The story of Bill Walton’s passing saddened me. For those who don’t know, he was an outstanding college and professional basketball who went on to be a very entertaining broadcaster. And from all accounts from those who knew him personally, he was a better person. “He loved life and was so full of life” is a standard description of how he lived his life. Walton always had a big smile on his face. He lived life to the fullest.
Long before Bill captured his first rebound or slammed his first dunk, he described his reason for coming to earth. He said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
Jesus wanted us to live with gusto and enthusiasm. He didn’t want us to allow the Enemy to destroy our love for living and steal our joy for loving life and people. His desire for us was, and is, life to the full.
And yet, the Enemy still wants to steal, kill, and destroy everything good in life. He wants to steal your love for your neighbor. The Enemy wants to kill your effort to live a good life and be a good person. He wants to destroy your joy in enjoying a sunrise or a sunset, pausing to listen to the birds sing their songs of praise, or sitting quietly as your children or grandchildren tell you stories.
Don’t let him. Keep loving people. Keep enjoying a slower pace. Keep watching those sunrises and sunsets. Keep hitting repeat when you hear a favorite song. There’s so much to see and hear. Keep living life and live it to the fullest.
As my wife, nephew, and I sat at the table one morning last week, I remembered this story from my childhood. We lived about a quarter of a mile from my Aunt Eunice and Uncle Ruby’s grocery store. We often rode our bikes down the highway to get a soft drink (we said coke refers to any soft drink: Coke, Pepsi, Pop Kola, etc.), a candy bar, or something else, or to visit. Occasionally, as we started back home on hot summer days, we’d notice a rainstorm coming our way. Naturally, we wanted to get home before the rain hit. So, we’d try to outrun the rain.
With our legs pumping as fast as we could, we’d fly down the highway (it felt like we were flying). If lucky, we’d make it to our front porch just in time to sit, watch, and listen to the rain. We were not so fortunate sometimes, and the rain would catch us. We would sit on the porch until we dried off on those occasions.
I can almost see and hear the rain chasing us, feel the drops on my back, and smell it as it cooled the hot pavement.
Reliving those hot summer days has reminded me of many times since then I have tried to outrun the rain.
When I learned my mother was dying (probably about the same time as those bike rides), I wanted to outrun the rain.
When relationships turned in the wrong direction, I wanted to outrun the rain.
When work and ministry became discouraging, and I knew the end was near, I wished I could outrun the rain.
When we learned our granddaughter’s diagnosis, I tried with all my strength to outrun the rain.
All these years later, when I’m lonely, when work gets hard, people I love are struggling, and sickness, sadness, and death overwhelm me, I wish I could outrun the rain. I wish I could make it to the front porch to sit and wait until the rain passes.
That porch no longer exists, but rainstorms continue. And there is still a safe place to go when we want to outrun the rain.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:2)
Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. (Psalm 62:8)
When life becomes a puzzle, take a moment to shift your gaze and turn your eyes upon Jesus.
When you watch or listen to the news of the day and get depressed, turn your eyes upon Jesus.
When medical news is not good, turn your eyes upon Jesus.
When you hate or lose your job, turn your eyes upon Jesus.
When your spouse walks out on you, turn your eyes upon Jesus.
When you are nearer the exit than the entrance, turn your eyes upon Jesus.
When your sins pile high and guilt holds you captive, turn your eyes upon Jesus.
When your strength is gone, and your desire to continue is fading, turn your eyes upon Jesus.
When life is good, and you’re on top of the world, turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Turning your eyes upon Jesus won’t change the circumstances you are facing. It won’t fix whatever is wrong, but it can change your attitude and remind you that you are not alone. It might inspire you to keep trying and trusting Him to walk you through the struggle. So, turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls![1]
When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? (Psalm 56:3-4, NIV)
Psalm 56 expresses why David is regarded as an uncomplaining, meek dove, driven from his native home to wander in exile. He appears to be disturbed by both domestic and foreign foes. David appeals confidently to God, recites his complaints, and closes with joyful and assured anticipations of God’s continued help. [Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), Ps 56:1–13.]
This short portion of the psalm consists of only thirty-one words but offers important insights on dealing with fear and unpleasant circumstances.
