Two Years

Two years ago yesterday I received a phone call from my brother at 6:45 a.m. informing me that the Lord had taken my cousin and friend, Binil Samuel. The details of that morning are so clear:

Just getting out of the shower when the phone rang.
Standing next to my loft in a cramped university apartment.
Responding, "really?" That is all I could say.
Calling my sister.
Seeing a friend, receiving a hug.
Waiting for the bus.
Riding in a daze, realizing that the rest of the world thinks today is a normal day.

That day was anything but normal. Each day since has continued to be abnormal in the lives of many. In closing, I wanted to share a few links and a few quotes.

Binil's brother, Bijoy, has blogged twice in the last few days. His thoughts are authentic, difficult, yet hopeful in the Gospel.

Last year, I posted a few times about Binil. Watch his testimony or read my thoughts on John 11.

For today, I end with a quote:

Life is not joy above sorrow; life is a battle for joy in the midst of sorrow. --John Piper

"All I Need"

My friend from undergrad wrote this song and shared it with me (so I wanted to share it with all of you, of course, with his permission). There are three reasons why I like this song:

1) It sings Scripture (Psalm 73 in this case).
2) It is simple, easy to remember, and easy to sing.
3) It leaves me at the Cross of Christ.

I quickly put the video together so you could hear the song (so please excuse the simplicity).



Lyrics:

V1:
When this world has proved, all it can do is lie and lead astray
When darkness comes, and all around my soul is giving way
Lord I’m prone to doubt, remind me how Your hand will not let go
I’m Yours forever more

Chorus:
Oh my heart and my flesh will fail me
But my God, You’re all, I ever need
You are my strength and my portion
You are everything, O Lord You carry me
My God You’re enough for me

V2:
When Satan speaks, and all I hear, is of my sin and shame
When all my thoughts, are telling me, the debt is mine to pay
I will lift my eyes, to look upon, the Lamb who died for me
He paid my penalty

Bridge:
It’s Your face I need to seek
To Your cross I need to cling
For You alone, You never change
And Your Word, it never fails
When all I know is fading away

By: Matthew Damico

Diametrically Opposing Emotions

Although the 2008 Olympics are long over, I still am blown away by two things from the 4x100 Men's Swimming Relay. Watch the video of the race here.

First, it is probably the most excited I (and the majority of the country) have ever been about swimming. Watching Michael Phelps chase eight gold medals was gut-wrenching, inspirational, and riveting. The 4x100 relay was arguably one of the most dramatic finishes I have even seen in a sporting event.

Second, and more importantly, the end of the race caused incredible joy, patriotism, and excitement. However, at the same time, I felt embarrassed and understood why many other countries around the world consider the United States arrogant and cocky. Listen to the announcers at the very beginning of the race and around the 5:47 and 9:08 marks. I found it extremely unprofessional for an announcer to seemingly "talk trash" to the French competitors.

In closing, I think there are numerous events/moments in life that produce opposing thoughts and feelings. The cross of Jesus Christ is the ultimate example. On one hand, we see a man suffering a torturous, brutal, and gruesome death on the cross. On the other hand, we (as sinful human people) now have the opportunity to experience the perfect, holy, all-satisfying presence of God because of that very death.

(For another Michael Phelps exciting finish, see the video below of the 100 meter butterfly)

"Don't Waste Your Life" Music Video

If you have not already seen it, check out the "Don't Waste Your Life" music video by Lecrae.

Bold Is an Understatement

Have you ever heard of Polycarp of Smyrna? If you have a quizzical look on your face right now, do not fret. I was in the same position as you just a few months ago.

But over the past few weeks, through my dad and a History of Christianity class, I have had the pleasure of being exposed to his incredible story, especially the last few hours of his life.

Instead of rehashing the story for you, I will instead set up the scene for the last scene of his life. Polycarp was born around 69 a.d. He became the Bishop of Smyrna (a major city in the Roman Empire) and defended the Orthodox faith against Marcionism. Around 155 a.d., Christians began to be persecuted by the Emperors of Rome.

