Remembering My Friend - James Emmons

      Friday, October 13, 2023

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.  He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.  He renews my strength.  He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.  Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.  Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.  You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.  You honor me by anointing my head with oil.  My cup overflows with blessings.  Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.  Psalm 23:1-6

A “goad” is what a shepherd uses to direct his sheep towards the next good place for grazing and water.  A life’s path is determined by choices and the oversight of God; we choose to cooperate or kick against God’s leading goad.  For a preacher, or anyone, that pathway’s conversations between human and Creator can be a daily struggle between understanding God’s prodding, and our obstinance. 

The struggle to break from our bent to stubbornness is like Jacob’s wrestling match with the angel of God who displaced the patriarch’s hip, which caused him to limp for the rest of his life.  Some choices carry more weight than others…a reminder of a better path, not taken.

I met James Emmons in 1999.  I was on an unplanned sabbatical (that’s the “in-between churches” that pastors sometimes experience).  James’ church was searching for a pastor, and I was available.  God did the goading to lead me into friendship with a man who would be a Godly influence on my life.         The Brownworth and Emmons clans meshed with church life and friendship.     We shared a mini-vacation once.  We prayed together and shared meals at each other’s homes.  James and I very nearly shared a birthday, only a few weeks apart, his in May, mine in June.  About 15 years ago when we were both crossing the line from the 6^th decade of life to the 7^th, I called James on his birthday.  When he answered, I sang (quite off-key) Happy Birthday, dear James…you old coot,  Happy birthday to you!  From that moment, “old coot” became our greeting. 

James passed a few days ago, after a long struggle with cancer.  It wasn’t until a few days before that passing I shared with him the backstory on why I began the old coot business.  In 1983 I was serving a church in tiny McIntosh, Florida, population 257.  The four churches in McIntosh shared Sunday evening services, and Mr. Richardson, one of the life-long Methodist brothers, was in the hospital at the time.  Mr. Richardson had just passed his 80^th birthday when I walked into his hospital room (all the pastors in town visited all the members; denominations were unimportant in that burg).  We chatted, prayed, and when I was about to leave, another elderly man ambled through the door.  I didn’t recognize E. Colin Lindsey who, in 1935 partnered with Henry Belk to create Florida’s largest chain-department stores, Belk-Lindsey.[1]  Mr. Lindsey and Mr. Richardson were like James and I, born only a few weeks apart, with Mr. Richardson the elder.  They attended the McIntosh grade school together as children, and remained friends for life.  As Lindsey walked through that hospital room door to visit his old friend, Mr. Richardson brightened-up and howled, Colin, what on earth are you doing in a hospital?  Mr. Lindsey, limping on a cane, smiled an impish grin and said, I just wanted to see what an 85-year-old coot looked like!  Now, that 40-year-old story is about friendship that is faithful, and endures a lifetime.  The reason I began to call my friend, James, an old coot, is because, even though we started later than Richardson and Lindsey, the Brownworth and Emmons bond did the same.  For me, old coot symbolized the essence of a long and fruitful friendship.  And that is what I will miss most about my friend and co-laborer in Christ.  He had a playful, gentle spirit, but a fierce commitment and loyalty to Jesus.  I know this faithful friend and Christian brother will greet me one day…over yonder. 

For You Today 

I trust you have good, long-term friendships.  I pray you have eternal friendships!  I suspect James didn’t often kick against God’s goading towards His will.  I trusted his counsel, his friendship, and knew he had my back…always!

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

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

Title Image courtesy of Pixabay.com Images without citation are in public domain or cited via weblinks.  

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©  

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[1] See Ocala Star Banner article

It's All Right

 

Tuesday, May 10, 2022

Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the Lord our God.  Jeremiah 42:6

I’m convinced each of us has a treasured memory or two (or maybe two hundred) that is triggered by a word or phrase, perhaps a place, sound, or even a smell.  One of my triggers is a phrase:  It’s all right.  It was one of those phrases that defined my friend Vernace’s friend, James May.  In some ways James and Vernace were cut from the same cloth.  They were men of the land, few words, and just about as much as humanly possible, without guile.

