I recently watched Matthew O’Reilly give an inspirational talk about something he learned about people while doing his job. What he learned is so valuable, I want to post his speech here and apply it to the Christian walk. It is a little long... but very engaging. You will not be sorry you read it.
“I've been a critical care EMT for the past seven years in Suffolk County, New York. I've been a first responder in a number of incidents ranging from car accidents to Hurricane Sandy. If you are like most people, death might be one of your greatest fears. Some of us will see it coming. Some of us won't. There is a little-known documented medical term called impending doom. It's almost a symptom. As a medical provider, I'm trained to respond to this symptom like any other, so when a patient having a heart attack looks at me and says, "I'm going to die today," we are trained to reevaluate the patient's condition. Throughout my career, I have responded to a number of incidents where the patient had minutes left to live and there was nothing I could do for them. With this, I was faced with a dilemma: Do I tell the dying that they are about to face death, or do I lie to them to comfort them? Early in my career, I faced this dilemma by simply lying. I was afraid. I was afraid if I told them the truth, that they would die in terror, in fear, just grasping for those last moments of life. That all changed with one incident. Five years ago, I responded to a motorcycle accident. The rider had suffered critical, critical injuries. As I assessed him, I realized that there was nothing that could be done for him, and like so many other cases, he looked me in the eye and asked that question: "Am I going to die?" In that moment, I decided to do something different. I decided to tell him the truth. I decided to tell him that he was going to die and that there was nothing I could do for him. His reaction shocked me to this day. He simply laid back and had a look of acceptance on his face. He was not met with that terror or fear that I thought he would be. He simply laid there, and as I looked into his eyes, I saw inner peace and acceptance. From that moment forward, I decided it was not my place to comfort the dying with my lies. Having responded to many cases since then where patients were in their last moments and there was nothing I could do for them, in almost every case, they have all had the same reaction to the truth, of inner peace and acceptance. In fact, there are three patterns I have observed in all these cases. FORGIVENESS The first pattern always kind of shocked me. Regardless of religious belief or cultural background, there's a need for forgiveness. Whether they call it sin or they simply say they have a regret, their guilt is universal. I had once cared for an elderly gentleman who was having a massive heart attack. As I prepared myself and my equipment for his imminent cardiac arrest, I began to tell the patient of his imminent demise. He already knew by my tone of voice and body language. As I placed the defibrillator pads on his chest, prepping for what was going to happen, he looked me in the eye and said, "I wish I had spent more time with my children and grandchildren instead of being selfish with my time." Faced with imminent death, all he wanted was forgiveness. REMEMBRANCE The second pattern I observe is the need for remembrance. Whether it was to be remembered in my thoughts or their loved ones', they needed to feel that they would be living on. There's a need for immortality within the hearts and thoughts of their loved ones, myself, my crew, or anyone around. Countless times, I have had a patient look me in the eyes and say, "Will you remember me?" MEANING The final pattern I observe always touched me the deepest, to the soul. The dying need to know that their life had meaning. They need to know that they did not waste their life on meaningless tasks. This came to me very, very early in my career. I had responded to a call. There was a female in her late 50s severely pinned within a vehicle. She had been t-boned at a high rate of speed, critical, critical condition. As the fire department worked to remove her from the car, I climbed in to begin to render care. As we talked, she had said to me, "There was so much more I wanted to do with my life." She had felt she had not left her mark on this Earth. As we talked further, it would turn out that she was a mother of two adopted children who were both on their way to medical school. Because of her, two children had a chance they never would have had otherwise and would go on to save lives in the medical field as medical doctors. It would end up taking 45 minutes to free her from the vehicle. However, she perished prior to freeing her. I believed what you saw in the movies: when you're in those last moments that it's strictly terror, fear. I have come to realize, regardless of the circumstance, it's generally met with peace and acceptance, that it's the littlest things, the littlest moments, the littlest things you brought into the world that give you peace in those final moments.” I think this is a pretty good observation regarding human need at the moment of death. We want to know that our evil deeds will not be held against us. Guilt is not something I want to carry into the next life. We want to know that we left an impression with others in our life. I do not want to be forgotten. And we want to know that our existence actually had purpose. Was everything I did for nothing, or did I make a difference? One of the more interesting lines is, “From that moment forward, I decided it was not my place to comfort the dying with my lies.” That is so powerful. Too often we try to comfort people with lies. That is ridiculous. Trying to comfort dying people with lies is like trying to soothe a cut with muriatic acid. So I won’t lie to you this morning. All of us are dying. I am dying. You... as alive as you may feel in this moment... you are dying. But here is the hope... you can find all of the things Matthew O'Reilly mentioned in Christ… and only in Christ. Christ can and will forgive you of every sin you've ever committed. "All the prophets testify about Jesus that through His name everyone who believe in Him will receive forgiveness of sins." (Acts 10:43) Christ will remember you in the next life. "Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!' And Jesus said to him, 'I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise.'" (Luke 23:42-43) Christ created you for a purpose in this life. "We are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10) That is why our identity must be found in Him. One’s name may be written down in history books, but it is more important to have your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. The apostle Paul, who had a dirty past of which he was ashamed, but eventually longed to impact the world for good passed these words of encouragement on to early Christians. It speaks to the things we all seek in life and beyond… “We haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light. He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves. We have redemption, the forgiveness of sins, in Him.” (Colossians 1:9-14) I won’t lie to you. You are going to die. Today may be your last day. This may be the last devotional you ever read. Are you satisfied with your life? Are you satisfied with where you will spend eternal life? Are you forgiven? Will you be remembered among the saints? Have you fulfilled the purpose God has for you? The answer to those questions can be “Yes”! [Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.] Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry. Matthew O'Reilly gave his speech during a TED Talk. Laws are serious, except when they are hilarious. Some laws are just weird. You have to wonder how some of them came to be. Every state has its own fair share of laws that just make you scratch your head. Some of them are simply antiquated and made sense 150 years ago. But there are plenty that make you question why anyone would pursue such legal prohibitions. Here is a sampling of some of the legislative craziness. For a pickle to legally be called a pickle in Connecticut, it must bounce. Taking a snooze in a cheese factory, bake shop, confectionery, or creamery is illegal under Illinois’ Sanitary Food Preparation Act. You may not catch fish with your bare hands anywhere in Indiana. Exploding golf balls are not allowed in Massachusetts. Carrying seaweed “from seashore below high-water mark” after the sun has set is a violation of the state’s fish and game provisions. Giving fish alcohol is prohibited in Ohio. The Bible includes many laws… literally hundreds of laws. Some of those laws make a lot of sense, and create the framework for a workable society. Others make a lot of sense because they explain how to make things right in a society. But there are some laws, even in the Bible that make you turn your head and go, “Really?!?” But there are two laws that rule the whole universe. These are not the law of gravity, or some other natural law. On multiple occasions Jesus was asked by people who were covered in laws what is actually the greatest law? Here is what Jesus said… “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” (Matthew 22:37-40) There is nothing silly about these laws. There is nothing wrong with these laws. These laws are truly the cornerstone of a successful life and civilization. Obeying these laws brings life and order. The more people obey these laws, the less we will have to make other laws, because when these laws are kept, the activities curtailed by other laws will not exist. Today you will be faced with various decisions about how to treat people, or what to do with difficult situations. I challenge you that before you try to figure out all of the ramifications that can or should… or shouldn’t happen depending on your actions, just ask yourself this question… What decision in this situation would honor God the most, and at the same time truly make life better for the other people involved? [Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.] Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry. Yesterday many people went to experience a great worship time and hear a stirring message. On Sunday it is inspiring to be in the presence of God and learn truth from His Word. There is something powerful about hearing the Word of God. It should drive us to greater heights of faith and experience with Christ. But that isn’t automatic. I will say that you will not become the disciple God wants you to be if you are not in the Word, and worship, and Christian community. But does showing up to church and hearing the sermon change you? The apostle Paul tells the early Christians in Rome… “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But how can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who announce the gospel of good things! But all did not obey the gospel. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’ So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.” (Romans 10:13-17) So hearing the truth is the gateway to transformation. But it is not the entire journey. If you are part of a church that elevates the Bible, you are blessed indeed. If you have a pastor who preaches the whole counsel of God, that is a great opportunity. But no one becomes a disciple just by hearing the truth, otherwise pews would be changed into something greater. Hearing truth is only part of the equation. James goes on to say in another part of his letter… “Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his own face in a mirror. For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but one who does good works—this person will be blessed in what he does.” (James 1:22-25) When we hear a great message from the Bible, it is like God is holding a magic mirror up to us. When we look at God's Word, we see who we are, but we also see who we are supposed to be. On Sunday we can easily commit to becoming that person. But do we have the same desire for transformation on Monday, or have we lost the spiritual energy and incentive for change? It is the application of truth that releases the power of truth. Putting those words of God into action is where transformation happens. Jesus Himself even said… “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of Mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. And its collapse was great!” (Matthew 7:24-27) Today you get to be sensible or foolish. Today is not about the rousing songs or the inspiring delivery. Monday is about putting feet to the faith you celebrated yesterday. So what will it be… a Sunday faith, or an everyday faith? What did you hear/learn yesterday in church that you will put into action today and bring transformation in your life going forward? Feel free to post it in the comments section below. [Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.] Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry. Much of our life is a pursuit. People are pursuing material things. They are pursuing people. They are pursuing spiritual things. Today is Sunday. Many people today will go to church pursuing something… an experience, freedom, peace, or even God. It is not bad to pursue God. It is good. The Bible says that if we seek God we will find Him if we seek with our entire heart, because He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. But we must be careful that in our seeking we are actually overcome by Him. We can’t catch up to Him. We can’t climb to Him. We can’t just casually walk in on Him. He is accessible because He makes Himself so. But sometimes we treat Him like ‘customer service.’ We expect Him to be there for us when we have a question or need, but we don’t necessarily expect to be owned by Him. We like to talk about God being our Father, Christ being our Brother, and the Holy Spirit being our constant Guide and Helper. There is nothing wrong with these concepts as they are all Biblical. But I think we rarely view ourselves as servants or slaves of God. Yet this was a regular picture of the relationship seen among the early Christians. They didn’t believe that they just happened upon God one day and claimed Him as their own. They believed that they had been bought with a price, and were now owned by their loving Creator. The apostle Paul referred to himself as a bond-servant of Christ, and even had this to say at one point… “My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead. Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:10-14) Right there in the middle we find an interesting phrase. “I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.” Paul is seeking and working toward the goal of eternal life. He isn’t there yet. He still has some of his race to run, some battles to fight. But he presses on toward the goal. He wants to lay hold of that because that is for what he has been laid hold of by Christ. I want to focus on that this morning. Many people will go to church today to get something. But perhaps we should go to church so we can be caught. We should be caught up in His presence. We should be caught up in His mercy, love, and holiness. We want to get Him, but we should want Him to get us. I’m not trying to catch God. I want God to catch me. We try to hold Him in our hands. But we should be held in His hands. We want to have Him, but He wants to have us, and that should be the greatest truth. In a real sense, I can only get so much of God. But He can have all of me. That is where our hope is found. That is where redemption happens. Certainly like a marriage, as He has more of us we end up with more of Him. But our primary goal should be to empty ourselves of our own control of our lives. Trusting God is the foundation. Being His is wonderful. I want to hold eternal life because Life has grabbed ahold of me. Life snatched me from death. Life’s grip is strong. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one gets to the Father without going through Jesus. As you worship today, I’m sure that there are things you need from God. Seek Him, and those things will follow. But it will be easier to find Him if He already owns you. So above all, seek for God to have you before you seek to find God. That will shorten and sweeten the process. For when He has you, He imparts to you His will. Then when you pray according to His will, you will receive that for which you are asking. [Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.] Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry.
You’ve probably heard, “Everything happens for a reason.” It is usually shared after a negative event occurs. It is a well-meaning line that has come under fire by some others with supposedly well-meaning purposes. It seems that this concept can offer encouragement, but usually only after the negative experience has passed. While it can be an insensitive way to try and help someone make sense of a tragedy, it is grounded in truth that God is overseeing all of our activities and can bring about the purpose He desires... even out of a bad situation. And that makes the phrase valuable.
But not only does everything happen for a reason... everything has a season. One of the more popular songs over the last 60 years is Turn, Turn, Turn, written by Pete Seeger and made popular by The Byrds. Except for the title and the last line, it is basically taken verbatim from Ecclesiastes 3. To everything, turn, turn, turn. There is a season, turn, turn, turn. And a time to every purpose under heaven. A time to be born, a time to die. A time to plant, a time to reap. A time to kill, a time to heal. A time to laugh, a time to weep. To everything, turn, turn, turn. There is a season, turn, turn, turn. And a time to every purpose under heaven. A time to build up, a time to break down. A time to dance, a time to mourn. A time to cast away stones. A time to gather stones together. To everything, turn, turn, turn. There is a season, turn, turn, turn. And a time to every purpose under heaven. A time of love, a time of hate. A time of war, a time of peace. A time you may embrace. A time to refrain from embracing. To everything, turn, turn, turn. There is a season, turn, turn, turn. And a time to every purpose under heaven. A time to gain, a time to lose. A time to rend, a time to sew. A time for love, a time for hate. A time for peace, I swear it's not too late. The song was written in the late 1950s, but became popular in the turbulent 1960s. It hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart on Dec. 4, 1965. It has been covered or performed in concert by dozens of the top names in the music industry, and has the distinction of being the #1 hit with the oldest lyrics, as King Solomon wrote 99% of the lyrics we find in Turn, Turn, Turn. Seeger basically added the music and a title. King Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes. Like the book of Proverbs, it is full of wise sayings and good philosophy. This passage reinforces the idea that life is full of good and bad. It is a balance. While we would rather there not be death, war, losing, hating, etc. each season has its purpose in a broken world. God is making things new. But in the process, He often has to break some stuff. In the process, we often break stuff. One of the first things we find God doing in the Creation of the universe is stipulating that there will be seasons… times for various activities including growth and decline. One of the more difficult things about seasons is remembering that a new one is coming when you are in the middle of the one you are going through now. Basically, we should enjoy and endure the season in which we find ourselves. I wish I did better at this. As the world turns, or orbits around the sun, we enter into new seasons. As our lives turn, or orbit around the Son, we enter into new seasons. Today you are in a season of your life. You may be sowing, or you may be reaping. You may be laughing, or you may be weeping. You may be at peace, or you may be in conflict. Something may be coming alive, or something may be dying. Do not get bogged down in the negativity of your season, or get out of balance by the positivity of it. Be sober-minded, taking it for what it is. Like the weather, your season will change soon enough. Be ready for that by being content with where you are at all times. Here are King Solomon’s words… There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven: a time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot; a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build; a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace and a time to avoid embracing; a time to search and a time to count as lost; a time to keep and a time to throw away; a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to be silent and a time to speak; a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) [Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.] Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry. |
AuthorMy name is David, and I want to know God more, and help other people find Him. Archives
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