GOD’S LIFE-GIVING PRESENCE
John 14:1-2; Psalm 139:1-11
Rev. Paul Wrightman 8/1/21
IDELLA EDWARDS SHARES THE FOLLOWING IN THE BOOK
HEAVEN SENT: MORE THAN COINCIDENCE:
THE DAY AFTER MY MOTHER’S FUNERAL I SAT ON HER BED,
THANKFUL THAT MY THREE DAUGHTERS
WERE HELPING ME SORT THROUGH HER THINGS.
I COULD HARDLY TOUCH A PIECE OF HER CLOTHING
WITHOUT BREAKING DOWN IN TEARS.
I HAD TRIED TO MAKE HER SERVICE A GLORIOUS, BEAUTIFUL
TRIBUTE TO HER HUNDRED YEARS OF LIFE AND UNSHAKABLE FAITH –
BUT HAD I HONORED HER THE WAY SHE WOULD HAVE WANTED?
I SECOND-GUESSED EVERYTHING.
ESPECIALLY THE FINAL HYMN I CHOSE:
“GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU.”
I WASN’T EVEN SURE WHY I’D PICKED IT.
MUSIC WAS A HUGE PART OF MOTHER’S LIFE,
INTERWOVEN WITH HER FAITH.
NOTHING BROUGHT HER MORE JOY
THAN ENTERTAINING FOLKS WITH A SING-ALONG,
PLAYING BOOGIE-WOOGIE OR A HYMN ON THE PIANO.
SO WHEN IT CAME TIME TO CHOOSE THE SONGS FOR HER SERVICE
MY MIND FLASHED BACK TO THE HUNDREDS OF SELECTIONS
SHE’D PERFORMED OVER THE YEARS.
I HOPED I’D MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE.
“WOW!” ONE OF MY DAUGHTERS SAID,
JOLTING ME FROM MY THOUGHTS.
“LOOK AT ALL THOSE PAPERS.”
I GOT UP OFF THE BED AND KNELT ON THE FLOOR
IN FRONT OF A PLASTIC TUB THAT HELD A BUNDLE OF DOCUMENTS.
MY CURIOSITY TOOK OVER.
WHAT WERE THESE PAPERS?
WERE THEY NOTES FROM MY LATE FATHER?
HER CHILDHOOD FRIENDS?
I PULLED ONE SHEAF OUT AT RANDOM AND READ [THE FOLLOWING]:
‘YEARS AGO I WAS PLANNING A ROAD TRIP,
SO I TRADED IN MY OLD CAR FOR ANOTHER, BETTER, USED ONE.
THAT SAME NIGHT I HAD A DREAM.”
A DREAM? I READ ON.
“I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE HIGHWAY
WHEN SUDDENLY I HAD TO TURN MY CAR SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT.
BAM! THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT
AND I WENT UP AND OVER AN EMBANKMENT.
THE NEXT MORNING I AWOKE WITH A START,
TERRIBLY WORRIED ABOUT THE TIRES ON MY NEW CAR.
I DROVE IT TO AN AUTO-BODY SHOP.
‘I’M PLANNING A ROAD TRIP NEXT WEEK.
DO YOU THINK MY TIRES ARE IN GOOD SHAPE FOR IT?’
I ASKED THE MECHANIC.
HE CHECKED OUT ALL THE TIRES AND CAME BACK TO THE LOBBY.
‘MA’AM, ALL OF YOUR TIRES ARE WORN –
ESPECIALLY THAT FRONT RIGHT ONE.
WE’VE GOT TO CHANGE THEM STRAIGHT AWAY.’
‘YOU’RE KIDDING,’ I SAID. A SHIVER RAN DOWN MY SPINE.
I BOUGHT FOUR BRAND-NEW TIRES.
THE FOLLOWING WEEK I SET OUT ON MY ROAD TRIP.
I WAS DRIVING ALONG WHEN ALL AT ONCE
AN ONCOMING CAR VEERED INTO MY LANE!
I TURNED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT JUST LIKE I HAD IN MY DREAM…
ONLY THIS TIME MY TIRE DIDN’T BLOW OUT.
I WAS TOTALLY FINE. TOTALLY PROTECTED.”
THE DAUGHTER CONTINUES:
I WAS AMAZED. MOM HAD NEVER TOLD ANY OF US THIS STORY.
