(…continued) At about that same time, Cleo was dying of cancer. She never talked about it, but was always cheerful and upbeat. Folks knew she was sick, and some said she must be in denial. But Cleo wasn’t in denial. She knew she was dying, but she wanted to focus on living as long as she could, and not always be talking about her declining health. I knew Cleo was not in denial because she had her funeral all planned out. She had me come over one morning because she wanted me to tell me how to get it right. So, Cleo, her husband John, and I sat around their kitchen table and she told me what to do. And the text Cleo wanted for her sermon was Joshua 23:14. That verse is from Joshua’s farewell to the people just before his death, and he said: “Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you, (‘gave me,’ she added) has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.”
Now, someone might wonder why Cleo would select that verse. Here she was, 62 years old, and wasting away from a cancer that in a few months would result in a slow and agonizing death. John had recently retired and they had plans. But now their life together would be over. And she wanted me to preach about how every promise of God has been fulfilled and not one has failed. How did that fit her situation?
But when you think about it, Cleo was right. God never promised her, or any of us, a long life and the time to fulfill all our plans and dreams. God never promised that we would not face disappointment. God did not promise that we would never have to leave our loved ones behind. In fact, none of those things that Cleo would be missing out on were ever promised to her, or to any of us, by God.
What God has promised is the strength to meet each day, if we look to him; and Cleo was certainly staying strong. God promised comfort in the midst of even life’s greatest tragedies and suffering, if we believe in him; and Cleo certainly was experiencing that comfort even during this, the most terrible storm of her life. And most of all, Cleo was a firm believer in God’s promise of the life to come in that place where there would be no more cancer, no more disappointment, no more pain, no more tears, and no more death. With that confident belief in that eternal promise, she had no bitterness about missing out on a few more years here. Cleo had thought much about what she wanted said at her funeral, and she wanted everyone to know that things aren’t always as they seem. All of God’s promises for her had been fulfilled; not one failed her; just like Joshua said. As Paul wrote, “Look not to the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
We will all meet our own death one way or the other; too soon, or not soon enough, and that will be the biggest storm you will ever face.
Five years ago, my strong mother was facing her last storm. She had a stroke, got a bit better for a few years, and then faced a long, slow decline. After a while, she found that extremely frustrating, and was tired of it. Death was not coming at the right time for her. It was not soon enough. One day, on the way to the doctor, she asked me why we were going to the doctor again. I said “The doctor is just keeping an eye on a few things you have going on right now.” She then said, with a bit of irritation, “Well, if you and the doctor weren’t keeping such a close eye on me, I could be in heaven by now and done with all this misery.” And I said, “Yes, Mom, I understand. And you did sign that ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ paper, so when it is time, and Jesus is here for you, we will let you go home. We won’t call the doctor to try to keep you here any longer. But you have some things wrong with you that won’t end your life, but can make you even more miserable, and we want to keep you comfortable.” She said, “Okay, but don’t forget I am ready to go anytime.”
The disciples woke Jesus up because they were afraid of dying in that storm. And Jesus said, “Why are you afraid? Where is your faith?” In other words, don’t you know I am in the boat with you? My mother and Cleo had Jesus in the boat with them, and they were not afraid.
The disciples in the boat that night were afraid. On the surface, that was only natural. They could have died that night. But Jesus assured them that they did not have to be afraid, because he was in the boat with them. They could not help but be afraid of drowning and not ever seeing their loved ones again, but on a deeper level, they were still going to be all right. If we believe in Jesus, we have him with us; and one way or another– by healing, by rescuing, or by taking us home, Jesus will calm the storm.
Am I telling you anything new here today? You’ve maybe heard a couple stories you haven’t heard before, but otherwise, it’s the same old thing. You’ve all heard of John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him, should not perish but have eternal life.” That’s all I’ve been saying. Believe in Jesus and you’ll be all right. That’s enough, isn’t it? Sometimes the church is criticized for always being the same old thing. But the same old thing is fine with me. And it must be fine with you also, because you chose as your theme verse for this anniversary year Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ is THE SAME yesterday and today and forever.”
That means Jesus will still be here for you even when you are taken out to your spot in the Calvary Cemetery. For you, forever… even then. Amen.
***************************************
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging. –Psalm 46:1-3
*****************************
Protect me, dear Lord.
My boat is so small
And your sea is so big.
–Breton fisherman’s prayer
Related Posts
