Linda's Greatest Need - Met

We seem to be witnessing, experiencing, living Linda's last days. Yesterday (Saturday) was an extremely tough day for her. She was nauseated all day, interacting with others very little during the day, then not at all on Saturday night. She sleeps 20+ hours a day, and I wonder if she would be awake at all if we did not wake her up to feed her or just check on her. But, then today was a better day! That is relatively speaking, you understand. She ate more and interacted with us some today, but she is still very confused and when she looks at us, it is with vacant eyes.

Yesterday, we were thinking that Linda would be with the Lord within a week. Today, we feel we may have more time. The Lord knows, though, and we have seen His grace in her life and in our lives. Five days or five months, we sense that the end is near. Sometimes I cry, sometimes I wail, sometimes I am all cried out, sometimes I smile. As Sheldon Vanauken said in A Severe Mercy, "He chuckled at the memory, and then, in the instant, tears were burning in his eyes and rolling down his cheeks. That was always the way of grief: laughter and tears, joy and sorrow." (Believe me, you will read more about this book. In fact, you may as well go ahead and purchase it, because I am going to insist that you do! Be sure to get the book by Vanauken as there is another book with this title by a different author. It is WELL worth the read and includes eighteen letters written to Vanauken by C. S. Lewis gracing the work.)

In spite of this enormously difficult time, our family is glad to say that Linda's greatest need in life has been met. No, I am not saying that she has been healed and will be granted several more years of life. God may yet heal her, but frankly, I do not expect that. What if God healed her? The death rate, the last time I checked, is still 100%, and for those of you on the same side of the hill as I, we know, don't we, how rapidly time moves? We will all be dead in the blink of an eye. Then what? Does life end? Good question, isn't it? My answer will indicate why I said that Linda's greatest need of all has been met.

I do not think life ends at death, and I don't think most of you reading this blog believe it ends then, either. I would think, also, that most of you think that the Bible speaks in some way to matters of the afterlife. Oh, I realize there are countless other religions and religious scriptures that speak to matters of life after life, but rather than debate other religions and philosophies, I will stick with what the Bible says about what happens after death. If you are tempted to stop reading now, please read just a few more paragraphs before you stop.

For those of you who believe differently, may I ask you to consider just a few thoughts? Most people believe that there is more to reality than what we can touch and see. Of course there are those who believe that the universe came into existence through a series of events leading to the big bang. I would suspect, though, that the stunning beauty of creation, the stunning order of the universe, and the terrible blessing of the conscience leads you to believe that there is more to our existence - yea, to the existence of the universe - than meets the eye. It may just be that you cannot bring yourself to believe in Jesus, at least not at the level of some folks.

Most of us hail from Missouri. (For our international readers, it is one of our states in which the residents are known for their need for evidence before believing.) We want God to show us that He exists before we believe in Him. "Show me and I will believe." Hmm. While I live much of my life that way, my relationship with God requires faith on the basis of what He has said, not faith on the basis of irrefutable evidence presented to satisfy my intellectual skeptism - alas, my skepticism was really cynicism before I believed.

There were many in Jesus' day who demanded proof that He was God. The miracles He performed were never enough to convince them, anyway. Once, in the midst of a debate where the religious leaders questioned His authority, Jesus told them the solution to their doubt: "Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own." John 7:17. The point Jesus was making was that if anyone wants to be rightly related to God, he or she must believe in Jesus. The result? Then you will know! Know what? That Jesus was Who He claimed to be: God in the flesh. His mission was to die for our sins that we might be able to be rightly related to God - more about that in two sentences. Our tendency is to say, "Show me and I will believe." Jesus said, "Believe Me, and I will show you."