When I first arrived at Bethany church, James was in a nursing home.  I was working on meeting my new church family, so I planned to visit the homebound first.  Vernace asked if he could take me to meet James, as they were friends.  When we walked into James’ room he looked at the two of us, and his jaw dropped open in surprise – deep surprise, about three feet from uppers to lowers, and then he smiled from East to West.  James May always greeted you that way when you walked into his room.  He could be as surprised as anyone on earth. 

Yet, some things never rocked his world.  Bad things mostly.  James was as simple as a doorknob, in the very best sense of that description; he was truthful, thankful, and unpretentious.  But the most shining characteristic of James May was his faith that God had stuff, particularly bad stuff, well in control.  His favorite phrase was, in an inimitable whisper:  It’s all right. 

We lost James the same year I met him.  Over the past few decades I’ve been mulling over that phrase, It’s all right.  It’s just a few words, but it always triggers the same warmth and exhuberance of faith I sensed in James May, and his dear friend, Vernace Pugh. 

Vernace died a little less than 5 years after James.  It was a tragic accident that took my friend.  But from the time we lost James until the day we lost Vernace, I heard that phrase at just the right times.  Whenever something gloomy started clouding the horizon, I could see it coming in Vernace’s eyes:  He’s be on the verge of offering a word of hope:  Well, it ain’t purty, but it’s all right….and then he’d smile that knowing James May smile. 

It’s taken awhile, but my mind, which is slower-than-most-folk’s-on-the-uptake, is catching-up.  I finally figured-out Vernace’s purpose for holding James May’s signature line in plain view for me…Vernace loved me enough to recognize this preacher sometimes needed a little unvarnished, and untarnished plain truth – the kind that lets you see more clearly than the clouds of doubt and fear want you to see. 

He wanted me to get it…it really will be all right.

For You Today

I hope you’ve got a friend like James, or Vernace.  And more than that, I hope you can BE a friend like James or Vernace.  We all need to pass that all right down the road.

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

[1] Title image: Pixabay.com   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©   

The Difference of Presence

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Friday, December 28, 2018

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared.  And the sea was also gone.  And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people!  He will live with them, and they will be his people.  God himself will be with them.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.  All these things are gone forever.”  And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!”  And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”  And he also said, “It is finished!  I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.  All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.  Revelation 21:1-7(NLT)

Elizabeth and I began losing our parents in 1985 when Sofie went to be with the Lord.  Then, seven years later it was her dad, Tony.  Within the last 10 years my parents, Cecilia and Elwood, joined them.  Most of their siblings have also passed, and so our connection with that great generation has also faded into awaiting the great reunion.  Two days after this year’s Christmas festivities we were having our usual breakfast conversation and my bride remarked rather wistfully how different the holidays are without them. 

The difference an absence can make is startling once it settles-in.  You don’t get to ask any more questions, or be reminded of that special smile, or share the intimacy of those inside family jokes or stories.  So, now the responsibility falls to our generation to pass along the connection of past, present, and future.  Of course, it’s hard to improve upon what Scripture does with that; Genesis starts with creation, and Revelation ends with re-creation.  Start at the beginning, march through history, and celebrate what’s coming.  In each of those tenses there is presence!

When I was a young preacher, new in the ministry, there were times, when called to a deathbed, that I spoke too much, and much too quickly.  I’m certain it was nervousness; I didn’t know what to say, and so I spoiled holy moments by speaking well-meaning, but useless platitudes:

·      I’m sorry for your loss

·      He’s in a better place now

·      At least she’s not suffering

·      It was a hard road, but he was ready

I should have waited for the silent presence of the holy to be completely God’s place to speak; I’ve learned to try to be present rather than vocal.

At the most difficult times in my life I have been blessed to be surrounded by presence in the people who care about me, and by their presence and thoughtfulness they leave little question that I am loved.  Presence makes all the difference.  Words are important, but they are no match for that beating heart next to yours. 

During one of those very difficult times, when I had absolutely no clue which way to turn with my life, a dear Christian brother came alongside me.  I respected this friend, father, and honest businessman; his walk matched his talk!  It has been more than 40 years since that day, and I cannot recall a single word he said, because he just sat with me.  His caring presence made the difference in my life, and that presence spoke so loudly and clearly, if there were any words, they were completely unnecessary to his ministry to me.  God’s Spirit spoke for him directly to my heart.

