Hero, Don't Go!

I was watching a documentary on the painter, Norman Rockwell, the other day and my feelings were stirred at his amazing power to bring inspirational images of everyday life to his canvases. Though his works ranged from the serious to the humorous, almost all of them moved me to appreciate life as it should be in these United States.

Unfortunately, Mr. Rockwell died over forty years ago. As my mind pondered that, a deepening sadness overtook me. Has any artist replaced him? Hero, don’t go!

So many of our heroes have come and gone, even in my short lifetime. We think of those who were known nationally or even around the world. Then when we add in our personal heroes, it seems like their leaving means our lives will never be the same again. I’ve had the privilege to be in many a hospital with families of departing loved ones. Hearing, “Daddy, don’t go,” is no surprise. I’ve felt the same way a number of times.

When the biblical patriarch, Jacob, died in Egypt, even the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days, and when his family carried his body back to Canaan for burial, they mourned “with a great and very solemn lamentation” an extra seven days (Genesis 50 NKJV). A similar scene is repeated with Israel’s good kings, and, of course, with Jesus. Why do you think Peter was so adamant, when Jesus was foretelling His death, and Peter said, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” (Matthew 16:22 NKJV)? Hero, don’t go!

We understand the brevity of life on earth. King Hezekiah put it this way, “My life span is gone, taken from me like a shepherd's tent” (Isaiah 38:12). Here today, gone tomorrow, is the way it goes.

Our heroes do go, except for one. As Moses concluded his 120 years, he said to what I’m sure was an anxious Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6). Christians are reassured with the same words in Hebrews 13:5.

I’ve thought a lot about reasons to believe over the last forty-plus years, but as I write this article, it’s really coming home to me. Everything (James 5:1-3) and everyone we put our trust in will go from our lives. It’s all like autumn’s falling leaves, blown away and never to return. Then there is only one left standing there, Almighty God. He is my never-go Hero. How about yours?

Jeff Greene, minister for the South Stokes Church of Christ

I Got the Last One!

 Surely this has happened to you lately, due to the Corona frenzy: My wife asked me to pick up some saltine crackers at the store a couple weeks ago. I was shocked to see the cracker aisle decimated. (Were they keeping toilet paper there?) On closer examination, though, I found one box left in the back of the bottom shelf.

Victory is mine! I felt like doing a Snoopy dance on Schroeder’s piano right there in the aisle. Then, a week later it happened again, but with sunflower seeds. The last one is all mine! Yes!

But I wonder if folks in communist countries, with shelfs barely stalked all of the time, feel the same. While I’m feeling like I just won the Super Bowl, are they ecstatic just to have some food of any kind? Most of us can’t imagine going to sleep at night with the worry of finding food for our families. That’s true with any kind of need. “Can I get some help here?”

Jesus’ answer to that question is always “Yes.” He said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 NKJV). Notice His invitation to assist is to “all.” It wasn’t on a first-come, first-served situation.

I was on a medical mission trip to Jamaica a few years ago. We had doctors and nurses to help with the locals’ eyes, teeth and general health. At the end of each day, do you think we still had people needing help? For sure – bunches.

There are no such limitations with Jesus. He was pondering over Jerusalem’s citizens in Luke 13:34 and said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!”

His “wings” were wide enough to protect and aid both Jerusalem, and all of the world (John 3:16). This isn’t a come-sit-on-Santa’s-lap-from-three-till-five situation. He’s ready to help always!

Did you see the real limitation at the end of 13:34? “You were not willing!” Jesus can help anytime and anywhere, but how many millions limit His help because they’re just like the Jerusalem folk. You can be overwhelmed with anxiety at this very moment, when right there in front of you is the Savior Who can give “rest for your souls” (Mt. 11:29).

Open your Bibles and read how you can come to Him. Open your hearts and ask for His assistance. Contact me and I’ll help you get connected with Him. But rest assured, you won’t be the last one.

Jeff Greene, minister for the South Stokes Church of Christ. (This article was first published in the Stokes News, the local newspaper.)

“In the Shadow of Your Wings I Will Take Refuge”

I like the fresh air. I suppose I’ve spent most of the daylight hours of my life outside. One problem with doing that is the lack of protection from the sun’s rays. My many baseball caps have shielded my eyes, but now my greatest threat is the skin cancer from each eye to its closest ear. Those caps didn’t shade that area much.

It is surprising how much shade can vary the temperature on a hot day. I remember one scorching day when I was 16 – digging post holes and fencing off fifty acres all morning. When we finished, I stretched out under an apple tree for a comfortable nap. My lesson on shade temperatures was really learned while riding a motorcycle. It seemed to be a ten-degree difference when passing under a grove of trees covering the road.
Refreshing!

David, the son of Jesse, needed the protective nature of a different kind of shadow. “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by” (Psalm 57:1 NKJV). The introduction to this Psalm tells us that David was fleeing from King Saul and needed God’s protection. He got it.

David made another request for God’s protection that we all share. “Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins” (Ps. 19:13). That’s always our dilemma – sin is always lurking. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). As God explained the way sin works to Cain, “. . . sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it” (Genesis 4:7).

No one is immune from sin. It’s far worse than the ever-present bacteria on our door handles. Fortunately, along with the ever-present sin and the lurking Satan, we have the omnipresent and omnipotent God! “My defense is of God, Who saves the upright in heart” (Ps. 7:10). We’ll be all right in His safekeeping. He will be merciful. Will you take refuge under His wings?

Jeff Greene. This article was first published in the Stokes News, the local newspaper.