I FINISHED READING [MY MOTHER’S WRITING]:
“AND THAT’S WHY TO THIS DAY MY VERY FAVORITE HYMN
IS ‘GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU,’
BECAUSE I KNOW, WITHOUT A DOUBT, THAT GOD PROTECTS ME…”
THE DAUGHTER CONCLUDES:
AND NOW I KNEW THAT MY CHOICE OF HYMN
HAD BEEN THE RIGHT ONE.”
MANY OF US HAVE HEARD STORIES LIKE THIS FROM FRIENDS…
OR FROM THE FRIEND OF A FRIEND.
WHETHER WE BELIEVE A STORY LIKE THIS OR NOT
HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE LEVEL OF TRUST
WE PLACE IN THE STORYTELLER.
IF THERE’S A HIGH LEVEL OF TRUST, WE’RE LIKELY TO BELIEVE.
IF THERE IS NO TRUST OR LOW TRUST, WE’RE LIKELY NOT TO.
IN OUR SCRIPTURE TEXT THIS MORNING,
JESUS IS SHARING A VERY SIMILAR STORY
TO THE ONE WE JUST HEARD FROM IDELLA EDWARDS.
IF WE TRUST HIM, WE’RE LIKELY TO TAKE HIM AT HIS WORD.
IF WE DON’T TRUST HIM, WE’RE LIKELY TO TAKE
WHAT HE SAYS WITH A HUGE DOSE OF SALT
AND DISCOUNT IT AS “WISHFUL THINKING.”
LET’S TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT OUR SCRIPTURE READING
FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN.
IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THIS PASSAGE
JESUS HAS TOLD HIS DISCIPLES THAT HE WILL BE LEAVING THEM.
THEY REALIZE HE IS TELLING THEM
THAT HE WILL SOON BE PUT TO DEATH.
THEY ARE HUGELY UPSET.
JESUS SPEAKS THE WORDS IN OUR SCRIPTURE TEXT
TO CONSOLE HIS HURTING DISCIPLES.
HE KNOWS THAT IN ADDITION TO THEIR BEING AGITATED
ABOUT HIS UPCOMING DEATH,
HIS WORDS ABOUT LEAVING HAVE ALSO REMINDED THEM
THAT THEY, TOO, WILL DIE,
IF NOT SOONER, THEN DEFINITELY LATER.
THE FIRST THING HE SAYS TO THEM,
A STATEMENT WHICH HE HAS OFTEN SAID BEFORE, IS:
“DON’T WORRY OR SURRENDER TO YOUR FEAR.”
IN THE CONTEXT OF DEATH, JESUS’ STATEMENT
NOT TO WORRY AND NOT TO GIVE IN TO FEAR
MEANS THAT DEATH ITSELF IS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT
OR TO BE AFRAID OF.
JUST IN CASE THE DISCIPLES ARE HAVING SOME THOUGHTS
ALONG THE LINES OF, “AND WHAT GIVES YOU THE AUTHORITY
TO TELL US THAT DEATH IS NOTHING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT?”,
JESUS IMMEDIATELY GIVES THEM THE REASON WHY HE CAN MAKE
SUCH AN OUTRAGEOUS STATEMENT.
HE REMINDS THEM OF THEIR FAITH IN GOD,
AND ASKS HIS DISCIPLES TO PUT THEIR TRUST AND BELIEF IN HIM
JUST AS THEY HAVE PUT THEIR BELIEF AND TRUST IN GOD.
JESUS IS BASICALLY CHALLENGING HIS DISCIPLES
TO LET GO OF ALL THEIR UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT DEATH
AND TO SIMPLY HANG ON TO HIM HANGING ON TO THEM.
THIS REMINDS ME OF THE VERY EARLY ICONS
OF JESUS’ RESURRECTION WHICH HAVE COME TO US FROM
THE EASTERN ORTHODOX BRANCH OF CHRISTIANITY.
THESE ICONS NEVER PORTRAY JESUS AS RISING ALONE.
THEY ALWAYS SHOW JESUS AS FIERCELY HANGING ON
TO ADAM AND EVE – WHO REPRESENT ALL OF HUMANITY –
WHO, IN TURN, ARE EMPOWERED BY JESUS TO FIRMLY HOLD
ON TO THE NEXT PERSON IN LINE,
UNTIL ALL OF HUMANITY IS LIFTED UP IN HIM.
WHAT JESUS IS TELLING HIS DISCIPLES
IS THAT THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM IS UNBREAKABLE.