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.  Romans 8:26(NLT)

For You Today

It just may be that not every millisecond of eternity has to be filled with noise.  When you’re not certain words will accomplish God’s will, be silent.  God has been known to speak in a whisper, but none of us can hear that when we’re all about the noise.

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

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[1] Title Image:  Pixabay.com

The Wisdom of Elihu - Part 2

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Friday, October 19, 2018

Elihu, Job’s friend, continues his speech from yesterday, attempting to show Job the futility of arguing with God:

“Pay attention to this, Job.  Stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God!  Do you know how God controls the storm and causes the lightning to flash from his clouds?  Do you understand how he moves the clouds with wonderful perfection and skill?  When you are sweltering in your clothes and the south wind dies down and everything is still, he makes the skies reflect the heat like a bronze mirror.  Can you do that?  “So teach the rest of us what to say to God.  We are too ignorant to make our own arguments.  Should God be notified that I want to speak?  Can people even speak when they are confused?  We cannot look at the sun, for it shines brightly in the sky when the wind clears away the clouds.  So also, golden splendor comes from the mountain of God.  He is clothed in dazzling splendor.  We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty; but even though he is just and righteous, he does not destroy us.  No wonder people everywhere fear him.  All who are wise show him reverence.”  Job 37:14-24(NLT)

Yesterday, Elihu (in my humble opinion), flirted with the border of meddling where he didn’t belong, flinging out a defense of God’s character and behavior.  He offered the standard thinking of the day:  if you’re suffering, you’ve done something wrong, and God is justified in raking you over the coals until you get it right.

However, I believe Elihu missed two important points:

a.      He wasn’t qualified to know Job’s insides, and what guilt was or wasn’t there

b.      He definitely wasn’t qualified to know God’s insides, and why God does what God does!

Common sense would have been well-served had Elihu followed the advice of the sage:  It is better to keep one’s mouth shut and be thought a fool, than to open that mouth and remove all doubt![2]

Well, here, even though Elihu’s lips are still cranking out what his brain is trying to understand, he seems to have scrambled back on the higher ground of reverence for both God and Job, his friend, who appears to be going under in a classic crash-and-burn of self-justification. Elihu rehearses for Job some of the everyday miracles of God’s sovereignty over the universe – the heavens filled with clouds, thunder and lightning, and just like trying to look into that fireball of a sun with naked eyes will blind you, attempting to scrutinize Jehovah’s right to meddle with Job’s good life could get you toasted to a crisp.  Elihu is telling his friend to be careful when he opens a conversation with God.

As much as there is wisdom and verity in what Elihu says (and probably a very pure-hearted concern for Job), I still must take issue with that part about being careful when you speak to God.  Rather, I would say it is at those times when you talk to God that it is particularly important to drop your guard completely and let everything out!

Prayer is not a time to convince God of anything or try to flatter God into giving you what you want.  Prayer is a time for emptying the heart and letting God choose what to put in there.  As others, wiser than I have suggested, I don’t change circumstances by my prayer; in prayer God changes me to stand and face the circumstances.  I am like a frightened little boy who runs to his Papa.  Papa embraces me, and then turns me around to face what frightened me…from HIS perspective.

For You Today

And so, the bottom line, for Elihu, Job, or any of us, is:

When you go to God, don’t hold back…run full-speed into His arms, empty it all out, fears, needs, sorrow, joy, anger, unbelief…

And then don’t be surprised when he turns you back around to face the music; just know that you’re not standing alone…He’s standing right where He can have your back!

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

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[1] Title Image: Courtesy of Pixabay.com

[2] Proverbs 17:28 (also famously attributed to such wise men as Mark Twain and Abraham Lincoln)

Friends

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Tuesday, October 9, 2018

A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.  Proverbs 17:17(NLT)

Everybody needs friends, especially in times of trouble.  Reece Elliot was my next-door neighbor; he was also a friend.  Reece was a decade or so older than I am, and we only met a few years before he retired.  He passed several years ago, but not before he taught me some important stuff.

