Archive March 2010
Pizza Dreams
OK, after a week-long series about human suffering and several days of nursing a sick wife, I am in need of a bit of levity. So, humor me.
Since Cheryl has been under the weather and not having much of an appetite, it fell to me last night to fend for myself for dinner. Not having had a bite to eat all day long, I was getting hungry. The cupboard was a little bare and I decided to go in search of one of my favorite comfort foods – pizza! Since I would be eating alone and would not have a chance to do leftovers the next day, I thought I would try one of the many brands of frozen pizza that are on display in the local super.
I had not had frozen pizza for years. Now I remember why. It was horrible. The crust was mostly hard. and the pizza itself had a somewhat metallic taste that must have come from the funky little cardboard/foil contraption that the pizza sits on in the microwave. A quick Internet search of reviews pointed me to DiGiorno. So, if that was one of the better ones, then I thank God I didn’t try one of the lesser ones!
In case this ever comes up again, does anyone have any better suggestions? And, while we are talking pizza, what is your favorite take-away pizza (not sit down in a restaurant pizza). My three favorites at this moment are Minsky’s combo from the Main Street location south of The Plaza, Tim’s on 4o Highway and the deep dish Chicago style from Rosati’s on 103rd Street whenever I need to gain a couple of pounds.
More Thoughts on Illness
All week I have been sharing some thoughts on human suffering. Some of my readers have contributed wonderful thoughts both here in comments or on FaceBook. Let me offer one more post on some of the possible causes of human illness and suffering.
Most people have no problem accepting that something is terribly wrong in the cosmos. Wars, evil, horrible sickness, poverty, injustice, pain and suffering surround us. Even Nature is convulsed by earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, fire and flood. Why is this? Why would God allow this?
The short answer is sin. Not necessarily your sins or mine, but the sin of human kind, the consequence of disobedience to God’s truth. Perhaps the most succinct statement of this is in Romans 8:22 where the Apostle Paul says that all creation is groaning and suffering together waiting for God’s final redemption and the restoration of of all things.
Why wait? 2Peter 3 addresses this issue saying that God’s long-suffering is meant to give us opportunity to repent, change, by responding to his gracious offer of transformation based on death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This is all good theology, but how does this help us when we or our loved ones are suffering devastating illness?
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. (James 5:14-15)
Many focus on the anointing of oil as though there were some mysterious power in a ceremony. The word James uses for anoint, however, is one not normally used in ceremonial sense, but in practical application. Oils were a vital part of medicine in the first century, and it seems James speaks of making use of the best of medical science. Notice he then says it is the prayer of faith that saves the sick, not a ceremonial application of oil. There is nothing wrong, though, with a ceremonial application of oil accompanied by prayer as a symbolic reminder of the power of God’s Spirit, something I have done many times.
Here are six brief reasons I can come up with for God’s purposes in our illness. I don’t claim to have all the answers and sometimes it may be a combination of reasons, some of which we may never fully understand.
- Violation of natural law. Poor eating choices, for example, can wreak havoc on the human body.
- Sin. Sometimes illness might be the direct consequence of sinful disobedience (Exodus 15:26).
- Satanic attack. This is what Job experienced within the sovereignty and determined parameters of God (Job 2:7). This opens an area that often extends far beyond our comprehension. Other examples: Matthew 9:32; 12:22; Luke 9:37-41; 11:14; 13:11-16
- As an instrument of God’s love and purposes in our lives. Paul’s thorn in the flesh is one such example (2Corinthians 12:7).
- To bring glory to God, as in the case of the blind man in John 9:1-3
- To get those he loves to Heaven (Psalm 116:15).
These reasons have been a comfort to me through the years. I have learned, though, that we will never reduce God to a formula or “figure him out.” Ultimately, we love him because he first loved us (1John 4:19). This is the foundation of our trust in him despite adverse circumstances.
When God is Late
Yet when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days. – John 11:6
This whole theme of hurting people continues to hold me captive.
You know the above verse, don’t you? Jesus had just received word that his friend was sick. You would think that he would hurry on his way to heal him. He did not. He stayed put for two whole days until Lazarus was good and dead. Why in the world would he do that!
Lazarus’ sister Martha articulated the emotion we have all experienced. “Lord, if you would have come, my brother wouldn’t have died.” Martha was probably questioning Jesus’ love for her brother. The real issue was not a lack of love, but the completion of God’s purposes.
How many times have we said or felt like saying something similar?
Os Hillman comments on this passage.
God often has to delay His work in us in order to accomplish something for His purposes that can be achieved only in the delay. Jesus had to let Lazarus die in order for the miracle that was about to take place to have its full effect. If Jesus had simply healed a sick man, the impact of the miracle would not have been as newsworthy as resurrecting a man who had been dead for four days. This is Jesus’ greatest “public relations act” of His whole ministry. What many do not realize is that the key to the whole story is in the next chapter.
Many people, because they had heard that He had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet Him. So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!” (John 12:18-19)
If Jesus had not raised Lazarus from the dead, there would have been no crowds to cheer the Lord when He came into Jerusalem riding on a donkey.
