing and see pictures of more than the cemetery, click on this link.

The Camera I Used for Uploading

I started a long overdue project recently that has caused me to reflect on the passage of time.  I converted all of our family analog 8 mm videos to digital DVD’s.  Like most projects, this one turned out to be more involved than I expected.  First, our old video camera would not start no matter what I tried.  After a fruitless search on E-bay for a replacement camera (they were too expensive), I finally was able to borrow a really old and big camera from a friend.  At least his worked—sort of!  The camera would play the tapes for a while but then would stop.  That meant I would have to check the progress often and crop portions if there was a time of empty recording.  It took much longer than I expected to finish transferring all the tapes.

The tapes went back as far as 1992 when we received the camera as a gift.  Most of the tapes covered our time in Red Feather Lakes.  Each year I seemed to record the same events: several concerts and recitals, Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving finding and cutting a Christmas tree in the woods, decorating the tree with me up on the extension ladder (we always cut about a 14 foot tree), birthdays, many school programs and graduations, and, occasionally, our vacations.

As I watched portions of the tapes being recorded, it was as if a portion of our life passed before me.  My kids were young and cute when the videos started (eight and four years old) and I had darker hair and more of it!  People and events I had forgotten came flooding back, often with a feeling of nostalgia for those long ago times.  I wisely remembered that a video only captures the highlights and not the “lowlights” that we tend to forget.

This intensive, video induced trip down memory lane has caused me to reflect on Ephesians 5:15-16.  I realize that although I can edit those videos (perhaps shorten them), I cannot edit my circumstances, my responses, my attitudes, or anything about the way I used my time in the past.  In a sense, I am a product of all that took place but none of it can be undone.  I can only resolve to improve my walk, my movement through life in the future.  This passage speaks of four ways that we can improve our movement through life in 2011.

First, we must move through 2011 with a careful walk. Paul commands us to “walk circumspectly” (vs. 15a).  This speaks of an accurate and exact assessment of our movement through life.  We must have alertness and exercise great care.  Often, I’m so wrapped up in the busyness of life that I live it without much assessment.  I’m about to have my annual physical, which is meant to be an accurate assessment with the idea of discovering any problems and making some corrections.  Suppose we conducted an annual spiritual, marriage, parental, emotional, and financial assessment—in short, a “whole-person” assessment and made some corrections!  Such an assessment would certainly be fulfilling the command of this verse.

Second, we must move through 2011 with a wise walk. Paul tells us we are to walk “not as fools, but as wise” (v. 15b).  For any believer and especially a Village Missionary, wisdom is putting Biblical truth into practice in our life.  The world’s wisdom surrounds us and constantly seeks to get inside like a termite trying to eat its way into our inner structure.  Worldly wisdom regarding our value, our identity, how we measure success, the response when persecuted, the importance of acclaim, the importance of money and security may affect our thinking as Village Missionaries and sabotage our ministry.  Would that Biblical wisdom govern every response to the unforeseen circumstances of 2011!

Third, we must move through 2011 with a profitable walk. Paul tells us we should be “redeeming the time” or in the NASB, “making the most of your time” (v. 16a).  This is literally “buying up or redeeming the opportunity.”  In the words of one commentator, we are to “purchase all that it offers.”  The word used for “time” is not hours and minutes but fixed periods or seasons.  Thus, a profitable walk is a strategic walk in which we use our time on earth to its greatest advantage for God’s Kingdom.  Today I regret missed opportunities in 2010 to share Christ with the lost.  Will I lose similar opportunity in 2011?  I regret I did not redeem more opportunities with my children in those years covered by the tapes.  Will I be strategic in this coming year?

A friend recently told me of a business opportunity he missed a few years ago.  The old story—if he had only invested such and such then it would have quadrupled its value now.  We possess unlimited spiritual capital but so often fail to do anything but keep it buried in the ground (cf. Mat. 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-27).  Perhaps not in 2011!

Finally, we must move through 2011 with a guarded walk. Paul warns us “the days are evil” (v. 16b).  The word “evil” speaks of “vicious, active wickedness.”  True of Paul’s day, it is equally true of our day.  How easy it is for us to fall!  How easy it is for us to begin a self-deluded journey that destines us for the self-destruction of our marriage, family, and ministry!  Perhaps we would not succumb to internet pornography but could easily succumb to the lust of pride.  Financial impropriety might never be a temptation to us but we might quickly subscribe to faithless discouragement.  We must be on guard in 2011, knowing that the enemy of our souls has enough ammunition within and without us to cause our harm if we are not alert.  “Be on the alert!” is a command that often rings out from the pages of Scripture.

We seem to take family videos very infrequently now, although our digital camera would allow us to do so.  The days of concerts, graduations, etc. are over for us until perhaps grandchildren come around.  Yet, whether captured on video or not, our days in 2011 are precious gifts that will pass all too quickly.  Let’s walk carefully, wisely, profitable, and guardedly in the year to come!

If it were just one clear, unmistakable line to be crossed, Sanford might not have ruined his marriage. But this gross sin, like all others, undoubtedly started in easy crossings of lines that seemed dotted rather than solid. Sometimes we don’t realize we’ve swum into a riptide until we’re pulled out to sea.

As one, however, who was caught in an actual riptide, the analogy has even more power.

For those who may not know, a riptide or rip current, is a strong channel of water flowing away from the shoreline, typically through the surf line. What did I learn from being caught in that “strong channel of water flowing away from the shoreline?”