We had some great times taking a break from mowing on Fridays.  Whenever our mowers happened to be near our common property line at the same time, there was this shady spot under the oak tree between our houses…and the mowers would silence for a 20-minute catch-up time.  It was a convenient place where the wives (domestic supervisors) couldn’t see how much down time was occurring when chores needed doing.

One Friday morning, about a dozen or so years ago, I climbed up on my roof to clear some debris, and, in true Russell fashion, taking the last step to get on top of the house, I managed to knock over the ladder; jumping down was not an option, so I was trapped.  It was only about nine o’clock, but it was already hot in the August sunshine on that roof.  I looked at the situation like Google Earth, 360° from above, and saw nobody!  I figured I was going to cook like a fried egg on that hot shingle frying pan until Elizabeth got home from work that afternoon.

Then I heard the mower; Reece was on the job.  Friday morning was always mowing day; thank goodness for people of habit!  As my neighbor rounded the house I realized my rescue was not going to be all that simple.  Reece was at least as hard of hearing as I am, and the John Deere diesel mower made quite a bit of noise.  I yelled and yelled, bellowing out Reece’s name…but all to no avail.  All I could hope for was one of those shade tree break times.

About 20 minutes into my neighbor’s mowing my opportunity arrived as Reece shut down the mower to wipe his brow and get a drink.  As I shouted his name, he looked around, wondering.  Several more times I shouted before Reece looked in my direction, but still towards the ground.  “Up here, neighbor”!  Reece looked up, shielding his eyes from the white-hot morning sun and said,

“Preacher?  Preacher; what’re ya doin’ up thar?” 

In my native Yankee makeup sarcasm comes out when I’m frustrated.  “I’m having a tea party, and you’re invited; what do you think I’m doing up here, calling your name for the last half hour?  I knocked over my ladder and can’t get down!” 

“Well, preacher, why’d ya do that?” 

“Oh, I don’t know…it’s a nice day; thought I’d sit up here for an hour or twelve.”

Then came the grin, a pause, while Reece looked down at the ground to consider his next move, and he lifted his hand in a wave, while he said: “Well, be careful up thar, preacher; don’t do nothin’ stupid.  See ya later.”  And with that he started the John Deere and proceeded to mow the lawn, while the preacher on the perch shouted, “NO…wait…come BACK, come BAAACK!”. 

Reece almost made it to the end of his yard before his bouncing on the mower was more than just going over the bumps, he was laughing so hard I thought he’d fall off the John Deere. 

As consternation melted into feeling really foolish, it became impossible not to join in with Reece laughing at the situation, and the way my neighbor friend brought some humor to this otherwise frustrating start to my day off.

Everybody needs a friend like Reece.

For You Today

It’s true that everybody needs a friend like Reece.  But, perhaps even more importantly, everybody needs to BE a friend like Reece.

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

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[1] Title Image: Photo Courtesy of Pixabay.com

When You Need a Friend

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Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Saul now urged his servants and his son Jonathan to assassinate David.  But Jonathan, because of his strong affection for David, told him what his father was planning.  “Tomorrow morning,” he warned him, “you must find a hiding place out in the fields.  I’ll ask my father to go out there with me, and I’ll talk to him about you. Then I’ll tell you everything I can find out.”  The next morning Jonathan spoke with his father about David, saying many good things about him.  “The king must not sin against his servant David,” Jonathan said.  “He’s never done anything to harm you. He has always helped you in any way he could.  Have you forgotten about the time he risked his life to kill the Philistine giant and how the Lord brought a great victory to all Israel as a result?  You were certainly happy about it then.  Why should you murder an innocent man like David?  There is no reason for it at all!”  So Saul listened to Jonathan and vowed, “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be killed.”  Afterward Jonathan called David and told him what had happened.  Then he brought David to Saul, and David served in the court as before.  1 Samuel 19:1-7^(NLT)

The proof of Jonathan’s friendship with David is found primarily in the fact that he had everything to lose by helping David, and virtually nothing to gain.  Jonathan was the king’s son, and therefore heir-apparent to the throne of Israel.  It was a dangerous game to play, helping David, when the king wanted him dead.  But Jonathan not only loved his friend David, he was bound by integrity to do the right thing.  Many years later David’s son, Solomon (perhaps remembering his father’s friend, Jonathan) would write:

A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need. 

