Tonight I went to the hospital at the request of a friend. My “Sunday School” leader has cancer and was given “at least” two years a couple of months ago. Three weeks ago he had back pain and a tumor was discovered on his spine. Today that “two years” was changed to “you may make it through the night.” He called in the class and asked that we come to the hospital so he could say his “goodbyes.” He is paralyzed from the waist down, in consistent pain, but very welcoming and loving towards us. We had a good fellowship at his bedside.
This man is the most godly man I know. He is not the most theologically correct. He is not the most educated. He is not the most knowledgeable of Scripture. But he has a heart for the gospel and sharing it with people. He welcomes edification and companionship. He is at peace and is ready to leave this world. He is the most Christ-like man I know, and as I told him tonight I formed this opinion years before he was diagnosed with cancer.
I understand the desire to discuss things here on the BB. I also have a need to discuss my faith, and I have gravitated here out of a lack of opportunity elsewhere. I will miss being able to talk of my faith, but perhaps this has also become a distraction in my life (an easy way to do what I should be doing in the “real world”). I do not know why, but I believe any advantage of discourse here has passed. My friend did not rely on his own understanding (something I believe to be foreign to many on this board and often a struggle with me). But his love for people and his love for Christ humbles me. I have placed too much emphasis on “theological correctness” at the expense of Christ-likeness.
I wish for you all to be able to look beyond the trees and see the forest. Sure, the trees are important. But if you cannot recognize the existence of the forest, then your tree is pretty much irrelevant. I wish for you all to be able to move from knowing about Christ and leaning on that knowledge to a point where you know Christ and He is shown through your lives. I wish both of these for me also.
I've been here for over a decade and realize that goodbyes here are a dime a dozen - I know mine is no different. I offer no words of discouragement to others here - no criticism of how the BB is run, or how people treat each other. But I offer a goodbye to those I’ve had the pleasure of “meeting.” Thank you to all who have added to my knowledge and corrected my error. Thank you all for your “fellowship” and putting up with my ignorance on some subjects and my “humor” on others. I hope that God will bless you as you continue to take up your cross, kill the sin in your lives, and become more and more like the image of Christ.
God bless and take care. :wavey:
This man is the most godly man I know. He is not the most theologically correct. He is not the most educated. He is not the most knowledgeable of Scripture. But he has a heart for the gospel and sharing it with people. He welcomes edification and companionship. He is at peace and is ready to leave this world. He is the most Christ-like man I know, and as I told him tonight I formed this opinion years before he was diagnosed with cancer.
I understand the desire to discuss things here on the BB. I also have a need to discuss my faith, and I have gravitated here out of a lack of opportunity elsewhere. I will miss being able to talk of my faith, but perhaps this has also become a distraction in my life (an easy way to do what I should be doing in the “real world”). I do not know why, but I believe any advantage of discourse here has passed. My friend did not rely on his own understanding (something I believe to be foreign to many on this board and often a struggle with me). But his love for people and his love for Christ humbles me. I have placed too much emphasis on “theological correctness” at the expense of Christ-likeness.
I wish for you all to be able to look beyond the trees and see the forest. Sure, the trees are important. But if you cannot recognize the existence of the forest, then your tree is pretty much irrelevant. I wish for you all to be able to move from knowing about Christ and leaning on that knowledge to a point where you know Christ and He is shown through your lives. I wish both of these for me also.
I've been here for over a decade and realize that goodbyes here are a dime a dozen - I know mine is no different. I offer no words of discouragement to others here - no criticism of how the BB is run, or how people treat each other. But I offer a goodbye to those I’ve had the pleasure of “meeting.” Thank you to all who have added to my knowledge and corrected my error. Thank you all for your “fellowship” and putting up with my ignorance on some subjects and my “humor” on others. I hope that God will bless you as you continue to take up your cross, kill the sin in your lives, and become more and more like the image of Christ.
God bless and take care. :wavey:
