Heaven is a bonus

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain me with a willing spirit.
Psalm 51:12

As a young teenager, my parents moved my sister and me out of state before I began ninth grade. I knew nobody there. I was afraid, insecure, unsure of myself, and had no idea who my future friends would be and who I could or couldn’t trust.

I reached out for something to lean on, to sustain me. I found nothing but empty air.

I kept to myself, eating lunch alone in the school cafeteria until December, when a group of peers invited me to join them. I still kept quiet, didn’t expose my fear and insecurity.

The school year passed. I was a good student, so I survived somehow. Emotionally, I remained distant.

That first touch from God

In July, our parents signed us up for summer camp. As I stepped out of our car, I felt something different about this place. I was intrigued.

I found out right away what was different. This was a Christian summer camp, a place that practiced what it preached. Despite my fears and loneliness, the counselors – and, especially, many of the other campers – noticed me.

I did nothing to get recognized. The camp had sports themes. I have always enjoyed sports, not that I’ve ever been an athlete. The two-week camp included a track meet and a swim meet.

I remember running the 50-yard dash. I finished in a third-place tie with a teammate; the camp handed out only three ribbons. We flipped a coin to see who would receive the ribbon. I won.

“Way to go! Nice run! Good job!” My teammate praised me.

I just looked at him. That’s not a normal response when a teenager loses a coin flip, a ribbon and points for his team.

What is going on here?

Jesus. That’s what was going on.

Seriously. I was experiencing unconditional love for the first time. Love I did not earn, nor did I deserve.

The campers and counselors noticed me just because I was there.

Because that’s what Jesus does. He notices people. The campers cared, because they were passing along the love that Jesus had for them.

I was sold.

The last night before our parents came to take us home, every camper and counselor gathered around a campfire, and got to share publicly what the camp experience meant to them. I don’t remember what I said that night, but I knew I wanted Jesus to heal the inner hurts that I had.

The next morning, I woke up with a light heart. The sunshine was brighter than it ever had been. The leaves on the trees were a deeper green than I ever knew them to be.

On the way to breakfast, I told my counselor that I accepted Jesus into my heart last night.

He pulled me out of line and we went into the nearest building, the camp office. He prayed for me and encouraged me to grow the faith that had begun in me.

We arrived late to breakfast, but I didn’t care. Angels in heaven were rejoicing over me.

Sometimes, I walk away from that touch

Restore to me the joy of your salvation …

That’s what joy is. And it comes with salvation.

That event took place a long time ago. July 24, 1975, to be exact.

In the 40-plus years since then, I’ve struggled to find joy. I still have bouts of loneliness. I see the pains of this world, the anger, the fighting and wars, the hatred, the selfishness of everyday life …

Where is joy, God?

I run an inner-city food pantry, so I see hopelessness and struggle all the time. I don’t see many victories. It’s hard, this life.

I had a great career, but it ended with a thump.

I’ve had great health my entire life, and I don’t take that for granted. I’m grateful to the living God for that, because I know many people who don’t have the health that I do. That doesn’t make me better than anyone else, only different in some ways. Others have skills, talents and circumstances different than I do.

I read Ecclesiastes which, like the Psalms, is in the Old Testament.

All things are wearisome;
more than one can express. …
there is nothing new under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 1:8,9

Where is joy in that?

Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, searched for meaning everywhere in life, and never found it. Until he turned to God at the end of his life.

David, his father and the author of Psalm 51, understood the heart of God much earlier than that.

After he was crowned king and blundered terribly, he recalled the time when he first met the living God, probably as a shepherd in the fields before he became famous by defeating the giant Goliath.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation …

David had lost the joy in his life too. But he knew where to find it.

In his salvation. In his first encounter with the living God.

Restoration

When I get burdened by the cares of this world, or caught up in its follies and struggles, I need to remember where I came from. Go back to the beginning.

Yes, I’ve learned a lot in the past 40-plus years. I’m not the same person I was at 15 years old, when I first met Jesus.

