Surviving Tragedy

Saturday, January 23, 2010, hours after Haitian officials called off search and rescue efforts, volunteers found a survivor.  Eleven days after the magnitude 7 earthquake destroyed Port-au-Prince, rescuers removed Wismond Exantus from the wreckage of the hotel where he worked.  Inquired about his survival, Wismond said he lived on “Coca-Cola and tiny little things” he found in the cramped remains of the hotel grocery store where the earthquake trapped him.

Mr. Exantus remained alive 11 days.  His amazing rescue occurred only a few hours after workers were giving up hope of finding anyone else alive.  I do not know how he continued to live even, while those trapped with him apparently expired days ago.  Maybe he thought of reasons to survive. Maybe he continued to trust in the hope of rescue.  He did have family members who were looking for him, there is the possibility that he knew they would not give up.

When we read through Scripture the tragedy of mankind is not only apparent, but also expected; Job says, “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.” (Job 14:1). The apostle penned, “. . . our outer self is wasting away . . .” (2 Cor 4:16).  There is a depressing thought in both of those verses; If we live long enough we will face tragedy.  

How do we wrestle with the sad events of life?  How do we face tragedy?

In one word: HOPE!  Paul continues, “. . . our inward self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,” (2 Cor 4:16b-17).  There is our answer.  When we know Christ is waiting for our homecoming, we can survive.  When we know there is a reunion of the saved, we can survive.  When we know that we will be with him eternally, we can survive.  When the temporary tragedies of life blow as hard as they can, we can stand steadfast and sure, because our anchor of hope is deep.  We survive, because, “we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal..” (2 Cor 4:18).

Scott

Motivation for Enthusiasm

Tuesday morning I posted a list of symptoms of apathy and mentioned that a post on motivation was soon to follow. Below are scriptures with limited comment that build up my zeal whenever I focus on them.

For the wages of sin is death, (Rom 6:23). There is more to this verse, but this small quote reminds me of my destiny as a sinner.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Rom 5:6-11) This long quote and the "b" part of Rom 6:23 (but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord) demonstrates God's unlimited and incomprehensible love.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Cor 6:9-11). After reading the list of these sins, notice verse 11 -- such WERE some of you. That is who you and I were, but because of the love of God in Christ, I am no longer such.

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; (2 Cor 5:14) Just grasping the basics of the love that Christ has for us and what he did for us because of that love drives me to attempt to return that love.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor 5:21). This verse is the GOOD NEWS in a sound bite. God did for us in Christ, what we could not do for ourselves -- provide for our salvation.

But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1Co 15:57). A theme for those who are redeemed -- shout it from the mountain tops -- THANKS BE TO GOD FOR THE VICTORY HE GAVE US IN CHRIST!!!!!!

In Christ,
Scott