Victory is Sweet!

One of my favorite NFL moments was in SuperBowl XXIII in 1989, between the San Francisco 49ers and the Cincinnati Bengals.  It was a tight, and even played game with the Bengals up by 3 points with only a couple of minutes left on the clock.  Joe Montana, "Joe Cool", led the Niners with a historic last-minute drive to steal a victory away from the Bengals with a touch down pass to John Taylor with only 34 seconds to go.  As an avid 49er fan in the 80’s living in the Bay area, I distinctly remember that last drive, the hits, the catches, the anxiousness I felt as time was slipping away, and the elation with the final TD catch.  What a great victory!

But that’s just a game.  In life we face many challenges, obstacles, and opposition that threaten our security, relationships, and work.  We desire success, we hope for victory, but often we feel that the odds are against us and the circumstances are mounting up with a sense of hopelessness.  In our series on faithfulness, we have taken a journey that has led us to a deeper understanding of God’s faithfulness offered to us, ingrained in his character, as well as, our steps of obedience, trust and worship through each day.  The final principle in our journey of faithfulness, is the destination has been secured, and the destination is Victory! 

God, in his faithfulness, has secured our victory in the past (through Christ victory over sin and death on the Cross and in his resurrection), in the future (with Christ’s imminent return and our eternal life in God’s Kingdom), and in our present (with the daily challenges of life).  Victory is sweet, but while you are in the game and there is time on the clock, the game is full of hits, disappointments, TDs, missed opportunities, yards gained, yards lost, and at times the outcome feels uncertain.  One thing is certain, as long as we are faithful, we will have victory.  It may not come as we expect, it may not be easy, and it may even be a last second score, but the outcome has been determined by the Creator of time, our world, the vast expanse of space and humanity out of his love and faithfulness to us.

Listen to our Heavenly Coach:

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:9) ESV

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.  (1 Corinthians 10:13) ESV

But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. (2 Thessalonians 3:3) ESV

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (Romans 8:37-39) ESV

A Grandmother's Sincere Faith

I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. (2 Timothy 1:5) ESV

This one simple sentence states one of the most influential aspects in a young man’s life, Godly women. Timothy’s grandmother Lois and mother Eunice raised him, likely without a father, in a home with a sincere faith. These two Godly women provided instruction in Jewish scriptures and religious practices, prayed over him, and trained him with good moral character (2 Timothy 3:14-15). Timothy was blessed to have a strong foundation of faith that was built by a Godly mother and grandmother. When Timothy meets Paul, he is ready to be trained and nurtured to be one the most influential pastors in the Early Church.

How many of us today have a sincere faith because our mothers or grandmothers took us to Sunday School, read the Bible to us, prayed for us, encouraged us in our faith and disciplined us in moral behavior? As we look at the past 100 years of the American church, we can easily see that mothers and grandmothers have been instrumental in bringing their children to church and establishing a foundation of faith at home. If you have been privileged to have such a mother or grandmother, you are a blessed man. I am so blessed.

My Mother is one such Godly woman and I appreciate her prayers and encouragement to this day. My Grandmother, Florence, who we affectionately call Grammy, has greatly influenced my sincere faith from childhood to presently as an adult minister. Grammy passed away peacefully this last Saturday at the age of ninety-four. She lived a fully devoted life of worship and love to her savior, Jesus, and she lived out her faith in her roles at home and at church. As I reflect upon her influence on my life, I treasure the earliest childhood memories I have with her sitting at her dinning room table and in the pews.

Grammy was kind, gentle and caring all wonderful attributes that made her presence comforting. I don’t ever remember a harsh word from her, even though I know I was a tornado in her house, and at times a sassy, defiant little squirt. She was always concerned about my nutrition and made sure I had my vitamins and orange juice at her breakfast table, and if I needed a snack, she would pull out the Fig Newtons. She tried her best to coerce me into drinking a small cup of prune juice with her, but that was asking a lot for a picky five-year-old. I remember Grammy quietly and faithfully serving her family in the kitchen and reading her Bible at the table. I doubt there are too many people who have ever lived who read the Bible more than her. She has 80+ years of daily Bible reading. Years ago, she shared she’s read through the Bible in a year more times than she can remember.  She was a praying grandmother and she earnestly prayed for me throughout each stage of my life.