And yet …

I don’t want to forget joy. I don’t want to bury it in the stresses and struggles of 21^st century America, or the world.

But I do bury it.

I must intentionally go back to joy. Remember that morning when I woke up with a new spirit, refreshed, free, light, unburdened.

The day’s problems remained, but now I had someone alongside me to help me through them. That’s the difference. And it’s a huge difference.

Heaven will be a bonus one day. Joy begins right here, right now.

This isn’t happiness, which is a feeling that comes and goes depending on our circumstances. Joy remains. It’s solid. It’s contentment.

It’s knowing I’m not alone. And the One with me will never leave. Even if I screw up this life royally.

David proves this.

Because joy can be restored. All we have to do is ask.

Reflecting on my covid response

That testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply, so that they may become sound in the faith …

Titus 1:13

The emphasis of this verse is not to rebuke. It’s the reason for the rebuke: “so that they may become sound in the faith.”

The book of Titus is about restoration. Maturity. Growth.

I’ve been learning this lesson the hard way over the past couple of weeks.

I’ve had three very personal experiences with covid that have altered my attitude about the issue.

1. Since covid became a national story in 2020, I’ve been providing off-and-on child care for a single mom we know through church. She has two sons, ages 12 and 9. Two weeks ago, she came down with covid. The boys have been staying with us since then while she recovers to reduce their exposure.
2. I volunteer with the children’s ministry at our church. A week ago Sunday, there were 20 kindergarten through sixth-grade students in the classroom. Our children’s ministry director led the class, and I was the adult volunteer in there with them. A few days later, I received an email that one of those children had a confirmed case of covid. Then, our children’s ministry director also got sick with covid. (She is vaccinated and recovering relatively quickly.)
3. I lead a men’s Bible study group through an international organization. We have weekly leadership meetings in addition to the weekly study. Another leader in the organization is all about natural immunity and not vaccinations. Last weekend we had an in-person discussion about that, and continued the discussion through email for a couple of days.

My responses to each of these incidents is the reason for this column.

1. The boys are like family to me. I take them to school and pick them up. Their mom’s fever is gone; she needs to get her strength and stamina back, which hopefully will happen very soon. Then the boys will return home. I’m thankful I was available to help.
2. My immediate response to hearing that I was exposed to covid (as were the two boys we are hosting) was that the children’s ministry should be shut down immediately and indefinitely, since covid got in. I also told our campus pastor that I would step back from serving in children’s ministry until covid passed. When that would be and how I would know, I still have no idea.
3. In a couple of emails to my brother who also is a Bible study leader, I used angry words to defend my position. I said natural immunity is inhumane because it assumes everyone gets sick first – and means many people will suffer, and some will die, unnecessarily, in my opinion.

I also, with my wife, lead a small group through our church. We met Sunday evening in our home. We began a study of the New Testament book of Titus, which talks about the relationship between grace and good works in an evil, secular culture – similar to the culture of the United States.

One of the leaders guide discussion questions was this:

“What would you consider some of the primary problems facing the Church today? If Paul were writing a letter to us, what would he identify as areas in need of correction?”

My answer: syncretism. That’s a fancy word that means churches get so caught up in the issues of the day, the message of Christ is lost. Our group discussed this for a few minutes as it relates to covid, sharing our views on that controversial issue – not always agreeing, but being respectful.

One of our group members, Steve, jumped in with this thought: We need to put Christ above the issues of the day. We must filter those ideas through the Bible and through Christ.

Covid is not a salvation issue. Vaccines are not mentioned in the Bible. We shouldn’t talk with our brothers and sisters as though it is.

I brought up the idea of syncretism, and I realized during this discussion that I am guilty of doing exactly that. I risked a valuable friendship with a Christian brother over an issue of the day. (I have lost several Christian friends on social media over this issue as well.)

