Not What or How Much but WHO - Final Entry!

As I endeavor to bring this 10-part series to a close with today’s Labor Day post, let me just reiterate my hypothesis that when trouble hits home, it is not WHAT you know or HOW MUCH you know, but WHO you know!

I tend to talk a lot in my blog about all the different experiences and lessons that I learned when my sweet wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and the final 11 years of her earthly existence.  But then again, that was why this blog came to be!  The many years of that adventure in faith turned out to be a very active petri dish of different people’s responses of their faith.

During that time, we interacted with individual’s who were all about WHAT they knew… or in many cases… what they thought they knew.  Then there were those who were very confident in HOW MUCH they knew, were very familiar with the Bible and probably had a lot more verses of scripture memorized than I did.  And then the relatively few who totally looked unto the WHO they knew and undergirded Piper and I with our sole and strong focus on the One who wrote the book, the One behind the power of the written Word… Jesus, the Christ.

In the trials and tribulations that we all face in life, Hebrews 12:2 tells us the best course of action saying, “We look away from the natural realm and we fasten our gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection…” (The Passion Translation)

When dealing with the very visible symptoms and results of a disease like Alzheimer’s, it can be very easy to focus on the natural realm, on that which you see and hear with your natural senses and then lose hope in the hand of God moving on behalf of the affected one.  Therefore, the instructions given in Hebrews 12:2 and similar such scriptures throughout the Word of God, are of utmost importance to follow… especially for the caregiver and concerned family and friends.

Romans 8:6 clearly and rather bluntly states this truth by declaring “For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set controlled by the Spirit finds life and peace.” (The Passion Translation)  The responses spoken of in this verse are something that my wife and I had to face almost everyday as the physical evidence of effects of the disease displayed itself in my wife’s features.

What we saw play out over the years of Piper’s final journey was very similar to those we see today with the differences in the ideals of political beliefs.  On the left we see many who only view success in life through a very one-sided understanding… and as far as they are concerned, it is the ONLY way.  Any other thought or ideal is wrong and many times the offending party is branded as evil and detrimental to the rest of them.  While the other side looks for different solutions and is usually, willing and wanting to negotiate while respecting other people’s views.

We regularly interacted with individuals who very noticeably responded to Piper by what they saw and not by the strong faith that they purported to have.  It got to the point where they even began to refer to Piper, when in conversation with other folks, as if she had already passed on… years before her actual homegoing.

It wasn’t until very recently that I began to gain the understanding that these folks had a very intellectual type of faith, in difference to a heart faith.  They were focused on death and not life!   As Piper’s features deteriorated, they could only see what they considered the end result… and not the life and/or peace that the Word of God says belongs to those who believe.

I feel sorry and hurt for these individuals because they missed out seeing and participating in the joy that Piper radiated from her spirt for those last years of her life.  Even though she could not audibly communicate… people in the stores that we walked by, fellow patients as well as the physicians in the doctor’s offices that we frequented and neighbors alike, all commented on what a sweet spirit Piper had about her.

In the hard times that come to all of our lives at some point in time, I have discovered that it was and continues to be my focus on Jesus and His love for me… that has kept me buoyant, cheerful, wise, encouraging to others and even blessed in the midst of the rough situations. 

Yes, I am glad for WHAT I knew in Piper’s situation.  For the countless hours I spent researching the disease that attacked her, for the multitude of medical specialist that I spoke with in three different states and for the benefits we received.  I am thankful for HOW MUCH Biblical knowledge that I have gained over the years of my Christian walk, at Bible College and in the trenches, per say, in the field as an Assistant Pastor at five different churches… but when push came to shove, the POWER that got me through the darkest hours was my personal relationship with Jesus.  

It was those special times alone with Him as I stood in the midst of my gorgeous backyard in North Carolina and stared at forest of trees surrounding our property, the hawks flying overhead and my big goofy dog chasing a frantic squirrel up a tree… or in the middle of the night sitting on the floor in the hallway in our home…

the thing that always centered me and gave me the strength and the willingness… and maybe most importantly… the joy to keep going and serving my wife and her needs,

was my intimate and personal “knowing” of just how deeply and intimately my Lord knew me, loved me and had promised to see me through every situation and meet every need! 

That “knowing” is very similar to… but yet far greater than, the love that I had for my sweet Piper... The type of love that would cause me to do anything for her at any time!

So, while the other things are good to have (the WHAT’s and the HOW MUCHes). They do absolutely no good if you cannot empower them with the WHO… “that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” (Ephesians 3:20 KJV) 

Yours and my ever-increasing, personal and loving relationship with Jesus is our secret weapon!  He is the POWER to get us through ANYTHING that this world throws at us… ANY TIME IN ANY PLACE!

AMEN.