We have believed. That is why we are so confident that Linda's greatest need has been met! As I have told you before (and I say again for those who do not know Linda), there are dozens and dozens of people who would say that Linda Talley is one of the best people they have ever known, possibly the BEST person they have ever known. So, she was destined for heaven all along, right? Well, even Linda - she has always been kind, caring, giving, teaching Linda - even Linda is not anywhere close to good enough to go to heaven without a change in her heart. If that seems cruel or naive to you, perhaps it is because we humans have no conception whatsoever of perfection. Well, we say that we know what perfection is, but we don't really, do we? But, God is perfect. In fact, He is more than perfect. He is holy. The Hebrew word for "holy" means, "other than." Indeed!

Imagine a pristene house ready for the most honored guest (maybe the President of the United States - hey, you would be honored regardless of whether you liked the President or not!), and imagine that you arrive at the house 20 minutes before the President is expected to arrive. The problem is that you have been playing football in the rain and mud for an hour and you are a mess! Do you think the owner of the house, even if it is your very best friend, is going to let you in? I don't think so! That analogy falls way short, but you get the idea.

Most people think that "heaven" is the default destination for all humans, and as long as we don't screw it up, we will get there. But Jesus said, in John 3:18: "Whoever believes in Him (Jesus was speaking in the third person about Himself) is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the only Son of God." Another admonishment to believe! There is also strong incentive to believe - if we do not, we continue to our default destination - condemned, separated from God for eternity.

What is it that we need to believe? Believe, in short, that our sins have separated us from God, and there is nothing we can ever do to make ourselves presentable to Him. Sin cannot enter heaven, a place of perfection, a holy place. But also believe that God loves us and wants us to be with Him, so He made a way by sending His Son, Jesus, to earth. He lived a perfect life among the people He had created, and they crucified Him. That was all a part of the plan, though. Jesus was not, of course, condemned (as we are who do not believe) to live apart from God. He was, thus, the ONLY acceptable sacrifice, the only One Who could stand as a substitute and receive the condemnation that we deserve. When Jesus' was dying upon the cross, God turned away, because He is so holy that He cannot look favorably on sin. (Habakkuk 1:13) Jesus, Who had never committed any sin at all, cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46) The answer? Because my sin was upon Jesus. Linda's sin was upon Jesus. Your sin was upon Jesus. When you believe, you become God's child. What incredible love! Though you are condemned, He pursues you through His Word. Linda's greatest need has been met, because she has believed that Jesus took her place, standing in the way of a holy God's wrath that was focused on her sin.

So, will you believe? If you wait to be shown before you believe, I am afraid you will never believe! But, should you take that leap of faith, you will know! The message I have so poorly articulated has been scorned by some of the most intelligent men and women who have ever lived - and understood as a plan to be brilliant beyond imagination once those same men and women believed. Oh, do not misunderstand this to be a transaction that is conducted and done - to believe implies your total commitment to Him, to your Maker and your Redeemer. Repentance and faith are necessary for a right relationship with God. To repent is to humbly acknowledge your sin before God and commit yourself to Him. To believe is - well, we have read several times it is to believe in Jesus, that He took your place. If you will repent and believe, God will meet your greatest need - your right standing with Him.

If you want to read more about this transaction, may I suggest Mere Christianity, by C. S. Lewis, or Can Man Live Without God?, by Ravi Zacharias, or The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel? All of these books deal with historical, philosophical, and spiritual issues that will help one determine whether or not to become a Christ-follower. It ultimately comes down to, however, a decision of simple belief, one way or the other.

The decision to believe in Jesus is so much more than a safeguard from condemnation, though! Once one believes, a whole new life of relationship begins. All through this illness, Linda has focused on the Shepherd/sheep relationship that Jesus taught during His time of ministry. Once when I asked her if she was afraid to die, she responded by saying, "Who wouldn't want to be carried in the arms of the Shepherd?" Can you imagine how beautiful that thought is to sweet Linda, who has not walked in over a year? "Oh, Lord, hold her tight even tonight as she is so little aware of her condition, or of the reality that exists around her. The reality of eternity, so clear to me of late, is far more important than these fleeting days - help me live with eternity in mind - and cause those who do not yet know You to believe!"