First, admit your fears. David states, “When I am afraid.” He does not say, “I’m not afraid, but if I were, this is how I would deal with it.” He says, “When I am afraid.” Can you admit your fear? Are you afraid for other people to know you are afraid? That could be a problem. Will you admit your fears?
Second, when you are afraid, trust God. Stay in His word and trust His word. Trust His promises. Trust His promise that you can trust Him. Read the stories of God’s faithful people. Examine the lives of people who trusted God. David. Moses. Abraham. Joshua and Caleb. Peter. Paul.
Third, do not be afraid. We have already commented on how David admits his fear, and sometimes we are afraid. When we are, we muster all our strength and courage and act courageously. We call these people heroes. Even heroes, when they are honest, will admit they were afraid. No one can hurt me.
Could you write a verse of a Psalm like David? Maybe not as poetic, but here’s my attempt:
Father, there are times when I am scared. At those times, I try to trust. I do trust you in my heart, but my actions sometimes betray my lack of trust.
When I get scared, I try to read my Bible more to remind me of Your faithfulness to those who trust You. That helps. Your words and Your stories remind me that I am not alone. Others have traveled this road before me. You provided them with strength and confidence. I believe You will do the same for me.
I will try not to be afraid. I will remind myself that You will protect me and that there is nothing another human can do to me that will separate me from You. I will remember what You said in Romans 8:
If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This year’s Mangum Family Reunion was different. I’m not sure exactly what it was, but something was different. Maybe it was the absence of some who could not attend. Or perhaps it was the lingering reminder that life is fragile and can change quickly.
Even though something was different, some things were the same.
The gratitude for our family heritage was the same. Floyd and Agnes Mangum lived simple lives and left a legacy of faith, love of family, and a desire to improve the world.
The joy of seeing one another was the same.If we are fortunate, most of us see each other once a year. Our time is precious, so we try to make the most of it.
The sharing of memories and stories was the same. We retold stories we told the last time we were together, and we’ll retell them again the next time. I hope. Some stories are humorous, some are incredibly sad, but all remind us that we are family.
The sadness of saying goodbye is always the same. Time is too short. The conversations would go on for days if we had days. Remembering those no longer with us brings tears of sorrow and appreciation.
We remind each other that God gave us the blessing of our family, which is the same. By His design, we are here and who we are, and we will make every effort possible to gather again next year.
Today, we celebrate Junie’s 6th birthday. It was just under two years ago when we first learned of her cancer. For much of the following year, she experienced all the things that go along with cancer treatments, including loss of hair, loss of appetite, loss of weight, and regular episodes of nausea.
Each checkup and MRI brings anxiety, stress, fear, intense prayer, and cautious hope that she will be healthy and have clear scans. Last week, her latest scans were all clear.
Her 6th birthday party took place yesterday at a recreational Gymnastics and Tumbling facility. I watched Junie run, jump, flip, tumble, walk on a balance beam, eat pizza and cake, and open her presents with friends and family.
On the eve of her 6th birthday, my wife showed me a picture of Juniper Blue wrapped in my arms for the first time. My heart overflows with an overwhelming sense of gratitude that we could celebrate her 6th birthday.
Thank You, Father, for this beautiful and healthy six-year-old.
Class Reunion, a Long Drive, Family, the Eclipse, Work,
a Concert, and the Masters
What do all these things have in common? Memories
Class Reunion.As I made the almost seven-hour journey from home to Hope, Arkansas, my mind drifted back fifty-four years to when I was a senior in high school with only a few weeks before graduation. In 1970, I had many questions about the future, what finishing high school meant, saying goodbye to friends and family, and leaving home for college. As I drove, memories flooded my mind. Fifty-four years later, I still have many questions about the future, what finishing life means, saying goodbye to friends and family, and leaving this world when the time comes.
A long drive. During the last two hours of the trip to Hope, I asked Siri to play music from 1969. I heard Touch Me by the Doors. I remember Jimmy Alford sitting in the old Piggly Wiggly parking lot one night with that song playing at full volume. I played it again at full volume. I listened to The Uniques sing All These Things. And I was that In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida was 16 minutes long. I’m grateful that music can transport us to the place and time where we first heard the song or where we heard it for the thousandth time.
