A friend of mine, Lisa Moorehead, has just begun a new blog. It's titled "Surviving Life...In loving memory of Ben". For any parent who has ever felt the crushing loss of a child, or whose child is one deeply chained by an addiction, this let's you know you are not alone. The blog is to document Lisa's journey through this process. I would highly recommend it to you at www.lisamoorehead1.blogspot.com.
The story is as old as time. Adam and Eve lost their son, Abel. Eli lost his sons, Hophni and Phinehas. King David lost his son, Absalom. But these all pale to the willing sacrifice of God's own son, Jesus. Can you imagine the pain and suffering, even knowing the outcome, that God must have gone through, watching and crying through each drop of blood spilled?
Because of that, I think God feels deeply for others that have lost a child as well. He understands the pain, and wants to be there through the process of healing. There are no miracles to get someone through, but there is always His love. It can be tough trying to accept that love, sometimes even blaming God Himself for the loss, but even in our anger, He waits to love us through.
If you, or someone you know, has gone through this, please check out Lisa's blog. Thanks!
Monday, May 22, 2017
Friday, May 12, 2017
One Minute After You Die
"Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed."
- 1st Corinthians 15:51-52
The other day, I saw a tract in the bathroom at work with the title "One Minute After You Die". I did not read it (I'm not in the habit of picking up things left in the bathroom!), but it did set me to thinking. There are several ideas on what happens at death, and I'd like to look at a few here.
One is that death is final and forever. Gone, Kaput, Bye-Bye, Worm food. When the physical self ceases to be, all thought, dreams, likes, dislikes and wants will all end with it. Anything that made up who you were (personality, creativity, your true essence) is forever gone. Not a fan of this mode of thought.
Another is like that, but states that brain activity continues for a short time after death. This would allow for the near-death experiences we hear of, the white light being the electrical impulses still traveling the neurons. Seeing family and friends our memories acting as dreams for one last time. But in the end, the result here is the same as before. Gone. Also not a fan.
Some will admit to the existence of a soul, but believe that soul is reincarnated (comes back) into a different body after death, leaving at most, trace elements of the life it led before. Eventually, when a soul reaches perfection, is sent heavenward. While this would greatly reduce Heavenly overcrowding, what happens to the lives of all those who went before the final reincarnation, each life different and unique? Seems a waste. Not a fan.
So, my thoughts? I think the soul goes on, but that it is separate and unique, just as we are all separate and unique. I believe the soul is eternal, because it is how we are created in God's image, in Spirit. We are also created in His image in body, though, in that He came down to earth in human form. So...what now?
We are told to worship with all our "heart, soul and might". (Deut. 6:5) Mentally, spiritually, physically. Because what happens in one area, will affect the others. In that "One Minute After", I imagine our souls are going to look pretty battered and bruised. But then the unimaginable happens. "We shall be changed". Not from who we are, but INTO who we were meant to be. The personality, the memories, the character, all enhanced by God's gracious love. Made pure, by His Holy Breath, just as we were given life in creation by His Breath. In that "One Minute After", we shall see God as He truly is, and be seen as who we truly are. And the new bodies created to house the perfected souls shall be imperishable. Perfection, without weakness or sickness. Perfect houses for perfected souls.
Your thoughts may differ on the matter. As always, these are "my" Thoughts and Musings. There is even debate on when that change may happen, at death or at Jesus' return. But think on this. On any of the first three, whatever you do, say or think, will eventually be of no consequence. Those things that make you "you" will be gone. If, however, you feel the soul DOES go on, then everything you do to nurture it continues on for eternity. Every act of kindness, thoughtful words, or simple sharing of yourself is carried on forever. And EVEN should that be wrong, your doing so leaves the world a better place.
But it's not wrong. And your soul deserves the care of Christ. Because you are His, not as slaves, but as brothers and sisters. God's own, loved children. Let Him love you deeply, richly, as he so desperately wants to do. Then, love each other as He loves you.
(And if you SHOULD be reincarnated, I hope you never come back as the third verse of a hymn. Those things NEVER get sung!)
- 1st Corinthians 15:51-52
The other day, I saw a tract in the bathroom at work with the title "One Minute After You Die". I did not read it (I'm not in the habit of picking up things left in the bathroom!), but it did set me to thinking. There are several ideas on what happens at death, and I'd like to look at a few here.
One is that death is final and forever. Gone, Kaput, Bye-Bye, Worm food. When the physical self ceases to be, all thought, dreams, likes, dislikes and wants will all end with it. Anything that made up who you were (personality, creativity, your true essence) is forever gone. Not a fan of this mode of thought.
Another is like that, but states that brain activity continues for a short time after death. This would allow for the near-death experiences we hear of, the white light being the electrical impulses still traveling the neurons. Seeing family and friends our memories acting as dreams for one last time. But in the end, the result here is the same as before. Gone. Also not a fan.
Some will admit to the existence of a soul, but believe that soul is reincarnated (comes back) into a different body after death, leaving at most, trace elements of the life it led before. Eventually, when a soul reaches perfection, is sent heavenward. While this would greatly reduce Heavenly overcrowding, what happens to the lives of all those who went before the final reincarnation, each life different and unique? Seems a waste. Not a fan.
So, my thoughts? I think the soul goes on, but that it is separate and unique, just as we are all separate and unique. I believe the soul is eternal, because it is how we are created in God's image, in Spirit. We are also created in His image in body, though, in that He came down to earth in human form. So...what now?