Early Monday morning, I sent my brother an email apologizing. I told him about the Sunday evening discussion and said I crossed a line. “I need to learn how to respectfully disagree with my brothers and sisters on tough issues of the day. Vaccines are not mentioned in Scripture, so it’s not a Biblical issue – not in the way I presented it.”

Thankfully, he accepted my apology. I look forward to seeing him in person this weekend to further mend the friendship.

Next, I met with our campus pastor to talk about the church’s response to covid in the children’s ministry classroom. Church policy allows individuals and families to set their own covid guidelines, and to stay home if covid is present or suspected. Children with colds or sniffles or whatever are also encouraged to stay home.

The church will not shut down its ministry. The church feels it has a good policy on this.

What is my response to that? I still don’t know.

As long as the boys are with us, I will not take them to church and allow them to participate in the children’s ministry. What their mom decides after they return home is up to her, of course, and I will respect her decision either way. Perhaps the covid issue will be resolved by then anyway.

Church is good for the boys, no doubt about it. Is it safe? That’s the question.

I don’t know. And I don’t want to take the risk.

I meet people from all walks of life in the various activities I participate in throughout any given week. The last thing I want is to become a covid carrier, whether I get covid myself or not. I can be contagious even without symptoms. That’s probably how covid got into our children’s ministry in the first place.

For now, I will continue to avoid children’s ministry, and my pastor respects that.

When will I return? What benchmark must I pass, or the church pass, for me to feel it’s safe to return?

I don’t know.

Covid is more personal now than it’s ever been for me. As with all issues of the day, the answer is not as black-and-white as many people think it is.

How can I become “sound in the faith” with my covid response?

Love God, love people and live surrendered. That’s the mission statement of our church. It’s a good place to start.

In the beginnning, redemption

Creation. Fall. Redemption. Restoration. This is the story of Genesis, the first book of the Bible – and the entire Bible itself.

I just finished a deep dive (30-week study) into Genesis with a group of men I’m affiliated with. I’d read the stories before, but not at the level I experienced them this year. Here’s a few lessons I learned.

Creation

“In the beginning, God …” These are the words that begin the Scriptures. The first subject is God.

That’s the first – and best – lesson of the entire book. Life starts with God. He created all. He is above all.

God takes center stage. Not the American flag. Not the human body. Not government. Not Earth.

We often let these, and other things, take the place of God in our lives. No. God, and God alone, is Creator. Nothing else is on His level.

Fall

I learned that sin did not originate with me. I was born into sin, but I did not cause it. I am guilty of sin because I commit sinful acts, but because sin did not begin with me, I am not responsible for my own “salvation.”

Adam caused original sin. He changed the course of history by rejecting God and eating the apple, listening to that devil of a serpent.

Because original sin was Adam’s fault, “salvation” must come from someone on Adam’s level. Enter Jesus Christ. Jesus changed the course of history again, connecting us with God in a way that no sinful human being could do.

Sin started with Adam. It ends with Jesus. I am a recipient of sin from Adam, and salvation from Jesus.

As with Creation, God alone is the author of this story. I’m grateful He allows me to have a part in it.

The rest of the story involves restoration and redemption, through the lives of people.

Noah

This guy listened to God, when literally no one else around him (except his immediate family) did. God told him to build an ark on dry land. It took him 75 years, give or take, to construct it.

I’m sure he was the laughingstock of the town. The ark made no sense. The sun shone, the sea remained in its rightful place, life continued as it always had.

Has God ever asked me to do something nonsensical?

I’m not sure He has. Not like that.

We know how the story goes. God knew something no one else did. A flood was coming (there’s evidence even today of a previous worldwide flood, if you’re willing to see it).

Noah trusted God, and he was ready when God sent the flood.

Abraham

This guy had a great life. He was wealthy, with plenty of land and possessions, and had everything he could ever want (except a son, apparently).

One day, God tapped him on the shoulder. You need to pack up everything you own and leave the comfort of your land, family and culture. I’m not going to tell you where you’re going. Are you in?

Abraham had questions, I’m sure. But he said, “OK God, I’ll do it.”