God often sets the stage so that His glory is revealed through the events that He orchestrates. He did this with Moses and Pharaoh, allowing delay after delay for release of the Israelites from Egypt. He did this with Abraham and Sarah for the promised child, Isaac. God granted Sarah a baby past the age of childbearing in order to demonstrate His power.
I have many questions without answers. Why does God heal this one but not that one? Why did this one have to die? Why now? Did it have to be this way?
The reality is that God alone has all the answers and he owes me none. So, I suppose I’m right back to Zak’s concluding statement in his video testimony – “If God chooses to heal me, God is still God and God is still good. If God chooses not to heal me … then God is still God and God is still good.”
Follow Up on Hurting
It seems I hit a nerve last night with the posting on Zak’s story. Sincere thanks to those of you who shared your thoughts and comments here and on FaceBook. I especially loved these poignant words by Vickie, who commented on her sister’s loss of her young husband to cancer: [her ministry to her husband] has shown me the inhumanity of cancer and the humanity of the ones that love the stricken. Thanks for that, Vickie.
Recently, we lost a beloved staff member to cancer way before we were ready to turn loose of her. I was just on FaceBook following the story of some distant cousins of mine whose infant son is fighting for his life. Every Monday our staff meets for prayer, and not a time goes but what we are asking God to intervene in the lives of those who are ill. Sometimes God chooses to heal miraculously and at other times he uses illness to accomplish his purposes in other ways. I think I’ll make some comments about that maybe tomorrow.
Right now, Vickie’s words remind me of how important it is for us to offer a touch of humanity to those who are hurting. Last night two Muslim men confined to wheelchairs, recent immigrants, came to our prayer ministry. A wonderful couple in our church is mentoring them through their adjustment to life in our culture. I met them recently in a lunch we sponsored for a number of such folks that are being mentored by volunteers from our church in cooperation with the Jewish Vocational Services. Others prayed with them throughout the course of the evening. At the conclusion, I thought it important that I reach out to them, too. I went first to one, then the other, and asked if I might pray a blessing over them. As I prayed, each gripped my hand tightly and began to weep. They couldn’t even understand everything I said. They simply felt the human touch. As I concluded my prayer, one of the men, still weeping cried out to Isa (Jesus) and then kissed my hand.
I was leaving the office in a hurry this afternoon and greeted a couple sitting in the waiting area as I walked by. I was briefly detained by a staff member asking a question. Continuing my walk, the man from the waiting area was now beside me asking if he could talk as I walked.
“Sure,” I said as I continued my pace.
“My daughter was the one killed in that car crash Sunday at (he gave me the intersection). She wasn’t officially a member here, nor are we. But we attend from time to time and wanted to see about having her service here. Her sisters attend here also.”
I stopped dead in my tracks.
“I saw you and thought maybe you could put in a good word for us.”
“Come with me,” I said, reversing my course and headed back into the office to personally connect them with the right party.
“I know you are a busy man and I don’t want to keep from what you have to do.”
“Look,” I said, “there is absolutely nothing in my life that is even as remotely important as what you are dealing with right now.”
He choked back tears; we continued our trajectory toward the office.
Nothing I mentioned above was a sacrifice or cost me anything, not even much time. The effect of a human touch in every case was priceless. I would like to say I have always been so sensitive to people in need. I’m ashamed to say that I have not.
I am learning, though, that people all around me are hurting. I used to worry that I would not know what to say. I still don’t know what to say. Most of the time it’s best not to say much at all, but it’s simply the human touch empowered by the Spirit of God that ministers to the hurting heart. To paraphrase the famous quotation from Francis of Assisi, “When people are hurting, preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.”
God is Still God and God is Still Good
Monday and Tuesday found me in Springfield, Missouri speaking to a group of pastors from surrounding states and to students at a Bible College. I had not been on the campus of this particular campus for years, but I was pleased to discover a couple of friends from many years ago, including the college president whom I had last seen in a similar position in Boston. I love being around students and I love to reconnect with old friends.
Another person with whom I reconnected was a man named Jim Smith. No, that’s really his name. His father was also named Jim Smith, and was sent out from our church as a missionary to Mexico in the early 50′s. All of his ten children faithfully serve God. His namesake ended up ministering for many years in Quito, Ecuador. The amazing Rachel Saint was a member of his church in her later years, and it was my joy to meet her there and enjoy dinner in her home. When I was last with Jim and his wife Sharon in Quito, his children, Zack and Stacy were still at home. Great kids! Jim is now a mission executive and Sharon also works in the office.
Jim and I exchanged a good Latin abrazo and relished the moment of seeing each other again after so many years. Jim is an upbeat, pleasant man who is very comfortable wearing a smile most of the time. We caught up on a number of life’s details.
Zach is married, has three children and living in Anderson, South Carolina, Jim told me.
His next words were like a surprise kick in the gut.
Zach has stage 4 colon cancer and will probably die in the next few months.
I hurt because my brother was hurting. I stopped and prayed for them right then and there. Do you every pray when you have no idea what to say?
Then, we walked across the street to Sharon’s office so I could pray over them again without knowing what to say except to commend them to the grace of a loving God.
Zach tells his story on YouTube and it’s pretty powerful.