When Life Disappears

Friday, July 21, 2023

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  James 1:2

Phrases such as troubles of any kind, and opportunity for great joy hardly seem to mesh.  Some words strung together take you by surprise; they can be unnerving, and gnaw at your mind for days, weeks, or a lifetime.  You’re hearing it for the first time, yet you’re amazed at how common the thought is to many other people.  It’s something akin to that strange thing that happens when you buy a new car and suddenly notice how many of the same kind are now on the road; did you never notice, or is there a new virus making people buy that brand?

The words that took me by storm were:  an unbroken heart is sterile.  Since reading that thought I’ve seen it in a number of unrelated quotes…and a lot more quotes, courtesy of Google, most of which were connected with the approaching darkening and disappearance of the mind…Alzheimer’s.[1]  A disclaimer about searching that topic…you will not have an unbroken heart when you’re done.  Your heart will be pulled apart at the seams, and what leaks out will be every last shred of defense against a compassion-less life; you’ll need to get involved!

My bride, Elizabeth, and I binge-watched the third season of The Chosen this week.  It is the most powerfully-stirring presentation of the Gospel accounts I’ve ever seen.  It faithfully retells the events of Jesus’ ministry, and the effect it had on those who experienced it firsthand.  More than just words on a book’s page, you are drawn as a participant in the presence of the God-man, Heaven come down to dwell among us. 

In one of the episodes a man possessed by a demon[2] is healed by Jesus.  By definition, to be possessed by an evil spirit is to lose one’s mind, and therefore any control over your actions, or even thought life.  This pretty much describes the downward spiral of Alzheimers…a slow-death by disappearance.  In healing the man Jesus restores his memory, his thoughts, and returns joy, the great joy Apostle James mentions.  The demon was thought to be unconquerable; that is, until it was introduced to He who has power over the darkness of evil and death.

I have had some brush with the effects of the disappearing mind.  In 2007 my Mom and Dad came to live with us.  In the early stages of dementia, Mom was still a sweet, quiet person.  But she was troubled with very disturbing dreams, and struggling at times to have even simple conversations.  I did not fully realize or admit to myself that we were losing her slowly, until one time she answered my knock at the door with a puzzled look that confirmed she did not recognize me.  She had known me for 60 years…and we were starting to say “goodbye”.

James tells us that troubles of any kind are opportunities of great joy.  It’s hard to frame that in any positive way to:

·       those who have had to repeat their names to family…often

·       or those who have no recollection, or explanation why they cannot see, or speak, or hear, or breathe well…or who this one is sleeping next to her

·       or those who stand helpless on the sidelines watching their loved one suffering, disappearing one forgotten word at a time

·       or those who have nowhere to sleep tonight, no food to eat this week

For You Today 

You may be on that list somewhere, hurting in the wake of life’s inevitable and unavoidable losses.  To you, James’ words may sound like Ronald Reagan’s favorite cartoon of a cowboy digging in a huge pile of manure.  The caption has the cowboy thinking:  There must be a pony in here somewhere.  The “pony” in all of life’s troubles is the opportunity to know the great Giver of all joy.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  

 

Title Image:  via Pixabay.com   Images without citation are in public domain.   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©  

---

[1] See a representative article:  An Unbroken Heart Is a Lifeless Thing: An Alzheimer Odyssey Nears Its End

[2] If you have some time read Matthew’s Gospel, chapters 4-17 which are filled with such healings

 

Remembering Before You Can't

[1]

Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.” Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky.  Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble; and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop.  Remember him before your teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes—the women looking through the windows—see dimly.  Remember him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades.  Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint.  Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire.  Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral.  Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken.  Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well.  For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.  “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless.”

That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion:  Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty.  God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.  Ecclesiastes 12:1-8, 13-14[2]

I believe Solomon stops short of dementia, but not far short!  He mentions just about every low point you need to get depressed about the future.  Hair turned white, legs wobbly, eyes dim, sexual desire gone, drooping posture, and, for good measure he throws in a dental situation that even makes eating a chore.  As I write the sun’s morning glow is beginning to peek out from behind the tree line, so I got up and opened the shades so I won’t miss out on a pretty sunrise while I can still see and hear the birds chirping; assisted by trifocal glasses and powerful hearing aids, of course. It’s hard to place oneself on Solomon’s scale of physical woes increasing age seems to gradually, but gleefully bestow on the aging.  But that gets markedly easier as you do push the threescore-and-ten barrier.

This passage is generally preached with young people in mind, an urging to get right with God before it’s too late.  However, anything this side of the grave is appropriate.  Even at 70, 80 or 105, you are “young" compared to those  you read about in the obituary column. 

Very often in ministry I’ve had the privilege to visit very senior saints confined in nursing homes or their own homes, unable to do much for themselves because of a litany of maladies.  And with hardly an exception, they all remark in one way or another their wonder at why God still has them here.  I quickly agree that I wonder that too, but then pose the possibility that exists for ministry at every age and stage of life, unwell in body or not.  The inference, of course, is that God is not done with us here if we’re still breathing.

I give you Iris Jones as a prime example.  Confined the last decade to a nursing home for a good bit of Solomon’s medical chart, Mrs. Iris ministered more than most, writing cards of encouragement to her pastor and wife with shaky hand, praying long and strong, and smiling.  Those were what she could do, and, despite severe headaches, failing strength of legs and balance, and bodily pain more than most could bear, she made you feel like you were the most important person walking on planet earth.  She should’ve been named Barnabas, the Encourager!

For You Today

Whatever you can do today, use the strength God still allows; it won’t last forever!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day.

Go to VIDEO

---

[1] Title Image:  Pixabay.com        Unless otherwise noted, Scripture used from The New Living Translation©

[2] For another post on Ecclesiastes 12:13 see:  Something Better