The following true story unfolds as Polycarp is 86 years old. Roman officials are on hot pursuit to arrest and kill Christian leaders. You can read the rest of the story here. If you do not desire to read it all, start at verse five and work through verse 19. The last few statements that Polycarp make are insanely bold.

You can find more information on Polycarp here.

It Is Coming...

If you have not heard about the ESV Study Bible, check out more information on it here. I am blown away at the amount of people I look up to who have endorsed the Bible.

The Understanding That I Have Nothing To Give of My Own

A few weeks ago, I was writing a chapter evaluation for my Missions class, specifically addressing the financial shortage in supporting missionaries. But the problem is not a lack of monetary funds, especially in the United States. More so, many people just to do not give (or give generously). As a generalization, it seems like people are very protective of their money, and are hesitant to give their money to anyone or anything else (because it is their money).

Oddly though, one of the richest men in the world seemed to understand reality. Not only did he have monetary wealth, but he had power, influence, and success in every aspect. Towards the end of his life, he prayed to God in the presence of the nation he ruled and said, "Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand" (1 Chronicles 29:14).

What would change if the reality that all things you supposedly "possess" (e.g. time, money, intelligence, skills, resources, etc.) were actually God's and he was allowing you to be a steward of it?

The Consistency of the Gospel in Personal Uncertainty

The last four months have been extremely difficult. My thoughts about the future, vocation, and seminaries caused great concern and uncertainty. There were days I would wake up feeling certain of what to do, but going to bed thinking something completely different. One verse has continued to encourage me in this season, Psalm 119:92: "If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction."

Yes, this may seem to be an odd verse. Why would anyone delight in the law (Bible)? For me, this set my mind in a tumultuous time on the one thing that is consistent, the Gospel. The question then is, what is the Gospel?

Simply, the Gospel is the truth that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. But there is more. Our sin has a real consequence, eternal separation from God. Without Christ, there is no way (e.g. good works) we can overcome the great gulf our sin creates between God and us. But there is no strength, confidence or security in intellectually knowing these things. We must each receive Christ as our personal Savior and Lord. Truly then, my hope in uncertainty is not in myself, but in my relationship with Jesus Christ and His unexplainable love, compassion, and truth.

Discipline Leads to Freedom?

A friend shared a great quote on his blog on Discipline. Check it out here.

Don't Waste Your Life by Lecrae

I just heard the song "Don't Waste Your Life" by Lecrae this morning. Once again, the lyrics are inspired by Scripture with an obvious passion for the Gospel and seeking Christ as our treasure. Check it out here.

You can preorder the entire Rebel album here.

Apple Pie...Eaten by Appachen

This is what an apple pie looks like after my Appachen (grandpa) gets a hold of it. He seems to like the middle a bit more than the crust (he says that others enjoy the crust so he was saving it for them).

The funny part is when he is confronted with the evidence, he cannot help but break out laughing. That is the beauty of being old or really young, you can get away with things that would usually cause people to be upset with a simple chuckle.

So you know what he looks like, here is my grandpa with his great grand daughter Meghan.



I do not want to be unfair, so here is my Ammachy (grandma) with Meghan too (I apologize for the glare)...


Ok...one more. This is Josiah, my brother Justin, Meghan, and my sister-in-law Lisa (not Josiah/Meghan's parents).

This is not a small parfait...it is a baby

Kyle was sad.

New Macbook and Macbook Pros?

According to this it seems like new Macs could be coming as soon as September. I'm hoping it is true.

Binil's Testimony and Funeral Video/Slideshow

The following video is Binil's testimony of his journey with Christ. I plead with you, reading these words, to take a few minutes and watch the clips.



The next video is similar to the one above but to music (in an incredible way). In addition, there are a good amount of pictures and a humbling quote at the end.

Jesus Wept

He really did.

I'm glad Jesus felt the emotionally pain of losing a friend on earth. Here is the story, from John 11.