NOT EVEN DEATH WILL BE ABLE TO BREAK IT
BECAUSE JESUS IS STRONGER THAN DEATH.
DEATH IS NO MATCH FOR GOD’S LIFE-GIVING PRESENCE
IN THE PERSON OF JESUS.
WHEN JESUS TELLS HIS DISCIPLES
“MY FATHER’S HOUSE HAS MANY DWELLING PLACES,”
IT SURE SOUNDS LIKE JESUS IS SPEAKING
FROM HIS OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH GOD.
HE’S TELLING HIS DISCIPLES THAT HE’S ALREADY BEEN
IN HIS FATHER’S HOUSE AND KNOWS WHAT HE’S TALKING ABOUT.
THE PHRASE TRANSLATED FROM THE GREEK
AS “DWELLING PLACES” HAS A WONDERFUL CONNOTATION
THAT FAILS TO COME THROUGH IN OUR ENGLISH BIBLES.
IN ADDITION TO MEANING “SAFE SHELTER” OR “SAFE HARBOR,”
IT MEANS “STAGES ON THE WAY.”
MANY MAJOR EARLY CHRISTIAN THINKERS
UNDERSTOOD THIS TO MEAN
THAT DEATH IS NOT THE ENTRANCE TO A STATIC HEAVEN
IN WHICH EVERYTHING IS FIXED FOR ALL ETERNITY,
BUT THAT DEATH IS THE ENTRANCE TO A DYNAMIC HEAVEN
IN WHICH ALL GOD’S CREATURES CONTINUE TO GROW
IN UNDERSTANDING AND IN LOVE THROUGHOUT ALL ETERNITY.
FOR THESE EARLY CHRISTIAN THINKERS SUCH AS ORIGEN, IRENAEUS,
AND CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA, THERE ARE MANY MORE
“STAGES ON LIFE’S WAY” AFTER DEATH THAN BEFORE DEATH.
FOR THEM, ONE CONTINUES TO DISCOVER AND GROW INTO
THE UNIQUE IMAGE OF GOD THAT GOD CREATED EACH OF US TO BE
FOR ALL ETERNITY.
PERSONALLY, I THINK THESE VERY EARLY CHRISTIAN THINKERS
HAVE GIVEN US A PROFOUND INSIGHT HERE.
THEY GIVE ME PERMISSION TO THINK OF SOLOMON’S LIFE
AS NOT ONLY TRAGICALLY CUT SHORT IN THIS DIMENSION,
BUT OF SOL’S BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE HIS MUSICAL ADVENTURES
IN HEAVEN WITH PEOPLE LIKE MOZART, BEETHOVEN,
MAHLER, AND SHOSTAKOVICH.
THERE IS ANOTHER GREEK PHRASE
WITH AN AMAZING HIDDEN CONNOTATION
IN THE LAST VERSE OF OUR SCRIPTURE TEXT FROM JOHN.
“I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU”
DESCRIBES JESUS IN TERMS OF BEING
A “FORERUNNER” OR “RECONNAISSANCE SCOUT.”
THE IMPLICATION IS THAT WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING
TO FEAR FROM DEATH BECAUSE JESUS HAS ALREADY
GONE ON AHEAD OF US TO PROVIDE SAFE PASSAGE
THROUGH DEATH TO NEW LIFE BEYOND DEATH.
APPLYING THIS INSIGHT TO SOLOMON,
I’M COMFORTED BY THE THOUGHT
THAT EVEN BEFORE SOL DIED TO THIS WORLD,
JESUS HAD ALREADY GONE ON AHEAD OF HIM
TO PROVIDE SAFE PASSAGE.
JESUS’ COMFORTING WORDS TO HIS ORIGINAL DISCIPLES
ARE INTENDED JUST AS MUCH FOR THOSE OF US
WHO ARE HIS DISCIPLES TODAY.
THE TRICKY PART IS THAT HIS ORIGINAL DISCIPLES REALLY KNEW HIM.
CAN WE SAY THE SAME FOR OURSELVES?
WE CAN’T TRUST A PERSON UNLESS WE KNOW THAT PERSON.
THE PIVOTAL QUESTION FOR EACH OF US HERE TODAY IS
“DO I KNOW JESUS WELL ENOUGH TO TRUST HIM?”
