The Environmentalist's have a saying, "Have you hugged a tree today?" This is not a knock on Environmentalist's, but a point that I would like to make. The Environmental Movement believes that the world has one spirit, Geia. This one spirit permeates all that is living and non-living in this world. To hug a tree is to put yourself in direct contact with the person, the being that they worship. The world is part of Geia and by hugging a tree, they have made personal, tactile contact with their god. My question to you, "Have you hugged Jesus today?"
Who is this Jesus person anyway? You see fish symbols on cars as you drive down the highway, you hear His name slandered as people use it as a common swear word, maybe even if you are switching through your car radio, you hear a preacher on those "wacko" Christian stations. Historically, Jesus was a Jewish carpenter, born in about the year 3 B. C. His mother was named Mary and his earthly father was Joseph. At age 30, He began a ministry that reached thousands with His words alone, but he poured his life into twelve men who would carry his message after his death. In about 30 A. D. He was convicted of blasphemy by the Jewish religious leaders and was put to death on a cross.
For anyone else, His story would have ended there, on the cross. Because once a man dies, he's dead, right? Wrong! Three days later, Jesus rose from the grave. He appeared to his disciples, many people close to him, and even to a large crowd of about 500 people. Then, with his disciples present, He was lifted up into heaven to be with God until he returns.
A man's work would have died out after his death. How many great men have tried to shape the world into their own image and after they die, the world forgets them? Julius Caesar, Anthony the Great, Napoleon, and many others have fought many battles, and in the end, they are dust. Jesus is alive and risen and no one else can claim that.
I am living on borrowed time. Three years ago, I was involved with a near fatal accident. That is, near fatal for me, fatal for one my friends. I was on my way to a school dance on February 25, 1995. I was the driver a white Opal Kaddett. I had four passengers: Robin Rust, in the front right seat, David McKee, right behind me, Billy Wunsch, in the middle, and Jesse McKee, behind Robin. We were leaving early to go to a restaurant to set up a birthday party for one of our friends. I left a way I wouldn't normally have used because of its difficult traffic because I was a little late.
I stopped at a red light, waiting to enter a busy intersection. For some reason, I thought the light turned green, and I moved into the intersection, directly into the path of a tractor trailer. The driver of the rig attempted to swerve, but it wasn't enough and my little car was hit. We spun three times through the intersection and ended up in a ditch on the side of the road. Within minutes, paramedics were on the scene, but for David McKee, there wasn't a thing they could do. David's neck had snapped on the point of impact. And that night, one of the most promising young lives I've known was snuffed out.
I was taken to the nearest hospital, along with Jesse, David's brother and we were placed in the same hospital room. The next morning, Mr. and Mrs. McKee came in. Silent tears are streaming down her face as she looks at me. She took my hand in hers and said in a broken heart and voice, "Jeff, I love you. I know you didn't mean to hurt my David, but" At this, she had trouble continuing, "Jeff, David died last night." Those words will echo through my thoughts for the rest of my life. She said, "Jeff, I know that it was God's plan to take David from us. I don't know why, but he's in a better place. It's not your fault he died." Then, she looked me directly in the eye and said, "I forgive you."
These must have been her thoughts, "I forgive you. I forgive you. You took my son, but I trust God enough to not blame you as the bearer of the circumstance." I haven't seen a more perfect human model of God's love for us. He says, "I forgive you. You crucified my son. You killed him, but I forgive you. Come, walk with me."
You may say, I didn't kill Christ, the Jew's killed Christ! Yes, they physically hammered the nails in his hands and feet, but he died as the perfect sacrifice. His blood was shed so your sin would be washed away. He died for my sin, he died for their sin, he died for your sin. It was sin that crucified Christ. Yours, mine, everyone's. Even though he did this for us, our typical response is selfishness. We want to have the warm and fuzzy "God feeling" but not the convictions to read His word and to do His works.
That night was an epiphany for me. A rebirth of self. I had been wallowing in self pity, wondering if anyone really cared for little old me. Yes, they had and yes, they did. The community pulled together in a way I haven't seen before. People were able to use the tragedy to cling to each other, to assist others in their walk. The Lord truly works in mysterious ways.
My borrowed time is this. If the truck has struck 6 inches to the left
of where it did strike, I would have had a metal support piece pushed through
my brain. I was close to death that night and God spared me. Why? I can't
say, but he did. Every day since the accident, I live on God's time. One
day he will take me home and I will be with Him. Maybe then I'll get the
answer to the question, "Why me, Lord, why me?" He'll smile and
say, "Because I love you. I love you this much." And he spread
out his arms and died on a cross for me.
March 15, 1998.
Fish Pond Webmaster, Jeff Brannen (jeffreybrannen@sprintmail.com)