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Journey with us through the slums and brothels of India

June 10, 2013 by Derrick Garland Coy

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Sometimes our minds go numb or blank when faced with staggering statistics. For example, according to UNICEF, there are over 150 million destitute and exploited children in South Asia, some as young as four years old, who are forced to work in the most deplorable and inhuman conditions.

Does that information concern or affect you?

Probably not, especially if you live in relative comfort and safety and have no personal reference to India or other South Asian countries through which to filter that information.

Imagine, then, that you’re so poor and destitute that you’re forced to hand over—or sell into slavery—your young son or daughter to beg, labor in a hazardous sweat shop, factory, pickpocket ring, or to be used and abused by sex traffickers.

Still can’t imagine that scenario?

Then let’s journey to Calcutta through the eyes and camera lens of Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman who spent over two years there making the Oscar-winning documentary about children living in the slum brothels of that city.

Get to know eight of these children through the love and compassion of Zana, a British photographer and filmmaker who taught them the art of photography and tried to inspire in them hope for a better future beyond the brothels.

Capture their excitement as they learn to use their cameras to see beyond the grime and poverty of their environment and to experience the joy at seeing their photographs displayed in galleries in New York and Amsterdam.

But agonize with them as you see the forces of evil that would try to keep them from getting out of the slums and the brothels, even forces such as their own mothers who want the girls to join them in prostitution.

I encourage you to take the time to watch this documentary, Born into Brothels, (rated R) and meet these boys and girls—Kochi, Shanti, Avijit, Suchitra, Manik, Gour, Puja, and Tapasi.

*****

If you watched the stories of these eight children to the end, I hope that you are moved enough to want to do something about the plight of children like them. While we cannot make an impact on the 150 million children in crisis as a whole, we can begin to change individual lives—one at a time.

That’s why I’d like to introduce you to GFA Bridge of Hope, the children’s outreach ministry of Gospel for Asia International. This ministry is improving the lives of South Asia’s poorest children through education, physical assistance, and the Good News of Jesus.

Gospel for Asia International has been able to rescue over 60,000 children from a life of bondage and enroll them in more than 480 GFA Bridge of Hope Centers throughout South Asia. Their goal is to minister to at least 500,000 children within a few short years.

Here’s how you can help:

1. Log on to the GFA Bridge of Hope website at http://nolongeraslumdog.org, and learn how this ministry is transforming the lives of children, their families, and their communities. View the various video clips that tell the stories of some of the children, and while you are on the website, order your free copy of No Longer a Slumdog: Bringing Hope to Children in Crisis, the book that features incredible stories of children who are finding new lives and transformation through the ministry of GFA Bridge of Hope.Screen Shot 2013-06-10 at 10.47.43 AM

You can also log on to the Gospel for Asia website at http://www.gfa.org and get a more comprehensive view and scope of this multifaceted ministry. Explore the pages, links, photos, and videos, and get to know K.P. Yohannan, the founder of the ministry, and the amazing work that he and thousands of his national missionaries are doing throughout South Asia.

2. As you view these two websites, please pray and consider whether God is leading you to support this ministry among the children of South Asia.

Help by sponsoring a child:

You can sponsor a child by giving $35 a month for that child to attend a Bridge of Hope Center where he or she will get everything needed for a better future—education, school supplies, a daily meal, medical checkups, and Christian nurturing. 100% of your sponsorship is sent to the field to support the child that you choose.

I hope that you will join me in supporting through our sponsorship this dynamic ministry of Gospel for Asia, especially GFA Bridge of Hope and its redeeming work with children in crisis.

“Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me . . . Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.“ –Jesus, Matthew 18:5; 19:14

Posted in 10/40 Window, Children, India, Mission, Save the Children, The Poor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments »

The bad news/good news about what’s happening with the church

May 23, 2013 by Derrick Garland Coy

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The condition of the church around the world is both troubling and encouraging, both dismal and dynamic.