NOW SOME OF US HAVE GOTTEN PRETTY BADLY BURNED
BY RELATIONSHIP FAILURES IN THE PAST,
AND HAVE TOLD OURSELVES THAT WE ARE NEVER, EVER
GOING TO FULLY TRUST A PERSON
UNTIL WE GET TO KNOW EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW
ABOUT THEM.
OF COURSE IF WE STICK TO THIS FEAR-DRIVEN DEMAND,
WE ARE NEVER, EVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO FULLY TRUST
ANYONE EVER AGAIN.
AND THIS APPLIES TO JESUS JUST AS MUCH AS ANYONE ELSE.
SO WE FIND OURSELVES IN THE UNENVIABLE POSITION
OF TRYING TO CARRY ON A RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE
WE SIMULTANEOUSLY TRUST AND DON’T TRUST –
NOT A GOOD RECIPE FOR DEVELOPING A DEEP AND LOVING
RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE – INCLUDING GOD!
BETTER, PERHAPS, TO TAKE THAT STEP OF TRUSTING FAITH
AND SEE WHERE IT LEADS OVER TIME.
IF ONE HAS BEEN SINCERE,
AND REALLY GIVEN A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS A CHANCE,
AND STILL FINDS THAT THIS RELATIONSHIP
LEADS TO UNHAPPINESS AND LACK OF MEANING AND PURPOSE,
THEN ONE CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT ONE SIMPLY CAN’T TRUST HIM.
THERE IS ANOTHER POSSIBILITY, HOWEVER.
THAT IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT IF ONE FINDS ENOUGH GOOD
IN ONE’S RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS TO WANT TO GO FURTHER,
THE INITIAL GOOD THAT ONE FOUND WILL SLOWLY GROW
OVER THE YEARS UNTIL WE FIND THAT OUR TRUST IN JESUS
IS DEVELOPING IN TANDEM WITH OUR KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS.
AND THE WORD “KNOWLEDGE” HERE REFERS NOT JUST
TO INTELLECTUAL, “HEAD” KNOWLEDGE,
BUT RELATIONAL, “HEART” KNOWLEDGE.
THUS, IN OUR OPENING ILLUSTRATION,
IDELLA HAD ENOUGH RELATIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
IN HER OWN LIFE, THAT WHEN SHE READ HER MOTHER’S ACCOUNT
OF THE PROTECTIVE DREAM THAT GOD SENT HER MOTHER,
SHE SIMPLY “KNEW” THAT GOD WAS IN THAT DREAM
BECAUSE HER OWN EXPERIENCE OF GOD CONFIRMED IT.
WHEN WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE OUR OWN
RELATIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF GOD HAS SOLIDIFIED
INTO A RELATIONSHIP WHICH IS VITAL AND LIFE-GIVING,
THEN WE WILL SIMPLY KNOW IF SOMETHING THAT WE HEAR
ABOUT GOD CAN BE TRUSTED OR NOT.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE ACTUALLY MET AND KNOW
THE LOVING, FORGIVING, COMPASSIONATE, NONVIOLENT GOD
THAT JESUS IS ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT
IMMEDIATELY KNOW THAT A GOD WHO IS ANYTHING LESS
THAN JESUS DESCRIBED CANNOT BE THE REAL GOD.
I’D LIKE TO END WITH AN ILLUSTRATION FROM PETER MARSHALL,
WHOM SOME OF YOU WILL REMEMBER
AS THE CHAPLAIN TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE
MANY YEARS AGO:
“IN A HOME OF WHICH I KNOW, A LITTLE BOY, THE ONLY SON,
WAS ILL WITH AN INCURABLE DISEASE.
MONTH AFTER MONTH THE MOTHER HAD TENDERLY NURSED HIM,
READ TO HIM, AND PLAYED WITH HIM,
HOPING TO KEEP HIM FROM THE DREADFUL FINALITY
OF THE DOCTOR’S DIAGNOSIS –
THE LITTLE BOY WAS SURE TO DIE.
BUT AS THE WEEKS WENT ON
HE GRADUALLY BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND
THAT HE WOULD NEVER BE LIKE THE OTHER BOYS
HE SAW PLAYING OUTSIDE HIS WINDOW.
SMALL AS HE WAS,
HE BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF THE TERM DEATH,
AND HE TOO KNEW HE WAS TO DIE.
ONE DAY HIS MOTHER HAD BEEN READING TO HIM
THE STIRRING TALES OF KING ARTHUR
AND HIS KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE. . .