Family. I’m grateful that I could spend time with my brother and some of his family on my way to and back from the class reunion. We shared good food, relaxing time, and memories of our life.
The Eclipse. I put on my safety glasses and joined the millions of others who saw the dramatic images and experienced the world turning dark at 1:30 p.m. I remembered a similar experience on a deserted golf course in Nashville for the last eclipse. The transition from darkness to light reminded me to be thankful for sight and light. And the light of the Lord. (By the way, do you know what God does when the sun looks like a big toenail? Eclipse it.)
Work. On multiple occasions last week, I prayed for families and stood nearby as they said goodbye to their loved ones. And I listened to their stories as they shared memories.
A Concert. For an hour and forty minutes, Lauren Daigle hopped and bounced all over the stage as she sang her songs of faith, Hope, joy, and the love of the Father. Some of her songs bring back more recent memories. And being there with Kim created a new memory for us.
The Masters. I watched and remembered the opportunities I had to walk the course during practice rounds, meeting Jim Nantz near the 13th fairway, hearing the roar of the crowds, and the thrill of seeing some of the greatest players of all time. And I remembered sitting in our living room watching and dreading having to leave to go to Sunday night church before it ended. So grateful when DVRs made it possible to record it and watch it later.
I’m thankful for my memories, and I can still remember and enjoy them.And I thank my God every time I remember you.
NOTE: The Hope High School Class of 1970 (Hope, Arkansas) celebrated our 54th class reunion this weekend. This is the prayer I shared.
A Prayer for the Class of 1970
Father, thank You for allowing us to gather here today to share memories of our time from 54 years ago and catch up on things that have happened to and with us since the last time we gathered. Thank You to everyone who planned and organized this time together this afternoon.
Fifty-four years is a long time, Father, but in many ways, seeing these faces, hearing these voices, and sharing these memories reminds me of how fortunate we are to have been part of the Hope High School class of 1970. Our last year together was a challenging year in many ways. There were moments of grand celebrations that many will never experience and times filled with challenges and stress that most hope they never experience again.
And yet, as we look back, it is not difficult to see that our senior year at Hope High School helped prepare us for the life ahead—a life filled with great victories and devastating losses, exciting hopes and dreams, heartbreaking disappointments, and dreams that have never come true.
Our time at Hope High School gave us an understanding of true friendship, friendships that last a lifetime, and a sense of genuine love. It helped us learn and appreciate the value of human life—our time together taught us never to take people for granted, which hopefully has traveled and will travel with us through the rest of our lives.
Father, we thank you for those who are here, those who could not be here today, and those who are no longer with us but will always remain with us in our hearts because of their impact on our lives.
Thank You to the administrators, teachers, coaches, and families beyond our own who did their best to guide us and prepare us for the challenges we have faced and will continue to face as we strive to make the world a better place.
Father, thank you for letting us be part of the class of 1970. May we continue to have love in our relationships, joy in the memories, peace in the present moments, healing of our hurts, and rest for our souls.
Someone recently gave me Charles R. Swindoll’s book Laugh Again, which is based on Paul’s joyful letter to the Philippians. The complete title is Maybe It’s Time to Laugh Again. Experience Outrageous Joy. I’m gradually working my way through it again. I’m not sure how many times I’ve read it since it was published in 1992.
Philippians is one of four or five places in Scripture that I regularly return to when I need to refocus my mind, renew my attitude, and refresh my spirit. Receiving the book has been a good reminder of the line in the title: Maybe it’s time to…laugh again.
Maybe it is. Life gets serious. Then, some of us make it even more serious than it needs to be.
Paul said it over and over, “Rejoice. Rejoice. Again, I say, rejoice.” “Laugh again.” “Lighten up.”
I occasionally end a challenging day of depressing news, sad messages from friends or family, and tough work situations by watching an episode of my favorite sitcom. It helps me laugh a little before going to bed.
There are certain cartoons I check out and share via texts or social media.
A co-worker shared a good joke last week, and I shared it in three different settings before the end of the day.
Yes, it is time to laugh again. Look for reasons to laugh. Then, laugh and enjoy the laugh.
they were afraid. No one can hurt me.