"People Will Say We're in Love..."

"Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life." -- Revelation 2:10

So tonight, as part of the CCA, Shirley Jones was here. You know, Mrs. Partridge. Laurie in Oklahoma. Julie Jordan in Carousel. Marian the librarian in The Music Man. Anyway, it was incredible to hear about and think about all that she has been able to accomplish on stage and in film over the years, including an Oscar, and she is not done at 70 years. She continues to tour, and this May will appear in a three month showing of 42nd Street. By anyone's standards, she has made the most of her life as an entertainer and says she will never retire, as though that is a funny concept to her. People would say that she is in love with performing....

As much as I admire her work, though, I would not wish her accomplishments for myself, grand and spectacular as they may be. In a sense, there is a larger, higher dream than the American Dream of glamour and success to which the Christian is called. But she exemplifies a great love for her driving passion and will probably perform until the day she dies, as she collects respect and honor from her admirers. And it is that which I wish to emulate. My one driving passion is Christ and I hope that I may continue to show forth his love and pursue him faithfully by his grace throughout my entire life. Ms. Jones showed that you are not too young to make your start, as she played in Oklahoma at age 18, with almost no experience. Similarly, Christ's power may be made manifest through even the youngest or weakest member of the body, and that is encouraging. It is never too early to begin working for kingdom, and working for it powerfully.

I was reminded today in thought of Matthew 25:23, "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'" It's wonderful to dream big for God. I don't think we can dream big enough about service to God. But at this stage in life it is easy to create the big dreams and forget the everyday things. God will not give us the nations if we are not faithful where we are. How will we tell the world if we are not telling our neighbor?

Ms. Jones' passion for performing will not allow her to stop, for she is so in love with what she does. I think it is tragic in America that once people hit the magical age of 65, they settle for dying on the golf course, when there is still so much life to live, especially for the Christian. Seriously. Where in the Bible does it say that we can stop? So someone gets to that age and decides to stop their current trade. Fine. I have no problem with that. But if our driving passion is the Lord Jesus Christ and he is our King of Kings until we meet him in glory, then age 65 means nothing to us in our pursuit of him and service to him. We think that we deserve to rest after a life of work, but we deserve nothing and yet Christ has granted us his power and love to become ministers unto the Word through suffering and service unto our eternal joy! There is nothing in this life that could compare to the riches of Christ that are to be found in his service- no yacht, no golf course, no lakehouse. I am continually encouraged by stories of saints, past and present, who have passed retirement age but have continued on for the sake of God's glory, going out to live and die in his mission field. What a testimony, especially to us younger ones in the faith. Christ never promised an easy life nor a comfortable life. In fact, he called us to take up our crosses and follow him, realizing that a cross is a place to die. The mission field is not safe. It has never promised to be safe. But what is this life compared to the riches of the life hereafter?

So I want to encourage you not to grasp onto the small pleasures of this life that will never satisfy you. Go to the source of all joy and satisfaction- Jesus Christ, our King. His way is not safe and will ask for your life, but wasn't it he that trod the road to Calvary and laid down his life for you? He will be our strength and our life even in death. So let our lives testify Christ, so that in our death people will say we were in love with our Lord.

"Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God's truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever."

-- Martin Luther, from "A Mighty Fortress is Our God"