He traveled a long way, hundreds of miles. God led him to a “promised land,” but wouldn’t give It to him permanently. God repeatedly promised Abraham land and many descendants, but Abraham himself had no home on Earth.

Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6)

Has God uprooted me like that?

Actually, yes. Several times.

As a child, my family moved from the Cleveland area to the Detroit area. That wasn’t too bad. Just before ninth grade, we moved to Pennsylvania. That was scary. I felt alone. I learned for the first time how to trust God.

Later, the job that I loved ended after 24 years. That eventually led to two out-of-state moves, the second returning me to the Cleveland area. Those moves were hard. I knew no one in either city. I had to trust that God knew what He was doing. I’ve seen plenty of evidence that He does.

Isaac

The first episode in Isaac’s life is a test of faith of his father, Abraham. But if we look at the story from Isaac’s perspective, it’s quite a faith test for him too.

When Isaac was a teenager, God told Abraham to sacrifice him on an altar. Isaac was the promised son through whom many descendants were to come, and now God wanted him back.

Abraham didn’t argue. He walked for three days and then built an altar, put Isaac on it, and raised the knife to kill him.

Wait a minute. Abraham was old and feeble by this time – he was 100 years old when Isaac was born. Isaac is a teenager by this time, young and strong. When he discovered what was happening, he could have told his dad to get lost. He could have physically restrained his dad very easily.

But he didn’t. Isaac submitted to God’s plan, even to the point of risking his own seemingly unnecessary death. How’s that for faith?

God has not brought me to the brink of death yet. I see death all around me, including some that seem unnecessary – at least in my eyes.

But God has a plan, which I cannot see. I can see parts of it looking back, but I rarely see God’s plan while I’m in the middle of it.

Jacob

Jacob is an interesting case. He began by taking the birthright of his twin, Esau. Later, he wrestled with God. He had two wives (they were sisters; he worked for their father for 14 years to “earn” them, because he could not afford a dowry) and their two maids, and had 12 sons by the four of them.

He played favorites with his sons, one in particular.

Eventually, Jacob learned to love God. How much? On his deathbed, Jacob gave each of his 12 sons a blessing (Chapter 49), which was God’s plan for their futures. Jacob spoke God’s words, which later were fulfilled.

Joseph

That favored son was Joseph. He had an up-and-down life: favored son, sold into slavery, respected in Potiphar’s household, tossed into prison on false charges (and was forgotten there), then instantly promoted to second-in-command to Pharoah in Egypt.

I’ve always puzzled over Joseph’s interactions with his brothers during the famine: giving their money back, asking to see his younger brother (while not revealing his identity to them), then giving their money back a second time and accusing them of stealing his silver cup so that they would return and beg for mercy.

I learned that Joseph was testing his brothers, helping them see their sin when they sold him into slavery, and to see whether their hearts had truly changed in regard to the way they treated his younger brother Benjamin. Then he brought the entire family to Egypt to save them from the famine.

The family experienced redemption and restoration in a big way.

Who do I need to forgive?

That’s a personal question, one I hope to answer in real life and not in a blog.

Creation. Fall. Redemption. Restoration. The circle of life continues today.

We sinned, He redeemed, He will restore

Last week I wrote that redemption is the key to life. If I had to sum up the Bible in one word, it would be “redemption.” We must admit our sinfulness, then accept God’s redemptive work on our behalf when Jesus died on the cross, and was resurrected.

This week, I’ll expand on that just a little bit. The Bible has four over-arching themes: creation, the fall, redemption and restoration. (Thanks to Bible Study Fellowship for introducing this theme last summer in their virtual summit for leaders.)

This is God’s story.

Creation

When God created the earth and everything in it, including us, “God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31).

The fall, redemption and restoration mean nothing without this. God is perfect; He creates perfection. He creates beauty. He creates harmony. He creates life.

God created the perfect living situation in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve walked in the garden without shame. Nothing was hidden – no secrets, no deception, no dishonesty, no anger – none of that. They walked with each other and with the living God.