AND ABOUT THAT LAST BATTLE
WHERE SO MAY FAIR KNIGHTS MET THEIR DEATH.
SHE CLOSED THE BOOK AS HER LITTLE SON
SAT SILENT FOR AN INSTANT, DEEPLY STIRRED.
THEN HE ASKED THE QUESTIONS WEIGHING ON HIS CHILD’S HEART:
‘MAMA, WHAT IS IT LIKE TO DIE? MAMA, DOES IT HURT?’
QUICK TEARS SPRANG TO HER EYES
AND SHE FLED TO THE KITCHEN,
SUPPOSEDLY TO TEND TO SOMETHING ON THE STOVE.
SHE KNEW IT WAS A QUESTION OF DEEP SIGNIFICANCE.
SHE KNEW IT MUST BE ANSWERED SATISFACTORILY.
SO SHE LEANED FOR AN INSTANT AGAINST THE SMOOTH SURFACE
AND BREATHED A HURRIED PRAYER THAT THE LORD
WOULD KEEP HER FROM BREAKING DOWN BEFORE THE BOY
AND THAT SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO TELL HIM THE ANSWER.
THE LORD DID TELL HER.
IMMEDIATELY SHE KNEW HOW TO EXPLAIN IT TO HIM.
‘KENNETH,’ SHE SAID TO HER SON,
‘DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE A TINY BOY
HOW YOU USED TO PLAY SO HARD ALL DAY
THAT WHEN NIGHT CAME YOU WERE TOO TIRED
EVEN TO UNDRESS AND YOU’D TUMBLE
INTO YOUR PARENTS’ BED AND FALL ASLEEP.
THAT WAS NOT YOUR BED,
IT WAS NOT WHERE YOU BELONGED.
YOU WOULD ONLY STAY THERE A LITTLE WHILE.
MUCH TO YOUR SURPRISE YOU WOULD WAKE UP
AND FIND YOURSELF IN YOUR OWN BED IN YOUR OWN ROOM.
YOU WERE THERE BECAUSE SOMEONE HAD LOVED YOU
AND TAKEN CARE OF YOU.
YOUR FATHER HAD COME WITH BIG STRONG ARMS
AND CARRIED YOU AWAY.
‘KENNETH, DARLING, DEATH IS JUST LIKE THAT.
WE JUST WAKE UP SOME MORNING
TO FIND OURSELVES IN THE OTHER ROOM,
OUR ROOM WHERE WE BELONG.
THE LAD’S SHINING FACE LOOKING UP INTO HERS
TOLD HER THAT THE POINT HAD GONE HOME
AND THERE WOULD BE NO MORE FEAR,
ONLY LOVE AND TRUST IN HIS LITTLE HEART
AS HE WENT TO MEET THE FATHER IN HEAVEN.
HE NEVER QUESTIONED AGAIN.
SEVERAL WEEKS LATER HE FELL ASLEEP JUST AS SHE HAD SAID
AND THE FATHER’S BIG, STRONG ARMS
CARRIED HIM TO HIS OWN ROOM.”
IN CLOSING, I SEE SOLOMON SAYING THESE WORDS
FROM PSALM 139 AS HE WAS PERSONALLY ESCORTED
BY JESUS HIS FORERUNNER, HIS RECONNAISSANCE SCOUT,
TO HIS SPECIAL DWELLING PLACE IN GOD’S KINGDOM:
“YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF ME
BRINGS ME WONDER AND STRENGTH.
WHERE COULD I GO FROM YOUR SPIRIT?
WHERE COULD I RUN AND HIDE FROM YOUR FACE?
IF I GO UP TO HEAVEN, YOU’RE THERE!
IF I GO DOWN TO THE REALM OF THE DEAD, YOU’RE THERE TOO!
IF I FLY WITH WINGS INTO THE SHINING DAWN, YOU’RE THERE!
IF I FLY INTO THE RADIANT SUNSET, YOU’RE THERE WAITING!
WHEREVER I GO, YOUR HAND WILL GUIDE ME;
YOUR STRENGTH WILL EMPOWER ME.
IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO DISAPPEAR FROM YOU
OR TO ASK THE DARKNESS TO HIDE ME,
FOR YOUR PRESENCE IS EVERYWHERE,
BRINGLING LIGHT INTO MY NIGHT.”
AMEN.