Josh

           Josh was special.

            His mother experienced a very tough pregnancy and there were complications at birth, yet Josh survived that difficult beginning, for which his parents were exceedingly grateful.

            He showed talent and promise early in life, and he grew into a godly young man. His parents loved him deeply. 

            Josh learned a trade, following in his father's footsteps. After a few years of working on his own, he made the decision to leave his profession and enter into fully supported ministry.

            He was a strong leader and very charismatic—the kind of guy that affluent people wanted to be around and blue-collar guys would follow.           

            Josh could have chosen to minister to people in the United States. Instead, he saw his mission as expanding the Kingdom of God to all parts of the world, and he chose another country.

            Josh was a dynamic preacher. Crowds of people would flock to hear him. His messages also contained real spiritual meat. He was extremely sound doctrinally and no one who knew his Bible would dare accuse him of proclaiming false teaching.

            Josh committed himself to mission work. His effort paid off and he helped grow a small community of faith.

            Tragically, not everyone appreciated Josh's ministry. Some of the native religious leaders found his message threatening. They offered trumped up charges to local government officials who, unfortunately, did not always seek to do right. Events spiraled out-of-control and, incredibly, some political leaders executed Josh.

            Members of Josh's congregation were crushed. Where was God in all this? Why would God allow such a good man—with all of his life ahead of him—to die? Why did God allow him to die in such an unjust way?

            Has tragedy ever happened to you? Has catastrophe struck anyone you have known? Have you ever witnessed someone young and full of promise struck down with major illness or death—and all of that promise go to waste? Has a family member suffered an unspeakable tragedy leaving all of you wondering why God let you down?

            Maybe you suffered through a job loss. Perhaps you lost your health. Maybe you agonized through the death of one of your children.

            The truth is each one of us at one time or another has probably experienced an encounter with the painful side of life in a fallen world. It may have left you shaking your head and questioning the work of God.

            I certainly cannot account for what God actively did or passively allowed in your circumstance; however, I can say this. Returning to Josh’s story, as strange as it may sound, I'm awfully glad Josh died.

            You would think that a guy who was such a good missionary, good preacher, a guy who made such an impact on people, and a guy who was such a good man would be indispensable. The fact is… it was his death that was indispensable.

            You see, after Josh died, some of his friends buried him. Three days later, he rose from the dead. Yet, the spiritual accomplishments rooted in that 72-hour period defied description. As strange as it may sound, the tragedy of Josh (Joshua, or as we in my country call him–Jesus) was the most important event in human history. In addition, the reality that his resurrected body departed this world meant that his spirit remained—residing in the physical bodies of his disciples, which empowered them for ministry.

            I am still trying to learn from those who loved Josh long ago. What appeared to be a tragic and unexplainable mistake of God would ultimately prove to be the greatest blessing for people. God continues to work in that mysterious way.

            As for those worried about what Josh might have missed dying so young, I would say that he has had a pretty good life for the past 2000 years.

The Dog Bite that Saved a Family

            Legend tells of the Clark family in Scotland. Many years ago, they had a dream to immigrate to the United States.

            The two parents worked and saved for themselves and for their nine children. After several years, they had saved enough money and had arranged for their passports. They booked passage on a new ship sailing to the United States.

            Seven days before they were to sail, the youngest son was bitten by a dog. The doctor was fearful that the dog had rabies; he ordered the parents to quarantine their son. This meant the family could not sail.

            Mother and father were terribly disappointed. They were angry with their son, and, frankly, they were angry with God.

            Five days after the ship had embarked for America, word spread throughout Scotland that the mighty Titanic had sunk.

            That was the ship the Clark family was to have sailed upon.

            When the father received word of the tragedy, he ran home and hugged his son. He thanked God for saving their lives. What was seen to be a tragedy had in fact been a blessing.

            Perhaps you have experienced a similar occurrence in your life.

            Or maybe you are enduring a set back right now, and someday you will discover that it was a blessing.

Whistler’s Friend

            Legend has it that the artist, James Whistler (WHISTLER’S MOTHER), once attempted to get a fellow painter’s work into an Autumn exhibition. Whistler succeeded, and the painting was hung.

            At the exhibition, the painter was thrilled as Whistler took him to view his painting on display. “Good Gracious!” the painter cried out, “You’re exhibiting my picture upside down.”

            “Hush,” Whistler replied, "the committee refused it the other way.”

            Ever offer God one of your best works, only to see Him use in a way you would have never dreamed of—or wanted? Rejoice—at least He is willing to display your work.

Source—Edmund Fuller

Only God Knows

            The story is told of a professor who was offering his class an examination before Christmas break. On one exam, he received this answer, “God only knows the answer to this question. Merry Christmas.”

            The professor returned the paper with the following notation, “God get’s an A; you get an F. Happy New Year.”

            This story reminds me of how often we excuse our shortcomings and mistakes by blaming them on “God’s will.” Maybe it was not God’s will, maybe it was just that I did not study.

A Blessed Kidnapping

In 1943, two Jewish teenagers living in Krakow, Poland were seized from their families by Nazi soldiers. Their names were Kuba and Helen, and neither knew the other. Both kidnappings were independent—two more typical examples of the Nazis inhumanity toward people.

Kuba and Helen were transported to the city of Plaszow, Poland.  Efficient Nazi paperwork was filled out. Both Kuba and Helen were loaded by German soldiers onto trucks. Intuitively, they realized, they were probably being taking to a concentration camp… and to their deaths.

Instead, they were taken to a factory owned by a German businessman named Oskar Schindler. There Kuba and Helen toiled for Schindler until he had to relocate his factory to Czechoslovakia. However, both remained on Schindler’s list.

Then, Helen’s life took a dramatic twist. Nazi soldiers mistakenly placed her on a train bound for a concentration camp.  Schindler discovered the error and rescued her.

After the war, Helen and Kuba met, fell in love, and got married.  In 1945, both Helen and Kuba had a chance to return to Krakow to search for their families. Kuba's parents and brothers had been killed. Helen's parents and six of her nine siblings were murdered. So Helen and Kuba decided to take the ravaged remains of their lives and begin again, creating a new life. In 1949, they moved to the United States.

Several years ago, when the movie, SCHINDLER’S LIST, was released, a national publication sent a reporter to interview Jews, who survived the Nazi Holocaust, due to the work of Oskar Schindler.  Among them were Kuba and Helen Beck. In the ensuing years, they had created a new life and a new family, built upon love. They remembered their great loss; yet, they were thankful for their great blessing.

My mind goes back to that fateful day back in 1943, when Kuba and Helen were taken from their families and thrown onto trucks. Up to that point, it had to have been the worst moment in their entire lives. If there was a God, how could He have permitted this to happen? But that "bad" experience set into motion a chain of events that ultimately saved their lives.

I wonder how often we look at our worst moments with desolation, not realizing that under God’s providential care, we are actually being blessed.

Next time you get the chance, read the story of Joseph in the biblical book of Genesis, chapters 37-50.