Dear
Fellow Children of God,
While Kathy and I
were traveling in July we attended the 45th reunion of my graduating
class at Gainesville High School. It was
the first time I have been able to attend one of my class reunions because I
have always lived out of town when past reunions were held.
It was fun to
reconnect with some old friends. But,
not everyone I hoped to see at the reunion was present. Some former classmates sent notice that they
were unable to attend. But there were
others who were missing for another reason.
Posted in the entry way to the room where we ate was a list entitled, “In
Memoriam – Remembering and honoring our classmates who left us much too
soon.”
I attended a large
high school, and my graduating class had over 960 students. So, the list of people who are no longer with
us was a long list. In fact, I recently went
back to look at the list and counted 88 people who were named.
As I read the list that
night I was surprised and I was saddened.
A girl who had sat beside me in English class is no longer with us. The former girlfriend of one of my best
friends died of cancer. A husband and
wife couple from our class both
passed away. And one of my best friends
was on the list. This man had spent many
hours in my home as a youth, and had visited me in St. Louis, in Florida, and
even in Alaska. I had actually learned
in 2012 of the death of this friend, so his passing was not a surprise. But seeing his name along with the 87 others brought
me to a stop.
Seeing this list caused
me to think of what Peter wrote, quoting Isaiah 40, “23 For
you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the
living and enduring word of God. 24 For, ‘All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the
flowers of the field; the grass
withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord stands forever.’ And
this is the word that was preached to you.” (1 Peter 1:23-25)
The list at my reunion
showed me the truth of God’s word, “All
men are like grass.” We can take the
gift of life for granted. Perhaps the
fact that I expected to see some of those people on the list at the reunion
shows that I have taken my life for granted.
But, as Peter points out life is
fleeting. None of us knows when death
may come.
The fleeting nature of
life also shows us how much we need the mercy and the salvation which God gives
through faith in Jesus. Thankfully,
Peter tells us that that where ‘All men
are like grass’ and life is
fragile, there is something that does last forever. “The
word of the Lord stands forever.’ And, where life might be fragile and
fleeting, God gives new life when He creates faith through the power of his enduring
word. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of
imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. Thank the Lord that in this life, where
little is sure, God gives eternal life by the power of His word.
I don’t know about all my
classmates, but I do know that the good friend on the list was a member of the
church in which I grew up in Gainesville.
When he and I saw each other, among other areas where we caught up, we
also talked about our faith in Jesus. Even
as His life was taken too quickly, he has life that does not end with Jesus in
heaven.
This life may be
fleeting, but through His word which does not pass away, God gives life that is
eternal. After looking at that list and
being reminded of our mortality, I am thankful that God gives this gift of new
and eternal life.
A
Child of God, Realizing Again my Need for God’s Gift of Eternal Life,
Pastor
Jonathan
****
ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE
PASTOR’ - I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to
all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have. (I am regularly
adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail
for the first time.) However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail,
please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this
message.
****