We are told to worship with all our "heart, soul and might". (Deut. 6:5) Mentally, spiritually, physically. Because what happens in one area, will affect the others. In that "One Minute After", I imagine our souls are going to look pretty battered and bruised. But then the unimaginable happens. "We shall be changed". Not from who we are, but INTO who we were meant to be. The personality, the memories, the character, all enhanced by God's gracious love. Made pure, by His Holy Breath, just as we were given life in creation by His Breath. In that "One Minute After", we shall see God as He truly is, and be seen as who we truly are. And the new bodies created to house the perfected souls shall be imperishable. Perfection, without weakness or sickness. Perfect houses for perfected souls.
Your thoughts may differ on the matter. As always, these are "my" Thoughts and Musings. There is even debate on when that change may happen, at death or at Jesus' return. But think on this. On any of the first three, whatever you do, say or think, will eventually be of no consequence. Those things that make you "you" will be gone. If, however, you feel the soul DOES go on, then everything you do to nurture it continues on for eternity. Every act of kindness, thoughtful words, or simple sharing of yourself is carried on forever. And EVEN should that be wrong, your doing so leaves the world a better place.
But it's not wrong. And your soul deserves the care of Christ. Because you are His, not as slaves, but as brothers and sisters. God's own, loved children. Let Him love you deeply, richly, as he so desperately wants to do. Then, love each other as He loves you.
(And if you SHOULD be reincarnated, I hope you never come back as the third verse of a hymn. Those things NEVER get sung!)
Friday, May 5, 2017
JCS to A.HAM - A Musical Oddesy
In the summer of 1973, I listened to a double album that "rocked" my world. At a church retreat, our youth leader played through the soundtrack to "Jesus Christ, Superstar", and went through the different scriptural references in each song. Up until that time, Broadway and Movie Musicals were basically the same; story lines built up to lead the characters into song. (One of the reasons many people don't like musicals, they will say "People don't just burst out into song!" Any musician and their significant other will realize the fallacy of that statement! But I digress.) JCS evened out the playing field by having everything in song, much like an opera.
This was an opera like no other, though. Guitars wailing, drums beating, Ted Neely and Carl Anderson screaming notes so high only dogs should have been able to hear. And the story Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber told became different in their hands. Never again would I hear the story in hushed monotones of Shakespearean English. They put PASSION into the Passion. I will still listen to the soundtrack around Easter each year, and the instrumental section on the crucifixion, led by Andre' Previn's magnificent direction, will still raise goosebumps on my arms.
Fast forward 44 years. Just this week, a friend loaned me a copy of Hamilton: An American Musical. And I was thirteen all over again. The mastery of music telling a true story, the obvious talent in the writing, arranging, and production. And the singers/actors themselves, bringing the story of Alexander Hamilton to life. But what made me go back was the true PASSION with which the story was told. So many times we look at history as only dates and body-less facts. History isn't about the thumb tacked dates on a time line, it's about the lives lived between those dates. The love, the hurt, the joy, the life. And Hamilton brings that out with exuberance.
In that same way, Religion isn't so much about do's and don'ts, rights or wrongs. They are there, yes, to give us a model by which we can live by, but the law is secondary to WHO the law points us too. Just as in History, dates and mere facts are secondary to the lives lived, so are laws meaningless without the LIFE lived, Jesus, for without HIM, there is no salvation. No law can save, only Jesus. The law can help us be more like Him, but only He can make the true transformation.
In the summer of 1973, that began to become real to me in ways I never imagined. The Bible began to turn from a rule book, into a love story, of which I was the object of affection. And I was loved with PASSION. Enough so that God's only begotten son, Jesus, gave His life for me. We will never be perfect, as He is perfect, even though we should strive to perfection. But we are loved. With passion. Let us love Him, and each other, with nothing less.
This was an opera like no other, though. Guitars wailing, drums beating, Ted Neely and Carl Anderson screaming notes so high only dogs should have been able to hear. And the story Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber told became different in their hands. Never again would I hear the story in hushed monotones of Shakespearean English. They put PASSION into the Passion. I will still listen to the soundtrack around Easter each year, and the instrumental section on the crucifixion, led by Andre' Previn's magnificent direction, will still raise goosebumps on my arms.
Fast forward 44 years. Just this week, a friend loaned me a copy of Hamilton: An American Musical. And I was thirteen all over again. The mastery of music telling a true story, the obvious talent in the writing, arranging, and production. And the singers/actors themselves, bringing the story of Alexander Hamilton to life. But what made me go back was the true PASSION with which the story was told. So many times we look at history as only dates and body-less facts. History isn't about the thumb tacked dates on a time line, it's about the lives lived between those dates. The love, the hurt, the joy, the life. And Hamilton brings that out with exuberance.
In that same way, Religion isn't so much about do's and don'ts, rights or wrongs. They are there, yes, to give us a model by which we can live by, but the law is secondary to WHO the law points us too. Just as in History, dates and mere facts are secondary to the lives lived, so are laws meaningless without the LIFE lived, Jesus, for without HIM, there is no salvation. No law can save, only Jesus. The law can help us be more like Him, but only He can make the true transformation.
In the summer of 1973, that began to become real to me in ways I never imagined. The Bible began to turn from a rule book, into a love story, of which I was the object of affection. And I was loved with PASSION. Enough so that God's only begotten son, Jesus, gave His life for me. We will never be perfect, as He is perfect, even though we should strive to perfection. But we are loved. With passion. Let us love Him, and each other, with nothing less.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)