Best Day of My Life!

Today we took my grandson, Wyatt, to the Big Bear Zoo on his fifth birthday. With his heart-melting smile, he said to me, “Papa, this is the greatest day of my life.” I’m pretty sure that the years to come will bring much “greater” days to his life, but in his little five-year-old brain, this is it.

As he hurried from the bald eagle, to the grizzly bear, to the timber wolf, to the reptile house, back to the grizzly bear, back to the timber wolf, and oh yeah, “don’t forget we gotta go see the bald eagle again, Papa,” I remembered taking his daddy to the Santa Barbara Zoo over thirty years ago.

I couldn’t help comparing the two experiences—actually, comparing the way I viewed each of them.

Another Zoo, Another Day

Thirty years ago I was a young dad with a lot of things on my mind. I had papers to write and tests to study for at the University of California at Santa Barbara. There were my duties in the University ROTC cadet corps and preparations for my upcoming commission in the Army. My days were scheduled, regimented, and pressured.

I remember hurrying Bobby through the exhibits, and saying things like, “No son, we don’t have time to go back to see “Dandy Lion,” at the lion exhibit. Daddy has to be home pretty soon to study.” So we kept on schedule, saw everything. Very efficient.

If I Could Do It Over Again

Today I’m an old guy, but my schedule is more demanding than ever. I just thought I was busy back then! I pastor a busy and effective local church, mentor three different groups of men, write a lot and spend a lot of time talking with people about their walk with Jesus Christ. I always run out of day before I’m done with my responsibilities, and the pressure is extreme.

But this time I find myself saying things like, “Sure, buddy. If you want to see the bald eagle again, we’ll just go!”

Here’s what I’ve learned…, the pressures will never end, and the busyness never lets up. But, a child’s interest in hearing what his grandfather has to say, will end. All little boys (and little girls!) will grow up, and move on to their own busy lives

If I could do it over again, I’d go back to those lions, hang out with my boy and trust God for the rest. Oh, and I’d buy a lot more candy and ice cream, because a memory is far more precious than a deadline.

I missed a lot of deadlines yesterday, but it was worth it. It was one of the greatest days of my life!

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord” –Psalm 127:3

One of the most desperate prayers of my life came from my hospital bed at USC’s University Hospital nine years ago. My doctors had just diagnosed me with this deadly disease, my organs were failing, and my skin refused to stay on my body.

Those were difficult days for our entire family, but especially for my baby girl, Celia. Only a sophomore in high school, I knew my death would be harder on her than Judy, our two adult children or the grandchildren. The idea of her facing the challenges of adolescence without me broke my heart.

As we asked people to pray, “Please let Ed live and serve,” my private addition was always, “at least until Celia graduates from high school. Please, in Jesus’ name, let me see her walk the aisle to receive her high school diploma.

As God always does, He provided above and beyond – not only did he say “yes” to my prayer to see my baby girl receive her high school diploma, I was there years later for the other “aisle” walks of her life: her graduation from Biola University, her wedding day and I was there when she received her Masters from Pepperdine University.

God, in His gracious love, presented my family and I another gift last Thursday, April 16^th at 1:10 AM . . . I stood outside my baby girl’s hospital room listening as my son-in-law coached her through the delivery of our 7^th grandbaby, Zachary James Newkirk! (Don’t you just love that name?!)

As a Pastor, I am privileged to see first-hand in our church family how God’s timing and His gifts serve to glorify Him . . . this past week, I was the recipient of an incredible gift and reminded so vividly of His gracious timing in our lives.

To all who have begged God to let me live and serve over the last nine years, thank you. I continue to believe that your prayers are my only hope. And, to my Lord Jesus, thank You my sweet and gracious Savior for your mercy…and for the privilege of holding this little gift to our family.

I can’t know what’s breaking your heart today, but I do know that Someone cares and you can trust His timing. From births to graduations and someday to our eternal graduation, for all the time in between, He will take care of all that concerns us.

“The Lord will accomplish that which concerns me” (Psalm 138:8).

Desperate Prayer

Most of you who read these Tipping Points know that I have been living with a deadly disease for some time now. I wrote an entire book, When God Breaks Your Heart, detailing my journey. When I finished the book, I felt like I had said it all.

I’m discovering that there are days that I just have to tell you one more thing. Today is one of those days.

It was April in 2000 when I wrote this desperate prayer and accompanying plea from Scripture in my journal:

“Father, please give me ministry in my grandchildren’s lives.” Let Your work appear to Your servants, and Your glory to their children. (Psalm 90: 16)

If you knew me back then or you’ve read the book, you know how bold that request was. I had nearly died in March and had not improved much since. The doctors were suspecting lymphoma, and following test after test, what they called my “numbers” refused to turn around.

I remember the day I wrote those sentences in my blood-stained journal vividly. Tears flowed as I begged God to let me have some influence in my grandchildren’s lives. Back then I was only thinking of two—Jackson and Megan.

Great Answer!

I’m writing these words from my son’s home in Atlanta, where we just greeted Amelia Joy, grandchild number 6 who joins Jackson, Megan, Camryn, Mary, and Wyatt. This spring number 7—Zachary James—is scheduled to show up.

Last Saturday, the 10th of January 2009, I spent the day with Amelia’s older sister and brother, Mary, and Wyatt. I watched Mary’s skating lessons and Wyatt’s hockey practice. I was vaguely aware of some other children on the ice, but my heart glued my attention to one little twirling princess and one little bruiser in pads.