The bad news—Attendance is declining:

Surveys by various respected institutions over the past ten years show that church attendance is declining in the developed regions (also known as the Global North) of the world—U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

Following is a partial summary of findings that I’ve culled from some of the surveys (see end notes):

• Around 17% of Americans attend church on any given week – not the 40% that some polls show. The discrepancy is in the “halo effect”—the socially desirable behavior that people tell pollsters that they do, and what they actually do.

• Church attendance in Australia, New Zealand, and Europe is between 2% to 8% of the population.

• Each year approximately 4,000 new churches are opened in the U.S., but around 7,000 churches close, a net loss of 3,000 churches per year.

• American church attendance is steadily declining and is falling behind the country’s population growth. A net gain of at least 10,000 new churches per year is needed to keep up with U.S. population growth.

• Declining churches continue to decline; growing churches continue to grow: Mid-sized churches (100-299 attendees) are shrinking; the smallest (less than 50 attendees) and largest churches (2,000 plus attendees) are growing. The average sized Protestant church has about 124 attendees.

• Most church growth comes from people who leave one church to join another. Very few new attendees or members can be attributed to new converts.

• 50% of U.S. churches did not reach any new person for Christ in the last two years.

There is also bad news in the American pastoral ranks:

• About 1,500 pastors leave the ministry each month due to stress, spiritual burnout, conflicts within their churches, or moral failure.

• 50% are so discouraged that if they had another vocation or way of earning a living, they would leave the ministry.

• 85% feel unqualified or poorly prepared for the realities of ministry.

• At least 60% of seminary and Bible school graduates leave the ministry within five years of taking their first church job.

• As much as 75% of pastors struggle with depression, worry, anger, fear, or alienation.

• 70% feel grossly underpaid.

• 90% put in 50 to 60 hours of work each week.

• 80% feel that pastoral ministry affects their family negatively.

• 40% have had an extra-marital affair while in ministry.

• 25% are divorced; 50% will end in in divorce.

• 80% spend less than 15 minutes a day in prayer.

• 70% said that the only time they spend studying God’s Word is when they are preparing their sermons.

• Only 13-51% of pastors—depending on their denominations—believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

If you’re troubled by all the bad news, don’t despair; there is also good news that will hopefully lift your spirit.

The good news—Believers are still faithful:

Despite the falling away by many people from the church (illustrated by Jesus in his parable of the sower and the seed in Matthew 13:1-23), many others remain faithful to life within the fellowship and community of the church.

These are the believers—the “good soil”—in whose hearts the seed of the Word of God was planted and is flourishing into a huge harvest of “thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted.“(Matt. 13:23, NLT)

These are the Christian believers who are maturing in their faith and whose numbers are growing because their pastors, lay leaders, and regular members have consistently shared the Gospel with neighbors and strangers and ministered to the poor, the hurting, the sick, and the lost, and have led individuals to salvation in Jesus Christ.

These are the believers who understand that the future of the church is secure, for Jesus Christ is both the foundation (Acts 4:11, 12; 1 Cor. 3:11) and the head (Eph. 5:23) of the church, and he promises that nothing, not even the powers of Hell, can destroy his church (Matt. 16:18).

They understand that they are the “living stones” of the spiritual house of God (1 Pet. 2:5) with Jesus Christ as their “chief corner stone,” their Lord and Savior, and his Holy Spirit lives in them.

They demonstrate their commitment to following Christ by studying his Word, living by his teachings, obeying the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and growing to spiritual maturity and holiness through his grace and forgiveness.

And they are part of the estimated 856.4 million individuals who, according to a 2010 survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, continue to follow Jesus Christ in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, and account for 39.2% of the world Christian population.

More good news—The church is thriving in the Global South:

God’s church is also growing, even thriving, in the “Global South”—the developing regions of Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia-Pacific, and even to some extent in the Middle East and North Africa.

• In 1900, Korea had no Protestant church. Today, there are over 14 million Christians in South Korea. The city of Seoul alone has more than 7,000
congregations, with some having over 10,000 members.

• At the end of the 19th Century, the southern portion of Africa was only
3% Christian. Today, there are over 516.4 million Christians, accounting for 63% of the population in ten countries (Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, Angola, and Madagascar). It’s estimated that 34,000 people per day are being added to the church.

