Pastor's Blog: August 2008

There is a debate in many circles as to when life begins. Some say at conception. Others argue that life doesn’t begin until birth. But anyone who has had kids in school knows that life really begins when the last child graduates, or leaves home. Life begins when the kids are finally on their own. This sermon is not about when life begins, at least not in the biological sense. But rather it is a look at staying alive, living, being alive, enjoying the life that God has given us. And it can begin whenever we want it to. It has nothing to do with our age or our social status. Being alive and staying alive are not determined by our wealth or by our various abilities. It’s not living that I want to talk about this morning, it’s staying alive - or, being alive.

Our Bible is filled with the stories of people. Some really lived a full life. Others never came close. Those stories serve as examples to teach us and to encourage us. We can learn from their mistakes. We can learn from their triumphs. And we can know that if God can work in their lives, God can work in our lives as well.

From time to time its good to be reminded of something we know, simply because we either forget or because we hit one of those moments of denial. Remember, you can not replay your life. You can not have yesterday back. You are who you are. You can’t be someone else. But you can celebrate who you are, celebrate what you have, and live, stay alive as long as you live.

It has been said in many different ways that the nearest thing to death is when there is no real purpose for which to live. It is purpose that makes life worthwhile. The things we own, our income and our titles have nothing to do with making our lives worth living. Life is tragic for the person who has plenty to live on but nothing to live for.

Viktor Frankl was one of the leading psychiatrists of the this century. He describes many of his experiences in World War II at Auschwitz, the horrible German concentration camp that executed so many innocent people. He remembers how people with purpose, with a reason to live survived the horrors of that camp, and how others gave up and simply died because their loved ones had been murdered and they felt they no longer had anything to live for.

Feeling useless, living a life without purpose can affect anyone, at any age, at any moment in life. Never forget that without a dream, your dreams can never come true. We may not be in control of everything, but we are in control of some things. We not be able to do, to possess or to travel everywhere we want to, but that should never stop us from doing those things we can do.

As life moves forward, as we see the calendar turn yet another page on our lives, we are reminded that a reason for living has nothing to do with age. Uselessness and age have nothing in common. In fact, many find these days the most meaningful of all; days to pursue dreams and set new goals without the interruptions and responsibilities that filled our youth.

Staying alive, being alive depends fully on our reason for being, the purpose for which we live. It is important at any age and it will keep you alive as long as you live.

Our reading this morning is about a king, a man named Josiah, and when I read his story in my Bible, I am struck with how he really lived, how he had a vision, a dream, a reason for living. He became a king at a very early age and of all the kings that ruled, we are told that none was greater than Josiah. How would you like to have that on your resume? Pastor Ron, their was none greater - none before, none that would come after.

There is a lot of banter about our world. I hear folks complaining that everything is going downhill and headed you know where, in a handbasket. Well, let me tell you something; Josiah was already there. The world he awakened to each morning was horrid. It wasn’t headed there. His world was in the center ring of pagan worship. Hell had set up shop in his kingdom. But Josiah loved God; trusted God; and walked in God’s ways. He began to change the world he lived in. He tore down shrines and altars that had been erected for pagan gods, and restored the true worship of Yahweh. Yes, as a king he did have a lot of clout. But Josiah had a vision, a reason for living that gave his life purpose. When he got each morning, he had his marching orders and nothing would turn him to the right or to the left. And Josiah had something special going for him; Josiah knew who he was trying to please.

God can’t even please everybody, so why do we try? It’s insane to try and do something that not even God can do. It was clear to Josiah, he was going to do what was pleasing to God. Jesus did the same. The issue was settled for each of them.

Try to please everybody around you and criticism will get to you, because you are so worried about others think about you.

Try to please everybody around you and the competition will do you in, because you are so worried about whether someone is passing you.

Focus on God. Seek first God’s Kingdom. And forget about trying to please everybody - though I might add you don’t have to go out of your way just to tick someone off - because you simply can not do it.

We talk to our youth a lot about something called "Peer Pressure." The older I get the more I wonder if it isn’t the adults that need those lectures. We love to blame other people. And when we feel pressured, we are actually letting other people make our decisions for us. That ain’t living; that’s not staying alive; that’s walking with one foot in the grave. That’s spending your life trying to please people rather than trying to please God.

I know many of you face hardships, set backs, and tough decisions. Tears and depression will be a part of our daily regimen. But we can let life make us bitter or we can let it make us better.

While watching the Olympic games one evening, I was moved by the story of a young Korean swimmer. At age 14 he was a swimmer with rare skill and speed. His nation watched with dismay at the games in Athens four years earlier when he fell off the starting platform early and was disqualified. Embarrassed, the young boy ran into a bath room and hid. A few days ago this boy, now 18, again took his place in the race. This time he won the gold medal. His experience had made him better - not bitter.

Keep a close watch on whom you’re trying to please. Do what pleases God, regardless of what anybody else thinks.

Life can begin whenever you are ready for it to begin. And when you are ready to start living, it can go on and on and on and on. It’s not living that’s important. It’s not making a living that’s important. Staying alive as long as you live is what’s truly important.