The Shadow of Death

With the recent deaths in the celebrity world this past week, it is not surprising that we are bombarded by so much media coverage of their lives. While I’ve always been out of touch with popular culture, I, myself, can’t help but get sucked into the stories. Not so much because of the drama or the hype that’s been in the air waves—but because I find it intriguing that, in a society where people pride themselves in being able to successfully and happily live their lives free of a God, when Death comes, people are scrambling to make meaning out of the lives of the deceased, they are scrambling for the truth.

We have to know how MJ died. As if, by knowing, his ending would somehow become less tragic. As if, by knowing, Death—especially when it catches us off guard—would somehow be more acceptable to us. (But doesn’t Death always catch us off guard?)

We have to make sense of his weaknesses. We have to make sense of the choices he made: we glorify his good; we try to give an account for or excuse his bad. Because, in the end, when it is all over, deep inside of us, we can’t be at peace until we feel he has been absolved of all that had gone wrong with him, until we can reach far back into the past and revive the good, as if it had been there all along, and never left, as if it had never been forgotten.

We see this in the papers. Old photos of him, with that childlike innocence seen in the glimmer of his big, hopeful eyes. We hear it on the radio. Familiar tunes that make us travel back in time (I remember performing with my class “We Are the World” in an assembly in primary school.) We watch it on television. The powers of video editing to slap together clips, fill in the gaps—to construct a story that appeases the viewer, “You see? It’s all right. He was a good person after all. He went wrong at this point… and this point… but here’s why…” We read it on the Internet—people’s responses pouring in, paying tribute to his life. We always, always need to highlight the good. Deep in our gut, we can’t go on, we can’t let go, until we’ve done it.

In the Christian faith, we call “bad choices”—Sin—and nobody is without it. We look for Meaning in life because that is how God has designed it. We yearn for absolution from our transgressions because we were created to seek Redemption.

As real as Death is, so is our bewilderment every time it hits us. We refuse to believe that it’s the end. We can’t. Either we immortalize him in this life (just look at his current record sales). Or we nonchalantly declare, “At last, he’s at peace”—meaning that we do hope that, on the other side of this life, there is indeed a better place, a place of peace, a place where everything is right or as it ought to be.

C.S. Lewis, in his essay, “The Weight of Glory,” wrote:

“A man's physical hunger does not prove that that man will get any bread; he may die of starvation on a raft in the Atlantic. But surely a man's hunger does prove that he comes of a race which repairs its body by eating and inhabits a world where eatable substances exist. In the same way, though I do not believe (I wish I did) that my desire for Paradise proves that I shall enjoy it, I think it a pretty good indication that such a thing exists and that some men will. A man may love a woman and not win her; but it would be very odd if the phenomenon called 'falling in love' occurred in a sexless world. Here, then, is the desire, still wandering and uncertain of its object and still largely unable to see that object in the direction where it really lies.”

In times of death and tragedy, why do those who live like there is no God resort to using such words as—“Prayer,” “Miracle,” “Heaven”—that belong to the Eternal sphere?

Living under a pluralistic system where everyone’s religious beliefs (or absence of) are accepted is great practically speaking—we get to live life how we want, we don’t have to justify our choices, we don’t have to give an account to anyone about our actions—good or bad, no one has the right to judge us, we don’t tread on anyone else’s territory, we respect everyone by not saying a peep about what they ought to believe—but worthless when it comes to dying, or facing our mortality. When someone is dying of a sickness and needs a cure, the last thing he wants is for one to courteously open a large cabinet of medicine, and say, “Here you go, take your pick.” We want the remedy, the treatment, the sure thing.

“And after that, you may come (some do) to believe that that voice- like the rest, I must speak symbolically- that voice which speaks in your conscience and in some of your intensest joys, which is sometimes so obstinately silent, sometimes so easily silenced, and then at other times so loud and emphatic, is in fact the closest contact you have with the mystery; and therefore finally to be trusted, obeyed, feared and desired more than all other things. But still, if you are a different sort of person, you will not come to this conclusion.”
—C.S. Lewis, Christian Reflections, "The Seeing Eye"

Samuel Pearce & Excerpts from his Memoir

One of my assignments was to write an article of 300 words about Samuel Pearce for a dictionary of Christian Spirituality. Here was my article:

Pearce, Samuel

Samuel Pearce (1766-1799), converted in 1782, was trained at Bristol Baptist Academy between 1786 and 1789, afterward becoming pastor of Cannon Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, of the Calvinistic Baptist denomination, from 1789 until his death. Pearce’s life and ministry was characterized by what he described as “heart religion”: the more he recognized the effects of sin, the more he clung to the Cross. His preaching centered on the crucified Christ. Manifested in his preaching, family life, and relationships were remarkable humility, sincerity, and self-sacrifice. Author of his memoir and friend, Andrew Fuller, identified Pearce’s governing principle as “holy love.” His congregation thrived under his ministry, his preaching known to elicit tears from hearers.

Pearce was passionate about bringing the gospel of God’s grace to unbelievers—in his church and globally. In 1792, he helped form the Baptist Missionary Society, which sent William Carey and John Thomas to India. In 1794, Pearce himself felt called to join them, although the committee declined his request, their reason being that his existing role was so instrumental that he would serve the cause better by staying in England. Initially disappointed, Pearce’s peaceful acceptance of the committee’s decision proved his trust in the sovereign will of God. Neither did his zeal for missions dissipate, for he shifted his energies to the home front. As Pearce saw it, his whole life’s purpose was to glorify God and build his Church.