First, I was overconfident in my ability to avoid danger. I grew up on Long Island and often swam in the ocean. Although the signs warned of a strong riptide, I thought I was an experienced ocean swimmer and could overcome any difficulty. My overconfidence led me to ignore the warning signs and overlook the danger. I soon was in big trouble. Further, I was not in as good a shape for swimming as I thought I was. I was much younger when I swam on Long Island! Much younger!

Pastors or any Christians for that matter are foolish to be overly confident in their ability to avoid serious sin. After mentioning a litany of things to which the Israelites succumbed, Paul warns in 1 Corinthians 10:12: “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” Paul warns us in verse I Corinthians 10:14 to “flee from idolatry.” “Fleeing” is the response of someone who is not overconfident in his or her ability to withstand temptation. Paul warns Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:22 to “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

Many Christians and perhaps even pastors today seem to be living life as close to the precipice as they can. They justify their behavior in the name of Christian liberty and anti-legalism. But my swim in the riptide taught me how easy it was to be smug about my ability to avoid danger.

Second, I learned that a riptide is deceptive. From a distance, you can see the riptide. Reading the warning sign as we approached the beach, I glanced up and saw the area of murky water that indicated its presence. But once in the waves, I lost track of where it was. One dive under a large wave and suddenly its powerful current had me in its grip.

I don’t believe David ever thought about the potential consequences of his sin with Bathsheba. His reign, his testimony, his family would never be the same. He would experience a time of terrible spiritual drought (Psalm 32; Psalm 51). Having that stolen time with Bathsheba seemed so good, so desirable, so deserved for a king! As Gov. Sanford experiences the wreckage of his marriage, the devastation of his children, the ending of his political career, and the “great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme” will he think his sin was worth it? Hardly! Just like a riptide, sin can be deceptive in its ability to deceive and destroy.

Third, it is harder, much harder to get out of a rip tide then you think. Olasky quotes the standard rule for escaping a riptide. He writes,

The riptide analogy: “If you’re caught in one and try to swim directly toward shore, you’ll just tire yourself out fighting against the riptide’s power-and you might drown. But if you keep your head and rely on God’s providential limiting of the riptide’s breadth, you’ll know that by swimming parallel to shore you can escape the water’s pull and make it home safely.”

I suppose that is good advice and about the only thing you can do when caught in a riptide. But by the time I was in the riptide, I was already tired. I did not seem to be making any progress swimming parallel to the shore. Further, the riptide was taking me further out and I wasn’t sure I would have the strength to swim back from such a long distance away. I made the stupid decision to try to swim toward shore. Unless you’ve been there, you don’t realize how powerful the impetus is to do the wrong thing.

So it is with sin. David was even willing to commit murder to cover up his sin. He tried everything he could do to avoid its consequences, piling sin upon more sin. When we grieve the Holy Spirit, He withdraws the sense of His guiding presence. It’s amazing how spiritually stupid we can quickly become! Succumbing to sin, we can quickly set in motion a series of poor decisions that brings us close to the point of drowning.

Fourth, my family was completely unaware that I was in danger. Sarah and Caleb were initially nearby, but soon the riptide pulled me quite far away from them. Carole was watching from shore, but watching them and not me. None had any idea that I was in danger!

We can hide the spiritual danger we are in from those closest to us, especially if they are not on the lookout for that danger. We have a word for it-compartmentalize. We can live in a secret world of sin and function reasonably well as a husband, father, or even as a pastor. We had better give our family permission to ask us hard questions and account for unusual behavior.

Well, I’m writing this article, so I must have survived the riptide. It brings me to the final lesson I learned from a riptide in Florida. Always swim where there is a lifeguard present! As I tried to swim toward shore without making any progress, I noticed that the lifeguard was looking in my direction. In fact, he had left his perch and was standing at the edge of the water looking intently at me. I had a choice at that point. I could keep trying to swim in my own strength or I could call out for help. Realizing I was in danger and not wanting to reach a point of total exhaustion, I waved for help. Almost immediately, another lifeguard swam up to me wearing fins. He had stationed himself in the riptide for just such a foolish swimmer. He told me to grab his shoulder as he swam me to shore. I tell you, it was a good feeling to stand on dry land!

The best thing is to stay entirely away from the riptide of sin. It is also good to swim with a lifeguard present. A lifeguard is someone who will hold you accountable and will not be afraid to ask you hard questions. I was embarrassed that I needed help swimming in the ocean but I needed help nonetheless. The lifeguard asked the necessary but embarrassing question. I do my best to avoid the riptide of sin but I also have an accountability partner who can ask me tough questions.

I appreciate Olasky’s analogy of a riptide. I’ll leave it to others to speculate on the state of Sanford’s walk with the Lord and whether he is repentant or not. But from my own experience I know that a riptide is nothing to fool with and you can certainly get into deep trouble in a riptide of sin.

He very adequately covers one of two great dangers facing the children of believers.  The one danger is being swept up by the world and becoming a modern day Prodigal.  The other danger that Kurt covers so well is the danger of becoming a young Pharisee.

I have seen it so often.  In the fear that their children will become prodigals, sometimes parents and youth workers focus too much on outward behavior.  Christian children catch the fortress mentality of their parents and become isolated and “above” those around them.  We have had a few situations where parents didn’t want kids from the community in Sunday School or youth group because such kids would pollute their kids.

Vibrant believers, young and old, will be passionate about introducing others to Christ.