• In India, 14 million of the 140 million members of the “untouchable”
caste or Dalits—the poorest and most discriminated level of Indian society—have become Christians.

• More people in the Islamic world have come to faith in Christ during the last 25 years than in the entire history of Christian missions among the Muslims. Many of these people came to faith in Jesus Christ after he appeared to them in dreams and visions. The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life reported that in 2010 there were 12.8 million Christians in the Middle East/North Africa region, consisting of 3.8% of the population.

• In Islamic Indonesia, the percentage of Christians is now so high
(around 15%) that the Muslim government will no longer print
statistics on Christians and the church.

• In China, it is estimated that there are now more self-avowed disciples
of Jesus (67 million) than members of the Communist party. Even the most conservative estimates suggest that China will soon have more Christians than any country in the world.

• Across the globe, followers of Jesus are increasing by more than 80,000 per day, led mostly through the witness of native Christians rather than by Western missionaries.

• Around 510 new churches are formed every day, most of them in the homes of believers, inspired by Jesus’ words, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matt. 18:20, KJV)

• Produced by Campus Crusade for Christ, the 1979 film, JESUS, has been translated into 1,145 languages, shown in over 200 countries in the peoples’ own languages, with the result that more than 200 million men, women, and children have made decisions to follow Jesus Christ.

According to the 2010 survey by the Pew Forum, all these new converts are part of the estimated 1.3 billion individuals who claim Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior in Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and North Africa, and account for 60.8% of the world Christian population.

As we look at the growth of the church over more than 2,000 years, we are now seeing that believers are living and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world, obeying Jesus’ Great Commission to:

“. . . go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit . . . And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:19, 20, NLT)

I cannot help but think—and hope—that the end of the age is near and that Jesus will soon be returning for his bride, the Church, for he has promised, “Yes, I am coming soon!” (Rev. 22:20, NLT)

And, like the Apostle John, I can only respond, “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!”

****

____________________________

Church decline information came from: “ ‘Nones’ on the Rise: One-in-Five Adults Have No Religious Affiliation,” by The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life; The National Council of Churches; 2011 Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches; The Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, a 2005 study by Hadaway, Marler, and Chaves; The Barna Group; David Olson, The American Church in Crisis; Internet search.
Information on pastors came from the Barna Group; Focus on the Family; Fuller Theological Seminary; Christianity Today; Internet search.
Global North and Global South information came from: The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life; Philip Jenkins, The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity; Dan Meyer, Witness Essentials; The Mission Department, Bel Air Presbyterian Church; Campus Crusade for Christ; Fuller Theological Seminary; The Outreach Foundation; Christianity Today; The William Carey School of World Mission; Internet search.

Posted in The Church | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

When doubts about our life and effectiveness trouble us

May 11, 2013 by Derrick Garland Coy

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None of us has escaped those passages of life during which we are troubled, confused, drained of all vitality and direction, or plagued by self-doubt and ineffectiveness.

Recently I have been suffering from writer’s block as I try to work on both a novel and this blog. Among the doubts that seem to be blocking my efforts to write are: Am I good enough? Do I have anything significant to say? Will people read what I write? Will my writing inspire people to journey with Jesus Christ? Will my life or my work for Christ matter?

I was therefore encouraged when I came across I Corinthians 15:58:

“So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.” (New Living Translation, NLT)

This verse comes at the end of the 15th chapter in which the Apostle Paul responds to critics who claim that the resurrection of Christ is a lie and that the Christian faith is empty and useless.

Paul reminds the Christians at Corinth that:

• The resurrection was factual—that Jesus was crucified and died for our sins, that he was buried in a tomb, that God raised him to life on the third day, that he was seen by Peter and the disciples as well as over 500 people, including James, the brother of Jesus, and Paul himself. (I Cor. 15:1-10)

• Because Jesus was raised from the dead, all who are related to Jesus by faith will also be raised from the dead. (verse 22)

• Because Jesus overcame death and ascended into heaven with a new heavenly body, all who are in Jesus Christ will also be resurrected with new bodies fit for his heavenly kingdom. (verses 42-53)

• Because of Jesus’ resurrection, death is no longer a source of dread or fear for those who follow him, for he has defeated death and gives us hope and assurance for life beyond the grave. (verses 54-56)

For all these reasons, Paul insists that nothing we do is useless in light of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we have each been called to share the good news of his life and resurrection in all areas of our lives, and we should not be discouraged during those passages of life when we are troubled, confused, drained of all vitality and direction, or plagued by self-doubt.