Jesus was going about his life of ministry with his disciples when he was informed his dear friend Lazarus was sick (vs. 3). Although news of the illness came as "new" information, Jesus knew that he was going to die (vs. 14). Nonetheless, Jesus traveled to Bethany to see his close friends Mary and Martha, Lazarus' sisters.

For anyone who has experienced a sudden/tragic death, you know what the scene is like at the family's house. There were tons of people at Mary and Martha's place consoling them (vs. 19, 31). They must have been distraught, weeping greatly, and likely in shock.

The shedding of countless tears.
Random verbalizations of frustration/sadness/hopelessness.
Moments of composure that leads to questions of "What if?"
People coming in and going out of the house.
An overall sense of loss and uneasiness.




When Martha heard that Jesus was near she ran to meet him. She shared the sorrow on her heart and the hope, that if Jesus had only arrived earlier, Lazarus would have lived. Mary, after being informed by Martha, runs to Jesus' feet and states "Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died (vs. 32)."

There must have been a sharp pain Jesus felt at that very moment. "...he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled (vs. 33)."

So Jesus asks them to take him to the tomb. As the group walks towards Lazarus' permanent resting place, the firmness and finality of death must have increasingly become a greater reality with each step. Soon enough, they were at the tomb, with the smell of death evident in the air (he had been dead for four days-vs. 17).

I imagine Jesus separating himself from the group and approaching the tomb alone. In front of him is a stone symbolizing the physical reality of death. Behind him stands a group of people sobbing and heart broken. In the midst of all this, Jesus breaks down and begins to weep (vs. 35). The emotion, shock, and sorrow had penetrated his spirit, producing tears that expressed the unexplainable emotions of the soul.

Today, as I remember Binil's passing, I find great comfort knowing that the Rock that I cling to, especially in moments of deepest sorrow and pain, understands what I (and maybe you) am going through.

He has been there. He has wept.

Binil Mathew Samuel (1985-2007)

The following has been a part of my Facebook profile for the last year:

The person to the right is Binil Samuel. He passed away in a car accident on August 6th, 2007 at the age of 22.

He was not a perfect person. In fact, his sin destined him to eternal separation from Christ.

However, in his abbreviated life, he was passionate about the one thing that saved him from his own sin, Jesus Christ.

Binil did not do enough pious sacraments to earn heaven. He placed the destiny of his eternity on Jesus Christ's death and resurrection.

Here are a few characteristics that set Binil apart from the rest of the crowd:
• He was witty and funny yet able to have deep, serious conversation. This is a balance that few ever master. Some are natural comedians but struggle with discussing the tougher issues of life. Others are just the opposite. Binil was blessed with a personality that was both/and.
• He cared about people. It was over a year ago now that the 35W Bridge collapsed in Minneapolis. Binil was one of the first people to call and see how I was doing. This may have been expected for the closest of friends, but Binil and I had not seen each other in months.
• More than just a phone call, Binil had a huge heart for the kids at the Navjeevan Center. Most of these kids are born of women from the red light district in Mumbai, India.
• He had a bigger picture in mind when it came to life. One of the last emails we exchanged, he mentioned how he was about to start his professional career as a consultant with Accenture. Here was his last line in regards to the job:

The best part is I get 25 PTO, not including 9 holidays, and my future manager has said people take it all their PTO at once usually, so the possibility of me being able to travel on missions annually is a very reasonable reality.

The reason I say these things is to give you a sliver as to how incredible of a person he was. But the hope of all this is not to draw more attention to him. No, it is to point the glory towards Christ.

For the next few posts, I hope to work through a few passages that have brought affirmation, realization, and encouragement over the past year.

***If you have Facebook, you can check out his testimony on my profile.

35W Bridge Collapse

It has been over a year since 35W Collapsed. As some of you may know, the apartment I was living in at the time was only a block away from the bridge. The following was the monthly update letter I wrote to friends and family a few hours after the event.