On the way home, Wyatt put his little arms around my neck and shouted, “We’re best pals, Papa!”

The Spirit reminded me one more time about the power of prayer and the comfort of being loved by a God who is perfectly reliable and strong.

I don’t know what’s breaking your heart today, but I suspect something is.

God knows, and He loves it when you ask Him for big things. You never know, He might just say yes.

Just like He did for me.

Thank you, Father, for hearing my desperate prayer. And for that nearly-nine-years-later reminder from a blue-eyed little hockey star that You, not my doctors, number my days.

The 2005 Christmas Wars

During Christmas 2005 a war erupted in the United States and it’s a battle that continues to rage today—the greeting wars between Christian associations and American retailers.

There are many who encouraged followers to protest against or even boycott retailers who referred to the festivities and events of December as “holidays” rather than “Christmas” in the name of political correctness.

Giant retailers—Lowes, Wal-Mart, Sears, Home Depot, and Costco—and many smaller chains had begun this trend in 1997, regarding November through January as both Jewish and Christian holidays in the U.S. State and local governments have joined in the fight on both sides. This year, the war is hotter than ever in battles and skirmishes like the one raging over Washington’s governor allowing an atheist sign to be placed near a Nativity scene.

It would break my heart if America bowed to these pressures and our culture took one more step toward erasing my Savior’s impact on the world and our nation. What a shame it would be if the name of Christ dropped from this celebration of His birth. What a tragedy it would be if we lost this wonderful opportunity to tell the world about our Savior and why He came.

And yet, I have to ask myself, “What are we doing with the opportunities we have today?”

Missed Opportunity?

A recent email from one of our missionary couples to an unreached people group in Chad–one of the poorest and most corrupt in the world–makes me feel a little silly fighting for my right to hear “Merry Christmas” at Costco while I ignore my responsibility to tell others about the One who came to die for their sins:

“There were maybe a dozen men in the mud brick house, mostly between 15 and 20 years old, but there were three men who looked to be around 40. We were seated and served boiling hot sugary tea. After a very short introduction they said, “ So did you bring it?” Referring to the book I had promised to bring them, the gospel of John in their language, so we could discuss it and examine further the things it said. “

“Note that the gospel of John was translated into Chadian Arabic, the common language of this city of over 70,000, only four years ago – in 2004! And this was crucial yesterday.”

“I told them I had chosen three passages to read that may address some of their questions – the betrayal in the Garden of Gethsemane, the death of Christ on the cross, and the resurrection. As soon as I began to read, it was silent. These people had never had the word of God read to them. “

“At the end of each passage, there was a pause, and then a man said, ‘Continue.’ So I would go on for a ways, then when the questions started pouring down, would go on to another passage that would help explain things further. And they would urge, ‘Continue.’”

“They were confounded by the fact that the Gospel says Jesus died, and also that he is divine. In the end, they were baffled by what the gospel says, and believe there must be some error in it, or that we understand it incorrectly. Nevertheless we were both asked to return, but this time to bring with us the entire set of these “Gospel books” so we can get to the bottom of this. No problem!”

The next time I start griping about the way our culture is “sliding toward secularism,” I’m going to think of what these two young warriors for Christ—Rob and Karen Kimmons—are doing in a war-torn, Satanic stronghold on the other side of the world.

Maybe if I took the Great Commission more seriously and told more people about my Savior who came to earth, the politically correct movement would lose some of its momentum. Maybe if I spent as much time sharing the message of Christmas as I spend defending it, a lot more of us would be saying “Merry Christmas” with the life of Christ in our hearts, and a lot fewer of us would be wondering why leaving Christ out of Christmas is such a big deal.

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” –Jesus Christ, Acts 1:8

John’s Startling Recession!

So it’s official. Our nation’s economy is in a recession—the reduction of our country’s gross domestic product for at least 2 quarters—in December of all months!

There’s probably not a worse time of the year to cope with a recession. There are trees to trim, lights to put up, special meals to prepare, plane tickets and gas to buy to visit loved ones. And all of this before we even think about purchasing presents!

December may be the worst month of the year to experience an economic recession, but it’s the best month of the year to experience a “personal” recession.

I’m thinking of the kind of personal reduction John the Baptizer volunteered for when his disciples complained, “We’ve got a problem, John. People are paying more attention to Jesus than they are to you!”

John astonished them by telling them, “Oh, that’s a good thing. This is the way God always planned it. Jesus came from heaven and He rules all; I came from earth and rule nothing. This makes Jesus an eyewitness to everything there is to know about heaven; I’m just reporting what He told me.”

Before his men could object, John told them to forget any plans they had about him, a mere man, being more important than the Son of God: “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:35-36)

Guess that shot down their plans to compete with Jesus.

Competing or Cooperating?

But it gives me a great plan to cooperate with Jesus during this month when we celebrate the moment He actually arrived on the scene in Bethlehem: I can make sure that my life is drawing more attention to Him than it is to me. I can become less and less important while He becomes more and more important.

And I can ask Him to help me stay in the background as I determine to love Judy, my family, and friends in ways that make them think about Him…and I don’t need to get the credit.

Because Christmas isn’t about me, the gifts I can or cannot buy, the cherished schedule or events I can or cannot attend, or even the loved ones and friends I can or cannot be with. Christmas is my annual reminder that it’s always all about Him—no matter the state of the economy. I am the one who needs to recede . . . everyday of the year!

“He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).