Instead, Paul encourages us to be strong, steadfast, and enthusiastic in all that we do—for it is by remembering and celebrating Christ’s resurrection that we find meaning , strength, and reason to face the challenges of our lives.

We should not worry about the results of what we do for Christ, for that’s up to our Lord. Our responsibility is to be obedient to the Lord and to the tasks or call that he has given each one of us.

It is enough for us to be assured that nothing that we do for him is useless or in vain.

Posted in Doubts, Resurrection | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments »

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the greatest of us all?

April 12, 2013 by Derrick Garland Coy

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When Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis in March 2013, I was struck by the fact that this humble Jesuit priest, who lived a simple life and was dedicated to serving the poor, had suddenly been elected to one of the most powerful positions in the world—head of the Roman Catholic Church and the spiritual leader of an estimated 1.2 billion Roman Catholics worldwide.

Bergoglio never sought positions of power, prestige, or greatness, for he was committed as a Jesuit to poverty, chastity, evangelism, and to following the teachings of Jesus Christ. And yet he was entrusted with higher positions and responsibilities throughout his ministry, rising from lowly priest to bishop, archbishop, cardinal, and then pope.

If we consider the most powerful leaders in the world today, we soon realize that very few of them reached where they are today by being humble, living simply, or by being dedicated to the poor.

Most got where they are by aggressively pursuing personal success—the type measured by society’s standards of wealth, fame, power, and prestige. Many were selfish, arrogant, and clawed their way to the top at the expense of others.

But Jesus turns these values of the world upside down, and warns all of us who would follow him:

“The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:11-12, New Living Translation, NLT)

When the disciples erroneously thought that Jesus was about to establish a political kingdom on earth, they argued among themselves about who was the greatest and who would get the most prominent positions of leadership and authority in his new kingdom (Mark 9:33-34).

And even the mother of James and John, Jesus’ cousins, petitioned Jesus to assign her sons to places of honor beside him (Matthew 20:20-21).

Jesus told her that such positions were not his to give, but his Father’s. And to his disciples Jesus gave a new perspective of greatness—servant leadership:

“You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matt. 20:25-28, NLT)

Like the disciples, we all yearn to live meaningful and significant lives, perhaps even lives of greatness. But true greatness, Jesus teaches, comes only by joyfully and humbly serving God and lovingly doing things for others.

Each of us can be truly great in our present station of life—in our homes, jobs, careers, schools, colleges, or other areas—if we follow Jesus’ example of humility, selflessness, and service.

Society might try to convince us that self-aggrandizement is the way to achieve power, wealth, fame, and greatness, but such achievements will ultimately prove temporary, empty, and without eternal value, for, as Jesus asks:

“How do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process?” (Mark 8:36, NLT)

Jesus promises that if we become servants in his name, we will receive both earthly rewards and eternal life (Matthew 19:29), and he adds:

“But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.” (Matthew 19:30, NLT)

So, each of us must ask, “Who am I now? And who will I be then?”

Posted in Humility, Servant leadership, Servanthood, Service | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Three inspiring hymns to prepare our hearts for Easter

March 22, 2013 by Derrick Garland Coy

Here are three hymns whose words and music will help you prepare your heart, mind, and spirit throughout Easter week. Listen to them several times over the next few days and linger over the lyrics, allowing the Lord to speak to you through the words and melodies.

***

The first hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” was written by the prolific English hymn composer Isaac Watts in 1707 as a way of expressing his heartfelt thanks for the amazing love of Christ who willingly died for our sins on the cross. Isaac’s words and music have proven to be timeless and inspiring to Christian believers for more than three hundred years:

When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the prince of glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
save in the death of Christ, my God;
all the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood.