Note: By no means will this be a normal monthly update

At 6:04 p.m. on August 1st, 2007, I sat in a coffee shop on 6th and University confidently discussing the joy in knowing that the God I have entrusted my life to knows what will happen tomorrow and has everything in his master plan.

At 6:05 p.m., with a few flickers of the building lights, that simple thought was amplified and scrutinized. The fall of a heavily traveled bridge produced inquiry, anxiety, wonder, helplessness, uncertainty, and sorrow.

At about 6:15, my eyes fell upon an inconceivable sight, literally one block from my apartment. The billows of smoke, sirens from every direction, crowds of people, a major highway standing vertical, and the faint site of a school bus bombarded my senses.

It is times like this that create many critical questions directed towards God, but paradoxically, leads us to ask God himself for help. In the same breath two quotes are heard: "Why would God do this?" and "Our prayers will be with the families that are suffering and the workers that have responded."

I long to believe that God has everything in control and knows what is going to happen. But I cannot comprehend then why He would let something so dramatic and destructive occur. Proverbs 3:5, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding." Too often I want to grasp an eternal, immortal, and invisible God within the boundaries and confines of my limited, tangible, experiential mind.

Friends and family, you may wonder what the purpose/point is in this rambling? The brevity of life is magnified when seemingly inconceivable events occur in your own front yard. The hope is that, although many of you may have slim to no ties to "35W," you know "94," "90," "55" and "400." You can attempt to relate and understand.

In this process, my longing is that each of you deeply comprehends and contemplates the uncertainty in a seemingly routine daily life. Inevitably, we will all face death, whether dramatically or naturally, surprised or expected.

At 2:49 a.m., as I near the conclusion of these words, all my strength and hope stems from one avenue, Jesus.

Each of us is destined to drown in the sea of hell as the proper consequence of our sin. Will you and/or have you grasped the soul-preserving hand of Jesus, who died on the cross to be in a position to offer eternal life?

Josh
08.02.07

Indelible Grace Music

A couple weeks ago at church, we sang a song titled, “Father, Long Before Creation.” I was struck by the lyrics and set out on a search to find it. After having little luck, I emailed our worship pastor and he pointed me towards the website for Indelible (impossible to remove/alter) Grace.

According to their website, Indelible Grace’s “hope is to help the church recover the tradition of putting old hymns to new music for each generation and to enrich our worship with a huge view of God and His indelible grace.”

Most of their music is free to listen to on their website.

What music has "struck a cord" with you recently?

Enjoying Suffering for the Greater Goal

During our softball game tonight, I made a play at shortstop that involved diving to my left, fully-extended in the air, and snagging a ball destined for center field. It was probably one of the sweetest sports plays I have ever done. The aftermath was a mouth full of dirt, a shirt covered in it, a broken necklace, and a very sore left shoulder. But none of that mattered when I began in pursuit of the ball or after the catch. It was completely worth it for the greater goal of getting the out.


In light of the catch, this same tolerance (and even joy) of pain or persecution can be experienced as a Christian. As a Christian, we are not promised a simple or easy life (Luke 9:23-26, 2 Corinthians 11:24-28, 1 Peter 4:12-14). But suffering (or on the opposite end, the pursuit of safety) will not be our primary factor(s) of consideration if our physical and spiritual eyes are set on the greater purpose of pursuing Christ (his fame, kingdom and the spreading of it).

All of a sudden, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 starts to make a little more sense:

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal

.

The One Thing You Have To Do To Start Praising God

My friend Brian has a great post on praising God. He briefly but properly works through Psalm 99:1-3.

Here is a short excerpt:

If you're anything like me, you're probably not always feeling up to falling at God's feet in delightful worship. Some of you hate or avoid or want nothing to do with God. Others find yourselves longing to joyfully praise Him, but instead you battle indifference only to muster a trickle of response. How does Biblical praise happen? At what point do we change from numbness to happily exalting His name?

Check out the full piece here.