Reflections of Life

About this time of day, just over a year ago, my brother David sent me this image and Scripture passage...

...Now that was nothing unusual, because he was always sending these little encouraging notes to share with his family and friends that demonstrated in a tangible way what it meant and what he understood it meant to be a Christian. I sent a short note back (agreeing of course) and that would be the last time I would ever hear from him...A few hours later he passed into the sweet arms of the Savior he knew and longed to meet someday. I shared this story at his funeral a few days later but it wasn't until this morning (when I ran across his text again) that I really paid attention to the profound meaning of what he'd done.

You see, to me who'd read and studied that passage many times, it was just a beautiful truth I had come to be familiar with, but to David, unknowingly, it would be his last will and testament at least as far as I'm concerned. David understood, and so should we, that Jesus is not some far away God sitting in a palacial palace in heaven, unconcerned and indifferent to the plight of sinful man. He's our living Lord...personal and real to those of us who enjoy a relationship with Him! He's the power that sustains us and provides for our needs...He's our Comforter and our Peace when the world is crashing down around us and there seems no place to turn! He knows us better than we know ourselves and He loves us even when we're unlovely!

Was David perfect?...No, neither am I and neither are you, but he understood something that our world will never teach you... Why? Because the world knows little to nothing of Him...It doesn't recognize His name and gives no thought to the saving power that resides WITHIN that Name! If only, oh if only, the message of the POWER... the SAVING, SECURING, and RESURRECTING POWER of that Name which is above all others beneath the stars of heaven was recognized for Who and What it is!

I'm sorry but the president can't save you...the prince, the pauper or the preacher can't save you...the pope, the prime minister or the king has no power or the authority to save your soul from the hell it deserves!...ONLY THE NAME OF JESUS can save you and set you free from the guilt, shame and punishment we ALL deserve! ONLY IN THE NAME OF JESUS can you find REAL rest, peace and contentment in a life struggling for meaning and true happiness!

In the final analysis...ONLY when the smoke clears and the dust settles...when our heart skips two beats and our final breath is drawn will we truly understand the REALITY of what my brother David is experiencing right now. Paul only caught a glimpse when he said that our eyes haven't seen nor have our hearts imagined the joys of heaven that ONLY salvation in the NAME of Jesus can bring! In the NAME of Jesus and in honor of my dear brother David always! Love you all!

(Oh, and little brother, if you ever pull back the eternal veil and long for that reunion as we all do, I hope you know that we'll all be doing the best we can ALSO to share the love that can only be found in the sweet NAME of Jesus!)