Grammy was the pianist in my childhood home church. I was so excited to see her up on stage every Sunday morning and evening playing the piano with her light and joyful style. I remember holding the hymnal, before I could read, and would snap to attention when one of my favorite hymns (the fun ones) would start. “Sunlight, Sunlight, in my soul today, Sunlight, Sunlight along the way, since the savior found me and took away my sin, I have had the sunlight of his love within” and “It is joy unspeakable and full of glory, full of glory, full of glory, It is joy unspeakable and full of glory oh the half has never yet been told”. She loved worship and served her church as a pianist for 50+ years. When she sat next to me during the pastor’s sermon, she would open her Bible and underline the key verses and write notes on the side margins. Like her, I would open my little Bible to a random page and start making lines with a red crayon.

As I write this, I can’t help but feel emotional and feel so blessed to be gifted with such a wonderful Godly Grandmother, whose full influence in my life is simply unknowable, but with certainty transforming. I am indebted to her gift of faith, and the best I hope to give in return is that others may say “the same sincere faith that dwelt in your grandmother, Florence, dwells in you as well”.

In remembrance of my beloved Grammy,

Her #1 Grandson

OORAH!

The United States Marines are the most formidable military branch in history.  With a storied history dating to the revolutionary war, the Marines have fought bravely in all US wars and conflicts.  The most enduring image from WWII was the raising of the American flag by the Marines overtaking Iwo Jima.  The Marines, are ready to fight by land, air and sea and who pride themselves as America’s First Line of Defense, the first in to defend, help and fight.  Oorah!

What is the “Oorah” anyway?  Searching the internet I found a quick explanation at About.com:

 No matter how one might spell the word -- with or without a hyphen, a U instead of two Os, and so on -- the word is still an expression of high morale, strength and confidence. And, when powered by an overwhelmingly proud, and usually loud, tone of voice, hooah seems to stomp out any possibility of being bound by the written word.  "It's an affirmation that I fully agree with and support the idea or intent expressed by the person to whom I make that response," said Maj. Gen. F.A. Gorden, Military District of Washington commander. "It applies not only to the letter of what was said, but to the spirit of what was said."

Former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Gordon R. Sullivan has his interpretation. "I don't know how exactly to spell it, but I know what it means," Sullivan said. "It means we have broken the mold. We are battle focused. Hooah says ÔLook at me. I'm a warrior. I'm ready. Sergeants trained me to standard. I serve America every day, all the way.'"

No wonder you hear Marines, Rangers or Navy Seals yelling with confidence and courage, “OORAH!”, whenever they are motivated in training or engaged in battle.  In the church our similar rallying cry would be a hearty “Amen”.  The Hebrew word meaning certainty, truthfulness and faithfulness, and also used by Christ to preface his statements “Amen (verily, truthfully) I say to you…”  A statement of “so be it” at the end of a prayer in the early church and obviously common today.

In today’s world and culture we are engaged in a spiritual battle, where the darkness of sin and worldliness encamp, attack and take ground in our schools, cities, entertainment, church and families.  Do we engage in the spiritual battle at hand, or are we ignorant of the blatant attacks upon our community, churches, friends, co-workers, spouses, and children?  Do we allow the enemy to lie, steal and destroy those we love right in front of our eyes?  Would a loyal Marine stand idly by, watching a fellow soldier battle for his life?  NO!  He would courageously and sacrificially engage in battle alongside his brother.

We too need to stand firm in the Truth and to engage in battle, to protect, defend and attack the strongholds of sin, and false truths that wound, imprison and destroy our brothers and sisters.  Engage in the battle today through the powerful armament of prayer, and the advancement of God’s Kingdom through Love in words and service.  Protect your family, Defend the Truth and Advance the Kingdom.  OORAH!