See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were an offering far too small;
love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.

***

The second, “What Wondrous Love Is This,” is an early American folk hymn that was first sung by worshipers in the Appalachian region of our country between the late 1800s and early 1900s, and then published in a hymnal in 1835. The author and composer are unknown.

May these simply stated lyrics and plaintive tune minister to you as you consider the depth of Christ’s love for us as he bore our sins on the cross.

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul,
what wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
when I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down;
when I was sinking down beneath God’s righteous frown,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul!

To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing,
to God and to the Lamb I will sing!
To God and the Lamb, who is the great “I AM,”
while millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing,
while millions join the theme, I will sing.

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on!
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be,
and through eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
and through eternity I’ll sing on!

***

The third hymn, “The Power of the Cross” was written in 2005 by Keith Getty, from Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Stuart Townend, a British songwriter and worship leader. They write and compose modern hymns that are theologically rich and teach the Christian faith in a style of music that unites people of different traditions and generations. Keith and his wife, Kristyn, presently live and perform in the U.S.

Oh, to see the dawn
of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
torn and beaten, then
nailed to a cross of wood.

CHORUS:
This, the pow’r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
took the blame, bore the wrath-
we stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain
written on Your face,
bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Ev’ry bitter thought,
ev’ry evil deed
crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees;
now the ground beneath
quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
dead are raised to life;
“Finished!” the vict’ry cry.

Oh, to see my name
written in the wounds,
for through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death;
life is mine to live,
won through Your selfless love.

FINAL CHORUS:
This, the pow’r of the cross:
Son of God–slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.

***

May these hymns draw you close to our Lord and Savior and prepare you for your own spiritual journey through Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the glorious celebration on Easter Sunday. And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus bless you abundantly.

Posted in Easter, Good Friday, Holy Week, Hymns, The Cross | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Reflections of ourselves in a little red-faced liar

March 11, 2013 by Derrick Garland Coy

This video of three-year-old Johnny lying to his mother went viral on the Internet after she posted it on YouTube. “I saw this as a sweet moment,” the mother said, “something that every child goes through…where they try to push the boundaries to see how far they can go.”

While little Johnny is cute and we smile and chuckle at his denials despite the glaring evidence of red sprinkles on his face, this video reminds us not only of how children are capable of lying at an early age but how we, as adults, continue to lie.

Our lies range from little “white” lies, half-truths, exaggerations, and denials, to major falsehoods. Some lies seem harmless, with few consequences. Other lies go hidden for years, and then are suddenly exposed in a glaring public manner, destroying careers, marriages, families, reputations, and lives.

We see the effects of lies by politicians, entertainers, athletes, corporate executives, and even among the clergy—for example:

• The devastating effects of Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme on thousands of investors who lost their life savings

• The hundreds of thousands of deaths and casualties as a result of the “weapons of mass destruction” lies that led to the Iraq war

• The traumatized lives of young men and women who were sexually abused as children by priests and the subsequent cover-up by church leaders

Knowing how lies can destroy relationships, lives, and organizations, the apostle Paul admonished Christians in both the Colossian and Ephesian churches:

“Don’t lie to each other…” (Colossians 3:9, New living Translation, NLT)

“…put away all falsehood and tell your neighbor the truth…” (Ephesians 4: 25, NLT)

Paul points out that lying is part of our old sinful nature, along with anger, rage, malicious behavior, dirty language, sexual sin, lust, impurity, and shameful desires, all of which need to be put to death within us now that we have been raised to new life with Jesus Christ (Col. 3:1-11, NLT).

In place of our old nature, Paul reminds us,

“…you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you. In this new life…Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

“Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

“Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other… And whatever you say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father. “ (Col. 3:10-12, 16-17, NLT)

We must not only speak truth to each other and maintain the unity of fellowship within the body of Christ, but just as importantly, Paul says:

“Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone.” (Col. 4:5-6, NLT)

As brothers and sisters in whom Christ dwells, let us commit ourselves to being people of truth and gracious words, and where we have failed to be such, may we be willing to confess our sin and make amends where possible.

Little Johnny was unwilling to confess to his mother. But we know that if we confess our sin to our heavenly father, “he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.” (1 John 1:9, NLT)

****

Posted in Lies, Truth, Words | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Not afraid of where he’s going

February 5, 2013 by Derrick Garland Coy

That was the title of a Los Angeles Times article announcing the release of Kris Kristofferson’s new CD, “Feeling Mortal,” in which the 76-year-old actor/singer/songwriter looks unflinchingly in the face of death and is comfortable with what he sees.

Kris Kristofferson

Kris Kristofferson

For instance, in Kristofferson’s opening track from which he pulls his album title, he writes:

Here today and gone tomorrow
That’s the way it’s got to be
With an empty blue horizon
For as far as I can see

In the same track Kristofferson wonders if he is where he ought to be (presumably in his relationship with God), thanks God for making him the kind of man he turned out to be (faults and all), and then ends the song with an expression of satisfaction:

Soon or later I’ll be leaving
I’m a winner either way
For the laughter and the loving
That I’m living with today

Randy Lewis, the writer of the article, states that despite Kristofferson’s outstanding legacy in country-western music and rock and roll, mainstream radio programmers most likely would not give much airplay to “Feeling Mortal,” the implication being that listeners do not want to be reminded of their own mortality.

But what is likely true for radio listeners and society at large should not be true for those of us who follow Jesus Christ. We should not be afraid of where we are going.

And where are we going when we die? We’re going immediately into the presence of Jesus Christ, fully aware of our savior and ourselves.

The apostle Paul expresses it this way:

So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. That is why we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.
–2 Corinthians 5:6-8 (New Living Translation, NLT)

Or, as the New King James Version (NKJV) translates verse 8:

We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

And in his letter to the Philippian Church, Paul expresses his conflicting desires between living and dying:

For to me, living is for Christ, and dying is even better. Yet, if I live, that means fruitful service for Christ. I really don’t know which is better. I am torn between two desires: Sometimes I want to live, and sometimes I long to go and be with Christ. That would be far better for me, but it is better for you that I live. – Philippians 1:21-24 (NLT)

Paul longs for death because it is the gateway into the glorious presence and eternal life of Christ himself.

Paul understands that life and death, the present and the future, are gifts from God to us who follow Jesus Christ. The gift of death is only the beginning of eternal life with God. (1 Corinthians 3:21-23)

Like Paul, we are also torn between this life and going home to be with the Lord. We want to live long, healthy, and happy lives, enjoying our families and loved ones, and accomplishing our goals and dreams. And although we know that death is inevitable, we are reluctant to leave loved ones behind, and we fear that someday no one will remember us.

While some of us are enjoying financial success, fulfilling careers, beautiful homes, and happy families, and are in no hurry to go home to be with the Lord, there are others of us who are struggling with pain, illnesses, financial hardships, and a host of problems that so suck the vitality out of living that death might indeed seem like a welcome gift that leads us into a new life free from sorrow and pain.

Jesus experienced both grief and joy at his own impending death. He agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane, telling his disciples, “my soul is crushed with grief to the point of death . . .” for he was about to take upon himself the sins of the entire human race (Matthew 26:38).

Yet Jesus ultimately faced his death joyfully, for he knew that his upcoming death was the doorway that would take him back to God and the glory they shared before all creation (John 17:5), so he submitted to God’s will (Matthew 26:42) and endured his crucifixion “because of the joy he knew would be his afterward” (Hebrews 12:2, NLT).

His death and resurrection make it possible for us to pass from death to life, from our temporary home on earth to our real and eternal home that our Father has prepared for us in heaven (John 14:2-3).

That is why we, who have committed our lives to following Christ, must evaluate our lives and live each day from the perspective of eternity. Wherever we are in life—whether we are young in age or young in our faith, whether we’re going through our mid-life journey or facing our senior years—we are called to live joyfully each day because we are not afraid of where we’re going!

Hear, then, the words and sentiment of another country and western singer, Tim McGraw, as he encourages us to “Live like you were dying.”

Posted in Dying, Eternal Life, heaven, Living | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

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