In 1798, severe illness forced Pearce to withdraw from public duty, which providentially enabled him to produce writing that would edify generations to come. His letters and diary reveal the true piety of his Christian character. Pearce died a year later, leaving behind his wife Sarah and five children. Upon death, he spoke boldly of his faith: “It is a religion for a dying sinner.”

From Andrew Fuller’s A Heart for Missions: The Classic Memoir of Samuel Pearce

ON SPIRITUAL FRIENDSHIPS AND JOURNALLING

“Get two or three of the students, whose piety you most approve, to meet for one hour in a week for experimental conversation and mutual prayer. I found this highly beneficial, though, strange to tell, by some we were persecuted for our practice!

Keep a diary. Once a week at farthest call yourself to an account as to what advances you have made in your different studies; in divinity, history, language, natural philosophy, style, arrangement, and, amidst all, do not forget to inquire, Am I more fit to serve and to enjoy God than I was last week?” (109,emphasis mine)

THE PITFALL OF LETHARGY AND SELF-COMPLACENCY

“I love the man who tenderly feels for the souls of the poor heathen. What a reflection is it on the philanthropy of every Christian country that no more pains have been taken to carry the light of eternal life to those nations that sit in darkness in the shadow of death! What a lapse of time since the Reformation! But how have its wasting years been improved to this important end? We and our fathers have thought, and spoken, and written, and heard, and read about Christian benevolence; we have investigated its nature, admired its beauty, contended for its importance to the Christian character, whilst, like the unapproved servant, though we knew our Master’s will, we did it not. Almost the whole Christian world have partaken of the common lethargy… They have satisfied themselves without any positive exertions, and lain down dozing, dozing at their ease… But I hope the time is come when we shall, every man, look no longer at his own things only, but the things of others.” (43)

ON DYING

“I find myself getting weaker and weaker, and so my Lord instructs me in his pleasure to remove me soon You say well, my dear brother, that at such a prospect I ‘cannot complain.’ No, blessed be His dear name who shed his blood for me, he helps me to rejoice at times with joy unspeakable. Now I see the value of the religion of the cross. It is a religion for a dying sinner. It is all the most guilty, the most wretched can desire. Yes, I taste its sweetness, and enjoy its fullness, with all the gloom of a dying bed before me. And far rather would I be the poor emaciated and emaciating creature that I am, than be an emperor, with every earthly good about him—but without a God!”. (133)

UPON FACING DEATH, PEARCE’S LETTER TO HIS GRIEVING WIFE:

“Forgive me, my dearest Sarah, if I have in the smallest degree been ‘severe.’ I saw that your tender heart was overwhelmed. I could not see it without anguish. I realized your prospects, and did not wonder that you felt as a creature; but I feared you did not make use of your privilege as a Christian.

I long to lead your mind for comfort to an immortal source; to a God who is both able and willing to do far more abundantly for you than you can ask or think. You can think of being supported under the trial which is now before you, but God can do more; he can make you happy under it, and thankful for it. The second year of our marriage it seemed as though you were to be taken from me. O how my heart was torn at the prospect! And yet, in the midst of it, the Lord was so pleased to calm my mind and to reconcile me to his blessed will that I had not a wish for your life, if he saw fit to take it! He can, and he will, I trust, do the same by you. Only cast your burden upon him, and he hath said, ‘I will sustain thee.’” (138)

FULLER ON PEARCE IN THE CONCLUSION OF HIS MEMOIR

“Finally, in [Pearce] we see that the way to true excellence is not to affect eccentricity, nor to aspire after the performance of a few splendid actions; but to fill up our lives with a sober, modest, sincere, affectionate, assiduous, and uniform conduct. –Real greatness attaches to character; and character arises from a course of action.” (173)

Impact of Missions on Spiritual Life

I had the opportunity to take a course at TBS in May, Theologians of the Christian Tradition. In the four-day crash course, we studied the lives and works of John Calvin, John Bunyan, Charles Wesley, and Andrew Fuller. In fact, I will continue to be knee-deep in reading for the next month or so, and will not have much time to blog.

Yet I'm coming across a lot of good stuff in my reading and wished I had the time to reflect and synthesize my thoughts. Since I only have Nathaniel's naps to do my course work, I really have to exercise discipline. Nonetheless, if time permits, I will include excerpts here and there, hopefully, for your personal edification as well.

Here is one for today:

"In one direction, when your love for Christ is enflamed and your grasp of the gospel is clear, a passion for world missions follows. In the other direction, when you are involved in missions—when you are laying down your life to rescue people from perishing—it tends to authenticate your faith, and deepen your assurance, and sweeten your fellowship with Jesus, and heighten your love for people, and sharpen your doctrines of Christ and heaven and hell. In other words, spiritual life and right doctrine are good for missions, and missions is good for spiritual life and right doctrine. "

John Piper, "Holy Faith, Worthy Gospel, World Vision" (to read this article, go to http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Biographies/1977_Holy_Faith_Worthy_Gospel_World_Vision/)

Okay, back to work.