The animals were in there, too. Everyone and everything got along in perfect harmony. There was no eating meat; there was no death. The original plan was for Adam and Eve to live forever with their God, lacking nothing.

Their stomachs were full. They exercised by exploring the garden. They enjoyed each other’s company without reservation. They thrived in God’s creativity. Who else could come up with a lion, a dolphin, an elephant, the sun, stars, spiders, fruit trees, day and night, streams and oceans? All of it worked together in beautiful cohesion.

This was God’s plan for Planet Earth. This was His plan for us. God gave us ruling authority over all of it (Genesis 1:28-30), and charged us to take care of His creation. He set Earth in motion, then gave us all the tools we needed to make it thrive.

Perfection.

The fall

We often ask, If God is so perfect, then why is there so much sickness and evil and death in the world?

God did not create sickness and evil and death. But He did allow them. Because He gave Adam and Eve free will. He wanted them to choose to obey Him, because He wanted a relationship with them. That’s how perfection would continue.

As is painfully obvious, Adam and Eve blew it. Big time.

Their first, and worst, sin?

They disobeyed God.

That’s what caused the fall. Disobedience.

God gave Adam (before Eve was created) one restriction: “… but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die” (Genesis 2:17).

Adam certainly passed along this information to Eve, since “they became one flesh” (Genesis 2:24).

The wily serpent deceived Eve and convinced her to eat from that tree. Adam was there with her when that deception took place, and he did nothing to stop it (Genesis 3:6). Therefore, both disobeyed God, and sinned.

Among other things, God kicked them out of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:23) and into a suffering, selfish, deadly, sinful world. We still face the consequences of that encounter today.

Suffering and death belong on the shoulders of man and woman entirely. God created all things good; Adam and Eve are the ones who screwed it up by disobeying – ie, rejecting – Him.

Redemption

The living God could have walked away from Earth and said, “Since they disobeyed me, I will have nothing to do with them anymore.” But He didn’t do that. He created us; He loves us with an infinite love that no human can explain.

The rest of the Old Testament describes how God’s chosen people continually rejected Him, and yet God kept redeeming them, over and over and over, taking them back when they called out to Him – and sometimes even when they didn’t.

Eventually, God sent his Son down here to fix the problem that Adam and Eve began. To overcome the sinfulness that we have become, Jesus had to die on the cross, then be resurrected by His Father. Our sins no longer define us. God sees us as pure, righteous and holy.

That blows my mind. I don’t see myself (or you, sorry) as pure, righteous and holy.

But that’s how God sees us.

Our response? To say, “Thank You, God.”

If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:9

That’s it. That’s the work of redemption. God did it. All we have to do is accept it.

Restoration

Then what? While God sees us pure, righteous and holy, we know we don’t live that way. We know we aren’t perfect.

How can God restore us to the way Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden – before they sinned?

This is why the creation story matters. God created all things good. When He restores all things, He will do so to their original state – which was good. Perfect. Harmonious. Beautiful. Full of life.

The last book of the Bible, Revelation, includes several violent scenes. Jesus returns to Earth – when He does, we will know it – and there are wars, torture and death as Satan is fought and eventually defeated.

In that book, there also are some beautiful pictures of what heaven will be like. There is an awesome worship scene in chapters 4 and 5 that I can’t wait to experience.

At the very end, God promises us this:

“He (God) will wipe every tear from their eyes.

Death will be no more;

mourning and crying and pain will be no more,

for the first things have passed away.”

Revelation 21:4

Who would not want that?

This day is coming.

To be part of it, all we have to do is acknowledge the God who will do it. If we reject Him, we reject all that He has to offer – including this incredible day when “death will be no more.”

God wants to restore us to the way we were when He created us. And the rest of the world too – plants, animals, the sky and everything else He created. All of it is broken now (floods, hurricanes, etc.), and all of it will be restored one day.

God is good, and He creates only good. We sinned, He redeemed, and He will restore.

This is the God we worship.