Proverbs 17:17^(NLT)

“Always loyal” is the key to friendship.  Now, that doesn’t mean always patting you on the back or being ready to follow you down an ethically-questionable pathway.  Loyalty does always mean being truthful, and to be depended upon to stand with you in the hard times and rejoice with you in the triumphs of life. 

I believe if David had in mind a coup d'état to overthrow King Saul, this story would have had a very different ending; Jonathan might have let David sink!  David may have been Jonathan’s dearest friend, but Saul was his father and the king.  When loyalties collide, friendship must take second place to truth and doing the right thing. 

Solomon also wrote:  It is wrong to punish the godly for being good…. Proverbs 17:26^(NLT)

For You Today

It’s an easy thing to imagine what you’d like a friend to be in your life…loyal, courageous, funny, helpful, strong, supportive.  All this and more roll quickly off our brain’s must have list for friends.  But we should also consider our friendship effort we give to others.  If you’ve got a Jonathan in your life, treasure the gift, and thank God.  And while you’re at it, ask God for the wisdom, generosity and faithfulness to BE a Jonathan to your friends.

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

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[1] Title Image:  Courtesy of Pixabay.com

Shipwrecked Faith

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Friday, February 9, 2018

Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier.  May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles.  Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear.  For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.  Hymenaeus and Alexander are two examples.  I threw them out and handed them over to Satan so they might learn not to blaspheme God.  1 Timothy 1:18-20^(NLT)

Paul was Timothy’s mentor.  From other references in Scripture we know that Timothy was raised in a Godly household, and Paul was probably instrumental in his conversion.[2]  Timothy accompanied Paul on his missionary journeys, and at times was sent to churches by Paul when he couldn’t go personally.  Six of Paul’s letters have Timothy’s greetings to the churches, if not his influence in what Paul wrote. 

As much as Paul was a tutor and “father” in the faith to Timothy, this friendship included Timothy’s influence on Paul.  When Paul came to the end of his days on earth he called for Timothy to come to the Roman prison, and bring the Scripture scrolls ^{(2 Timothy 4:9)}.   Like any other human, at the end you want your closest friends.  For Paul it was the Word of God and his “son” in the faith.

In giving Timothy some final instructions for his life and ministry, Paul charged Timothy to live with particular attention to the meaning of his name, which is:  honoring God.

The caution to Timothy in this advice is that only an un-violated conscience can honor God.  Hymenaeus and Alexander were believers who had crossed that line intentionally.  It may have been that they were under some pressure from authorities to deny Christ, or it may have been a temptation that they just weren’t willing to fight…but it was serious enough for Paul to act with discipline – a last ditch effort to save their souls.  These men had made a shipwreck of their faith walk with Christ; Paul was throwing them a compassionate lifeline in the form of a wakeup call.  Better to get a cold splash of holy water in the face than wake up in the searing fires of hell.

The whole point is conscience – that inner voice of God’s Holy Spirit which, if we let Him, directs our daily life’s choices, and leads us into living a Godly life.  Paul strongly reminded Timothy that nothing mattered as much as clinging to that faith (in Christ) once-delivered to the saints.  Trusting Christ would help him stay clean in conscience and strong in the battle against the darkness of life in a godless world. 

This is certainly true in the life and ministry of those called to work in God’s field.  And whether pastor or lay person, we are ALL called to labor in God’s vineyard!  God calls us to do so with these clean tools: 

·       faith in Christ alone,

·       the Word of God,

·       unending prayer,

·       the daily surrender of self, and

·       a clean conscience. 

These are the tools of a follower of Jesus; we must keep those tools clean and sharp!

For You Today

Look over your toolbox today.  When you reach for help in that toolbox you don’t need to find a dull, rusted conscience!

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

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[1] Title Image:  Courtesy of Pixabay.com

[2] Robert Dean in Holman Bible Dictionary © 1991 Holman Bible Publishers Electronic Edition STEP Files